Zondervan Blog

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Going Deeper (3 Commitments on the Way) Posted: 30 Sep 2011 01:25 PM PDT I've said it, and maybe you have too: "I wish the preaching would go deeper." What did we really mean? I wondered this when I read a recent post by pastor and writer Kurt Willems (@kurtwillems). Willems knows a lot of people who have left their church because it didn't go deep enough. While this is occasionally a valid point, Willems suspects it's more likely to be a holy-sounding excuse for leaving a church that we just don't like.   What does "going deeper" really look like? To challenge our thinking about what we're looking for (and not looking for) in our faith journey, Willems quotes from writer/pastor Alan Danielson's 3-point definition of going deeper:   1. Going deeper into my commitment to God's Church. I can't be committed to Jesus (the head) without being committed to the church (His body)...   2. Going deeper into my commitment to the world. ...If I am to "go deeper" I must dive deeper into the muck and mire of a borken world in order to reach people...   3. Going deeper into my commitment to being mastered by Christ. I'm a work-in-progress, and the more God works on me, the more progress I realize I need...   Danielson summarizes, "Deepening knowledge is not enough; it must accompany deepening commitments!" On Willems' post, commenter Craig Falvo reminds us that commitment will become visible in action:  "At my last church, going deeper would mean ... getting into the Word. Lots of talk about it, little emphasis on doing." Falvo then pleasantly surprised us by adding, "At my current church, we ... are working our way through the Bible [using] The Story.  The emphasis from preaching bleeds over into the small  groups... The trick is going to be to keep the excitment going throught the year." (Incidentally, Falvo makes a good point that it can be a challenge to remain engaged throughout a year-long series. Soon we'll share some tips on how your church can make the most out of your year in The Story.) My personal opinion of The Story is that it first targets Commitment #3. Christ changes people (#3), and The Story is one way of helping people unite as a church body (#1), which serves by spreading Christ's love and hope to the world (#2). Which of the three commitments of going deeper do you find most difficult, and which is most energizing? Commitment to God's church, commitment to reaching our world, or commitment to being mastered by Christ? Learn more about how The Story is taking people deep into Scripture. (-Adam Forrest, Zondervan Internet Team. This post does not represent the views of Zondervan or any of its partners and representatives. The writer's opinions are his own, and he's sharing them for information and entertainment purposes only.) http://www.thestory.com/the-story-testimonials?cm_mmc=ZT-_-Blog-Sep11-_-Blog-_-The+Story+Testimonials

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Weekly Prayer Updates Update 09/30/2011

vom groups weekly prayer updates "Prayer is the pulse of life; by it the doctor can tell what is the condition of the heart. The sin of prayerlessness is a proof for the ordinary Christian or minister that the life of God in the soul is in deadly sickness and weakness." - Andrew Murray "praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints" - Ephesians 6:18 VOM-USA Prayer Update for September 30, 2011 On Wed. Sep 28 2011 at 06:26 AM Moderator wrote: Iran—Pastor Youcef Confirmed to Be Apostate Assist News Proverbs 21:1 After being ordered by the Iranian Supreme Court to review the apostasy charge against Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, the 11th branch of the Gilan Provincial Court has confirmed his conviction and again ordered him to recant his faith in Jesus Christ. On Monday, Sept. 26, the court ruled that because Pastor Youcef has Muslim ancestors, his faith in Christ makes him an apostate from Islam. When the judges asked Pastor Youcef to “repent, ” he replied, “Repent means to return. What should I return to? To the blasphemy that I had before my faith in Christ?” The judges said, “To the religion of your ancestors, Islam.” Pastor Youcef then replied, “I can not.” Pastor Youcef will be brought before the court two more times, on Sept. 27 and 28, and ordered to recant his Christian faith. Sources in Iran report that although they have been told the case will return to the Supreme Court, they fear that the lower court may act on a law that would allow them to carry out Pastor Youcef’s execution. Please pray that God might turn the hearts of the Iranian judges in Pastor Youcef’s favor, and pray for his family. Nigeria—More than 100 Killed in Extremist Attacks Compass Direct News Isaiah 40:29 More than 100 Christians have been killed in recent attacks on villages in Nigeria’s Plateau state, according to Compass Direct News. On Sept. 10, 2011, Muslim extremists stormed Vwang Fwil village at 3 a.m., killing 13 Christians. Attackers killed 14 more Christians, including a pregnant woman, when they attacked the Christian community of Vwang Kogot on Sept. 9. And on Sept. 8, 10 Christians from one family were killed in an attack on Tsohom Foron village. Compass Direct reports that some of the attackers were wearing Nigerian Army military uniforms. Please pray for the Christians in Plateau state who have lost family members. Pray that government officials will protect Christians rather than aid their persecutors. Myanmar—Family Refuses to Support Young Christian VOM Contacts Matthew 19:29 A student at an underground seminary in Myanmar has chosen to give up a comfortable life with her aunt and two stepsisters in order to follow Christ. The young girl, Ying, became a believer two years ago and began attending seminary immediately after her conversion. Recently, Ying’s relatives locked her in the house while she was preparing to leave for seminary. They threatened to disown her, beat her and withdraw all support, including food, if she continued to attend a seminary or church. In addition, her aunt and two stepsisters said they would send her to a remote village with no known Christians unless she recanted her faith. But instead of denying Christ, Ying ran away and left her family behind. Ying’s mother is deceased, and her father disappeared after leaving her with her aunt. Please pray for Ying. She has lost all support by leaving her family, and she has no one to provide for her needs as she continues in seminary. ************* The International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church (IDOP) is on November 13, 2011. Will you pray for your brothers and sisters in Christ? Visit http://www.persecution.com/idop to learn more. • Printer-Friendly Format • Add the PrisonerAlert application on Facebook • Download the Prayer application on the iTunes Store or the Android Marketplace • Digital versions of our books are available on the Amazon.com Kindle and Barnes & Noble NOOK bookstores: search for Living Sacrifice Book Company Suggested Links www.Persecution.com The Voice of the Martyrs Official Homepage www.VOMBooks.com The Voice of the Martyrs Online Store Become a fan of VOM on Facebook You can become a fan of VOM on Facebook, and connect with other VOM supporters. www.PrisonerAlert.com Write to a Christian Prisoner in their own Language Follow us on Twitter Follow VOM-USA on Twitter for updates and prayer requests. You are receiving this email because you subscribed to the Weekly Prayer Updates topic at www.vomgroups.com. If you have received this email in error or if you wish to unsubscribe, click here.

Pray Today: Papua New Guinea (Sept 30)

September 30 - Today's prayer country is Papua New Guinea: Population: 6,888,387 Largest religion: Christian Percent Evangelical: 25.7% For prayer information on Papua New Guinea, visit the Operation World website and remember to: Pray for the specific country needs: The nation faces many crises just to prevent meltdown, never mind... READ MORE Click on the ‘unreached peoples’ of that country and pray Find even more fuel for prayer for Papua New Guinea on page 670 of the Operation World Book, CD-ROM, DVD-ROM or eBook As Mark 11:17 says: ‘Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? Let’s continue to make the global house of God a house of prayer for all nations.

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Pray Today: Palestine, Panama (Sept 29)

September 29 - Today's prayer country is Palestine: Population: 4,409,392 Largest religion: Muslim Percent Evangelical: 0.1% For prayer information on Palestine, visit the Operation World website and remember to: Pray for the specific country needs: Pray for God’s purposes to be fulfilled in the following areas:... READ MORE Click on the ‘unreached peoples’ of that country and pray Find even more fuel for prayer for Palestine on page 665 of the Operation World Book, CD-ROM, DVD-ROM or eBook Panama: Population: 3,508,475 Largest religion: Christian Percent Evangelical: 19.3% For prayer information on Panama, visit the Operation World website and remember to: Pray for the specific country needs: Panama is a nation of great diversity and great potential. Because... READ MORE Click on the ‘unreached peoples’ of that country and pray Find even more fuel for prayer for Panama on page 667 of the Operation World Book, CD-ROM, DVD-ROM or eBook As Mark 11:17 says: ‘Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? Let’s continue to make the global house of God a house of prayer for all nations.

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Zondervan Blog

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The Story CD: A Soundtrack to the Bible Story Posted: 28 Sep 2011 02:56 PM PDT This week The Story CD hit streets, featuring 18 new songs performed by a parade of talent that includes Steven Curtis Chapman, Michael W. Smith, Francesca Bottiscelli, Amy Grant, and Mark Hall & Megan Garrett of Casting Crowns. (A tip for the fans: there are video interviews with the artists, including Mark Hall and others, on their experience with The Story.) The music on The Story CD was inspired by three recent books: Randy Frazee's The Heart of the Story, Max Lucado's God's Story, Your Story, and The Story. Since reading The Story is like reading the Bible in novel form, I wonder if that makes The Story CD like the soundtrack to the Bible story? The abridged soundtrack anyway. Eighten of the major biblical characters receive their own song. You can see the track listing and sample the songs at thestorycd.com. The lyricist Nichole Nodeman wrote the lyrics in first-person, which intrigued me. One of my favorite ways to meditate on Scripture is to put myself in the human characters' position, then ask msyself questions like, "How do I behave like this person? What does God think of this behavior? What's a better way?" This seems to fit with one of Nodeman's goals in this project, which she describes as: ...to be able to listen to these songs and feel more connected to these people that walked before us and learned lessons that we're still learning... There's such a tendency to turn them into superheroes and have these big, takeaway, moral-of-the-story moments. For me it was all about the humanity. These were broken people who were desperate and needed God. They were just like us. I really believe that, and I think sometimes we forget. Preview the Songs You can preview the songs at www.thestorycd.com. Based on the samples at thestorycd.com, which song is your favorite? My personal favorite is the Apostle Paul's song, "Move in Me," performed by Jeremy Camp. It's half blues-rock stomper, half orchestral ode to joy, which makes the perfect musical mix to represent Paul's guts ... inspired by Christ's glory. The music styles of the other songs span pop, hip-hop, ballads, and rock.   Also of Interest: The DVD and Music Tour The Story DVD also released this week, and you can learn more about The Story music tour that will hit 13 US cities in December 2011.   (-Adam Forrest, Zondervan Internet Team. This post does not represent the views of Zondervan or any of its partners and representatives. The writer's opinions are his own, and he's sharing them for information and entertainment purposes only.)

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Pray Today: Pakistan (Sept 28)

September 28 - Today's prayer country is Pakistan: Population: 184,753,300 Largest religion: Muslim Percent Evangelical: 0.6% For prayer information on Pakistan, visit the Operation World website and remember to: Pray for the specific country needs: Discrimination and persecution against religious minorities take... READ MORE Click on the ‘unreached peoples’ of that country and pray Watch and engage with the prayer video Find even more fuel for prayer for Pakistan on page 657 of the Operation World Book, CD-ROM, DVD-ROM or eBook As Mark 11:17 says: ‘Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? Let’s continue to make the global house of God a house of prayer for all nations.

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E-mail List Manager: Mike.Dworak@Biblica.com Biblica · 1820 Jet Stream Drive · Colorado Springs, CO 80921 Phone: 800-524-1588 · Fax: 719-867-2870

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Secret Church Simulcast at First Baptist Woodstock: Friday, November 4th

Greetings from Woodstock!!

 

You are receiving this email because you attended, or were involved with, the Secret Church Simulcast here at First Baptist Woodstock back in April. We are excited to announce that will be hosting this again!

 

The next Secret Church gathering will be on Friday night, November 4th from 7pm-1am EST and will be held in the Chapel here at Woodstock. All tickets will are $5 and will include an interactive guide book that Dr. David Platt will be using throughout the night. Tickets are now available through our online registration page. www.fbcw.org/SecretChurch All tickets will be purchased and reserved through this page.

 

The topic of study for this Secret Church gathering will be "Family, Marriage, Sex, & The Gospel"

 

Manhood. Womanhood. Marriage. Parenting. Singleness. Sex. Divorce. Homosexuality. Same-sex marriage. Polygamy. Pornography. Adoption. Abortion. Cultures around the world perceive each of these issues differently. So how does God's Word address them? During Secret Church on November 4, 2011, we will explore how the gospel uniquely affects our understanding of family, marriage, sex, and host of related (and controversial) issues that are ultimately foundational for the display of the glory of God in our lives, in the church, and in the world.

 

We hope you will join us for another powerful night of worship and in-depth study of God's Word!

 

Feel free to forward this email along to anyone you know that might be interested in attending!

 

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the College Ministry office!

 

 

For His Name and Renown,

 

Bryan C. Bailey

Pastor to College Students

First Baptist Church Woodstock

11905 Hwy 92

Woodstock, Georgia 30188

678.494.2855 Office

bryan.bailey@fbcw.net

 

twitter.com/BryanCBailey

facebook.com/BryanCBailey

twitter.com/ATLrenovation
twitter.com/FBCWcollegiate

facebook.com/WoodstockCollegiate

 

"Our greatest fear should not be of failure but of succeeding at things in life that don't really matter." -Francis Chan

 

 

Secret Church

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Secret Church – “A Giant Move for Our Church” – Jeremy’s Story Posted: 26 Sep 2011 02:27 PM PDT “Secret Church” found me through the book Radical.  And I thank God daily for the impact it has had in my marriage, life, home group and church. My wife and I have completed all 10 of the topics together. We have completed one with our home group and we are in the progress of doing “The Cross of Christ” as a home group. But the greatest work God has used “Secret Church” for happened just this last Sunday. We are a small church of 70, but God brought together 28 of us to do “Who is God?”.  The response was incredible. And we started to make plans to do the simulcast this November. This is a giant move in our church and I am so thankful for Pastor Platt and the faith family of Brook Hills.  (I’m not so good at being clear about what this ministry has done in my walk with Christ, but this ministry has shown me the person of Christ and the desire to make His name known to all people. And for that I am truly grateful.). Thank you! _________________ Secret Church Simulcast – Last Week For Simulcast Discount! In order to receive the “Early Bird” discount you need to register by Friday, September 30.  For more information on pricing and how to be a part of the simulcast on Friday, November 4, visit our simulcast site at LifeWay.com/SecretChurch. Share Your Story Do you have a Secret Church story to share?  How has Secret Church impacted you or your church?  Share your story with us on the Secret Church website. Secret Church Resources Secret Church resources are available on the Disciple-Making International website.  Visit our Resource Library for free Secret Church downloads – audio, video and study guides.

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Pray Today: Pakistan (Sept 27)

September 27 - Today's prayer country is Pakistan: Population: 184,753,300 Largest religion: Muslim Percent Evangelical: 0.6% For prayer information on Pakistan, visit the Operation World website and remember to: Pray for the specific country needs: Fundamentalist Islam, driven by the Taliban, is upheld by a minority,... READ MORE Click on the ‘unreached peoples’ of that country and pray Watch and engage with the prayer video Find even more fuel for prayer for Pakistan on page 657 of the Operation World Book, CD-ROM, DVD-ROM or eBook As Mark 11:17 says: ‘Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? Let’s continue to make the global house of God a house of prayer for all nations.

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E-mail List Manager: Mike.Dworak@Biblica.com Biblica · 1820 Jet Stream Drive · Colorado Springs, CO 80921 Phone: 800-524-1588 · Fax: 719-867-2870

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Zondervan Blog

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Hear Margaret Feinberg's "Pursuing God's Beauty" Bible Study on Midday Connection Posted: 26 Sep 2011 10:27 AM PDT Last Tuesday (Sept. 20, 2011), Moody Radio's Midday Connection kicked off their Fall Bible Study with the first session of Margaret Feinberg's Pursuing God's Beauty: Stories from the Gospel of John. Midday Connection will go through the remaining sessions each Tuesday over the next five weeks. You can listen to the the first session now, and visit  www.middayconnection.org to hear the other sessions as they're posted.   Learn More In the show's discussion of Pursuing God's Beauty Session 1, host Anita Lustrea asks Margaret Feinberg (@mafeinberg) why pursuing God is important. Margaret responds,  "I think that there are times when we hit that dry canyon, and we have to make a choice. Do [I] sit? ... Or do I keep on going ... keep on reading, keep on studying, keep on praying. [Do I say] I'm going to keep on talking to You, even through this difficult and dry season." It's no coincidence that Margaret's study on pursuing God's beauty is centered on the Gospel of John. "I believe the beauty of God radiates in the person of Jesus Christ," Margaret says, and of all the Gospel writers, John "makes Jesus the most real to me." After Margaret discusses why she loves the Gospel of John, the discussion of Session 1 begins earnest (at 14:50 in the show). I was especially interested in the hosts' contrast between inviting someone to chuch and inviting someone to meet Jesus. This also elicited a thought-provoking disagreement about Margaret's favorite spiritual conversation starter, "What do you love about Jesus?" Some of the hosts found this a compelling question, but others found it threatening.   Find Margaret on Facebook Midday Connection's discussion of Session 2 is coming up on Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2011, and you can hear it at www.middayconnection.org. Margaret Feinberg will join the show again to dig into John chapters 4-8, and to discuss the facades we present to others; what it's like for God to see through to the real us; and how this can change the way we live. Learn more about the Pursuing God's Beauty Bible Study. Does the Gospel of John make Jesus "the most real" for you, as it does for Margaret? I'm also curious, would you feel comfortable asking a new acquaintance "What do you love about Jesus?" (-Adam Forrest, Zondervan Internet Team)

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Pray Today: Pakistan (Sept 26)

September 26 - Today's prayer country is Pakistan: Population: 184,753,300 Largest religion: Muslim Percent Evangelical: 0.6% For prayer information on Pakistan, visit the Operation World website and remember to: Pray for the specific country needs: The 2010 monsoon floods wrought devastation from north to south as a gorging Indus River swept... READ MORE Click on the ‘unreached peoples’ of that country and pray Watch and engage with the prayer video Find even more fuel for prayer for Pakistan on page 657 of the Operation World Book, CD-ROM, DVD-ROM or eBook As Mark 11:17 says: ‘Is it not written: ‘My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations’? Let’s continue to make the global house of God a house of prayer for all nations.

Become a fan on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

E-mail List Manager: Mike.Dworak@Biblica.com Biblica · 1820 Jet Stream Drive · Colorado Springs, CO 80921 Phone: 800-524-1588 · Fax: 719-867-2870

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