Motivational Bible Verses - For Evangelism

These Bible verses motivate and inspire me in my Christian walk...especially when it comes to evangelism!

1 Peter 2:4-5,9-12 “As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him— 5you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ…9But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 11Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. 12Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.”


Romans 12:1-2 “1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Matthew 25:21,23 "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'”

Luke 10:2,16 “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field….He who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects me rejects him who sent me.”

1 Corinthians 9:24b-27 “Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. 27No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.”

1 Peter 3:14-15 “14But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. "Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened." 15But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect”

2 Timothy 4:6-7 “6For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure. 7I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith”

Mark 4:20 “Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—thirty, sixty or even a hundred times what was sown”

Matthew 13:23 “But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

Top 5 Research Tips & Tricks

I took a research class a few weeks ago and had several people asking for me to share some lessons learned (some of which I wish I learned 10 years ago!). Some of this is tailored towards seminary-type research but the same principles apply no matter the discipline...hope it helps!


Lesson # 1 - Citation/Reference Management Software
• These programs will help you pull bibliography information off of library search engines or online bookstores (Amazon through Zotero). They then store this info so when you make a citation they can generate endnotes, footnotes, and bibliographies in the format/style you need.
• FREE – http://www.zotero.org/  , www.tinyurl.com/zoterosummary
• PC Purchase – http://www.endnote.com/  , http://www.refworks.com/  (note: some of these work on Macs as well)
• Mac Purchase – Sente (http://www.thirdstreetsoftware.com/ ) , Bookends ( http://www.sonnysoftware.com/  )
• Wikipedia Comparison

Lesson # 2 – Meet with your Librarian
• Ask your librarian to help you. Schedule an appointment with them. Often they can direct you to specialized dictionaries, encyclopedias, etc. that might be a good starting point for your paper. They can also assist you with searching their catalog or in borrowing resources from other libraries.
• Residents of Kentucky can check out from any public library (i.e. UK, UL) in Kentucky with a KY Driver’s License.

Lesson # 3 – Online Library Resources
• Invest some time online in searching your library’s website. Often you will find things prior to your library trip that can save you valuable time. Depending on your school’s library, you may be able to find entire journal articles, book texts, and dissertations that you can read and search from the comfort of your own home.
• My library has a great explanation online of how to do quality research
• Free online books catalog 

Lesson # 4 – Google Books & Scholar
• Google has done an incredible job, despite lots of opposition and legal troubles, at scanning and uploading tons of articles and books. You can search against the text, and if you do it well (see lesson # 5), can find exactly what you are looking for. If you search for a particular book and keep scrolling beyond it on the search page, you will also see citations of other works to it…which then provides you other relevant works applicable to your paper topic.
• Google books & Google scholar
• Google search - “google limiters”

Lesson # 5 – Searches – Boolean & Subject
• Use Library of Congress subject headings to search for works (sometimes easily found on online searches of your website...if not, ask your librarian)
• Use Boolean logic to search online and within your library’s search engine

Some other Boolean tips:
• Boolean search: AND OR NOT (all caps)
AND = + (plus sign)
AND = & (ampersand)
OR = | (pipe sign)
NOT = ~ (tilde)
( ) – multiple searches simultaneously, nesting
" " – exact phrase
without quotes assumes ("word" AND "word")
• e.g. (dictionary OR encyclopedia) AND (ecclesiology OR sanctification)

Truncation:
o Instead of “mentoring” -> “mentor*”
o All words with “mentor” as root will show

Proximity Searching – use % plus a number (sometimes use ‘NEAR’ plus a number)
o Family %3 Discipleship (words w/in 3 words of each other)

# symbol can be used to find variant spellings, eg. arch#eology will find both archaeology and archeology.

Examples:
o (“Spiritual Warfare” AND evangelism AND missions)
o (“Spiritual Warfare” AND evangel* AND mission*)
o (“Spiritual Warfare” AND (evangelism OR missions))
o ((“Spiritual Warfare” AND (evangelism OR missions)) NOT (charismatic OR Pentecostal)
o ((evangelism %4 missions %4 “church growth”) AND (“Spiritual Warfare”))
o ((missions OR evangelism) AND (demonology))
o ((missions OR evangelism) AND (supernatural))

GREAT Bible Fellowship ( Sunday School ) Leader Tips & Reminders

This is an excellent training video of "the Largest Sunday School training event EVER" that all teachers (of all ages) and leaders will want to watch.  It is a wonderful investment of your time to watch this entire conference (around two hours)!



Great Expectations LIVE from LifeWay Productions on Vimeo.
Your class can have even greater impact on your church, in your community, and in the lives of its members when you raise your expectations and enlarge your thinking. “Great Expectations: Live” will help you do that. This event will be inspirational and is designed to help you build a God empowered, focused, and connected Sunday School class.

Based on David Francis’ book, Great Expectations, the training is intended for Sunday School teachers ranging from pre-school to adults, Sunday School directors, class leaders, and church staff.

Bible Fellowship ( Sunday School ) Teacher Tips #7 - Ambassadors for Christ

Bible Fellowship ( Sunday School ) Teacher Tips #7 - Ambassadors for Christ from Jonathan Carl on Vimeo.
2 Corinthians 5:11-21 “11Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience. 12 We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart. 13For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 14For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.


16From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. 17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 18All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; 19that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 20Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

Quote - D.A. Carson

"People do not drift toward holiness. Apart from grace-driven effort, people do not gravitate toward godliness, prayer, obedience to Scripture, faith, and delight in the Lord. We drift toward compromise and call it tolerance; we drift toward disobedience and call it freedom; we drift toward superstition and call it faith. We cherish the indiscipline of lost self-control and call it relaxation; we slouch toward prayerlessness and delude ourselves into thinking we have escaped legalism; we slide toward godlessness and convince ourselves we have been liberated." - D.A. Carson

HT: The Village Church

Twilight: A Helpful Christian Response - A Mom's Perspective

Mary Kassian has written on her blog a helpful response to the latest Twilight movie...'Shedding Some Light on Twilight'

Here are her concerns regarding the relationship modeled by Bella & Edward...
1. Bad Boy Attraction
2. Shared Dark Secrets
3. “Us” versus “Them” Mentality
4. Isolation and Seclusion
5. Mismatched Interests and Values
6. Neediness and Obsession
7. Rationalization and Justification
8. Failure to Seek & Heed Input

Quote - A.W. Tozer

"Few are they who by faith touch Him; multitudes are they who throng about Him." - A.W. Tozer

Women & Ministry - Great Resources from 9marks.org

Women and ministry is a sensitive topic in today's church and whenever I find a biblical and helpful resource on the topic, I like to share it due to help others consider the biblical guidance on these issues.

Here are two well-written articles on women and ministry from http://www.9marks.org/ (a website on biblical guidance for churches).  If you've ever struggled with or gotten riled up about this topic, I'd encourage you to read the below articles and the Scriptures they reference.

• 'How Pastors Can Equip Women for Ministry' by Bob Johnson
• 'May Women Serve as Pastors?' by Thomas Schreiner

Also HERE is a link to their July/August 2010 journal that includes a multitude of other great articles in the below categories:

• PASTORING WOMEN: UNDERSTANDING AND HONORING DISTINCTNESS
• WOMEN’S MINISTRY IN THE LOCAL CHURCH
• RESOURCES FOR TODAY’S BIBLICAL WOMEN

Finally, the Council on Biblical Manhood & Womanhood (http://www.cbmw.org/) is the best website that handles this issue comprehensively and Biblically.

Titus 2:3-5 "Older women likewise are to be reverent in behavior, not slanderers or slaves to much wine. They are to teach what is good, 4and so train the young women to love their husbands and children, 5to be self-controlled, pure, working at home, kind, and submissive to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be reviled"

1 Timothy 2:12-14 " I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. 13For Adam was formed first, then Eve 14and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor.

2 Timothy 1:5 "I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well."

Genesis 2:18 "Then the LORD God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him."

Bible Fellowship (Sunday School) Teacher Tips #6 - Christian Websites & Online Bible Resources

Bible Fellowship ( Sunday School ) Teacher Tips #6 - Christian Websites & Online Bible Resources from Jonathan Carl on Vimeo.
Here are my top 5 online, free Bible Study Resources:

http://www.gotquestions.org/ – Answers over 195,000 tough bible questions

http://www.biblegateway.com/ – A great way to compare translations or search for keywords in the Bible

http://www.4truth.net/  – An SBC website on interfaith, evangelism & apologetic resources

http://www.biblestudytools.com/ – FREE intralinear and parallel Bibles, commentaries, dictionaries, concordances, enyclopedias, lexicons, histories, and more!

http://www.bibleplaces.com/ – Amazing photos and descriptions of Bible places (some free, more extensive collections for sale)

Can There Be A Christian Nation? - Dr. Michael Youssef

I recommend reading a succinct and helpful article by Dr. Michael Youssef that answers the question, 'Can There Be a Christian Nation?'

Some excerpts:

• "A country, or even a culture, cannot be Christian — only individuals can be Christians. However, when people speak of America's Christian heritage, they often are referring to the moral character of our nation which is reflected in its laws and ordinances — both of which bear the distinct markings of Christianity."
• "the moral character of a nation, as expressed in its policies and laws, can evoke God's response"
• "After September 11, our nation appeared to go through a soul-searching process...and superficially, the nation appeared to enter into a spiritual revival...But that repentance was cheap and short-lived. It was merely a reaction emanating from fear."
• "Our economic woes and national disasters, as well as our nation's security, will only be healed and protected when we get our relationship with God on the right track. Our personal cleansing, repentance, and intercession can determine our country's future."

The Pursuit of God - A.W. Tozer - FREE Audio Book (July 2010)

You can get your copy of A.W.Tozer's The Pursuit of God: The Human Thirst for the Divine for FREE as an audiobook download during July 2010 at http://christianaudio.com/free

Quote - D.L. Moody

"Oh, young man, character is worth more than money, character is worth more than anything else in this wide world." D.L. Moody

Sola Scriptura - 2 Timothy 3:10-17

Sola Scriptura - 2 Timothy 3:10-17 - 21SEP08 from Jonathan Carl on Vimeo.
Sola Scriptura - Scripture Alone
@ Severns Valley Baptist Church in Elizabethtown, KY
21SEP08

Solus Christus - Christ Alone
Sola Gratia - Grace Alone
Sola Fide - Faith Alone
Soli Deo Gloria - The Glory of God Alone

“All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Sola Scriptura – KNOW & TRUST!
BE….
•IN AWE – of God’s perfect, inspired, infallible, inerrant Word.
•CONVICTED – of our sinful and pathetic treatment and use of it
•DETERMINED – to change our handling of the Word of God to His glory and our joy
•THE CHURCH – established with a FIRM foundation!

Sola Scriptura – USE IT! (2 Timothy 3:10-17)
1) ______________for suffering
•Expect, Endure, & Enjoy!

2) _____________ who you follow
•What is their teaching and life rooted in?
•Who is your Paul?

3) ______________ faithfully
•“Imitate Me”
•Who is your Timothy?

"The Word of God well understood and religiously obeyed is the shortest route to spiritual perfection. And we must not select a few favorite passages to the exclusion of others. Nothing less than a whole Bible can make a whole Christian." A.W. Tozer

A Worship-FULL Life - Isaiah 6:1-8

A Worship-FULL Life - Isaiah 6:1-8 - 25NOV07 from Jonathan Carl on Vimeo.
A Worship-FULL Life
November 25, 2007 @ Severns Valley Baptist Church
Isaiah 6:1-8

The Purpose of Life = To ___________God

__________________ God’s Holiness (v.1-4)
•"Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty;the whole earth is full of his glory." Isaiah 6:3
•“men are without excuse.” Romans 1:20

___________________ the Depths of our Depravity (v.5)
•“Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined!” Isaiah 6:5
•“Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought” Romans 12:3
•“There is none righteous, not even one.” Romans 3:10

_______________ Christ’s Atoning Work in our Lives (v.6-7)
•“your iniquity is taken away and your sin is forgiven” Isaiah 6:6
•“righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe” Romans 3:22
•“there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” Romans 8:1

_______________ in Obedient Service and Living (v.8)
•“Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?" And I said, "Here am I. Send me!" Isaiah 6:8
•“I am not ashamed of the gospel” Romans 1:6
•“faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead” James 2:17

Love of God → Obedience → Love of Others → Share & Proclaim

The Missional Church - Acts

The Missional Church - Acts - 19MAY10 from Jonathan Carl on Vimeo.
The Missional Church…
AUDIO ONLY
@ Severns Valley Baptist Church (Elizabethtown, KY)
19MAY10

1) IS NOT focused on its human ___________ or ___________ .
“And they prayed and said, ‘You, Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which one of these two you have chosen…’” (Acts 1:24-25)
“But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out…” (Acts 5:19)

2) IS NOT dependent on human___________ or ___________ .
“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13)
“Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news” (Acts 14:15)

3) IS centered on ___________ – Jesus’ life, death, & resurrection
“you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead” (Acts 3:15)
“And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12)

4) IS empowered by the ___________
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
“if this plan or this undertaking is of man, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them.” (Acts 5:38-39)

5) IS ___________ , ___________ & ___________
“And every day, in the temple and from house to house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ. (Acts 5:42)
“All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer” (Acts 1:14)
“And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:47)

6) IS ___________ and ___________
“While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’" (Acts 7:59)
“He (Herod) had James, the brother of John, put to death with the sword. (Acts 12:2)
“when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name” (Acts 5:40-41)
“For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” (Acts 9:16)

As the Acts 29 Church – I must….
1)___________ to God - James 4:7-8 & Ephesians 6:10-20
2) ___________ the Holy Spirit to work– Ephesians 4:22-30
3)___________ eternal opportunities – 1 Timothy 4:8 James 5:19-20

“if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14)

THE CHURCH: Family vs. Restaurant - Servants vs. Consumers

This is one of the best teachings and analogies I've heard about the role of Christians in the church.  Pastor Mark Driscoll's below video exhorts us to view the church as a servant in a family and not a consumer in a restaurant.  His description towards the end of a 'church whiner' is something all church leaders have dealt with and grieve at. 

I am so thankful and blessed by the many church servants I know and pray that their selfless example contagiously spreads into the lives of all Christians they come into contact with.

Mark 10:45 "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many"

Philippians 2:14-15 "14Do everything without complaining or arguing, 15so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe"

Wake Up & Trust God - Matthew 26:36-46

Wake Up & Trust God - Matthew 26:36-46 - Spring 2009 from Jonathan Carl on Vimeo.
Wake Up & Trust God!!
@ The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (class in video) and at Stithton Baptist Church (Radcliff, KY)
Matthew 26:36-46

1. Do not neglect God’s _______________
Look at Jesus!
Look at the Disciples!

2. God desires our _______________
Look at Jesus!
Look at the Disciples!

3. Christ _____________ for us
Look at Jesus!
Look at the Disciples!

4. God’s will must become _____________
Look at Jesus!
Look at the Disciples!

Bible Fellowship ( Sunday School ) Teacher Tips #5 - Pride vs. Humility

Bible Fellowship ( Sunday School ) Teacher Tips #5 - Pride vs. Humility from Jonathan Carl on Vimeo.
Pride vs. Humility

Go to http://www.biblegateway.com/keyword/?search=proud&version1=47&searchtype=all&limit=none&wholewordsonly=no

1 Corinthians 3:5-9 “5What then is Apollos? What is Paul?) Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. 6I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. 7So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. 8He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. 9For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building.”

Romans 12:3 “ 3For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.”

Jeremiah 9:23-24 “23Thus says the LORD: "Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, 24but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD."

Philippians 2:3-4 “Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”

Christ Crucified - 1COR 1:10-2:5

Christ Crucified - 1COR 1:10-2:5 from Jonathan Carl on Vimeo.
The Pride of Life or the Power of God
1 Corinthians 1:10-2:5 (ESV)
@ The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (class in video) & @ Cecilia Baptist Church (Cecilia, KY)
Spring 2009

Our identity as a church, as followers of Christ, and as sharers of Christ must be rooted in Christ Crucified.

1. Christ Crucified: ____________ the Church (1 COR 1:10-17)

2. Christ Crucified: ____________ Personal Pride (1 COR 1:18-31)

3. Christ Crucified: ____________ all Ministry & Preaching (1 COR 2:1-5)