Devo: Be Strong and Accomplish More through Prayer
The book of James gives us some great truths about prayer.
- PRAYER WORKS! James 1:5
- Prayer works WHEN IT’S TRIED. James 4:2
- Prayer works when it’s tried WITH RIGHT MOTIVES. James 4:3
- Prayer works when done IN COMMUNITY. James 5:13-16
James also tells us about the power of prayer:
1. We can BE STRONG and ACCOMPLISH MORE through prayer. This is how the words “powerful in its effect” in James 5:16 can also be translated. Strength and accomplishment.
2. James puts one condition on prayers power: “The prayer of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect.” James 5:16. To gain full advantage in prayer, one must be RIGHT with God. This points to the need of a RELATIONSHIP with God through Christ. This is how we gain RIGHTEOUSNESS (see 2 Corinthians 5:21 and 1 Peter 3:18). Goodness is the best we can do, but RIGHTEOUSNESS is needed to get to heaven and to know all the blessings of life IN CHRIST, including a powerful, strong prayer life.
3. Prayer Requires Intentionality, Commitment, and Faith. James gives an example of the power of prayer from the life of Elijah. Elijah’s prayer actually changed weather patterns (James 5:17-18)! It’s a lesson in the endless possibilities of dependence upon God. As Jesus said it, “with God, all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26).
James says that Elijah prayed fervently or earnestly. This word proseuche is rich with meaning. Here are some ways that its definition and usage can be applied:
- pros means near of toward – prayer brings nearness to God
- seuche means vow or commitment – prayer is bringing our hearts near or toward God. Prayer should bring with it a heart of surrender and sacrifice and a commitment that says we are serious about our relationship, dependence, and usefulness to God.
- proseuche also denoted a real place. The word was used by Jews who lived in a city without a synagogue to mark a place for prayer gatherings. It also was used to describe an altar where people brought gifts prior to prayer and worship. Of course Jesus, encouraged or commanded the use of a prayer closet (Matthew 6:6).
Is your heart RIGHT with God? Do you have a PLACE for prayer? Do you believe in prayers power? Are you ready to give your heart to God? Then get after it, and expect to experience the powerful effects of prayer!
Get an audio version of this message delivered at Bridge Church in Madisonville HERE, or on Itunes.
Reaching the Unreached… the Lost Art
One of the books we gave away at last year’s Church Planting training events was Peyton Jones’ Reaching the Unreached: Becoming Raiders of the Lost Art. Peyton’s message to the church is to get out from behind the walls and take risk to share the Gospel. He shares many of his experiences from the field and also many great quotes and stories from church history. Find much encouragement to get started or refocused on the mission of Jesus out there, among the lost in our communities in Reaching the Unreached. Here’s a few of my favorite quotes:
- The future belongs not to churches that can draw a crowd, but churches that can penetrate one.
- Before the faith comes to others ears, movement must first come to our feet.
- The Holy Spirit is always with his people, but he seems to show up with special power when his people are out of their depth. That’s because the secret ingredient for the secret sauce of power is risk.
- We pray for more power from the Holy Spirit, but why would he pour himself on us when we continue to do nothing?
- We may long to experience more of God’s presence, but maybe we aren’t doing anything we actually need him for.
- Without the tuning fork of mission, the instrument of Christianity sounds off key.
- The current hour calls for humble, broken people, consumed with Jesus, and unimpressed with themselves.
- The litmus test of whether God is moving isn’t how many Christians you’ve crammed into a room, but the effect upon the lost.
- If you’re going to help someone stuck in the muck you better be willing to get dirty; if you’re going to help the broken you’d better be ready to get hurt because the jagged edges of a broken life are sharp.
- The church that weathers the future will be less dependent upon buildings, methods, and structure and more on natural missional engagements.
Connect with Peyton Jones, his podcasts, newsletters, etc. at https://peytonjones.ninja/. He’s always great with resources for church planter training and encouragement. Hope to get Peyton down to Louisiana in person for training sometime soon.
Devo: Strength, Productivity, Resilience, Success
Beyond black eyed peas and cabbage, what can you do this year to guarantee…
- An endless source of strength
- Productive, fruitful work and life
- Resilience when pressure builds
- Success and prosperity
These things are promised to the person who delights in God’s word (Psalm 1:2).
1 How happy is the one who does not
walk in the advice of the wicked
or stand in the pathway with sinners
or sit in the company of mockers!
2 Instead, HIS DELIGHT IS IN THE LORD’S INSTRUCTION,
and he meditates on it day and night.
3 He is like a tree planted beside flowing streams (ENDLESS SOURCE OF STRENGTH)
that bears its fruit in its season (PRODUCTIVE, FRUITFUL WORK AND LIFE)
and whose leaf does not wither. (RESILIENCE WHEN PRESSURE BUILDS)
Whatever he does prospers. (SUCCESS AND PROSPERITY).
Psalm 1:1-3 CSB
Delight means to see it as pleasurable or have a desire for it. Spending time in God’s Word can make an impact in your life. Make a plan and experience the strength, fruitfulness, resilience, and success that only God’s wisdom can bring.
Top 10 Blog Posts of 2017
- The Impact of Churches Under 100
- On Failed Church Plants: How Many Are There? And Why?
- Louisiana’s Healthy AND Growing Churches, Part 2
- BASIC MUD-OUT GUIDE FOR HOMEOWNERS
- Breaking the 50 Barrier in Church Planting
- The Final Week of Jesus – Chart / Reading Plan
- What is a DISCIPLE?
- Louisiana’s Healthy AND Growing Churches, Part 1
- Church Revitalization Tools
- Church Growth = Growing Friends + Growing Family
Looking forward to another great year of learning and growing. Lets stay connected. Follow the blog. Let me know your thoughts when you can.
Blessings,
Lane
Plan to Grow Spiritually in the New Year
If you are a follower of Christ, hopefully you’re asking, “How will I grow in my faith in the New Year?” Intentionality is the friend of spiritual growth. A goal of mine is to read the Bible through each year. 10-20 minutes of reading each day will get you there. If you’re a believer, reading the Bible through is a must to give you the big picture perspective of the faith and of the book that is our guide for spiritual growth.
A few tips and tricks from my journey:
- I love using technology in Bible Reading. Youversion.com or the Bible App is my go to partner in faith development. Makes it easy to track, share, and be creative with images, etc. Also has a large variety of plans for every persons interest and needs.
- Last year, I used the Discipleship Journal Reading Plan which gives you 5 days off each month. Would be a good plan for busy people because of the 5 days of grace.
- I finished the plan early enough to get in the 40 Days through the New Testament Challenge here at the end of the year. Very challenging. 7-8 chapters each day. I’m a slow reader, and I like to highlight and journal through what I’m reading, so some of these readings took me all day! Very good challenge to take though as I am more convinced than ever that there is nothing more hope filled than the message of the New Testament.
- I’ll probably go back with the One Year Bible Reading Plan this year. I’ve finished it 3 or 4 times. It takes you through the entire Bible and the book of Psalms twice. Psalms everyday is good when your reading is in some of the meatier sections of the Bible.
- How do you make it through the meatier sections of the Bible? I like to use a Bible Handbook when I’m reading through hard to understand sections like the Major Prophets. My favorite is How to Read the Bible Book by Book. Pick up any Bible Handbook as a helpful read along through the Bible.
- “But I don’t always have time to read during the day.” Same here. At least once per week, I leave my house at 4:30am or so. This doesn’t allow me time to get my reading in. So, I use the Bible Apps audio feature and listen through my planned reading for that day. I’ve found balancing listening and reading to the Bible helpful. Most of the Bible was written to be read aloud by others. It helps bring some passages alive to hear it read out loud. Try it.
Get some of my other tips and tricks for devotional life HERE. And let’s connect on the Bible App to encourage one another this year.
If you’re new to Bible Reading, check out our little booklet How to Get a Grip on the Bible to get started.
Christmas Wish List: ForGIVEness
One of the many promises of Christmas was that Jesus would “give his people knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins” (Luke 1:77).
Forgiveness is a gift of God paid for by the work of Jesus Christ on the cross (see Ephesians 1:7). It’s given freely to those who put faith in His finished work for their salvation (Acts 10:43). Further defining this word gets us to the reason its such a great gift. The word can actually mean pardon, release from captivity, and freedom and is translated like this in other Biblical passages (Luke 4:18; Colossians 1:13-14). When we put our faith in Christ, forgiveness of our sins becomes reality, releasing us from the bondage of sin and setting us free to walk in newness of life (Romans 6:3-4).
Many of us don’t have a problem with God’s forgiveness and our need of it. The problems come when we have to live this out in our relationships. And we must!
“if you forgive others their offenses, your heavenly Father will forgive you as well. 15 But if you don’t forgive others, your Father will not forgive your offenses.” Matthew 6:14-15
“be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God also forgave you in Christ.” Ephesians 4:32
“bearing with one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a grievance against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you are also to forgive.” Colossians 3:13
This past Sunday, as part of our Grace and Truth Message series at Bridge Church, we proposed an exercise to get free, or begin to get free, from relational conflict through forgiveness. This was a personal challenge as this year has been a tough year relationally for me. This challenge has helped me gain freedom from the onset of bitterness.
Steps to Forgiveness:
“forgive as God forgave you” Colossians 1:13
>> List three sins that God has forgiven me for:
>> List three sins that others have forgiven me for:
>> Make a list of people I’m harboring resentment, anger, or unforgiveness towards:
Love… pray for…” Matthew 5:44 “do good to…” John 6:27
>> What good can I do for them? How can I pray for them this week?
Resentment, anger, unforgiveness grows in marriages, in churches, in extended families, in workplaces. Identifying and extending the gift of release to others sets us free to love and live.
Get the audio from last week’s Bridge Gathering here or on Itunes. Join us Sunday, 10am, at the Maritime Museum in Madisonville for the conclusion of our Grace and Truth Message Series
Reaching Hispanics in the U.S.
With 27 Hispanic Church Plants since 2010, Louisiana Baptists have almost doubled the number of Hispanic Churches in our state through church planting.
Guillermo Mangieri, with Istrouma en Espanol in Baton Rouge, recently shared Four Realities Impacting Hispanic Ministry in the US with our Church Planting Network:
1. Hispanics are the fastest growing population in the U.S. – 50 million. And the U.S. has the 2nd largest population in the world.
2. Hispanics are receptive to the message of the Gospel.
3. 23% of the Hispanic population in the U.S. are under the age of 18.
4. The Hispanic population will continue to grow in the U.S. no matter what.
In Baton Rouge alone, there are 17,000 Hispanics. 4% of the population.
Are there Hispanics in your community that could be reached? Are there enough Hispanic churches and ministries to impact the growing population in your community? Let us know if we can help you assess your community and strategize to reach different people groups around your church.
Check out Dr. Daniel Sanchez’s book Hispanic Realities Impacting America for more info on Hispanic Ministry opportunities: http://ow.ly/6NJS30gCyao
10 Questions to Gauge Multiplication
How close is my church to being a multiplying church? What markers to I need to aim for if I desire for my church or network to multiply? Jimmy Scroggins and Steve Wright share a great list of 10 markers or characteristics of a Multiplying Movement in their great book Turning Everyday Conversations into Gospel Conversations. Here’s the list in the form of 10 questions to Gauge multiplication:
- How are we expanding the vision to share the gospel for our people?
- How are we encouraging focused prayer for evangelism?
- Are we providing simple and reproducible gospeling tools?
- Is there an abundance of gospel seed sowing?
- Are we training our people to share the gospel frequently and regulary?
- Are new believers rapid to obey and go make disciples in their networks?
- Are we seeing generational growth patterned after 2 Timothy 2:2?
- How are we holding each other accountable to sharing the gospel?
- How are we celebrating stories of obedience in gospel sharing?
- How are we multiplying churches through our new disciples?
Challenging list, but some simple starting points for any church.
>> Expand the vision. The authors give the challenge of considering “how many new disciples would you need to turn back the lostness in your immediate area by just 1 percent?” In my community, The Association of Religious Data Archives says there are 116,018 unaffiliated individuals, that are not part of any church or religious body. So to just focus on these would mean, we’d need to reach 1,160 people! Need big vision to accomplish this!
>> Begin to Pray. “Prayer aligns our hearts with God’s heart for the lost.” Great tools like BlessEveryHome.com can be used for strategic prayer across your community. Also, devising a way for people to write down their lost friends pray for regularly.
>> Provide tools and training. “A commitment to frequent, intentional training is the key factor that distinguishes a multiplying movement from one of fast addition.” How are you training people to share the gospel? Lots of tools available like One on One: Evangelism Made Simple through the Louisiana Baptist Convention, the 3 Circles Life Conversation Guide through the North American Mission Board. Books like Turning Everyday Conversations into Gospel Conversations, Sharing Jesus Without Freaking Out by Alvin Reid, and Tell Someone by Greg Laurie. Lot’s of simple ways to provide training.
Turning Everyday Conversations Into Gospel Conversations is also a good How To book for Christians, presenting the 3-Circles method of sharing the Gospel. Check it out and maybe buy a box for your small group or church resource center.
Here’s a few other great quotes from the book:
- The North American church needs more believers actively engaging their neighbors and coworkers in gospel conversations.
- It’s not enough to preach the gospel only on Sunday. It’s not enough for a handful of seminary trained individuals to tell several hundred people the good news once a week.
- every follower of Jesus should be intentionally discipling at least one person.
- How do we know when someone is ready to hear and genuinely respond to the gospel? The fact is we really never know what God is doing in someone’s heart. We need to have frequent, intentional gospel conversations and then allow the gospel to be the filter.
- What fueled the exponential and explosive growth of Christianity in the first century was how ordinary people spoke of the gospel to everyone they knew.
- Christ followers are lifelong repenters who need to rehearse the gospel daily.
- If our golf swing is worth practicing, then certainly our gospel sharing is as well.
- Multiplying movements ignite when new believers are immediately trained, discipled, and released to win and disciple those who far from God.
Louisiana’s HEALTHY AND GROWING Churches, Part 2
On Monday, I reported on Louisiana’s healthiest and fastest growing churches, per Dr. Bill Day’s definition of churches that have:
- 10% growth over a 5 year period.
- At least one baptism per year in that period.
- An attender to baptism ratio of 15:1.
Who are some of the churches on this list? Take a look:
(NOTE: If you think a church should be on one of these list and they are not – there were some with high % growth, additions, and baptisms that did not make the 15:1 Attender to Baptism ratio cut. Also, there are 300 churches or so that do not turn in an Annual Church Profile annually).
Churches with the largest % growth between 2012 and 2016
- Life Point Community, Mansura, Pastor Jacob Crawford, grew by 317%, from 60 to 250.
- Ridge Memorial, Slidell, Pastor Paul Dabdoub, grew by 177%, from 26 to 72 regular attenders.
- Brushy Creek, Bancroft, Pastor Jerry L Hext, grew by 175%, from 20 to 55.
- The Church at Addis, Pastor Tom Shepard, grew by 161%, from 157 to 410.
- Christ’s Community Church, Denham Springs, Pastor Willis Easley, grew by 147%, from 273 to 675.
- Journey Church, Pineville, Pastor James Greer, grew by 138, from 356 to 849.
- Unity, Oak Grove, Pastor J. Kelly Coleman, grew by 112%, from 85 to 180.
- Calvary Spanish, Morgan City, Pastor Daniel Brown, grew by 91%, from 55 to 105.
- South Bossier, Bossier City, Pastor Chris Young, grew by 91%, from 140 to 267.
- First Baptist Church, Moss Bluff, Pastor Steve Bennett, grew by 81%, from 655 to 1,186.
Churches that Added the Most People between 2012 and 2016:
- Celebration Church, Metairie, Pastor Dennis Watson, added 2,750 attenders.
- First Baptist Church , Moss Bluff, Pastor Steve Bennett, added 531 attenders.
- Journey Church, Pineville, Pastor James Greer, added 493 attenders.
- Christ’s Community, Denham Springs, Pastor Willis Easley, added 402 attenders.
- East Leesville Baptist, Leesville, Pastor John Hebert, added 375 attenders.
- The Church at Addis, Pastor Tom Shepard, added 253 attenders.
- Cypress, Benton, Pastor John Fream, added 208 attenders.
- Life Point Community, Mansura, Pastor Jacob Crawford, added 190 attenders.
- First Baptist, Ruston, Pastor Chris Craig, added 189 attenders.
- South Bossier, Bossier City, Pastor Chris Young, added 127 attenders.
Baptisms by these churches between 2012 and 2016:
- Celebration Church, Metairie, Pastor Dennis Watson – 2,153
- Journey Church, Pineville, Pastor James Greer – 445
- Cypress Church, Benton, Pastor John Fream – 378
- His Church, Pineville, Pastor Steve Speer – 323
- First Baptist Ruston, Pastor Chris Craig – 310
- The Church at Addis, Pastor Tom Shepard – 285
- Christ’s Community, Denham Springs, Pastor Willis Easley – 281
- East Leesville, Leesville, Pastor John Hebert – 277
- Pine Ridge, Melder, Pastor Jason Townley – 276
- Life Point, Mansura, Pastor Jacob Crawford – 266
Louisiana’s HEALTHY AND GROWING Churches
Recently I attended a seminar with Dr. Bill Day on evangelistic church growth. Dr. Day, defines a Healthy, Growing Church as a church that has had:
- 10% growth over a 5 year period.
- At least one baptism per year in that period.
- An attender to baptism ratio of 15:1.
I like this formula, because it helps us see that not every church that is a healthy church is a growing church. And not every church that is growing, grows by evangelistic growth. This formula cuts through the pack to get to the healthy, evangelistic, growing churches.
His research shows that in 2015, only 5.4% of the 40,000+ Southern Baptist churches in North America were healthy and growing by this definition. And this number is in decline! In 2007, it was 7.1%. In 2010, it was 6.8%.
Louisiana’s Healthy and Growing Churches
I was curious about Louisiana churches in regard to Dr. Day’s formula, so I asked Shana Johnson, Leader our Louisiana Baptist Information Services Team for a little help. Here’s the report:
- 163 Louisiana Baptist churches, or 10%, grew by 10% growth between 2012 and 2016.
- Only 88 Louisiana Baptist churches, or 5.4%, were healthy and growing churches between 2012 and 2016; with 10% growth, 1 baptism per year, and a 15:1 attender to baptism ratio.
Below is some info on these churches. More on some of the individual churches in the list later. Apply this formula to your church and see where you stand.
Where are these churches?
- 40 are in south Louisiana, 48 are in north Louisiana.
- 7 in NELA, 22 in NWLA, 15 in Central LA, 14 in SWLA, 30 in SELA.
How old are these churches?
- 7 are less than 10 years old
- 14 are 11-25 years old
- 10 are 26-50 years old
- 27 are 50-100 years old
- 32 are 100+ years old
What’s the size of these churches?
- 5,000+ – 1
- 1,000-4,999 – 3
- 500-999 – 6
- 250-499 – 13
- 100-249 – 31
- 1-99 – 35
By Louisiana Baptist Association:
- Acadia – 3
- Greater Baton Rouge – 5
- Bayou – 4
- Beaureguard – 2
- Bienville – 1
- Big Creek – 1
- Carey – 1
- Concord Union – 4
- Deer Creek – 1
- Delta – 2
- Desoto – 1
- Eastern LA – 5
- Evangeline – 2
- Gulf Coast – 3
- LaSalle – 2
- Louisiana – 2
- Moorehouse – 1
- Natchitoches – 4
- New Orleans – 4
- North Central – 2
- North Rapides – 3
- North Sabine – 4
- Northeast – 1
- Northshore – 8
- Northwest – 8
- Ouachita – 1
- Richland – 3
- Sabine – 2
- Vernon – 1
- Webster – 4
- William Wallace – 1
Lane Corley 