Jesus and the End of the World, Part 3

Scott Risley

Luke 21:25-36

Ritualism emphasizes the personal distance between people and God. Gary explores Paul's argument against ritualism within the framework of two main applications: 1) we should not be self-righteous; and 2) since relational closeness with God is possible, we should strive to cultivate a relational closeness with God.

Being Ambassadors for Christ

Ryan Lowery

2 Corinthians 6:1-10

Our goal as Christians is to represent Christ and his love to the world. We are to be Christ's ambassadors. Paul addresses in his letter to the Corinthians first why we should be ambassadors for Christ, and then how to do this. We become effective ambassadors when we learn to: not be unnecessarily offensive, endure hardship, and represent God instead of our own interests.

Motives for Ministry

Ryan Lowery

2 Corinthians 5:9-21

We are called to let the love of God shine through us as we serve others, but what should motivate us to serve? Paul first discusses with the Corinthians what we should not be motivated by: glorifying self. He then discusses three good motives for serving. We serve because: 1) we will be rewarded, 2) God loved us first, and 3) He has asked us to serve others.

Ministers of a New Covenant

Ryan Lowery

2 Corinthians 3:18

The Corinthians have been questioning Paul's authority and credentials to speak into their lives. Paul tells this church that its members are his credentials ? the way he loved them and led them to God and not himself is his proof that he speaks truth. Paul records four ways that we can know whether or not we should listen to a person's insight. We must ask: 1) from whom do they take their confidence, 2) where do they get their adequacy, 3) are they a servant, and 4) do they rely on the Spirit or the Law?

Love Therapy - A Little Known Approach to Counselling

Dennis McCallum

Matthew 5:46

Biblical love can be defined as a commitment to give of oneself in every area for the good of another, and it is a giving of this love that can truly be therapeutic in the believer's life. This love can further be separated into four categories: sacrificial, forgiving, emotional, and disciplining. As we examine these categories, we see how deep our call to love is. As we assess love defects and relational continuums, we can gauge our own position and learn how to become more effective love givers.

Loving Individuals with Disabilities

Dani Shaffer

Carol Tufano

Matthew 28:18-20

Disability is both a part of a person and created by the environment. In order to love those with disabilities, we must go beyond the common approaches to overlook or completely separate these individuals, instead integrating them by making appropriate accommodations. This workshop explores what integration in this context looks like, as well as the Xenos models for offering this to those with disabilities. This includes what discipleship and involvement in the adult ministry may look like for these individuals.

Love - Labor, Joy and Glory

Lindsey Tobin

1 Thessalonians 2:19-20

As we examine Paul's labor for the Thessalonian and Corinthian churches, we see that while he labored, he also experienced real joy. This workshop explores the relationship between these two realities as well as glory - glory in God's presence, in his rewards, and in himself. A deeper look into these letters gives us a rich understanding of what these truly look like and how they apply to our lives today. We also see the joy killers we should seek to avoid as we labor in our Christian lives. \r\n

Receiving and Giving God's Love

Gary DeLashmutt

John 15:5-12

A healthy Christian life both regularly receives God's love and regularly gives God's love to others. There is a biblical emphasis showing this point that Christianity is a love relationship with Christ that leads to loving other people. We should assess if we are receiving God's love and regularly giving love to see if we are being a healthy Christian, carnal Christian, Dead Sea Christian, or anorexic Christian. We should then take measures to strengthen what we are lacking.

James 4 - A Self-Diagnostic Tool in Conflicts

Cathy Treyens

Proverbs 27:20

We all experience conflict, but we often do not correctly assess our own contributions or our role in them. Through the insight given in James 4, we can break down our conflicts, often brought on by what we demand from others and God. Our emotions acts as the tip of the iceberg, on top of what we want, and on top of what we deeply need. As we learn to diagnose ourselves, we can receive God's healing through submission and humility.