Christianity is a Team Sport!

"Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body.  And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body.  If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?  But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.  If they were all one part, where would the body be?  As it is, there are many parts, but one body.


The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!” And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!”  On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.  If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it."  1 Corinthians 12:15-26 NIV

As a first-generation Christian, I was not raised in a Christian home or ever heard the name of Jesus until I was 22 years old.  But at the age of 22, Praise the Lord, someone shared John 3:16 with me and I RAN TO JESUS and gave Him my LIFE and accepted ETERNAL LIFE!♥  My life has NEVER been the same since that day 7/21/85! 

Before I gave my life to Jesus, there were little gods in my life, lost people look like lost people and they fill the voids of their lives up with whatever they can to find temporary fulfillment.  One of my gods, growing up as a lost person, was sports.  I searched for fulfillment & purpose through the involvement in sports.  I saturated my life in one sport after another, therefore I clearly remember the process of becoming a part of a team.  I remember how teammates were picked, usually the most popular or strongest athlete was chosen first and then the process would continue until all the people going out for that specific team sport was placed on a team.  The saddest thing to me was the people that remained unchosen or unpicked until the very end of the team building process.  I remember how I felt about the process of choosing a team.  Those that were left out until the end were often looking down, with an ashamed downcast look on their face.  I felt sorry for those left out.

Today, as a growing Christian that is striving to know God, share Him, and lead others to do the same, God has brought many women to cross my path that have shared with me their feelings of being left out, looked over, or are still waiting to be chosen to be a part of a team at church/the body of Christ/Christianity.  This should never be!  There should be a plan in place so that everyone has the opportunity to be a part of God's Team because as we read above from 1 Corinthians 12:15-26, there is not one member of the body of Christ that we can say to them, "you are not needed"! 

Being a Christian is a Team Sport, everyone is needed, and there is no "I" in the word TEAM.  Being a Christian is a Team Sport and there should not be a spirit of competition between Teammates.  Today's encouragement is to remind us all that everyone is a special, unique, and important part of the body of Christ!  When anyone is left out or looked over, the body of Christ, is not complete and there will be dysfunction because God has a special plan and purpose for every believer!  When the same people are chosen over and over it sends the wrong message to those that are hoping to be included!

• Look for those that are Left Out!  Open your circle to new members! 
• Look out to those that are Left Out!  Come alongside of those that need to be included!
• Look for ways to include those that are Left Out!  Create a plan of action to do away with rejection!
• Look for opportunities to serve the Lord on a growing Team so that no one is Left Out! 

There are many people all around us that need the Lord.  They are seaching for belonging, purpose, and a team/family that is forever.  As Christians, we have the answer to what they are searching for, and His name is Jesus!  What a joy and privilege it is to share Jesus with those that need Him, it is the passion and purpose of my life!  HeartCall and Gifted2Go are some of the powerful evangelistic tools that have been created to help us share Jesus with those that need Him!  As His evangelistic leaders, we are here to encourage you and equip you as you share Jesus with others.  Please always feel free to message us or e-mail us with any questions you may have or encouragement you may need as you follow God's Plan for your life.  As Christians, we are all on His Team and everyone is needed!
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAWeHo8E70E  (If We Are The Body-Casting Crowns)

You Are A Leader!

It has been said that we are all leaders in one way or another. We are leading someone! Let's think about those around us that may be looking to us or at us for leadership. What kind of a leader for the Lord are others seeing?


Today's BLOG includes 5 simple but important keys to being an effective leader that God can use evangelistically for His Glory:

5 Keys To Effective Leadership that God can use to make a difference!

1. Effective Leaders HUMBLE themselves and allow God to USE them as leaders! (1 Peter 5:16, Phil. 2:5-11)


2. Effective Leaders FOLLOW AFTER Jesus instead of RUNNING AHEAD on their own!
(Mark 10:43-44)


3. Effective Leaders GIVE UP selfish desires to find true satisfaction in SERVING OTHERS! (Mark 10:45)


4. Effective Leaders TRUST God with all of their life and BELIEVE that God has a PLAN for everyone to be SAVED! (Proverbs 3:5-6, Jer.29:11-13)


5. Effective Leaders FOLLOW Jesus’ example of LEADERSHIP and are willing to REACH OUT to others!
(John 13:4-5, 12-17)

As you follow the Lord, He will keep making you an effective leader that He can use to reach others!! You are Gifted2Go!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-bXyd40ACM ("Face to Face" is a youth drama team from Bethlehem First Baptist Church in Bethlehem, GA. They wrote the interp to Casting Crowns' song, "If We Are The Body.")

Thank You, Bro.Steve & Karen!

"Remember your leaders who have spoken God’s word to you. As you carefully observe the outcome of their lives, imitate their faith." Hebrews 13:7 (HCSB)


"Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith." Hebrews 13:7 (NASB)


"Appreciate your leaders who gave you the Word of God. Take a good look at the way they live, and let their faithfulness instruct you, as well as their truthfulness. There should be a consistency that runs through us all. For Jesus doesn't change—yesterday, today, tomorrow, he's always totally himself." Hebrews 13:7-8 (The Message)


After this Sunday our pastor and his wife, Bro.Steve & Karen, will be moving, stepping out by faith, and following God's Call to plant a new church (CrossWalk Church) in an area of Round Rock, Texas that is "white unto harvest"! As we pray for the new ministry field that God has called them towards, my heart is gripped with an unending appreciation and thankfulness for all of that God has done in ministry and evangelism through Bro.Steve & Karen!

As God's people, we are encouraged today to think about those that are in your life that God has used or is using for His Purposes & His Glory! We have such a privilege and opportunity to appreciate men and women that the Lord uses in our lives! Let's take some special time to express thankfulness to those in our lives that are blessings today! One of the ways you can be a blessing to Bro.Steve & Karen as they enter this new ministry field in Round Rock, Texas is to PRAY for them & their family in the days, weeks, months ahead!! God Answers Prayer!!!

As a first-generation Christian God has been so incredibly generous and faithful to provide Christian leaders & role models in my life, and I NEVER get over the life-changing ways my life has been transformed by Him, His Word, & HIS LEADERS! Today, God has laid it on my heart to list my top five points of appreciation that are extended to every Christian leader, especially Bro.Steve & Karen, that has impacted my life in order for my life to impact others for Christ Alone...I'd like to use God's Promises as each point as I challenge you to appreciate your Christian Leaders too!!!


1.You are APPRECIATED for how you study God's Word in order to be prepared and model preparedness in the ministry of The Lord! ~ "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who doesn’t need to be ashamed, correctly teaching the word of truth." 2 Timothy 2:15 (HCSB)


2.You are APPRECIATED for how you follow God's Vision and share His Plans with a conviction of confidence in the ministry of The Lord! ~ "Then the Lord said to Paul in a night vision, “Don’t be afraid, but keep on speaking and don’t be silent." Acts 18:9 (HCSB)


3.You are APPRECIATED for how you model servant-hearted leadership in the ministry of the Lord! ~ "So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet." John 13:14 (HCSB)


4.You are APPRECIATED for how you model reality through a consistent praying heart that is quick to forgive and be forgiven through intense prayer in the ministry of the Lord! ~ "Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The intense prayer of the righteous is very powerful." James 5:16 (HCSB)


5.You are APPRECIATED for how you model evangelism in the ministry of the Lord with a "get up and go" consistent concern for others about where they will spend eternity! ~ "And Jesus said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation." Mark16:15 (HCSB) "The Lord replied, "But get up and stand on your feet. For I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and a witness of things you have seen, and things in which I will appear to you. I will rescue you from the people and from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, to open their eyes that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share among those who are sanctified by faith in Me." Acts 26:16-18 (HCSB)

God laid on my heart these worship songs listed below to share as an appreciation tribute and prayer for all of the Christian Leaders in our lives!!! Click on these songs as we pray for and thank God that He created evangelistic leadership examples for our lives as we all follow Him as our greatest example and strive to be His example of servant-hearted leaders!! Please take this opportunity to thank the Christian leaders that are in your life today and throughout the entire year! A few ideas of ways to show appreciation: send a thank you card or express appreciation with your words, volunteer to serve in the ministry that they are leading, pray regularly for leaders and let them know you are praying, give a gift certificate, share something from your kitchen that you made just for them, babysit if they have small children so that your leader can enjoy a day or night out, ask how you can serve them.....please pray for those that are faithful Christian leaders in your life, after you listen to these worship songs!

Evangelistic Christian Leaders Are Making A Huge Difference For Jesus On The Frontlines & In The Trenches Of Ministry...THANK YOU For The Many Ways YOU Have Made An Impact In My Life For Jesus' Sake!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zi-Mn5tRHvM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVqR6kTu8lE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VmC44K0xQLE

Where are the Leaders?

God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins (Acts 5:31, ESV).

“God [is] the author of leadership - who He is and what He does.”

“Will the real leader please stand up? Where have all the leaders gone? It time to talk honestly about a real problem in this fallen world that we live in. It’s time to talk about Godly leadership. It’s our greatest problem.

Maybe you expected me to say that our greatest problem is that families are falling apart – and they are. Maybe you expected me to say that pornography and drugs are at the forefront – and they are. Maybe you thought I would tell you that the people of the world need to be saved – and of course that is too true. We could go on and on with the list of all the things wrong with the world – all the sins, if you will – but the greatest problem that I see is a lack of Godly leadership. It is the lack of men and women of God who will step up to the plate and be the Godly faithful, fair, and humble leaders that God calls them to be. It is the lack of men and women who will stand up for what is right and pure and holy and unashamedly fight for God, His plan, and His principles on how to live. The problem is men and women who look the other way when they see wrong…even when they can do something about it.

When are we going to figure out that God sent Jesus to show us how to lead and expected us to follow His lead? God sent Jesus to model how to live in such a way that people would see God in Him and that God would be glorified. That’s what leadership is all about. It is about sharing the greater vision of Jesus Christ, how to know Him personally, and how to lead others to do the same.”

“Godly leadership is not waiting for someone to ask you to lead; Godly leadership is following Christ so closely that you know how to lead and you do it in such a way that you model Christ by your every word and action while influencing others to do the same.” Jaye Martin

Let’s commit our influence to the Lord again today. He needs us to pray to Him and to follow His lead!

(excerpts from Chapter 4 – Follow the Leader by Jaye Martin, Women Leading Women, Martin & Stovall, B&H Academic, 2008).