Game Plan for Life men's life group meets Wednesdays at 6:00 AM (upstairs in the FMC) and 6:45 PM (upstairs in the Ed. Building). If you missed the first week here's the video interview with Joe Gibbs and Ken Boa.
"Beyond the needs for food and shelter-- the need to stay alive-- mankind has two needs that set us apart from the rest of Creation: the need to be loved and the need to love. Why? Because we are made in the image of God, and God is love." Ken Boa (Game Plan for Life, page 68)
For the
generation of my parents and grandparents the Watergate scandal was a pivotal event
to their world view. This past weekend, news outlets reporting on Charles
Colson’s death did so with the headline, “Watergate figure dead
at 80.”
As a
Christ-follower, and someone who has benefitted from Colson’s ministry and
leadership I find that headline odd and misleading. It’s like remembering the
Apostle Paul as the chief persecutor of the early church or remembering Abraham
Lincoln as the congressman to oppose the expanse of slavery into new U.S.
territories but advocating its continued practice in the southern states. As a
young Christian I read Colson’s autobiography, Born Again. There, and in what I
would imagine to be thousands of interviews since, he’s been open and honest
about the crimes he committed as an aid to the president.
The
reality is that Colson’s truest identity, like all who trust in Christ, is not
determined by his crimes or sins. 2 Corinthians 5:17 declares, “Therefore, if
anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the
new has come.” (ESV) 2 ½ years ago I heard Charles Colson speak at a pastor’s
conference at Liberty University. As he spoke it did not cross my mind that
Colson had at one time been a trusted aid to the president of the United
States. Or that he was a convicted felon. Rather, I and those in attendance
with me sought to learn from a godly man who had walked with Christ faithfully
for decades.
A
couple of weeks ago Colson gave what would become his last speech at the
Wilberforce Weekend Conference. You can read or listen to that speech here.
After receiving the “Macedonian Call”, Paul and company make their way to Philippi, “which is the leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony” (Acts 16:12). Consult a Bible Dictionary or www.mystudybible.com about Philippi. What insights about the spiritual hunger of this city do you observe?
Read Acts 16:11-40. Compare the salvation stories of the following three individuals. How are they described? What similarities do they share? How are each different?
Lydia— (Acts 16:11-15)
the servant girl— (Acts 16:16-21)
the Philippian jailer— (Acts 16:22-39)
Read Philippians 1:3-7; 4:1-23. Describe the character of the church at Philippi.
Compare Lydia’s hospitality toward Paul and his team in Acts 16:15 with Paul’s affirmation of the Philippians in Philippians 4:15. What encouragement does their example provide to you and your family to support missionaries and mission work?
Join us this Sunday night, April 22, at six for part 2 of Andy Stanley's video teaching series, Your Move: four questions to ask when you don't know what to do. We all are faced with decisions that we never anticipated having to make. And we usually have to make them quickly. This Life Class will give you tools to make biblically sound decisions.
If you missed last week, you can watch Andy Stanley's teaching here.
Luke in Acts 13:13 reports that John Mark, after sailing from Paphos and arriving in Perga “departed from them” returning to Jerusalem. Barnabas wanted to give John Mark a second chance by taking him along on the planned second missionary journey (15:37). This desire of Barnabas is consistent with what we know of his character and gifting as an encourager. After all, it was Barnabas who took the risk of introducing the former persecutor of Christians, Saul and introduced him to the apostles (Acts 9:27). Paul, did not want to entrust ministry to John Mark as he had previously abandoned the team. (Acts 15:38) Ultimately ministry partnership between Paul, Barnabas and John Mark was restored. What insights do the following Scriptures reveal about the restored relationship these men experienced?
1 Corinthians 9:6—
Galatians 2:1—
Colossians 4:10—
Philemon 24—
2 Timothy 4:11—
1 Peter 5:13—(John Mark’s relationship to Peter)
Read 2 Timothy 2:24-25; Romans 12:9-18; and Ephesians 4:32. Is the Holy Spirit making you aware of any divisiveness against a fellow Christian for which you need to repent? Has the Holy Spirit made you aware of someone you need to forgive?
We are all faced with decisions that we never anticipated having to make. And, we usually have to make them quickly. In this four session video group study, author and pastor Andy Stanley discusses four questions that will help participants make sound decisions with God’s help. Follow Andy as he teaches how every decision and its outcomes become a permanent part of your story, what to do when you feel the need to pause before taking action, and how to make more of this life by making sound decisions. Each session includes 15-20 minutes of teaching from pastor and author Andy Stanley.
JinHye Jo, Song Ee Han and EunHye at their church, Pilgrim Community Church, outside Washingtond D.C.
In North Korea, a brutal choice - CNN.com
During a sleepless night, Song Ee Han agonized over a decision: Was she willing to leave her youngest child behind while she and her daughters escaped North Korea?
In 1907 there was revival following a Bible Conference in Pyongyang, North Korea. Many, including JinHye Jo are praying and getting ready for a fresh move of the gospel in that nation. Pray that the gospel would once again freely spread throughout North Korea. OMF UK suggests the following specific ways you can pray for North Korea here.
At the tomb the morning of Jesus’ resurrection, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James are reminded by the angels of Jesus’ testimony (Mark 16:1), “The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.” (Luke 24:7) What insights do the following Scriptures provide as to why these things “must” to have occurred?
Isaiah 53:10-12—
Matthew 26:56—
Mark 14:49—
John 19:36—
1 Corinthians 15:3-4—
1 Peter 1:3 declares that “through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,” we who have been born again are provided a “living hope.” The resurrection of Jesus is hope for the whole world: hope of forgiveness of sin, hope for a new life, and hope of eternal life. “Hope” in the New Testament means much more that mere “wishful thinking.” What do the following Scriptures reveal about the Christian’s hope?
Read Acts 15:6-29, the account of the Jerusalem Council. Who was present at this council? (15:6) What role did each of the following attendees fulfill?
Peter (15:7-10)—
Barnabas and Paul (15:12)—
James (15:13-21)—
the apostles and elders as a whole (15:22-29)—
The letter sent from the elders and apostles to the Antioch church concluded, “For it was the Holy Spirit’s decision—and ours—to put no greater burden on you than these necessary things…” (Acts 15:28). The NIV reads, “It seemed good to us and to the Holy Spirit…” What relationship between unity in the church and the Holy Spirit is observed in the following Scriptures?
Matthew 18:18-20—
Acts 10:45-47—
1 Corinthians 12:4-11, 13—
Ephesians 2:18-22—
What would it look like in your ministry and family relationships to pursue decisions that have as their goal “it seemed good to us and to the Holy Spirit”? How is the Holy Spirit leading you to apply this study to your life?
