Disciple making training video

This is a 27 minute section of a very challenging video on discipleship.
This section of the sermon connects well with Pastor Duke's sermon this past Sunday.
I would also encourage you to check out the conference at http://vimeo.com/55830629
We watched this video at the Disciplemaking seminar this past Saturday.



From Multiply with David Platt and Francis Chan from Emmanuel Baptist Church on Vimeo.

GUEST FRIENDLY CHURCH MEMBERS

by Tom Rainer
1. Thou shalt pray for people in the services whom you don’t recognize.  They are likely guests who feel uncomfortable and uncertain.
2. Thou shalt smile.  You only have to do so for about an hour. Guests feel welcome when they see smiling people. You can resume your somber expressions when you get home.
3. Thou shalt not sit on the ends of the rows.  Move to the middle so guests don’t have to walk over you. You’ll survive in your new precarious position.
4. Thou shalt not fill up the back rows first.  Move to the front so guests don’t have to walk in front of everyone if they get there late.
5. Thou shalt have ushers to help seat the guests.  Ushers should have clearly-marked badges or shirts so that the guests know who can help them.
6. Thou shalt offer assistance to guests.  If someone looks like they don’t know where to go, then they probably don’t know where to go. Get out of your comfort zone and ask them if you can help.
7. Thou shalt not gather too long in your holy huddles.  Sure, it’s okay to talk to fellow members; but don’t stay there so long that you are not speaking to guests.
8. Thou shalt offer your seats to guests.  I know that this move is a great sacrifice, but that family of four can’t fit in the three vacant seats next to you. Give it a try. You might actually feel good about your efforts.
9. Thou shalt not save seats.  I know you want to have room for all of your friends and family, but do you know how a guest feels when he or she sees the vacant seats next to you occupied by three hymnals, one Bible, two coats, and an umbrella? You might as well put a “Do Not Trespass” sign on the seats.
10. Thou shalt greet someone you don’t know.  Yes, it’s risky. They may actually be members you don’t know. And you may get caught in a 45-second conversation. You’ll be okay; I promise.
http://thomrainer.com/2013/03/30/ten-commandments-for-guest-friendly-church-members/#.UWEGXKKG2So

Stewardship.

One of the Soul Care questions this week is "Consider your last ten purchases.  Did they represent good stewardship or not?  Why did you answer the way you did?"

I included the following statement in parentheses "questions about the use of money usually shut down conversations.  That should not be the case."

In the past when there have been questions about personal finances in the past, people have shared concerns with me about the personal nature of  these questions.

Here is my reason for asking these types of questions.  If finances is one of the most personal areas of life, shouldn't we be willing to talk about this topic with others to help ourselves and others grow.  These types of questions are very revealing.  Shouldn't we desire to grow in transparency.

Let's pray together that each of us would be wise, Godly stewards and that we would help others do the same.

Pastor Dave Rodgers

Excited to be With the church on Sunday NOT @ the church!

recently, I have been reminded over and over again that the church is so much more than a building at a specific location.  The church is a body of believers who gather together to celebrate communion and baptism and worship the Lord by not only listening to sermons but even more so living life together.  

I sent a note out to the teachers this Sunday that contained the sentence...
"Looking forward to being back with the rest of Emmanuel this Sunday!"  

I very purposefully chose those words.  
It was so great to be with believers from our church while ministering in Jamaica.
It will be great to be with the members of our church in worship this Sunday.  

While I appreciate our church building, it is not THE church.
What is most excited about the church is not coming to a specific place, even if there is new construction on the building.
What is most excited about the church is the spiritual growth of people .

This Sunday...

...we will be having a farewell reception and love offering for Pastor Andrew & Katie as they continue their service to our Lord by pursuing seminary training in WA. Please continue to pray for them and come ready to express your gratitude with a love gift 
that will be presented to them.

Prayer requests from Nick

Some prayer requests,

• safety during travel and on the work site.
• opportunity to go to the local schools and talk about the crucifixion and resurrection.
• for our family members that will be staying here.  It can be tough on children and spouses being gone for 10 days
• for God to work in each of our lives to show us the great need to spread the gospel around the world.
• to be an encouragement to our missionaries Ken & Clea Rathbun.

Some things that I am looking forward to on the trip are the opportunity to go to the local schools and to get to know Ken & Clea better. 
We don't get opportunities to speak about anything religious in nature in our schools here in the states, let alone about the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  This is a huge opportunity especially in the week leading up to Easter Sunday.  
I also look forward to getting to know Ken & Clea better on this trip and to hopefully be an encouragement to them and their ministry.  Taking trips like this allows us more time with our missionaries that we don't normally get and gives us an opportunity to really get to know them better and their heart for their ministry.

Prayer requests from the JAM13 team

Joan, Renee, A.J. and others have shared some prayers requests regarding the JAM13 team.  Check out ebcjam13.blogspot.com to see these requests and team updates.