What if I got saved TODAY?

A few weeks ago, our pastor gave a wonderful salvation message – it was so good, I wanted to get saved all over again. I was kinda bummed that I already was, since he made the invitation to be a part of God’s Kingdom so inviting… it got me thinking… what if I DID get saved today, in fact, everyday… Below is what I wrote in my journey the next morning, and I was thinking perhaps others who are already saved might want to consider getting saved again.* I dare you to PAUSE and reflect on each of the questions below… it’s not easy, I know. WHAT IF I GOT SAVED TODAY? What would change? What would I do differently What would I give up? What would I stop doing? What would I start doing? Who would I ask forgiveness of? Who would I choose to forgive? What would I give away? How would I spend my time? How would I spend my money? How would I arrange my life? How would my relationships be impacted? Where would I go? Where wouldn’t I go? What would others notice about me? How would I start my day? How would I end…

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Part 3 of DISCIPLESHIP Series

Scripture Memory is out of style these days. Perhaps it is because its hard and we are a culture that likes everything easy. Maybe we are just too busy to memorize. Some even try to discard it as rote repitition that is considered less effective than comprehension and perhaps even harmful. Many today contend that scripture memory is not effective because it doesn’t encourage thinking and therefore doesn’t impact the heart. I agree! I agree that if ALL we did was rote memory, we’d be bad off! But to dismiss scripture memory on the basis that if ALL we did was rote memory is to push a beneficial spiritual discipline to its extreme and then reject it as though the extreme is all it offers. Let me suggest three reasons I believe Scripture Memory is essential to discipleship: READ THE REST ON DISCIPLEBLOG.com

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My Conversation with Larry Fowler

Don’t miss the final episode of Karl and Gus’s Summer Podcast Series! In this final podcast Gus and I got to shoot the breeze with Larry Fowler, Awana’s Executive Director of Global Training. (wow!) But more importantly, a great guy who thinks biblically and communicates clearly the why’s and how’s of reaching and teaching children. Karl and Larry at CPC 2008 OFFICIAL DESCRIPTION: I Wanna, You Wanna Karl and Gus spend some time getting to know “A Wise And Neato Administrator,” aka AWANA’s Executive Director of Global Training, Larry Fowler. Learn more about what drives the author of Rock Solid Kids and the just-released Raising a Modern Day Joseph… as well as learn what “AWANA” doesn’t stand for! If you have a passion for equipping parents to be the spiritual leaders of their kids and to see the children of your ministry grow into fully devoted disciples of Jesus, you need to hear what Larry Fowler has to say. ChildrensMinistryPodcast.com: Download Episode 7 Discuss this podcast in the Network Forums Learn more about AWANA, a Kid U sponsor What did you think of the podcasts? Should I continue them? What would you like more of? What should I change? Not…

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DISCIPLESHIP Series Part 2

Part 2 of my D.I.S.C.I.P.L.E.S.H.I.P. Series on DiscipleBlog.com is just posted. …I was stunned and confused. But, of course, I couldn’t admit it, not to the man whose daughter I had a growing affection for, so I stuttered and answered, “Well, none yet, but I hope to soon.” He answered, “Good, by next week I’d like you to be discipling at least three young men.” I agreed. Except I had no idea what he was talking about! Here I was, a pastor’s son, and a student at one of the leading Bible colleges in the world, but when asked if I was discipling I was at a loss! So I ran to my “girlfriend” (though not officially so yet) and said, “Your dad wants me to be discipling three boys by next week! What do I do?” She was no help. She simply answered, “Well, just do it.” Again, I couldn’t admit that I had no idea what they were talking about! How did I tell this girl I was hoping to woo that I didn’t knowing what “discipleship” meant? I was stuck. Discipleship was a word I heard and used a lot, but when confronted with being asked to…

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D.I.S.C.I.P.L.E.S.H.I.P. Series Launched

Over on DiscipleBlog.com I have launched a new series called D.I.S.C.I.P.L.E.S.H.I.P. – Twelve Tips to help you become a more effective discipler of children. Here is the first one. To keep up with all twelve, subscribe to the DiscipleBlog.com RSS feed. D = Develop a Relationship “And He walks with me and He talks with me; And He tells me I am His own; And the joy we share as we tarry there; None other has ever known.” Every notice that Jesus’ primary method of discipleship was based upon relationships? Jesus didn’t establish schools, write curriculum, or host seminars. While He certainly did teach the masses – he discipled in relationship with those who were close to Him, and it was THOSE disciples who turned the world upside down after He left them. As I look back over some fifteen plus years of professional children’s ministry and many more years of just life ministry, it is those I discipled relationally who I see producing the greatest fruit. They are ones in Bible college, becoming missionaries, and going into ministry. While I am NOT assuming any credit for their godly choices, I am saying that being discipled prayed a part in…

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