“That’s Discipleship”

Mentors and Mentored

The 2011 Tulsa Workshop has a thread of unique interest in its format.  Each evening keynoter mentored the following morning keynoter. 

Randy Harris has spent significant time working with Dusty Rush.  Especially blessed is Dusty to have learned about the workings of prayer.  Terry Rush is on staff with Jason Thornton.  They are a part of the Memorial team.  Jason is one of those guys highly skilled in way too many zones.  He is Memorial Drive’s Minister of Connections.  And then, similarly, Rick Atchley worked beside Jonathan Storment at the Hills before the latter moved on to Highland in Abilene.

The older guy/younger guy combination is an illustration of what soul winning is about.  We can chew gum and walk at the same time.  We train others while we are doing His work.  That’s discipleship.

A Continuing Restoration - John 17:20-21

Times are changing and so is the church.  One can either fight against the current, and probably be washed away, or to enjoy the ride.

Some of you may be thinking that if one "enjoys the ride" they are just taking the easy route and if they won't stand for something, they'll fall for anything.  However, that is not the direction for which I am coming.

I am not an experienced boat paddler, so I don't know what it is really like to go against a current.  What I do have some experience in is swimming.  I remember having to tread water, either for a class or for enjoyment (to stay afloat).  I wasn't able to do it forever, after a short time it is tiring.  I have experienced this feeling when it comes to trying to be "right" in my spiritual life.  Trying to make the "name" of the place I attend be "right", simply because I was told it was.  All the while, seeing other places be more passionate, free, expressive, which resulted in excitement and growth.

I often thought to myself, "Why can't we have that kind of passion?"  Then, I would realize, it tends to be because we are putting so much effort staking our "rightness" claim that all the passionate energy is sucked out of us.  It is kind of like when you have been "spring cleaning" or doing yard work all day, the last thing you want to do is to return to those activities again anytime soon.  

Yesterday, we continued our series of "Words of Wisdom from the Workshop" by looking at our "Continuing Restoration", a lesson I heard at the Tulsa Workshop by Patrick Mead.  And here are some applications to choose from to use this week...

1. Appreciate Your Heritage ~ We all come from different backgrounds which has shaped us to where we are today.  Appreciate the ones that have gone before, their victories, their blunders, their blazed trails, etc.  Then, think about how you will be a part of that which will help define the future for the next generations.
2. Humble Yourself ~ Were you a part of a group that "bought the corner" on being "right" when it comes to your total view of scripture?  I thought I was part owner of that "corner" for many years, but am realizing daily that the "corner" I thought I part ownership in was not the "right" one.
3. Research Your Heritage ~ After doing some research in the "names" of those who were founders of my heritage I realized some of the things they helped found were not anything like what I see today.  What a wake up call!
4. Why Get Together ~ "We don't get together so that God will like us...He already does".  Maybe you need to rethink why you attend a religious setting on Sunday morning, it shouldn't be so that you can check off things in order to have God like you.  He isn't some bully that you are trying to give your lunch money to in order to have safety in life.  God already does like you or he wouldn't have sent Jesus to die for a world of sinners, like you and I!

The churches will continue to change.  Hymns may fade out.  Pews may fade out.  Evangelistic methods will change.  As culture changes, so must the church.  Staying the same is not going to keep people's attention.  If the church digs its heels in to this "rightness" claim, it may be jerked forward into something it had no idea was coming.

Looking forward to the future changes...

Ten Suggestions for Keeping a Close Relationship Between You and God

If I was ever given the opportunity to meet someone "famous", and I mean someone that I would really like to meet, I think I would act starstruck. I would be a little lost for words, but I would eventually figure out how to actually talk to them like anyone else. A question for you is "would you act the starstruck or like your normal self?"

If given  more chances to talk to them, how would you act more normal? You would probably develop a set of guidelines to have yourself go by. Maybe you'd say "Don't say 'I can't believe I'm getting the chance to meet you" over and over again. Or, you would not ask all kinds of questions about them, and just treat them like you would any other person you met for the second or third time? 

That takes us into thinking about what we would do if we had the chance to meet God.  If you're like me, you've got a lot of questions to ask.  Why this? Why that? How this?  How that?  Would you think to just ask about Him?  Would you ask questions that showed you cared about Him or just questions that benefited you and your curiosity?  

Yesterday we looked at another lesson from the Tulsa Workshop, also by Randy Harris, titled "Ten Suggestions for Keeping a Close Relationship Between You and God".  Here are some applications to choose from to use this week...

1. Appreciate ~ When you first start praying or talking to God, let Him know the things you appreciate, first, before you start asking
2. Enjoy the Journey With Each Other ~ The family of God is more powerful when we're together.  When we're splintered, we're weak.  When we're at odds with each other, we're being splintered...hence we're weaker.
3. Risky Business ~ That is a description of being a Christian.  Are you willing to take the risks?  Will you take the risks that are associated with this lifestyle? The best part of it is that you will develop a closer relationship with Him!
4. Slow Down ~ Life is too short not to enjoy the journey.
5. Find the Dark ~ Let your light shine in a place or with a person that needs it.  You don't need light in the light; but in the dark. That's where your light can shine!
6. Invest ~ Are there things in your life that you have committed too much time toward?  Maybe you need to think about what is taking you away from being an invested Christian.
7. Enjoy Now ~ What can you do right now, where you're at, with what you have to make a difference for God?  Depending on Him will draw you closer to Him.

You want to have a closer relationship with Him?  Take one of the applications to see if it fits in your life. A complete list of the ten suggestions are listed below.

#1 - Quit Whining, #2 - Form Covenant, #3 - Memorize the Sermon on the Mount, #4 - Take a Risk, #5 - Walk (vs. Run), #6 - Relocate, #7 - Calm Down, #8 - Simplify, Materially, #9 - Commit, #10 - Be Present

Let's work together in making our individual relationships with God stronger, which will make our entire relationship with Him stronger.

Dreamin'

Last week, I, among my family, the Ray's and Shelby, had the privilege of going to the Tulsa Workshop.  It is the highlight of my year, for extracurricular spiritual activities!  The couple of years that I haven't had the chance to go, I felt a big void.

This year did not disappoint!  The Workshop begins with a Wednesday night session.  First off, the singing is bound to get you going.  Being in a room with thousands of other acappella singing singers is super uplifting.  That is followed by a keynote, which is the first thing on the schedule.  Don McLaughlin was this year's speaker.

Early Thursday morning there is a special preacher's round table in the host preacher's office.  If you like the St. Louis Cardinals, you would love to see this office.  He is not only a huge fan, but also he goes on a "mission trip" to the Cardinals Fantasy Camp.  He's been doing it for over 20 years and has connections with several big league players. One of the great things is that the elders come in after it is all over and pray over the 15 preachers that attend. This, for me, makes the entire workshop!

Thursday, Friday, & Saturday there are sessions at 9:00, 10:00, & 11:00 AM, 2:00, 3:00, & 4:00 PM that have at least four different speakers during each session.  While most sessions are for anyone, there are some sessions specifically for the deaf, teens, Spanish, and women.  The whole workshop is free to attend...that's a lot to offer for free!  Plus, there are tons of booths to look around at during the Workshop.

What is really awesome is to hear how God has done things in certain people's lives and to look forward to what God may do in mine.  Maybe not specifically, but most of the time it is because I am not having my eyes open to Him, rather I am opening my eyes to tasks I'm trying to accomplish. It causes me to dream of what it could be like here in Colby.

Starting next week, you will get the chance to hear some "Words of Wisdom from the Workshop" as I will share some of the information I heard from last week with you.

The Christian Who Was in a Hurry

Last week I had the privilege of going to a ministry workshop.  It is the highlight of my year. So many great things are packed into that great weekend (Wednesday-Saturday).  I practically look forward to the next year's workshop the moment I leave!

Most of you have probably heard the story about the policeman who stops a lady who was cussing, honking, and doing other rude things when drivers around her weren't "cooperating".  When asked why she was being stopped, the officer responded something like this, "I thought the car was stolen and you were not the owner because of the fact that you had a Jesus-fish decal and a "Honk if you love Jesus" bumper sticker on the back of your car."  In his opinion, she was not reflecting her faith very well.

The other day, when I was checking out, another gentleman came up to be checked out.  He was pretty demanding of a receipt, which due to the circumstances, they couldn't provide one at that time.  They were willing to e-mail it to him.  However, he claimed he had no way of printing it off.  They offered to fax the receipt, the gentlemen began getting a little more testy.  "Do you have a piece of paper that you can just put my total on and sign it?"  "Yes", the clerk replied. "Then just do it and let me get out of here!" was his response.  She obliged.  After he said, "Are you ___?", the name on the card, she nodded.  After he left, she muttered to her coworker, "He was rude".

As it worked out, I saw him at my ministry workshop.  I wonder if he felt justified in his reaction?  Did he realize that the faith that she was seeing was rudeness, not Christ.  I Corinthians 13 describes love as not being rude.  This guy didn't have a passionate love for the clerk that was coming across as unloving.  Rather, he had a Christ-like love that was absent in this situation, so it reflected rude.

I debated about saying something to this guy when I saw him.  However, I never had/took the chance.

My challenge and purpose in writing this is to say that you may be the only Jesus anyone will see that day.  How will you respond to these interactions?  Also, will you be Jesus to everyone so that they will see a Jesus-reflection rather than a "rude" reflection (or worse).

May I take on the responsibility of wanting to reflect Jesus to everyone I meet!

What a Week(end)!

We arrived back yesterday from the Tulsa Workshop. It is more than a weekend...as it spans Thursday through Saturday, arriving on Wednesday and coming home on Sunday.

This was like none I'd never experienced before. The short of it is that Friday it was rainy and Saturday it was very snowy (6-8 inches). The other side of the experience was that I had my first official time to speak...not once but all three days! I could go on about how that has humbled me more than puffed me up, but I won't.

As usual, the speakers were great! Very encouraging, motivating, and filling for my spirit. It started off on Wednesday night with a great time at Memorial Drive, hosting their "final" Feeding of the 5,000 (as next year Wednesday night will be at the Fairgrounds). Then, Thursday morning is an awesome time to meet in the Workshop Director's office and have a preacher's forum. This is probably my favorite part of the workshop. This time was followed up by the shepherds of Memorial praying over us...that was so cool!

The rest of Thursday was good as I had the chance to see many people I hadn't seen in a while. Friday was a great day, also. Saturday...was snowy...which didn't make the speakers any less great, but it did scare a lot of people away.

If you were there you experienced much of what I experienced. If you weren't there, you missed a great time and I hope you will think about coming next year with the theme...The Journey: Pressing on to the Goal.

Counting down the days till next March!

Wonderful Workshop!

I am just hours into the Tulsa Workshop. The largest gathering for Churches of Christ in the world. There will be 10,000+ people come through here this weekend (Thursday-Saturday). More importantly, God will be lifted up through every word spoken and song sung!

It is the greatest few days of my ministry year! I leave so excited every year! I can't wait till next year, before I leave for the current year.

This year is special for a selfish reason. I have been asked to speak, not once or twice, but all three days! I am anxious. Pray for me as I try to help people/churches to use technology to honor Him and expand the Kingdom. I speak Thursday at 4:00 PM, Friday & Saturday at 10:00 AM. If you can remember, pray during these times, specifically.

It was an honor to be asked and I pray that God has anointed me with words that will benefit those who attend and those who by the CD recordings of these classes.

Have a great rest of the week!

Being fed...

Take a Big Step, No Matter What the Size

In my life there have been instances where I was very scared/nervous about what the future would hold. One, was going to preaching school and having to ask/depend on churches and individuals to support my family. Other times were job moves and car/house purchases. Having the mindset of "supporter" for my family, a decent amount of pressure goes onto my shoulders when I am considering these options.

There have been other times in my life that I have taken a step toward a goal that may seem crazy to some. I have a tendency to "put myself out there" and see what the answer will be. I live a lot on the "I'd-rather-know-than-to-sit-thinking-I-don't-know". In other words, I'd rather get a "no" from something I may be interested in doing, rather than wonder if were ever possible. One example is getting the chance to speak at a "national" ministry Workshop. I had admired the men who I'd heard for years. Last year, I heard of one speaker who was sick, so I e-mailed the director (who I remotely knew) and said I would be willing to speak, if the need arose. He met with me and told me to go to that site on that particular day. Then, the night before, at the keynote, He said, in general announcements, that if I could hear him, I was "on" the next day. Making a long story short, I was VERY nervous, but I gave it my all, and it went well. (You can listen by going to this site, then scrolling down to find my name). That got me in the door, and as it worked out, this year I was asked to speak again - all three days! I am busy preparing for this year's engagement and will be quite nervous each day!

We all have to take steps from time to time in order to get where we want. It will usually take some type of "putting ourself out there". Whether that is offering to do something or joining a group, or somewhere in between. That brings us to this week's quote...

If you have a great ambition, take as big a step as possible in the direction of fulfilling it. The step may one be a tiny one, but trust that it may be the largest one possible for now. ~ Mildred Mcafee

What "great ambition" do you have? What would you like to do for yourself, your family, your community, your church, your work, etc.? What step needs to be taken in order to get closer to that point? Maybe it is learning a new talent/hobby? Maybe it is writing a book? Maybe it is getting a better, more fulfilling job? Maybe it is making your work environment better, more inspiring?

No matter what it is...step forward! Don't stand still or sit and not move. Be on the move to something greater, bigger than you ever dreamed possible!

Take that step!

Monday Mentionings: Words of Wisdom From the Workshop - Part II

If you've never been to the Tulsa Workshop or you haven't been in a long time, you really need to go. It is a great time to be in an "out of the ordinary" environment to get pumped about your faith. Whether you are one who is pumped through the vocalized word, singing, or seeing several young people devote themselves to go to another country to serve Him, it all happens at Tulsa!

Where are you at when you are reading this? Where you are at, that is where the church is located at during this particular moment in history. As you are reading this, the health of the church depends on how healthy your heart is. Each of these deal with today's points of applications to yesterday's lesson...

1. "The Church Has Left the Building" - Rick Atchley - As I said earlier, where you're at is where the church is at, right now. Each one of us holds on to a part of the net that we are casting in order to try to "catch" others. That net is spread wide, across our area. Did you cast your part of the net today, or did you keep hold of it? I hope to cast it more than once, depending on who God sends me to or sends to me today. Remember to cast your part of the net with each encounter you experience!
2. "Heart Matters" - Buddy Bell - Ever felt like you were being a very superficial Christian? Maybe it was because you were having a rough week or because you felt the world closing in on you. You would go through the motions, just to try to make it to the next day or week. Superficial Christianity is not true Christianity. We may be able to make it through one week alright, but being that way week after week will cause us to fall away from God and not toward Him. What is in your heart is what truly shows the how much you trust, rely, internalize, and love God. Simply thinking about how you will share Jesus today/this week will show what is in your heart. Do you trust in Him to give you the words to say? Do you rely on Him to direct a "fertile soil" heart to you? Do you internalize the joy that comes from sharing Him? Do you love Him enough to participate in the luxury of sharing your faith with someone else? Your actions show your heart...what will your heart "do" for Him today?

I am still being surprised by God...regularly! It is awesome to see how much God puts in my path on a regular basis. I am giddy each day as I can't wait to see what is going to happen that day. How about you? How does God show up in your life...who does He bring forth?

Continually Blessed ~

Monday Mentionings: Words of Wisdom from the Workshop - Part 1

It was good to be back in the “saddle” (aka pulpit) again! Tulsa is always a great experience. May be hard for many to understand what it feels like to be “fed” when one is always “feeding”. Tulsa provides this opportunity for me, which I am always “chomping at the bit” to go to by the time February comes around. As I share with you some “Words of Wisdom from the Workshop”, from a few of the messages that I heard, I hope you can gain some application from them as well. Here are some additional applications from yesterday’s message…

1. “UNChristian: How the World Views Us” – by Don McLaughlin – What type of impression did you make on a non-Christian today? Did your actions model something they should want to be a part of? Presuming so, was it difficult to do this? Were there times when you wanted to “lose your cool” or say something else just so you could “zing” someone? Or maybe it was something completely different. Today, (or the next time) when you’re around someone that you would consider a non-Christian (in the store, on the road, at work, at home, at school, etc.) think about how you’re acting and modeling what a Christian should be acting like. Be a reflector of Jesus to someone else!
2. “Reimagning the Church” – by Patrick Mead – So many things in life take on a different look as times change. Take a mental note on how many slogans change after a while, how many storefronts change or stores get remodeled after a few years, how often styles change through the years. Each one of these things change as the times change. The church should be no different, but we are. If McDonald’s still sold everything for the same price they did when they first opened, they couldn’t afford to stay in business. If a movie maker refused to put sound and/or color in its movies, it would not make it very long. So if the church continues to do things the same as it did in the past, it is not going to reach today’s audience. The church must change with the times. Hamburgers and soda are still what they are. Movies still are based on frames-per-second. The gospel is still the good news. However, we must reimagine what we can do to make the church move from point A to point B and bring as many people in this world and caught up in the world, with it! How do you fit in to this plan? Pray that we will be a “reimagined” church in this area!

I hope your Monday got off to a great start!

May you have many opportunities to model Christ to those who don’t know Him (yet)!

ROCK CHALK JAYHAWKS!!! Kansas Pride!!!

Serving Him ~

Monday Mentionings: Tulsa Workshop Experience

What a great uplifting week/weekend! The Tulsa experience this year was a bit different for me since we had a child, but, overall, it was still a tremendous spiritual boost! The theme was "Prayer: Declaration of Our Dependence." I wish everyone could have been there! The singing was great, the speakers were great, the fellowship was great...it was just GREAT!

Like last year, I had the privilege to attend an early morning preacher's forum and prayer time. Terry Rush hosts this in his office for 15 preachers. It is awesome to hear how God is working in different minister's ministries! God works in amazing ways.

Next year's theme is "Evangelistic Revolution". It sounds like it will be an exciting time. Start praying for the workshop and start preparing to go.

Have a Jesus-filled week!

On a spiritual high ~

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E-mail: jarrod@mvn.net
Blog: http://jarrodspencer.blogspot.com

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