Memories from Elim

Today I went up to Elim Bible Institute to join them in their annual week of prayer. This is a week they set aside every January to seek the heart of the Father. In the three years that Sandie and I attended there from 96-99, those were some very special weeks. It is always good to go back and spend time in the place where I met God so many times. We had chapels in the Tab four days a week and He was so faithful to let His glory be evident to all. I walked around campus today and as I looked at buildings, the lawn, classrooms and even our little apartment, I was drawn back to those precious times with Jesus.

As I drove away I was reminded by the Lord that as excited as I am about today and about the future I should never lose sight of the past. We should always be remembering those times that God showed Himself faithful over and over again. I hope you have memories of precious times with Jesus. And I hope that the things happening in your life now are producing memories that in ten years you will back upon as being very precious.

And, by the way, if you are looking for a good Bible School, Elim is one of the best. :-)

Worth listening to

Worth listening to

More Dan Mohler teaching

A response to Jim's blog

Pastor Jim, who works with the youth at PF asked a bunch of youth leaders in the area to get to the core of their strategy and purpose in working with teens. You should go to Jim’s Blog and check out the comments that the other youth workers gave. They are really thought provoking. Below you will find my response as I think about my own ministry to teenagers.

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Wow, these are great answers to a hard question. Like my brother, I have been working with teenagers a long time. I jokingly say that I have either been a teenager or ministered to them since 1983. :-)

I can sincerely say that at the core of everything I have done in youth ministry has been to help them to understand that they are loved, they are wanted (acceptance) and they are needed (valuable).

I feel those are the overriding needs that every young person is trying to have met and only Jesus provides genuine answers. So, my job in loving teenagers is to do everything I can, with every tool at my disposal, in all the power of the Holy Spirit to have them understand how Jesus sees them.

Sometimes it's teaching the Bible, praying and other typical "ministry stuff." But much of the time it's smiles, hugs, watching their soccer games or a host of other seemingly insignificant things

Jim’s Blog

Dan Mohler Coming

This weekend Praise Fellowship of Russell, PA welcomes guest minister, Dan Mohler. He will be ministering on Friday and Saturday nights at 7:00 pm. Child care will be provided at both evening services. He will also have a session Saturday morning teaching on practical ways to pray for healing of the sick. And on Sunday morning he will be speaking at both services, 9:00 and 11:00. The public is welcome.

The mission of Neck Ministries, which he leads, is to connect the Body of Christ with the head, Jesus Christ. Pastor Dan ministers to thousands each year, preaching the gospel of salvation, healing, deliverance and blessing. His aim is to help believers experience the transformational love of God and use their God-given gifts to spread the good news of the kingdom to the world. Visit Praise’s website www.worshipplace.org to learn more about Pastor Dan and to watch the services live.

Jesus' learning style

In the account in Luke 2 about Jesus at the Temple at age 12, we see how Jesus learned. It's hard to imagine that the omniscient God came to earth and learned, but he did. And look at the pattern that he used. Mary and Joseph found the boy Jesus "in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. " Luke 2:46

John Piper points out the four parts of Jesus' learning style.

1. He sought out good teachers.

2. He listened

3. He asked questions

I encourage each one of us to do those very things. No matter what it is we want to learn, that is the path to use. And if we want to grow in our walk with Jesus we must use that same model. Find people that you respect, listen to them and ask questions. Don't be a passive disciple. Aggressively learn the ways of God. You will be amazed at how far it takes you.

Then in Lk. 2:47 it says that "everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers." When you seek out good teachers, listen and ask questions then the fourth thing you can do is speak.

4. Speak