more of God is available to those who are willing to press in and go further and deeper in prayer. I was one that wanted to go deeper but didn’t know how. This approach is meant to help you with the “how” part!
I wanted so desperately to be involved that, as I got older, I became overextended without even noticing it. But I want to be laser-focused on making disciples that make disciples.
A deep longing and desire raging against our hope for righteousness. A civil war for our flesh (Romans 7). This spectrum ranges from the daily distractions of the interweb epidemic and “smart living” to mental states of dissociation, completely detached from reality, ourselves, others, and a God who loves us. In this mortal fight we oppose ourselves (2Ti 2:25), generating an incongruence that wages in all of us, corrupting us emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and physically (Romans 6:23). Ultimately, this robs us of the clarity of God's call.
God began to teach me that the Bible lights our current steps on the path and not necessarily the entire stretch of road before us. What matters is how we respond to what he has shown us. Our faith, not our strength, pleases God.
Accountability is not comfortable or easy, but to remove it from the discipleship process would be like removing the wings from an airplane and expecting it fly.
We are called to teach those who oppose themselves, but we’re not called to do it with virtual picket signs and pitchforks. We’re called to do it gently, patiently, and with meekness. After all, it’s God that will lead them to repentance and the acknowledgment of the truth, not your rhetorical skills.
For 2,000 years, growing Christians have been looking to Timothy as a model for what their own personal faithfulness should look like. His testimony is particularly significant to young people because of his age as well as the manner in which his spiritual growth is displayed. We see the pattern of his life from one faith proposition to another, growing from a spiritual child to a developed pastor and leader at a young age.
For young adults, it is important to recognize the challenges the age with the intent that we choose to pursue the great commission regardless of culture’s obstacles. While notions about your generation may be pervasive, it is important to recognize that the Christian isn’t obligated to be in bondage to them. Because of biblical truth, the millennial Christian can live without being controlled by other people's thoughts.
Since Mission Focus Conference, our church leaders have been inviting us to consider what part of missions God is calling us to in 2018. This post helps guide us in determining what our role is in world missions.
This article is part of a three part series that discusses the need for our leaders to invest in the lives of future generations. Making Missionaries of Millennials pt 1: The Prejudice calls us to be aware of our own generational bigotry and points to a biblical philosophy to combat it.
Jasmine Canady is a member of C&YA. She is a discipler and serves in Friends of Internationals at UMKC. In this post, Jasmine gives a testimony of her experience with discipleship and how God has used it to change her desires and mindset.
Paul Fyffe is a member of Midtown Baptist Temple. He is married and has four children, and he currently serves on our baptism team. In this post he shares his testimony: how Christ saved him, his later struggle with drug addiction, and how Christ healed and restored him to the body after his repentance.
Alvaro Briones is a leader in C&YA. He is an active discipler and is helping to plant a men’s Bible study at UMKC. Alvaro's testimony is an encouragement to our fellowship, particularly in how he serves God and his people. In this post, Alvaro shares what God showed him last year at Mission Focus and how his heart’s desire is to see the Lord’s kingdom advanced.
Have you been racking your brain thinking about what should go on your Christmas Wish List this year? I mean, what could someone who is “blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places” possibly want? Well, if you are a student of the Bible, maybe you are beginning to consider your library. There have been so many wonderful books written about God’s Word throughout the years: amazing reference materials, study tools, and commentaries written by like-minded students of God’s word. But where should you begin? Which books should go on your Amazon Wish List?
