Sorrow is Better than Laughter…

Posted on 01/25/2012 by staffwriter

“Sorrow is better than laughter, because a sad face is good for the heart.” Ecclesiastes 7: 3

Sorrow is better… really? Sorrow is a tool God uses to reach down into the depths of our soul to reveal who we really are. It uncovers the shallowness in our hearts. But most importantly, sorrow uncovers our unknown capacities for suffering and service. In other words, we find out how much stronger we are than we thinkwe are. We only discover this by Divine Grace. Without His grace, our suffering is pointless. I’ll say that again… without His grace, our suffering is pointless! Lighthearted, frivolous people are never aware how shallow they really are. There is not one doubt in my mind about this, because experience is the authority given to me by which I speak.

Please be encouraged by what I write, as my words are meant to encourage you. You may be going through the greatest sorrow/test of your life. Hold onto Jesus. He’s heard your cries. He will help you – in His time. If you surrender all that you are to Him, you will have His Divine grace to get you through ANYTHING!! Memorize one of His gazillion promises. These are some I put to memory, and the Holy Spirit brings them to the forefront of my mind when the enemy starts attacking me or when my own flesh starts to question His love for me…

“Because the Sovereign Lord helps me I will not be disgraced. Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame.” Isaiah 50: 7

“O Lord You have known me and searched me. You know my sitting down and my rising up. You know my thought afar off. You comprehend my path, and my lying down, and are acquainted with all of my ways.

For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O Lord You know it altogether. You have hedged me behind and before, and laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot attain it.

Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me.” Psalm 139: 1-10

Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.” James 1: 12

Because we live in a fallen world, sorrow with despair and panic removed (because of God’s grace), is what has been chosen to reveal us to ourselves. Is is not sorrow that makes us move more cautiously, and makes us take the time to think more deeply and seriously? Sorrow forces us to really examine our motives and attitudes.

Allow me to briefly talk about comfort. You know I absolutely love Streams in the Desert Devotional. That’s where these next words are taken from…

The world is full of hurting and comfortless hearts. But before you will be competent for this lofty ministry, you must be trained. And your training is extremely costly, for to make it complete, you too must endure the same sufferings and afflictions that are drowning countless hearts in tears and blood. Consequently, your own life becomes the hospital ward where you are taught the divine art of comfort. You will be wounded so that in the binding up of your wounds by the Great Physician, you may learn how to render first aid to the wounded everywhere. You will be able to tell others how you suffered and were comforted. And God will apply the anesthetic He once used on you to them.

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How to save money on communion supplies

Posted on 01/21/2012 by staffwriter

In this uncertain economy, people are looking for ways to save money, and that includes the church. Communion supplies are something churches should always have, so why not save money on them if you can? These simple tips will help your ministry save money on Communion supplies:

1. Use pre-filled disposable communion cups with wafers

You can eliminate the cost of buying communion supplies separately by buying everything together. Pre-filled communion cups come with grape juice and a wafer attached to the top of the cup, saving you money. Not to mention, they are time savers because you don’t have to spend time filling each individual cup with grape juice.

2. Use re-usable communion cups

Sure, disposable communion cups are convenient, but they are a recurring cost. By buying communion cups that can be used over and over again, you will save money in the long run as you won’t have to keep buying plastic cups for your Communion services.

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3. Buy communion supplies in bulk

If you are a large church, buying communion supplies in bulk will probably save you money as most companies have the more you buy, the more you save deals. Plus, you won’t have to worry about buying communion supplies so often as you’ll have enough for a couple months instead of a couple weeks.

4. Make your own unleavened bread

There’s lot of unleavened bread recipes online, so you can make a large batch of unleavened bread and store it for use for the next several Communion services, saving you money.

By putting these these communion cups money-saving tips into action, your church can save money. Simple things like buying pre-filled communion cups with wafers or re-usable communion cups, buying communion supplies in bulk, and even making your own unleavened bread can make a real difference in these trying times.

JESUS NIXED

Posted on 01/20/2012 by staffwriter

J M J . PRAY 4 R USA . !

Supreme Court: “Jesus” prayers can be banned as illegal speech.

In a shocking decision that allowed an atheist anti-Jesus ban of our free speech to stand in five states, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear the appeal of Joyner v. Forsyth County, and declined to overturn a bad 2-1 decision that banned prayers “in Jesus’ name” as illegal speech before government meetings.

The 4th Circuit Court of Appeals that oversees 5 states had already banned prayers ending “in Jesus name” at public city council meetings in Virginia and West Virginia, North and South Carolina, and Maryland. In part because of YOUR petitions, Forsyth County voted 6-1 to appeal and defend our free speech rights to the Supreme Court, but lost the appeal.

The Supreme Court yesterday declined to hear the case, allowing an atheist victory to ban free speech of the illegal word “Jesus” during public prayer, and costing $200,000 in Christian charity money (of which we pledged to pay $4,500) that must now be paid to the county who must pay the ACLU attorneys.

“In the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision, cities and counties all over the state will be getting letters from the American Civil Liberties Union warning them to stop allowing sectarian prayers,” reports the Winston-Salem Journal (WSJ).

“We are about to get very busy,” said Katherine Parker, the ACLU attorney who argued the case against Forsyth County in the court system. “We have heard from 25 to 30 religious minority individuals in cities and counties all over North Carolina, and we are about to start contacting those (local government) attorneys. We are going to remind them that this is the law.”

But the decision is not applicable in 45 other United States, since every other Circuit Court but the 4th still allows Jesus-prayers. Christian Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund confirm: “America’s Founders never shied away from referencing the God to whom they were praying when offering public invocations; the citizens of Forsyth County should have this same opportunity,” Senior Counsel David Cortman said.

“No federal court has ruled that prayers cannot be offered before public meetings. The Supreme Court has simply missed an opportunity to clear up the differing opinions among the various circuits about the content of the prayers. This means that, for the time being, the standard for prayer policies in the 4th Circuit will be different from the standard held by the rest of the country,” Cortman told Focus on the Family Action.

Our friend Tony Perkins at the Family Research Council intepreted the ban: “By not hearing the case, the Supreme Court agreed–meaning that it is now law, not just in Forsyth County, but every state under the Fourth Circuit’s jurisdiction (Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina), that every government body use this ‘Jesus-counting approach’ in public prayers. When the decision takes effect, it will be illegal for pastors in any government assembly to mention Jesus except once or twice at the end of their prayers–or make any statements about who Jesus is and what He’s done for us.”

WSJ agrees: Christian lawyers “had argued that the 4th-Circuit ruling against Forsyth had created a conflict with an 11th-circuit ruling in Georgia that had found no problem with sectarian references. Even within the 4th Circuit, Johnson said, the court ruling has left officials asking ‘if there is a threshold number of sectarian references’ that run afoul of the constitution.”

How many references to Jesus are allowed? “Zero,” the atheists will threaten with more lawsuits. “Several,” we must argue and continue to pray in Jesus’ name without compromise. “Somewhere in between,” City Council lawyers in 5 states must now count the number of Jesus prayers, and make sure they don’t exceed some imaginary quota.

Everybody agrees non-sectarian prayers to “God” are OK, but courts may now punish citizens and city councils who dare to allow too many prayers “in Jesus’ name” in public. Local governments risk repeat lawsuits by atheist complainers if too many citizens dare violate the court imposed speech-ban of the illegal word “Jesus.”

We must not allow this travesty to stand, or spread beyond the 4th circuit.

Christian lawyers often defend these cases pro-bono, but they don’t pay opposing attorneys in case of loss, so many small governments won’t take the risk to defend Jesus prayers, unless we raise money for them.

An Alliance Defense Fund lawyer told me personally:

“Thank you for addressing fundraising. So far you’re the only ministry that has taken action on this. We would have many more cities across the country take a stand against the atheists if they were provided with indemnification against an adverse fee award. What we need is a national fund that could provide something similar to an ‘insurance’ policy for any city considering protecting prayer. I think we would only need funds to protect that first case that went to the Supreme Court. After that, the remaining cases would undoubtedly settle with one side or the other bowing out.”

Can you see why we’re raising funds? If we deny Christ, we will lose our rights.

Jesus prayers banned in 5 states. Supreme Court refused to hear our appeal.

The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear our case that could ban or restore the right to pray “in Jesus’ name” across America, in what is being hailed as the most important free speech case of our generation: Joyner vs. Forsyth County.

We at The Pray In Jesus Name Project have pledged $ Thousands in financial support to help the Commissioners of Forsyth County, North Carolina, as they appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court defending our right to speak the illegal word “Jesus” in a public prayer.

The 4th Circuit Court of Appeals that oversees 5 states already banned prayers ending “in Jesus name” at public city council meetings in Virginia and West Virginia, North and South Carolina, and Maryland. Thank God, in part because of YOUR petitions, Forsyth County voted 6-1 to appeal and defend our free speech rights to the Supreme Court.

Your tax-deductible donations here support our critical projects to defend the right to pray “in Jesus’ name” around the country in 2012, including legal expenses incurred if we lose our free speech rights to pray publicly “in Jesus’ name” at city, county, state, or federal ceremonies. (If we don’t pledge real money, many local governments won’t fight in court, even with pro-bono lawyers, because they cannot risk paying the atheists’ attorneys if they lose.) Because we pledge real money, they find their backbone and risk appeal, thank God.

The Winston-Salem Journal reports: “Attorneys for two women who sued Forsyth County over sectarian prayers at county commissioners’ meetings are asking the U.S. Supreme Court not to consider the county’s appeal of a lower-court ruling that bans such prayers.

“A 38-page brief that opposes the appeal was filed Thursday at the Supreme Court by Katherine Parker, the attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina; two ACLU attorneys in Washington, D.C.; and Ayesha Khan, an attorney for Americans United for Separation of Church and State.

“In their brief, Parker and the other attorneys argue that the nation’s highest court should not consider the case because the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals correctly ruled in July that Christian prayers mentioning Jesus at the commissioners’ meetings violated the First Amendment.”

Jesus prayers banned! What the paper didn’t report is how YOU played a critical role, by signing our FREE Petition to the Forsyth County Commissioners, who voted 6-1 to appeal and defend our right to pray “in Jesus name.” THANK YOU for signing, but now we must put our money where our mouth is.

This is no small task. We’ve fought and won free speech victories in 10 states since 2007, by organizing rallies, free petitions, and pledging to pay court costs if small governments fight for our right to pray “in Jesus’ name” and lose, when atheist complainers sue them. We’ve won cases restoring or defending free speech and Jesus prayers for pastors, police chaplains, military chaplains, hospital chaplains, in city councils, county commissions, state legislatures, and the U.S. military, in OH, PA, VA, IN, NY, NC, FL, OK, OR and CA.

This ONE CRITICAL CASE is the first we’ve ever lost, since the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear it. Until they hear a future case like this one, we can no longer guarantee our permanent free speech freedom nationwide until our appeal is heard and won. It’s all or nothing. We’re in for the long run.

Court Bans Jesus Prayers in 5 States. Sign Free Petition!

The 4th Circuit Court of Appeals banned private citizens from praying “in Jesus name” at or before city council meetings in 5 states Friday, including Virginia and West Virginia, North and South Carolina, and Maryland. The 2-1 court ruling helped the anti-Christian ACLU and hurt the Christian Alliance Defense Fund in Forsyth County, NC, where atheist complainers said they were easily offended by free speech of the “illegal” word Jesus.

We need you to please send a free email to all 7 County Commissioners, right now, thanking them for appealing this case to the U.S. Supreme Court. In your email tell them “I will prayerfully consider pledging money to support your legal defense, BECAUSE you appealed to the Supreme Court, and defended everybody’s right to pray ‘in Jesus name.’” Without our money pledge, the county likely would NOT have appealed.

The Forsyth County Board of Commissioners decided this summer to appeal to the Supreme Court a bad 2-1 ruling, Joyner v. Forsyth County by the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals that banned private citizens in 5 states from speaking the forbidden word “Jesus” during a public prayer before council meetings.

The 2-1 Court decision can be read here: READ THE ANTI-JESUS COURT RULING. Then please sign our free petition AND DON’T FORGET TO EMAIL THE 7 COMMISSIONERS TOO. Thank you for helping!

Judge Paul V. Niemeyer, the lone dissenter in the 2-1 decision, strongly criticized his fellow jurists: “The majority has dared to step in and regulate the language of prayer — the sacred dialogue between humankind and God. Such a decision treats prayer agnostically; reduces it to civil nicety; … Most frightfully, it will require secular legislative and judicial bodies to evaluate and parse particular religious prayers under an array of criteria. … I respectfully submit that we must maintain a sacred respect of each religion, and when a group of citizens comes together, as does the Forsyth County Board of Commissioners, and manifests that sacred respect — allowing the prayers of each to be spoken in the religion’s own voice — we must be glad to let it be.”

Alliance Defense Fund Attorney Mike Johnson said: “America’s founders opened public meetings with prayer. There’s no reason that today’s public officials should be forced to censor the prayers of those invited to offer them simply because secularist groups don’t like people praying according to their own conscience. The legal team will confer with the county about the process of appealing today’s decision.”

The Alliance Defense Fund is paying the county’s legal bills, but won’t cover payments to the plaintiffs for damages or legal expenses should the county lose. Therefore we’re stepping in to fill this gap.

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TAKE ACTION FOUR WAYS:
1) Sign the FREE petition here and write your thankful comment which we’ll post now.
2) Please politely email AND telephone each of the seven city council members and thank them for appealing the bad Court decision that banned Jesus-prayers.
3) Please donate to our legal defense fund. 100% of gifts will support legal defense of Jesus prayers including the Forsyth County case.
4) Pray God will bless all citizens with our free speech right to pray “in Jesus’ name.”

Our financial risk is real. Please donate a substantive tax-deductible gift to help us defend Jesus prayers in the future. We will fulfill the pledge and promises we made, by paying the county for their lost legal expenses. But we need your help to keep up the fight.
~~~
.Pursuant to title 17 U. S. C. 107, this is provided for educational
purposes, research, critical comment,or debate without profit/payment.

Media Ministry Team Roles

Posted on 01/18/2012 by staffwriter

Many people may not realize just how much work is involved in a media ministry. I am here to summarize different media ministry team roles for those looking to start their own media ministries so they get an idea of the roles that need to be filled, and for anyone who’s interested in knowing the behind-the-scenes workings of a media ministry.

Recording

Whether you are recording just audio or audio and video, someone is behind the scenes operating the CD recorder, video camera, etc. If you are just recording audio, you might also have a sound tech making sure the quality of the audio is good and every word the pastor speaks is registered by the recording equipment. If you are recording video, you may have a light person to make sure you have the perfect lighting for your video sermons.

Editing

Once the message has been recorded, whether it be just sound or video, someone edits the message for sound clarity, and they may add extra things like a standard greeting from the pastor if it’s just sound or for video sermons, a standard video intro.

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Duplicating

After the message has been recorded and edited, it’s time to duplicate it. Someone loads the CDs/DVDs into a computer or duplicator and duplicates the message.

Packaging

Once the CDs have been duplicated, it’s time to package them. Someone puts the CDs/DVDs in a paper sleeve, hard plastic case, etc.

Distribution

Finally, after the message has been recorded, edited, duplicated, and packaged, it’s time to get the message out! Whether the message is handed out at your welcome table, mailed out to your mailing list, or advertised on your church website, someone is behind the scenes handing out the CDs/DVDs, mailing them out, or advertising them on your website.

The World’s Take on Biblical Principles

Posted on 01/13/2012 by staffwriter

All you have to do to hear the world’s attitude and negativity is turn on your radio. Now, I am not saying that all music is bad but the majority of mainstream music is just so negative you can’t help but get sucked into its negativity if it’s all you listen to.

Christian music, on the other hand, is full of hope and an inner joy and peace that cannot be described in human terms. Just as reading the Bible gives us an inner peace, listening to music that praises God helps to keep us in a Godly mindset not a wordly one.

I read something online awhile back about how some mainstream music today will take a Christian principle and only show it in a negative light. The example of this I read was we reap what we sow. The Bible tells us if we reap wickedness we will sow wickedness, and it also tells us if we reap righteousness we will sow righteousness, as Galations 6:8 (NIV) tells us:

8 Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.“

Going back to how the world teaches Christian principles, let’s take a look at how the lesson of reaping and sowing is being taught in mainstream music. “What goes around, comes around” is the world’s reaping and sowing lesson, but it only has a negative connotation. It is sung in Beyonce’s “The Best Thing I Never Had” and Drake’s “She Will”.

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If you listen to these two songs (and I’d recommend just taking my word for it) you will hear that Beyonce and Drake only teach the reap what you sow lesson from a negative standpoint, that is, if you do me wrong, I will do you wrong. Neither of these songs teaches that if you reap a good harvest you will sow one. Do you see how worldly music can so easily get us caught up in attitudes that are totally ungodly?

Let’s take a look at a Christian song’s take on reaping and sowing. I couldn’t find a song that is about reaping and sowing exclusively (if you know of one, please let me know!), but here are a couple lyrics from Keith Green’s Rushing Wind:

Holy Spirit, I surrender; take me where you want to go.
Plant me by your living water,
Plant me deep so I can grow.

Separate me from this world, Lord;
Sanctify my life for you.
Daily change me to your image,
Help me bear good fruit.

Keith Green’s song teaches that if we reap Godly things, we will sow Godly things, or bear good fruit. You can see how worldly music totally undermines God’s lessons by teaching people to have worldly attitudes instead of Godly ones.

Four Audio Tools you can use to Get Your Message Out!

Posted on 01/10/2012 by staffwriter

Here are five tools you can use for your media ministry!

Handheld MP3 Recorders

Best for: Handheld MP3 recorders are best for people on the go. You can fit most MP3 recorders in your pocket and take it with you when you travel to create a mobile ministry!

Who it reaches: Handheld MP3 recorded messages can reach just about anybody, since the main application of MP3s is mobile via MP3 players, however MP3s appeal especially to youth since the MP3 player format has been widely popularized within the past few years.

Pros: The pros of handheld MP3 recorders are that they are very affordable depending on the quality of sound you need, you can take them anywhere, you can transfer your message to your computer and then convert it to just about any format you want, and it appeals to the current generation.

CD/MP3 Recorders

Best for: CD/MP3 recorders are best for churches and ministries who are looking to professionally produce and distribute CDs.

Who it reaches: CD/MP3 recorded messages can reach anyone with a CD player, but since they also record in MP3 format, you can also record your messages directly to a computer for internet distribution.

Pros: CD/MP3 recorders create top-notch sound quality for your media ministry, you can create CDs and MP3s at the same time, and they come with endless features for the sound tech.

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Tablets

Best for: Tablets, such as the iPad, are best for travelling churches and ministries. They are lightweight and portable and enable you to connect to the internet to instantly send your recorded message to the online airwaves.

Who it reaches: Tablets which are WiFi enabled reach anyone with an internet connection.

Pros: WiFi enabled tablets enable you to broadcast your recorded message live while you record it, you can reach people all over the world by uploading your recorded message to the internet, and you can have a mobile ministry.

Tape Recorders

Best for: Tape recorders are best for anyone that doesn’t need a ton of features and just wants a simple way to record their messages.

Who it reaches: Messages recorded on a tape recorder will especially reach older generations who still use tape players. However, tapes can be easily converted to MP3 format so you can also put your message online.

Pros: Tape recorders are simple to use with just a few buttons. Older generations and people with tape players in their cars will appreciate having tape-recorded messages to listen to. Tapes can be converted to MP3s so you can still distribute your messages online.

How do I know which Batteries to use for my Church Equipment?

Posted on 01/10/2012 by staffwriter

With the abundance of different types and brands of batteries available today, it’s hard to decide on which batteries are best for your microphones, handheld sound recorders, etc. You don’t want your equipment failing in the middle of the service, afterall, so it’s important to know which batteries will last. There are a few things you can look into to decide on which type/brand of battery will stand the test of time.

The first thing you can look into in determining what batteries are best suited to your church equipment is the type of battery. Your church equipment may require a certain type of battery, such as alkaline, lithium, etc., or the manufacturer of the equipment might recommend you only use a certain type of battery. Either way, it’s important to first follow the manufacturer’s guidelines, and then go from there.

Next, look into the life expectancy of different battery brands. Some brands are known for having a long life, while others such as generic batteries might not last as long. Does your equipment take rechargeable batteries? If so, you might want to get name brand rechargeable batteries to ensure you get the most usage out of your batteries.

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After you’ve figured out what type of batteries you’re going to use, you need to look into the price. Generic batteries are usually the cheapest but have the shortest life. Namebrand batteries are pricier but they usually last a lot longer than generic batteries.

Once you’ve honed in on what batteries you’re going to use, you need to make sure the supply and demand needs are going to be met. In otherwords, that the batteries your church depends on to power your equipment is going to be available when you need it.

Choosing what batteries to use for your church equipment is important in making sure your battery-powered equipment is always up and running. By checking into different types of batteries, life expectancy, pricing, and supply and demand, you will be sure to pick the best batteries your church equipment needs to always run smoothly!

Video Cameras to Fit the Needs of Every Church

Posted on 01/10/2012 by staffwriter

With the multitude of video cameras on the market today, there is a video camera to suit any ministry’s needs. Whether you are looking to record your street preaching to make an outreach DVD, or you are a fully-fledged mega church that wants to produce live TV services, your ministry is sure to fit into one of the three video camera recorder categories below.

Handheld mini video cameras

Handheld mini video cameras, such as the FlipVideo, are simple to use, point and record video cameras. Flip Videos come with a USB output that you can plug directly into your computer to edit and upload your videos.

Possible applications: Street preaching ministries, small group Bible studies, Personal testimonies to air during Sunday worship

Consumer grade HD video cameras

Consumer grade HD video cameras are a step up from handheld mini video cameras. With higher quality video and sound, and an expandable record time, they are perfect for producing professional videos.

Possible applications: Worship services, baptisms, weddings, theater productions

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Professional HD video cameras

Professional HD video cameras with vivid color and crystal clear sound let you relive the moment. A microphone output lets you attach a microphone for even better sound, and LED touchscreens provide ease of use.

Possible applications: Weekly DVD messages, DVD series, live TV productions, weddings

As you can see, video cameras can pretty much be divided into three categories. By taking a look at each one, you can decide which type will fit your ministry’s needs. Make sure you know what application you will be using your video camera for so you pick the best video camera! For example, you may be ok with using a Flip Video to record your street preaching outreach, but you might want to go up a step- to consumer grade HD- or two- Professional HD- for recording your wedding!

Media Ministry: Effective Tip #3: Messages-To-Go

Posted on 12/07/2011 by staffwriter

Media Ministry: Effective Tip #3: Messages-To-Go

#church #outreach #sermon duplication #disc duplication

TIP #2: MESSAGES-TO-GO

What Are Messages-To-Go? Messages-To-Go are CD, DVD, tape, mp3, and any recorded copies of ministry messages made immediately available after the service or event, before the attendees leave to go home.

Why Have Messages-To-Go? For two major reasons: forgetting and remembering. Traditional church sermons or ministry messages may be anywhere in length from 30 minutes to an hour or more, depending on the church. The pastor may have taken 20 to 30 hours during the week to prepare the sermon. Without Messages-To-Go, hearers within minutes forget over 50%. After one hour, 66% is forgotten, and after six hours, 75% is lost (Ebbinghaus, 1913). So before the end of the day, three-quarters of the message is gone! Conversely, two or three hearings beyond the initial one cause retention rate to increase to about 80%. (Image is Ebbinghaus’ Forgetting Curve. Y Axis = 0-100 items remembered; X Axis = 0-7 hours.)

How Does Messages-To-Go work? Four easy steps create more impact and greater distribution of Gospel messages. (1) Have ready a certain number of discs pre-labeled or ondisc-printed before the service. (2) Stop recording immediately after the “Amen” of the closing prayer. (3) Start duplicating discs. (4) Hand out to people as they exit the church.

Why Immediate Messages-To-Go? Immediate distribution is far superior to duplication a week later at the next service. The sermon is fresh on their minds. Spirits are already open to receiving the Word of God. If they have to wait till the next service, they forget and the spoken word loses much of its impact. More apt to hand out the discs to others outside the church. Immediacy is the secret to this powerful tool. The best analogy is a fresh baked loaf of bread. When does bread have the greatest impact and taste, right when it is pulled out of the oven and eaten warm, or a week later? Scripture is called the Bread of Life.

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Media Ministry — Church Outreach — Messages-To-Go!

What is the Power of a Recorded Message? One preacher in the U.S. received a call from another pastor in Europe asking if he could travel across the ocean to preach his sermon series in Europe. As the story unfolded, the U.S. pastor was very surprised to receive such a call, and asked the European pastor where he got that sermon CD, because he had preached that particular sermon about 10 years ago. When the two pastors tracked down the travels of the CD from each of their departure and arrival points, it turned out that the disc made its way from the States to Mexico, from Mexico to South America, from South America across the Atlantic Ocean to Africa, and from Africa across the Mediterranean Sea to Europe. Just think of all the people’s lives that God’s Word touched across those continents and through various countries in the northern and southern hemispheres—all because the U.S. pastor RECORDED THE SERMON and GAVE IT AWAY!!! Did he ever imagine such a scenario while preaching the sermon 10 years earlier?

Creative Ideas for Messages-To-Go

Recorded Messages are important to the growth of this Wisconsin church as they reach their community!

Great Printed Posters

Media Ministry — Church Outreach — Messages-To-Go!

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Messages-To-Go Benefits? Recorded sermons provide unlimited presentations in unlimited places. In a live setting, a pastor may stand in the pulpit for an hour during a service, and the message is only a singular on that day. But that same sermon recorded can preach over and over, anytime of day or night 24/7. Plus, a recorded sermon is no longer confined to the four walls of the church, but instead the world is its audience. Time and place change from limiting factors to unlimited. A pastor in Memphis was approached by stranger who was holding a recorded message in his hand. The man thanked the pastor for preaching and recording the message he was holding. As a result of hearing the message, he received Christ as his Savior. The man was from two states away. The message was preached 6 years ago.

God Multiples the Messages. It is our God-ordained task to present the Gospel, but it is the Holy Spirit’s job to convict and multiply the impact. As CDs, DVDs, and tapes get handed from person to person, they travel to places where the pastor could never go. A recorded message doesn’t need airfare, nor any passport. Another man had a drinking problem. He was given a message which he stashed in a drawer. One year later he got it out and received Christ as his Savior.

As you can see, the tangible benefit to having a Messages-To-Go Ministry IS OUT OF THIS WORLD!

START NOW — Media Ministry — Church Outreach — Messages-To-Go!

Media Ministry: Audio / Visual Testimonies: God Stories

Posted on 12/02/2011 by staffwriter

Media Ministry: Audio / Visual Testimonies: God Stories

#media #outreach #technology #robotic video #sharing stories

Do you capture (audio and video) the great testimonies, God Stories, happening in your church?

How much are you aware of the power of Revelation 12:11?

Revelation 12:11. “They triumphed over him (Satan) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.” Here is a verse that lists side-by-side two powerful elements that yield powerful spiritual results. Jesus’ blood sacrifice on the cross and our word-of-mouth testimonies—both result in overcoming all evil in the world. Now, Christians everywhere are, to some degree or another, aware of the cleansing power of Jesus’ blood sacrifice on the cross. Every day soap cleans people, clothing, objects, and so on, which is all surface cleaning. But can you imagine a spiritual agent so strong that, on the soul level in the realm of righteousness and wickedness, it washes spiritual sins and all unholiness whiter than snow? Christians also know the unlimited power of Jesus’ blood for utterly destroying evil. So when Christians testimonies are equated to His blood—that’s an incomprehensible WOW!

Audio and Video Capturing. If other people are anything like me, I’m relaxed when I’m speaking and sharing stories with a friend or two. The story flows in proper sequence and retains hearers’ interests. But I instantly freeze up and go brain dead when someone turns on any kind of recording device. So there’s little chance of getting a coherent recording of a God-event in my life. However, I believe there’s a wonderful solution to this. I saw an operation in a church that gives all of us “stage-frightened” people great hope. There were two video screens at the front of the sanctuary on both sides, and the usual video cameras in the back. At a certain time in the worship service, people stood up and gave testimonies of the Lord’s blessings, speaking toward the front of the church. I saw the people immediately pop up on the video screens. The screen seemed to zoom right in on one of the sisters as an usher handed her a microphone. How did they do that? So I quickly scanned the front of the pulpit area and up on the ceiling, looking for the camera. It took a few minutes to spot it—white against white and cleverly hidden in the upper back of the pulpit area. With such an unobtrusive system and operating procedure, there was no stage fright, no camera in one’s face, and a recording set-up that creates complete ease. And what superior zoom power the camera had. It was at least 40 feet to where the sister was standing, but on screen she appeared as if the camera was right in front of her. The head technician was walking around the church, supervising sound and video quality, while operating all the system controls from his iPad.

Easy Sharing. With a few simple video editing steps, it is so easy to excerpt any number of these kinds of church testimonies into separate file clips. Churches regularly use these excerpts in their outreach ministries. These short testimonies can be uploaded on the church’s website for viewing and listening. They can be burned to CD or DVD discs and handed out in the neighborhood. One or two can be played at the beginning of each church service as a super encouragement for others to increase their outreach activities. These God Story discs can also be shared with other churches to encourage their outreach ministries.

(Article cont’d.)

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Media Ministry — God Stories — Audio / Visual Testimonies!

In technical language, the Sony-Computer-Operated-Video-Camera-Package features include the following:

1/4 type 380k pixel EXview HAD CCD
18x Optical zoom + 12x Digital (Optical is recommended by Sony and most professionals)
Auto Focus and Manual Focus
Amazing Low Light Sensitivity. Minimum illumination is less than 1 Lux.
Ceiling Mount, Flat Surface Mount, or optional bracket for Wall Mount installation
An Inverter Switch will electronically flip an image upside down so it displays correctly when ceiling mounted
Special conversion kit to power the camera up to 300 feet away
Remote Controllable via Visca, both RS-232C or RS-422
Full Range Pan/Tilt: 340 degrees Pan / 120 degrees Tilt
Auto ICR Function remote in addition to computer control operation
Video Output: VBS (pin jack) and Y/C (4 pin MiniDIN)
Auto White Balance plus settings for ATW, Indoor, Outdoor and one push manual white balance
AE Spot Setting
Six Custom Presets. You pre-select up to six camera positions (per camera) for instant use
37mm Mount for Optional Conversion Lens
Package includes the computer operated full range of motion camera plus all the connection boxes, and cabling needed to operate the camera up to 100′ away. (300′ with additional cabling)

Media Ministry — God Stories — Audio / Visual Testimonies!

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(Article cont’d.)

A Technician’s Dream. The latest advances in audio and video equipment now include Wifi capabilities that allow computers and iPads to run the equipment by remote. The following system described has all of the above capabilities.

How is all of this so easily possible?

Robotic Camera System. A great robotic camera system with fantastic quality and is designed to be computer operated. Hang it on a wall or upside down on the ceiling and discreetly zoom in on anyone in the congregation that is being touched by the Lord or sharing a testimony. With an impressive 18x optical zoom lens you can comfortably zoom up to 100 feet away with amazing clarity. Follow the pastor as he walks across the platform or comes down into the congregation. With the ability to set 6 pre-programmed locations, you can’t miss. This compact, off-white camera will greatly enhance the video of your service without being intrusive. (Black is also available). Even in low light situations, this camera system performs wonderfully. Everything is included in this package. You get special connection boxes, cabling, a Sony camera, and even the software to control the entire system, which also supports up to 7 cameras. Power and control this camera up to 100′ away with this package. (Up to 300 feet away is possible with additional cabling) right from your computer. You also get a bracket to hang it upside down on the ceiling. (Your image will be right side up.) Optional wall bracket accessory is available.

START NOW — Media Ministry — God Stories — Audio / Visual Testimonies!!

Media Ministry: Effective Tip #1: Door Hangers

Posted on 11/29/2011 by staffwriter

Media Ministry: Effective Tip #1: Door Hangers
#church #outreach #door hangers #CD #DVD

Why is it that outreach seems to come easy for some people, but not for others?

Have you ever met someone who is so personable and friendly with outreach that it feels as if you’ve known him/her all your life?

Is it because there are those who are naturally friendly, while others struggle? Sort of like, the “haves” and “have nots?”

Take a deep breath. There are easy, effortless ways of friendly outreach through the proverb that says, “The gift makes a way for the person.”

A great way to get the Gospel into all people’s hands is as simple and non-confrontational as handing a person a colorfully-wrapped gift. In fact, that’s exactly what I propose you do!

TIP #1: DOOR HANGERS. Door hangers are clear plastic, elongated bags with a hole at the top just perfect for placing over a doorknob. The clear plastic protects the contents from inclement weather. Since the contents can be seen at a glance, this allays any fears the recipient may have concerning inappropriate or harmful contents.

DOOR HANGER CONTENTS. Your church’s outreach materials of any kind can be put into door hanger bags. Contents may include your church brochure, a special letter from the pastor, invitation cards to special events in your church, postcards, customized printed door hanger inserts, candy bars with wrappers lettered to advertise your church, a CD copy of your favorite outreach message, or a DVD copy of your church service.

DOOR HANGER CHURCH MINISTRY TEAM. Form a team of church volunteers to assemble your door hanger bags and contents. Pray before you begin the assembly process, and pray at the end of it. Pray over all of the materials.

DOOR HANGER DISTRIBUTION. Divide your surrounding community into sections that can be covered in 1/2 of a day, such as, Saturday mornings. If you live in a larger urban area instead of a small village, decide if you wish to cover all your sections in a month, or perhaps in a 3-month quarter. Once you adequately plan out your system of community coverage, keep your rotation going on a continual basis. Any advertising, secular or religious, has to be more than a one-time event. So this requires long-range intentional planning. Pray before any of the teams are sent out. Pray when the distribution is finished and all volunteers are gathered back at a rendezvous point. (Article cont’d.)

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Door Hanger Outreach — Advertise God’s Kingdom to the world!

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(Article cont’d.) CD / DVD OUTREACH MESSAGES. Be sure you have duplicated onto your give-away disc an outreach message that includes a Bible story, which ends in a salvation invitation. Use a clever message title printed onto a colorfully-designed disc that grabs attention. An example is, “Who Killed the Baptist?” (This highly effective title is borrowed from Pastor James E. who preached a message about how sin killed John the Baptist, and then transitioned his message to make it personal to all listeners that their own sin will yield them eternal death if they don’t repent.)

SPECIAL NOTICE. Put a special notice, on bright yellow card stock, in the door hanger bag inviting them to visit your church. Include directions to your location, times of services, and all appropriate contact information. Describe on the card a Gift Pack and its contents that they will receive upon visiting. Plan to have the gift pack contents be every-day usable things that are personal as well as unique, by which they’ll never forget you. Include in each gift pack a concise, small book for believers and unbelievers alike, that explains both what the Gospel is and how to grow daily in the Lord.

BTW. I have seen lots of religious tracts littering sidewalks after being handed out to passerby’s. About 5 steps down the sidewalk, the recipient discreetly (and sometimes not so discreetly) drops the tract as they walk away. BUT, listen to this carefully, I have yet to see even a single disc message, in a case with professional-looking matching printed inserts and disc designs, discarded anywhere–sidewalk, trash can, street gutter, or wherever! The receiver perceives it as having been given a gift. “The gift makes a way for the person!”

Door Hanger Outreach — Advertise God’s Kingdom to the world!

Media Ministry: Effective Tip #2: Fish Bowl Ministries

Posted on 11/29/2011 by staffwriter

Media Ministry: Effective Tip #2: Fish Bowl Ministries

#church #outreach #evangelism #cassettes #CD #DVD

Spiritual outreach comes in many different forms!

One mode of outreach is fishing.

JESUS’ FISHING ANALOGY. As any avid fisherman knows, one has to pay attention to all kinds of details to be a successful fisherman. Details such as, time of day, temperature, location, characteristics of the water, weather, type of fish, and all variations of equipment. Jesus said to His disciples (and through them to us as well) that He was going to teach them to be fishers of men. Since many of the disciples were already fishermen by trade (a few were not), one wonders if they immediately understood the analogy, or were they thoroughly confused by applying it to catching people. Anyway, from Jesus’ day until now, fishing techniques certainly have changed, because society has changed. We can also say the pond characteristics have drastically changed. Since people are the fish, so have fish radically changed. So, let’s go fishing here in the 21st century.

TIP #2: FISH BOWLS. Fish bowls are a great way to distribute Gospel messages and life-story messages. Simply purchase plastic fish bowls and stuff them full of great recorded messages. The recorded messages can be analog or digital, that is, on cassettes, or CDs and DVDs. Older generations will pick up the cassettes, while younger ones will go for the digital discs. Younger still even like the realm of mp3. That’s called, knowing what kind of bait applies to which kind of fish.

FISH BOWL CONTENTS. Stock the fish bowl full of five or six different recorded Gospel messages just perfect for unbelievers and believers alike. Also use life story messages. A life story message is a person’s testimony of how (s)he came to repentance and salvation, and has spiritually grown in the Lord and His Word.

FISH BOWL CHURCH MINISTRY TEAM. Form a team of church volunteers to assemble your fish bowl with recorded messages. Pray before you begin the assembly process, and pray at the end of it. Pray over all of the materials.

FISH BOWL DISTRIBUTION. Ask many places around your area, town, or city if they would permit placing a fish bowl within their premises. At present, very few established businesses refuse. Most are very amenable to having such a unique item as a fish bowl sitting nearby and very cooperative in helping to spread the good news of the Gospel. Fish bowls go easily in doctors’ lobbies, local mini-mart check-out counters, truck stop restaurants, grocery stores, near newspaper and magazine racks, and any place where people may have to sit and wait for an appointment, to name a few places. (Article cont’d.)

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Fish Bowl Outreach — Be Fishers of Men!

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(Article cont’d.) LIFE-STORY MESSAGES. Many notable people have recorded their life stories to feature how they came to repentance and to know the Lord. Famous people, such as, paraplegic Joni Erickson Tada, Nixon’s former special counselor Church Colson, worrld-renowned astrophysicist Dr. Hugh Ross, multi-million dollar businessman Grover Cannon, successful homebuilder Michael Chadwick, America’s 1986 Teacher of the Year Guy Doud, major league baseball pitcher Mike Dravecky, Galloping Gourmet Graham Kerr, basketball-great Pistol Pete Maravich, and world-renowned speaker Zig Ziglar, to name just a few. Each recording ends with an invitation by the speaker to the listener to give his/her heart to Jesus.

REGULAR RESTOCKING ROUNDS. Plan out a weekly route to check all your fish bowls, and refill each with a new supply of duplicated messages. Don’t be surprised if you receive calls in the middle of the week from any number of your places you’ve set fish bowls that all the messages are gone–the fish bowl is empty and needs to be refilled. Business proprietors may be relaying to you that patrons are wondering why the fish bowl is empty, and inquiring how soon it will be replenished. Churches and ministries have started by making a small number of copies, but found out how quickly it grew into 100s and 1000s. It’s not unusual for pastors and ministry leaders to report making over 14,000 copies in one year. Truck stops especially run out faster than most places! Just think, for every message taken, your preacher is traveling all over the country and preaching the Gospel any time of day or night, without leaving his home or office!

As you can see, the tangible benefit to having a Fish Bowl Ministry IS OUT OF THIS WORLD!

START OUTREACH NOW with an effective Fish Bowl Ministry

On Simple Architecture, a Psalm to rest the restless mind

Posted on 11/29/2011 by staffwriter

Oh high heavens, the art of the bone pokes through divine
filigree

Yet calls itself the body

Where is the kingdom in all this stuff? Angels find grottos and flying buttresses to
provide cool shade in the midday sun, but no human scaffolding could replace
the simple architecture Christ designed,

To love

A circumstance of grief overtakes the witness to these
scenes

As great messengers come and go, like judges rising and
falling with the land

Groaning against God then seizing earth and blood and
forming gods and godheads dressed up in the death gowns of men, but supposing
authority of Christ himself.

My great pain focuses on the salt that is not taste but a
mud and mold

Oh Word, the convoluted design

Makes no home on the maps men apply to suppose you, Lord, in
our every day strivings.

Somehow missed.

Total submission to the simple architecture Christ presented…..

To love

Do you know the words that men and women meant to present
you, Lord, to edify your kingdom, and yet

Blood and war flowed from you in their clumsy hands?

How you must sit in your throne daily weeping…my children,
your bones were not meant to be broken, your beds were not meant to be stained
with urine and clouds of dead seeds

How you must gnash your teeth and put on sackcloth and wail

I cannot imagine such scenes…two thousand years of
stiff-necked agents who took your name and went whoring and pillaging

I cannot imagine such pains.

How do you not rage at the smallness below that drinks its
own offal and calls it sweet wine?

How do you not throw ash on your face to hide your eyes from
such debaucheries that have cut off your children from the King’s domain?

My Lord, my faith secures me in your kingdom so I do not
write for me, for I am in your home, I am in your love,

But my letter is for this body of bones

Two thousand years of popes and kings and witches and wizards
who took your name and killed your prophets and your priests who dared speak
the simple architecture of Christ,

To love.

Even in my time, in my simple places, such microcosms of the
whole of earth and King plays out.

To love is simple if that is your root, but to live it as a
practice, as a plan of redemption without submitting to its will borne from
your sweet, simple architecture is not within our human capacity.

Oh Lord, I seek you tonight in my physical pain.

Oh Lord, I seek you tonight in my grief of your kingdom,
your body broken under death’s rude blows, living as a corpse perfumed and
concealed with rich powders and fine silks,

Like the bone of a dead man’s finger disguised with thorns
and rose petals to take the place of a living rose.

Oh discursive voice of the night that rings me out of bed
and calls me now to type,

Lord

Hear my prayer,

Oh Holy Spirit,

Speak with simple truth what my human mind cannot fathom,
the depth of your simple architecture, to love

To be but one living stone of that design I seek,

Let my mind, my heart, my spirit not be crushed by this tumult,

The wings of demons fuel the circumstance of air that blows
such flames across great distances where the mind cannot reach you….

Hear my prayer, my Lord,

My simple song

To know your simple architecture, set me in my days and my
days and my days

And my hours, Lord my hours of seeking you,

To minutes and minutes and minutes and more, the seconds I
must ponder, ticking one and two and three to find you over and over again

Bringing my mind, my heart, my spirit again and again back
to your simple architecture, to love…

Oh Lord, let me die today or live a hundred years if this
will serve you.

Oh Lord, let me be a steward of hundred castles or live in
penury if this will make my life your mortar and pestle…

My words for you tonight, as I drink the dark teas of the
terrible two thousand years brewed, release me Lord from this sad known, that
your kingdom is designed in living Word laid bare for men to see

But yet no voice, no circumstance takes hold to soften necks
to simply bend to you

An isolated saint plucked from the mud comes here and there,
no more….

Release me Lord, I plead, and leave my words a witness to my
own flawed mind, my mind that seeks to die to let you live in me…

Release me Lord from what I know….let me study your body’s
history with an anesthetic of the Holy Spirit that will allow me to see what
you want me to see insofar as that view serves your design for my physical
paucity.

I seek to die so you might live. I seek to be no more.

Oh Lord, I pray with all my human failings that I could only
know your simple, sweet architecture, to love.

Lord,

My head hates me. My
heart hates the world. My spirit grieves
for what has been lost and what loss is yet to come.

I want so much to
come home.

Oh circumstance of life,

Oh human death and illusion,

Oh horrors of fat kings and gossips,

Whores and corrupt priests,

How do you Lord rest so still in love as men destroy your
kingdom, as princes neglect your house and build their own,

Princes called Pastors,

Princes called Saints,

Princes called men and women shuffling to and fro, searching
desperately for your purpose for their life….

By your grace, by the Holy Spirit, please, share this
stillness, this patient love with me

That I might not become stained with vinegar,

Dipped in bitter juices from strong lemons,

That I might know your grace for them, for me, for I am one
of them

As riddled with dry bricks building Paul cathedrals as
everybody else…

My cries, laments do not elevate my name

Or make me king of the rotting air, for I am but a breath of
dark without that same grace I seek to know

That grace you send to men and women such as me…

Oh Lord, my home is not my own if you are not my King.

Oh Lord, my flesh is death upon me, seeking constantly to
invade your spiritual home that lives within my breast.

Take this death away, cut away the bone and sinew that seeks
to strangle me…

Let my heart, my mind, my spirit be Free in your simple
architecture, to love

Oh sweet design

Oh Lord,

No philosophy, no known word can replace your Word, rooted
as it is in that cornerstone, Christ.
Send me after your design,

Fill me, through your Comforter, the Spirit Christ left for
me, with what you wish my mind to know…

Let me pursue your purpose, without seeking to know it, but
to live it in hours, in minutes, in seconds, from breath to breath your purpose
will unfold, and I, like a blind man told to walk across a noisy street with
rushing cars, will step off the curb

In faith, in trust, in your Love, without need to know

Why you commanded me to step into that breech, that cacophony,
that din of potential crush

Church Ministry Needs: Stewardship

Posted on 11/24/2011 by staffwriter

Church Ministry Needs: Stewardship

#church #stewardship #ministry needs #finances #budgets

When considering the various technologies available to churches, how does one know which to use?

Concerning technology, what is responsible stewardship in regard to finances?

Technology can be expensive for some churches. How should a church or spiritual ministry determine its own Christian stewardship?

Five Elements of Christian Stewardship. In the process of embarking on deeper spiritual activities and the Ministry Partnership that Kingdom has to offer, let us consider a few facets of stewardship. Scriptural stewardship should be thought as a long-term investment, not just an immediate purchase. Stewardship may involve five considerations of the: (1) right price, (2) right quality, (3) right purpose, (4) right place, and (5) tithe on the tithe.

One. For those who make decisions regarding purchases within a church or ministry, the first step should be considering price and quality simultaneously, rather than price alone. If an enticing dollar amount is the only consideration, there is an old saying that says, “You get what you pay for!”

Two. A piece of equipment lacking either quality or durability may need to be a repeat purchase within a short time, resulting God’s money not put to its best use.

Three. As well as price and quality, the right purpose for the right piece of equipment must also be considered. If for example, a small 1:3 CD/DVD duplicator is purchased for a congregation or ministry of 100, over use of the machine may cause its untimely demise. Nor can enough copies be made for proper distribution within a 20-minute window at the end of the service. Farmers know that a pony can never be expected to perform the same duties as a team of horses, or that a half-ton pickup can pull a Boeing 747 (as in a TV commercial). The truck can do it, but it is not designed for such.

Four. The fourth consideration, purchase from the right company is a vital part of God’s economy. The present Christian community seems to lack the financial resources that other religious organizations enjoy because of misdirected, unfocused economy. (The source for the following information has not been located, but if true, there is a valuable lesson in it. It has been rumored…) The most prosperous religious group per adherent is the Amish because their dollar changes hands nine times within their community before going out “into the English.” The Jewish community is second richest because their dollar changes hands seven times among themselves. Mormon dollars change hands five times, and unfortunately, Christian dollars change hands less than one time before entry into the secular world. Within the Christian realm, purchasing from a Christian mission-focused company such as Kingdom means that God’s blessing is upon the quality, purpose, and right people.

Five. Tithing from all Christian employees on both sides of the Ministry Partnership and Kingdom Inc. reinvests into God’s Kingdom—a win-win situation for all in God’s economy. Romans 12:10 speaks of preferring one another in honor. Could this also include financial honoring? Pastor James E. challenged his church board to set the Holy Spirit’s messages free from each Sunday to travel wherever He pleases to send them. Pastor J. asked his board to “tithe on the tithe,” i.e., a small percentage (somewhere between 2% to 10%) on the people’s regular tithes, not counting any special offerings. With that small amount of money set aside from the budget, they began their media ministry. After having many salvations happen within the first year, the board for the second year voted the percentage to 15%. Little is much in God’s hands! At last report, God has blessed their media ministry to be around 25% of the annual budget at approximately $85,000 per year. They also obeyed the Scriptures in Joel, in that they did not leave their seed in the barn, but reinvested it back into the Kingdom. (Article cont’d.)

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Church Ministry Needs — Christian Financial Stewardship!

Thirtieth Anniversary. Kingdom, Inc. is dedicated to providing church and ministries with the tools needed to share the Gospel. God’s purpose for Kingdom is to help reach more people for Christ and be more effective in what God calls us to do. Kingdom is especially thrilled to help those of you who are planting new works. The team at Kingdom wants to be a blessing, as we have been blessed by serving churches and ministries for over 30 years. We give free advice on everything from technology to creative outreach ways to use it effectively for spreading the Gospel.

Over a Quarter of a Billion. Across the 30 years (1981-2011) that Kingdom, Inc. has been serving the Lord and His Church, over 199,922,823 blank audio cassette tapes have been sold, 4,104,673 blank video cassette tapes, 32,855,081 blank CDs, 2,429,166 blank DVDs, 10,602, 522 disc message duplications, 85,705 audio cassettes message duplications, and an undetermined number of video cassette message duplications. This totals over a QUARTER BILLION (250,000,000) possibilities for the recorded Gospel to have reached unchurched and unsaved people around the world. The number grows exponentially every time the recorded message was (is) handed on to someone else, or additional duplications made.

Church Ministry Needs — Christian Financial Stewardship!

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(Article cont’d.)

Note to All Churches and Spiritual Ministries. You need to look for more than just low prices from your church supply source. You also need customer support that understands Christian ministry and knows how to apply that understanding to your unique church and ministry situation.

Kingdom.Com is your home for church tech and church supply needs. Whether you are looking for CD duplicators, duplication supplies, or communion supplies to church furniture, Kingdom.Com is the place to go for the best quality products and the best quality support. Go to Kingdom.Com or call 1-800-480-1011.

“When I deal with Kingdom, its like I am connected with someone who I go to church with. It is almost like the folks at Kingdom as a part of my church family. As a ministry leader, I like working with folks who treat their job like it’s a ministry. I have become incredibly loyal to Kingdom because I have been treated so well.” —Greg Schuck, BRCC, FL

“The personal commitment from the Kingdom staff is why we come back with each successive order.” —Terry from Liverpool, NY

“Kingdom is one of the most trustworthy, responsible, and professional vendors I have ever used. Kingdom is a breath of fresh air!” —Pastor James Negri

“It’s a blessing knowing I have a high-tech company devoted solely to the advancement of the Kingdom to work with. I am not very “computer literate” but know it is vital to the advancement of the 21st century American church. I appreciate having a company that will do all it can to help me with my goal, even though our church is only about 50 strong. Keep up the good work!” —Pastor Kermit Rowe, OH

START NOW — Church Ministry Needs — Christian stewardship with a mission!

Kingdom is your source 4 church tech supplies—the best prices and the best customer support. http://bit.ly/vRAhQ4 #churchtech #jesustweeters

Church Outreach: Effective Tip #1: Door Hangers

Posted on 11/24/2011 by staffwriter

Church Outreach: Effective Tip #1: Door Hangers
#church #outreach #door hangers #CD #DVD

Why is it that outreach seems to come easy for some people, but not for others?

Have you ever met someone who is so personable and friendly with outreach that it feels as if you’ve known him/her all your life?

Is it because there are those who are naturally friendly, while others struggle? Sort of like, the “haves” and “have nots?”

Take a deep breath. There are easy, effortless ways of friendly outreach through the proverb that says, “The gift makes a way for the person.”

A great way to get the Gospel into all people’s hands is as simple and non-confrontational as handing a person a colorfully-wrapped gift. In fact, that’s exactly what I propose you do!

———————————-Article Continues Below Advertisement———————————-

Door Hanger Outreach — Advertise God’s Kingdom to the world!

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Door Hanger Outreach — Advertise God’s Kingdom to the world!

Modern day survivalist and the Bible

Posted on 11/21/2011 by staffwriter

In a time, where the economic stability of a nation is in question, we find war, poverty and famine rapidly plaguing thousands of helpless individuals. The value of currency dwindles down more and more each day. The moral standard in which once was, is but a faint imprint of what stood so tall in times past. A nation, seen as a leader of men now teeters on the edge of possible destruction. In the days that are to come, fear, unsureness and perhaps even a little paranoia may find its way creeping into the hearts of scared individuals. It is in this time, the body of Christ must come together. Find its common ground and become a light that can outshine thru any darkness that may come. It will be a time where the sibyl rivalry of the Children of God must cease, and the light of one God must be a beacon to all.

Fear and worry, are weapons that are used to cripple or hinder a person’s mental focus. It takes their eyes off of what should be, and refocuses them towards a sense that can quench the spirit of God, if let to grow. In Matthew 6:25 (NIV) we read this..” “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life, ^“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

In Philippians 4:6(NIV) we are told to not be anxious about anything, meaning don’t be nervous or fearful. The scripture reads, – “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

Day by day new groups rise up, fearful of what is to come. Trying desperately to enable their survival in a time where mankind will run amuck. Preparation is good, and having a plan is important, but never let worry or fear take your eyes off of God. Never grow to where to a point where your dependency lies in the hands of man, but place your needs in the hands of a loving Christ. What benefit does it have to survive in the flesh if it led you to die in the spirit?

Christian’s God is calling for unity. Prophecy says the day will come, that things will become so harsh, that if God did not cut the time short, no human would be saved. It reads so in Matthew 24:22(NIV). It reads “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.” Is that time coming soon; only God knows?

Without such unity, the light of Christ’s church may be so much dimmer than it needs to be. The body of Christ, being what we call “the church”, must begin lining up shoulder to shoulder, hand in hand, forming a hedge of spiritual and physical protection to the children of God and to all those seeking refuge. The church disparately needs to get back to its roots and begin preaching the old sermons again. Sermons on real repentance and holiness need to echo thru the ears of all Christians. Sermons of what it means to be a real Christian, even in today’s modern times. Sermons of unity and brotherhood should be heard even on the town’s square.

The key message here is for Christian’s to remember where our loyalty and dependence should lie. They should lie in Christ. Not in ourselves or any external group. It is to remember to not let fear or worry take your mind and eyes of Jesus, for in doing so, we may find ourselves straying far away from the one that we truly need. If such time comes sooner than we hope, than may we all pray that we as a body can lower our separations and our doctrinal strife’s. May each of us be willing to take another hand and walk together in real unity.

If you don’t know Christ, It’s not hard to find him. I or any other servant of God would be blessed to show you the way. Christ is just a prayer away. Be blessed.

For more of ” The Arising Voice ( Richard Kent) see The Sullivan daily Times newspaper ( www.sullivan-times.com) or his website at www.arisingvoice.com

This article is part of Vol.3 … Coming out in March 2012. Get Vol.1 and 2 at Amazon today !

Church Tech: Why Have Technology in Ministry: Multiple Listening PART 1

Posted on 11/17/2011 by staffwriter

Church Tech: Why Have Technology in Ministry: Multiple Listening PART 1

#churchtech #technology #sermons #retention #forgetting #jesustweeters

What could Internet and media technologies have to do with church ministries?

Can Internet and media technologies be used for spiritual outreach ministries?

Introduction. Church tech is providing Christians greater opportunities to spread God’s Word more than any other time in history. Internet and media technologies for distributing His Word and ministry messages have never been easier. Is it OK to use technology for ministry purposes? Why not! I call these opportunities “God Ideas.” We should all be like David VanKoevering, co-originator of digitized keyboard sound with Robert Moog and brilliant inventor of digitized sound, who has for his lifelong motto, “I have no right to lose a God Idea!”

Neglect of Use. However, despite these great communication opportunities, Christians mostly default the Internet and technology to the enemy simply through neglect of use. God predicted this in Amos 8:11-12, “Behold, the days come…, [there will be] a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD [Truth]: And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run back and forth to seek [Truth], and shall not find it.”

Christians Have the Answers. How can Christians solve the Truth famine? How about something as simple as purposeful, intentional DISTRIBUTION? Among various solutions to the Truth famine are: (1) multiple listening to God’s Word and recorded messages; (2) effective teaching, learning, memory, and accountability; (3) Christian stewardship; and (4) Kingdom responsibility to do our part with purposeful decisions by church and spiritual leaders to partner for a Kingdom Transformation across areas, regions, counties, provinces, states, and nations. (Article cont’d.)

———————————-Article Continues Below Advertisement———————————-

Kingdom.Com — Multiple Listening!

Contacting Kingdom is Special. Have you ever noticed that when you contact Kingdom, Inc. you receive spiritual encouragement and outreach “how to’s” more t han simply a sales person selling supplies or equipment? There is a definite reason for this!

Kingdom, Inc., now celebrating its 30th Anniversary, began wit h Johnny Berguson creating and selling a 14-cassette tape horse training course based on Biblical principles for raising children. With each course, he included a free cassette of his testimony of being saved, called to be an evangelist, and a short Gospel message. Not long after, he received feedback of more than a thousand people coming to Christ through that recording! The horse course sold well and he would often sell extra blank cassettes to churches at price reductions to same them money. Soon the churches started asking for duplicators and other equipment, and Kingdom, Inc. was born!

God’s Extended Family. Kingdom is more than a business just selling “things,” but an extension of the Christian family and Ministry. We purposefully encourage and educate ministry workers to reach others with God’s love. Johnny and Juanita Berguson and Kingdom, Inc., from the beginning until now, have had a vision to make disciples within the company, within our community, and within our nation and beyond. Kingdom, Inc. is simply a means to further the Kingdom of God by making disciples everywhere.

Kingdom.Com is home for Church Tech and Church Supply Needs. Whether you are looking for CD / DVD duplicator supplies or communion supplies, Kingdom.Com is the place to go for the best quality products and the best quality customer support. Go to Kingdom.Com or call 800-480-1011. Kingdom is a one-stop-shop for all your church needs.

Kingdom.Com — Multiple Listening!

——————————————–Article Continues Below——————————————-

(Article cont’d.)
Multiple Listening. Of the four previously mentioned solutions to the Truth famine, let’s consider the first one: “Multiple Listening.” How Important is multiple listening? What learning is gained from it? Multiple listening is nothing more than old-fashioned repetition. Why do humans need repetition?

Curious to know more? See Multiple Listening PART 2

Kingdom.Com is home for Church Tech and Church Supply Needs. Whether you are looking for CD / DVD duplicator supplies or communion supplies, Kingdom.Com is the place to go for the best quality products and the best quality customer support. Go to Kingdom.Com or call 800-480-1011. Kingdom is a one-stop-shop for all your church needs.

One Church Cannot Do It Alone. As one wise pastor from Toronto, CN said, “It takes a city-wide church to affect a city-wide transformation.” With that in mind, I make a call to all churches and Christians reading this to consider banding together. Lay down all your small sectarian differences, and major on the primary principles of God’s Kingdom—the Great Commandment and the Great Commission. Get together with churches in your area, and together plan outreach for your region. Be sure the Great Commandment is first in your heart, as you cannot do the Great Commission without first having love! As a three cord rope is not broken, Jesus, your churches, and Kingdom make a three cord rope (Ecclesiastes 4:12). We, here at Kingdom, Inc., can help you make the difficult easy—Technology to Serve Your Ministries!

START NOW — Kingdom.Com — Multiple Listening!

Kingdom is your source 4 church tech supplies–the best prices and the best support.

http://bit.ly/vRAhQ4 #churchtech #jesustweeters

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