Where You Should Place the Oldest Kids in the Room

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This is a picture of our Stuart Campus.  We currently meet in a high school while we are building a permanent facility.

At this campus, grades 1-5 meet together.  Notice where we place the 4-5th grade boys.  Front and center.

This is intentional.  Why?

• Always target the oldest boy in the room when you teach and prepare programming.  Catch the 5th grade boy and you will engage all the kids.  Cool rolls down hill. 

• Don't place older kids behind younger kids.  If older kids see younger kids in front of them, they will think "this is babyish."

• Make the oldest kids the leaders.  This will bring engagement and ownership.  Get them on the praise team, let them be greeters, help take the offering, etc.

Still not convinced?  Here's a quote from the master at engaging kids...Walt Disney.

"We're not going to talk down to the kids.  Let's aim for the 12 year old.  The younger ones will watch, because they'll want to see what their older brothers and sisters are looking at."

Tuesday with Tiff: The Power to Change the World

 

Therefore GO and MAKE DISCIPLES of all nations.

Matthew 28:19

 

An excerpt from John Maxwell:

All the training in the world will provide only limited success if you don't turn your people loose to do the job. The way to do that is to give them responsibility, authority, and accountability.

 

For some people, responsibility is the easiest to give. But what is difficult for some leaders is allowing their people to keep the responsibility after it's been given. Poor managers want to control every detail of their people's work. When that happens, the potential leaders who work for them become frustrated and don't develop. Rather than desiring more responsibility, they become indifferent or avoid responsibility all together.

 

With responsibility must go authority. Winston Churchill said in an address, "I am your servant. You have the right to dismiss me when you please. What you have no right to do is ask me to bear responsibility without the power of action."

 

Once responsibility and authority have been given to people, they become empowered to make things happen. But we also have to be sure that they are making the right things happen. That's where accountability comes into the picture.

 

Do you struggle in giving responsibility, authority, or accountability to others?

------------------------------------

 

Pastor Tiffany's Response:

 

One thing that I love about God calling me to Freedom to be a pastor is that I get to serve with an amazing team- the Pastoral Staff. I love that we get to help Pastor Shane carry the vision that God has placed on Freedom and that he trusts us to help build it.

 

I also love that I get to serve alongside incredible people and lead you all.

 

I also enjoy the culture of Freedom and how we are always constantly changing and striving to become better and do what it takes to reach ONE MORE.

 

I love that we have the mindset that "The Goal is more important than the Role." We all have a very vital role to play to help us carry out the vision of Freedom.

 

I love that we don't function as many other churches do, or as many people think that we should--where the pastor does everything, has a hand in everything, and should make all the decisions.  Or that the pastor should be the one to make house calls, hospital visits, be at all the things they are invited to, and I could keep going but I'll stop myself there.

 

I love that this is a safe place to fail, to succeed, to walk into the unknown without knowing what's coming, and to raise people up. I love that we're not meant to do ministry on our own. That's not what being a leader is.. it's about raising others up and giving things away. It's about trusting others.. equipping, empowering and encouraging them to step into more of what God has for them.

 

It's a personal passion of mine to help others discover and live out their potential by inspiring them to seek it every day.

 

I take my calling as a pastor very seriously... Ephesians 4:11-12 says:

 

"And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ" Ephesians 4:11-12

 

It's my job as a pastor of Freedom to equip others to do the work of the ministry. To provide vision and oversight and to do only what I can do. Then we will be able to build up the body together, effectively and efficiently.

 

Roles change. Responsibilities change. They always have at Freedom and they always will.

 

I. LOVE. THAT!

 

I love that, for seasons at a time, things are given away and team members are trusted to carry out the vision.

 

Let's chat Greenhouse specific real quick.

 

It would be real easy for us to function as many other churches out there who buy curriculum and read the bold words and go by the book to lead in the classroom.

 

Wow. What an injustice that would be for YOU and for the kids.

 

God has made it very clear that I am supposed to pull out your God-given talent and for you to be stretched and grow as a leader by developing the time that we get to spend with the kids.

 

This is why I give the vision of the series and what each week should be about but allow and TRUST you to come up with how that time is spent and how we can reach these kids in the most beneficial way.

 

Childcare--- WE ARE FAR FROM IT! Do you agree?

 

We are a (say it aloud with me) SAFE and FUN place for KIDS to DISCOVER GOD.

 

What a mantle for us to carry.. a weight to carry.. such an important thing.

 

--if we aren't safe, then they won't come back.

--if we aren't fun and relational, they won't come back.

--if we don't do our best to help the kids get one step closer to God, they shouldn't come back.

 

We only have one or two hours a week to reach the kids that God brings in our doors. That's not a lot of time to pour into them the TRUTH and things that go against the culture of the world. That's not a lot of time for us to be a godly influence and provide a place where they can be comfortable and free to be themselves where we don't know what their week has looked like.

 

We don't know if they were just fighting with their parents or beaten or told they are mistakes. We don't know if they are bullied. We don't know if they have been neglected or emotionally abused at home. We don't know if they truly know what love is. We don't know if they are hearing about the Word and Truth any other time than what we have with them.

 

And what's sad and scary and makes me angry--- the new norm for people to attend church is once a month. ONCE. A. MONTH.

 

And I am sad to say that this statistic is very true for many who come to Freedom.

 

So there's many kids who we don't get the opportunity to see each week, or twice a month even.

 

We have a problem that needs a solution because there's urgency there.

 

What's one problem that our ministry was created to solve?

 

How about when we are trying to reach the kids with no godly male figure in their lives--let alone a male figure? That's our problem.

 

What's the solution? US. We need more males in the Greenhouse to be that for these kids.

 

Why? What's the urgency? We don't know if they will come back next week--or ever.

 

We have one chance to reach these kids. To give them and show them Truth.

 

Wow.. What an incredible thing that we get to do by serving in the Greenhouse at Freedom.

 

And what's so cool, is that YOU ARE THE ONES DOING IT! By me allowing myself to get out of the way and allowing and trusting others to lead and take responsibility, to fail and succeed, it's raising others up and is carrying out the vision.

 

INCREDIBLE.

 

So know this.

 

I'm not meant to do it all. I'm meant to be in tune with God and where we're going and to find the right people to help us get there. That's you.

 

I am trusting you.

 

Lead well team. We're in this together. We have an amazing opportunity to reach ONE MORE or we have the responsibility of letting opportunities pass us by and missing out on all God has for us and this ministry.

 

We can do this.

 

All for ONE MORE.

 

 

 

I love you guys,

-Pastor Tiffany

 

 



Tuesday with Tiff: A Time to Heal

Hope for the Wounded

 

Have you ever scraped yourself and looked down only to be surprised by the amount of blood? The injury may not have been painful at the time, but suddenly you're looking at a wound that needs a bandage fast.

   The goals of any first aid effort include protecting a person's life and giving the wound the best chance of healing quickly. But every wound heals differently. The person's age and health as well as the size and location of the cut and its susceptibility to infection all affect a wound's ability to heal. Plus, some people simply heal faster than others.

   While wounds on our physical bodies may take a while to heal and may leave scars, the wounds on the inside-those unseen-often are the hardest to overcome and heal. The physical wounds can be alleviated with modern first aid practices or a trip to the doctor, but the wounds on the inside, whether emotional or relational, can be more complicated to heal.

   All of s have been through hard times in life. Maybe we had to make a tough choice and we felt like something inside of us died. Maybe someone said something to us that cut us to the core. Maybe we experienced a loss or moment of pain that left us torn apart. We live in a fallen and imperfect world, and sometimes life throws painful punches.

   But the good news is that God draws near to those who are wounded and brokenhearted. God not only remains with us but longs to renew us. God's first aid kit looks a bit different than a medical first aid kit. Instead of using gauze and antiseptic, God draws near us with His presence. Through the Holy Spirit, God comforts and encourages and heals us in areas of our souls and spirits that medical science can't explain.

   Just as physical wounds heal in different ways over different time frames, God's healing touch in each of our lives differs as well. For some, God's healing may come in a single moment, but for others it may come over a span of months or years. God is the Great Physician of our souls and we can entrust ourselves wholly to Him.

 

1) Which do you tend to heal from more quickly, the scrapes and bruises of life that people can see or the scrapes and bruises of life that people can't see?

 

 

 

 

   Throughout His life and ministry on earth, Jesus healed many people. The eyes of the blind were opened. The deaf heard. The crippled walked. Jesus healed not only people's physical bodies, He brought healing to their hearts and minds. That's important to remember because God doesn't limit healing to our physical bodies, but He also wants to heal our hearts and emotions.

   The theme of Psalm 147 is a prayer to restore Israel's main city: Jerusalem. The psalmist began by praising God for His wondrous works of healing and restoration. God was physically restoring the city, but He was also healing the people emotionally and spiritually.

 

 

2) Read Psalm 147. When in your life have you experienced God as Healer of your emotions? (vs. 3)

 

 

 

 

 

   In the Old Testament, one of God's names is Jehovah Rapha, which translates to "The Lord Who Heals." In Exodus 15, God led His people, the Israelites, into the wilderness. As they desperately searched for water in the desert, God miraculously provided. In the wondrous provision, God promised not to plague the Israelites like He did the Egyptians in Exodus 7:14-11:10.

 

 

3) Read Exodus 15:22-26. What steps did the Israelites have to take to experience God as their Healer?

 

 

 

4) Look up the following passages. According to each passage, what are some examples of the healing available to us from God?

Psalm 41:4

Jeremiah 3:22

Luke 4:18

 

 

 

5) Which of the areas listed above do you most long for God to heal in your life?

 

 

 

 

 

 

   God knows that we need healing in many different areas of our lives. One of the great moments we have to look forward to is described in Revelation. In the new heaven, God will have trees specifically designed for spiritual healing.

 

 

6) Read Revelation 22:1-5. What comfort do you find knowing this is a snapshot of heaven?

 

 

 

 

   The prophetic book of Ezekiel describes God's desire to restore Israel during their exile in Babylon. But a new king wasn't going to do the trick. Instead, Israel was in need of a full, head-to-toe makeover. God promised to heal them from the inside out.

 

 

 

7) Read Ezekiel 36:26. What new work does God long to do within us according to this passage?

 

 

 

8) Spend some time praying and asking God for His healing in the areas of your life that need healing.

 

 

 

 

 

Digging Deeper:

Read Mark 6:30-32. Jesus instructed His disciples to come away from the hustle and bustle of life and ministry in order to be restored. What role does rest have in your own ability to experience God's restoration and healing? In your life, do you tend to heal more quickly when you stay busy or take time to rest? In what area of your life do you sense God nudging you to embrace rest more?

 

 

 

Bonus Activity:

Reflecting on this lesson, make a list of people you know who need healing, whether physical, emotional, or relational. Each day this week, pray for the people on your list and consider dropping them a note of encouragements in the mail.

 

 

 

 

Let's heal, together.

-Pastor Tiffany

200 New People in 1 Week Signed up to Serve!

Check out how this church got over 200 new team members in one weekend:


Last weekend, we signed up over 200 new volunteers for our children's ministry.  Want to know how?

It wasn't from a pulpit announcement.
It wasn't from an ad in the bulletin.
It wasn't from a tear jerking video during the service.
It wasn't from a live testimony during the service.

So how did we do it?

Personal, 1-1 invites.  Every one of those 200 new volunteers were personally asked if they would join the team.  Our staff and volunteers simply got out among the people and made the ask.

Were we desperate?  Yes.  You see we were just about to launch two new services and needed a ton of new volunteers to make it happen.  So we went with the most effective, proven method of building a volunteer team.  Individual asks.

If you need more volunteers (which you and I always will), go with what works.  1-1 invites. 

How children ages 2-12 learn Bible stories--and ways to teach them

How children learn Bible stories--and ways to teach them.

AGE    2 to 5 years
HOW CHILDREN LEARN
Young children like to be read to with age-appropriate books. They like pictures, age-appropriate terminology and simple wording. Their attention span is only two to 10 minutes. Preschool children like to interact with objects. They learn by touching objects and through repetition.
WAYS TO TEACH
Paraphrase Bible stories and highlight only main points. For example, say: "God chose Noah to save all the animals from the flood. He told Noah to build an ark. An ark is a large boat. Noah brought in the animals. The flood came. Finally the ark landed on dry land and God made a rainbow." Tell the story using objects, such as storybooks, stuffed animals or a wooden animal and boat set. Allow children to play with the objects after the story. Remind children about or repeat the story as they play. Reinforce the story with an activity such as an animal craft, song or game.

AGE    6 to 9 years
HOW CHILDREN LEARN
By this age, children's attention span is 10 to 20 minutes. They understand more details. Objects hold their attention during story time. Children love to be a part of and interact with the story. Children think concretely and focus on the parts and actions of the story.
WAYS TO TEACH
Provide details. For example, say: "God wasn't happy with people on earth. But Noah made God happy because Noah obeyed. People made fun of Noah and his family when Noah obeyed God." Have children act out the story, playing different parts such as Noah, his family, friends and animals. Let children tell the story in their own words. Highlight only one main point with one direct application. For example, say: "Noah obeyed God. We can obey God too." Reinforce the story with crafts, games or other activities. For example, play Simon Says, and focus on the importance of obeying the leader.

AGE    10 to 12 years
HOW CHILDREN LEARN
By this age, children have heard many of the Bible stories over and over. And when they hear the stories again, kids ask "So what?" Older children need modern-day applications to Bible stories. They learn more when they see how stories apply to them personally.
WAYS TO TEACH
Introduce the story with a question or personal anecdote kids can relate to. For example, ask, "How do you feel when someone tries to make you do something wrong?" Or describe a peer-pressure issue. Then get into the action of the story as soon as possible to arouse identification and emotion. Identify and highlight one main issue in the story. For example, Noah was obedient to God in the midst of peer pressure. Weave personal explanations and applications into the story. Relate the story to events in kids' lives. Say, "Just as Noah's friends tried to get him to disobey God, sometimes our friends try to get us to disobey God." Build the story's climax, identifying the main point in the struggle and the result. Show how Noah resisted the pressure. Conclude with an application by having kids identify personal examples of peer pressure and ways to handle it.

Tuesday with Tiff: A Time to Transition

A Time to plant and a time to pluck what is planted. - Ecclesiastes 3:2



The Importance of Change

 

   For some of us change is easy. We love the excitement of trying something new, stepping out of our comfort zone, and experiencing a new activity. Without something new, we tend to grow bored and disengaged. But for others of us, change makes us uneasy. We are more comfortable with the familiar and predictable. When life is steady, we're able to not only come alive but thrive.

   Whether you're a fan of change or one who tries to resist it at all costs, everyone inevitably faces seasons of transition in life. What's your response? Take the HOW DO YOU RESPOND TO CHANGE? Quiz to find out:

 

 

How Do You Respond to Change? Quiz

 

1. You've planned to grab lunch with one of your best friends at your favorite restaurant. You've had the lunch date on your calendar for more than 2 weeks. But on the way to the restaurant, they call and say they can't make it. You respond by:

 

a) Bemoaning their cancellation and questioning the details of why they won't be able to meet you. You feel like your day is ruined.

b) Gently asking if you can do anything to help their day go better and finding out when they can reschedule.

c) Telling them that it's no problem and you 2 will get a date on the calendar soon. Without missing a beat, you run through your phone list to see who else might be able to grab a last-minute lunch with you.

 

2. You've invited a couple you know to go out for an afternoon together. When they arrive at your door, you discover that they've brought 3 more people with them. You respond by:

 

a) Trying not to let your exasperation about the situation show. You work hard to keep your cool regarding the uninvited and unexpected guests.

b) Waiting for a free moment with one of your friends to find out why the 3 people came. Once you understand the situation, you make the best of the circumstances.

c) Recognizing that your friends have provided the perfect opportunity for a small party. You're excited about the unexpected surprise.

 

3. The worship leader at your church decides that instead of singing familiar songs that he's going to spend the next month completely to all new tunes. You respond by:

 

a) Letting the pastor and worship leader know how important the well-known, beloved songs are to you and the church. After church you solicit the help of a few friends to share similar concerns with the church staff.

b) Recognizing that learning new songs is sometimes difficult, but committing to hang in there for the next month and hope to learn something new.

c) Celebrating the new music being sung in your church and the opportunity to learn fresh songs.

 

4. The grocery store you always shop in has been closed for renovation. When the store reopens you discover non of the items are where they used you be. You respond by:

 

a) Complaining to the manager and then shopping at another grocery store you're more familiar with.

b) Spending a few weeks studying the store's new layout and asking a clerk to help you find specific items.

c) Loving the new layout and design. You can't wait to tell all of your friends about the changes.

 

 

Scoring:

Tally up the total number of A's, B's, and C's.

 

If you answered mostly A's, then you're a natural fan of consistency in your life. When change comes, you may be hesitant to try new things. But your friends probably find you rock solid and a source of stability. While it may be a challenge at first, reminding yourself that change will inevitably happen may help you to minimize the stress you experience as a result of change.

 

If you answered mostly B's then you have both an appreciation for consistency and an ability to embrace change in moderation. You've learned to be flexible no matter what life brings you.

 

If you answered mostly C's, then you likely thrive whenever change is in the air.  You love trying new things, exploring new places, and learning about almost anything new.

 

No matter your natural response to change, the book of Ecclesiastes reminds us that a time under the sun exists for everything- including planting and uprooting. Sometimes we find ourselves in a season of planting- a time when we stay in one place, root deeper in our relationships and community, and embrace the stability that naturally comes. But other times, we find ourselves in a season of uprooting-a time when change is taking place all around, even within us. Whatever season you find yourself in, rest assured that God is with you and He longs to see you flourish and to bring you to an even more fruitful life in Him.

 

 

1) What surprised you or caught your attention about your personal results to the quiz? What is the hardest part about change for you?

 

 

 

   In the book of Genesis, we discover the story of Joseph, a man who was planted and uprooted many times. Growing up  as one of twelve kids, Joseph lives on the receiving end of constant ridicule from his brothers. Joseph had the gift of interpreting dreams and was his dad's favorite son. To show his favor, his dad even gave Joseph a coat covered in brilliant colors.

   As if they weren't already jealous enough of Joseph's favorite son status, the brothers' jealousy reached a fever pitch when a well-intentioned Joseph told them of a dream he had that one day they would bow down to him. Fed up, the brothers sold Joseph into slavery, assuming they'd never hear from him again. Incredibly, after an adventure of triumphs and trials, Joseph wound up as second in command to Pharoah, the king of Egypt.

   During his time in Egypt, Joseph interpreted the king's dreams. God gave him the ability to see that there would be seven years of abundance followed by seven years of famine. The Egyptians were then able to gather and save during the years of abundance and to portion during the years of famine. But during the famine, Joseph's brothers came begging for help. Much to their surprise, the brother they abandoned was now Pharaoh's right-hand man. After mercy and forgiveness were extended, Joseph and Pharaoh invited Joseph's family to come live in Egypt so they might survive the years of famine.

 

2) Read Genesis 47:1-12. How did Joseph's father, Jacob (also known as Israel), and his family respond to the opportunity to settle in Goshen in the midst of famine?

 

 

 

The Israelites remained in Egypt for many years and multiplied in abundance. They were fulfilling the creation mandate: to be fruitful and increase in number (Genesis 1:28). Some scholars estimate the Israelites stayed in Egypt for over 400 years- long after Joseph and his brothers passed away.

 

 

 

3) Read Exodus 1:1-7. How were Joseph and his descendants blessed as they settled and put down roots in the area?

 

 

 

4) Describe a time in the past when you senses God's blessed and provision as you put down roots in a new location, job, or stage in life. How did you know that God was with you during the time of transition?

 

 

 

 

 

The scene in Egypt changed for the Israelites after years of thriving. Though God brought Joseph, his family, and his descendants to Egypt, they could no longer stay if they were going to flourish. The Israelites' growth became threatening to the new Pharaoh in charge. The new Pharaoh feared Isreal and ultimately became an enemy of God.

 

 

5) Read Exodus 1:8-22. What made the descendants of Joseph and his father, Jacob, known as the Israelites, want to uproot and leave Egypt?

 

 

 

The closing of Genesis set the scene for the changes the Israelites were about to face in the book of Exodus. After the Israelites settled in Goshen and experienced provision and growth, a new ruler took over Egypt who didn't treat the Israelites with kindness. The Israelites had to leave. Exodus is the tale of their journey out of Egypt and toward the promised land God had for them. In order to flourish again, they needed to uproot themselves from everything that was familiar. Throughout the long and difficult journey God reminded the people that He was with them time and time again.

 

 

6) When in the last year have you realized you needed to be uprooted from the place you'd been planted? How did you navigate the transition? What did you discover about God through the process?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No matter what transition we're facing, we can find comfort knowing that God is with us. In face, one of God's names is "Alpha and Omega," the first and the last letters of the Greek alphabet. The name symbolizes that God is the beginning and the end of all things, but also implies that He is with us in the middle.

 

 

7) Read Revelation 1:8 and Revelation 22:13. Which is more meaningful in your own life- the idea that God is with you or the idea that God goes before you? Why?

 

 

8) What potential transitions are you facing in your relationships, workplace, finances, or living situation? In what areas is God inviting you to trust Him more during this time of transition?

 

 

 

Change isn't easy for most people. But rest assured that whenever you face a time of transition, God is with you. He longs to see you flourish and to bring you to a more fruitful life in Him.

 

 

 

 

Digging Deeper

 

Read Luke 24:13-35. Sometimes change is hard to wrap our minds around. This was particularly true after Jesus' death and resurrection, when many of His followers wondered what happened. How did Jesus meet His followers and help them understand what took place? When you're facing times of transition, what role do prayer and Scripture play in helping you make sense of what's happening?

 

 

Bonus Activity

Reflecting on this, consider the potential transitions you're facing in your life. Consider writing them down on a piece of paper. Then ask God to reveal Himself in the midst of each one as the Alpha and Omega-the God who goes before you and with you every step of the way. 

Worship in the Nursery... is it boring? repetitive?

Why do we do the same 5 songs in the Nursery?

"It's so repetitive and boring" I have heard. Here's why we do the songs we do with the infants and toddlers:

1. Jesus Loves Me (Because when they get older and they feel that no one loves them, they can remember that Jesus does)

 

2. He's Got the Whole World in His Hands (Because when they feel their whole world crashing down and nothing is going right, He's got the whole world in His hands)

 

3.Praise Ye the Lord (Hallelujah) (Because even when their world is crashing down around them, they can remember that we can praise Him through everything)

 

4.This Little Light of Mine (Because we have a purpose in this life and can make a difference by shining bright, not hiding it, and not giving up)

 

5.The B-I-B-L-E (Because everything stands on this, it's our firm foundation!)

 

So yes, we want it to be repetitive... we want these words hidden in their heart. We get an amazing opportunity to reach this generation, even as infants, in a way that many adults didn't have the privilege of having until their adult lives. We have to make the most of the opportunity to teach these kiddos a firm foundation and Godly beliefs because we don't know what they deal with during the week or where their path will lead later in life. So what may be repetitive and boring to us, it's a strong message that they might only be hearing in a short 10 minutes once a week--if they come every week. Some of the kids have never heard these or their truths.

 

We are starting to implement a new 6th song that will be on rotation in the nurseries, but as far as who the Greenhouse is and what we want the kiddos to leave with.. we want them to know that Jesus loves them, He's got he whole world in His hands, we can praise Him through anything, we have a light to shine bright and a purpose in life, and that the Bible is our firm foundation and truth for us.

 

So thank you Nursery team for investing into the kids through a message each week, consistent relationships, and worshipping with them in a very real way!

 

-Pastor Tiffany

 

 

Tuesday with Tiff: A Time for Necessary Endings

Leaving Behind the Familiar

 

    Born in 1848, Mary Slessor was raised by an alcoholic father. When she grew older, she found work in a cotton mill, but she longed to become a missionary. She found inspiration in David Livingstone, an early nineteenth century British explorer who traveled to remote regions in Africa to share the good news of Jesus Christ. Compelled by his story, Mary left her home in order to go where no other white person had settled in Western Africa.

   At the age of 28, Mary established a missionary base in the Calabar region of Africa. Settling in the area was highly dangerous. Some of the accepted cultural beliefs of the time included burying widows alive in their husband's graves and killing innocent children. Yet, Mary refused to give up-dispite her battling sickness often and living with constant threats. Over the years, her commitment to Christ, sharing the gospel, and opposing injustices had a profound impact on the culture. Not only did locals hear the good news of Jesus Christ but Mary challenged a long-held superstition that twins were evil. Because of her hard work and prayer, locals finally quit the horrible customary practice of killing and abandoning twins.

   Today in Nigeria, Mary is recognized and honored as a spiritual leader who saved the lives of countless children and women and shared the good news of Christ with many.

   God used a short, red-haired, Presbyterian missionary to make a profound impact in our world. But in order to lay hold of the life God had for Mary Slessor, she had to leave that which was comfortable and familiar behind, a necessary ending, in order to lay hold of the new beginning God had for her.

   Though our stories may not be as dramatic as Mary's, we all have moments in our lives when we sense God calling us to leave something behind in order to lay hold of the something new God has for us. Sometimes the necessary endings we're facing are practical. We may sense the invitation to leave a place or a job in order o step into the fullness of life and service God intends. Or we may feel a nudge toward a necessary ending through forgiveness of something that happened to us in the past. Or maybe we're aware of an unhealthy pattern or addiction in our lives and we've got to make a break.

   Whatever necessary ending you may need to make, rest assured that it's worth it in order to lay hold of the freedom and fullness of life God has for you.  

   All of us will encounter moments of necessary endings.

 

1) When in your life have you made a significant change, a necessary ending, and discovered God had a new beginnings waiting for you?

 

 

2) When you're facing a necessary ending, what is the most difficult aspect for you emotionally? Physically? Spiritually?

 

 

 

    Sometimes we must let go and move on from that which is familiar in order to embrace all God has for us. One of the ways the disciples did this was by leaving behind all they knew to follow Christ. They accepted the necessary ending of what they knew in order to lay hold of the new beginnings as disciples of Jesus.

   Levi, also knows as Matthew, was a man with a good job with great income. But Jesus had more to offer this tax collector. Jesus invited Levi to the new beginning of a lifetime.

 

 

3) Read Luke 5:27-28. How did Levi respond to Jesus' invitation? What have you left behind in order to become a follower of Christ? What has made this decision worthwhile?

 

 

 

   One of the great paradoxes or upside down principles of following Jesus is that when we choose to die to ourselves through the grace of the Holy Spirit, then we become more alive to Christ. Jesus illustrated this idea through His life, death, and resurrection and also through His teaching.

 

 

4) Read Matthew 16: 24-25. When have you tried holding on to our life but discovered that God had something more for you?

 

 

 

   When Jesus spoke the words in Matthew 16, the disciples were all too familiar with witnessing rebels carrying Roman crosses to the place where they would be crucified. The idea of carrying a cross was all too real of a possibility to the disciples or anyone who opposed the government. But the cross analogy evoked a two-fold meaning: carrying one's cross represented the willingness to deny oneself as well as willingness to die for Christ.

   Throughout the Gospels Jesus often said that His hour to die had not yet come. However, in John 12, Jesus finally declared that the hour had arrived. Jesus pointed to this as the hour of glorification-the time for Him to be crucified, buried, and risen. Jesus would lay down His life to bring redemption to the world. Through Jesus' death, He offered new life to many.

 

 

5) Read John 12:23-26. How willing are you to sacrifice for the sake of others? In what way have you seen the truth of the principle that through self-sacrifice comes new life?

 

 

 

    Laying down our lives for someone else is the ultimate sign of love, affection, and friendship. While Jesus' sacrifice led to new life for those who believe, our own sacrifices are necessary so that we may have life ourselves. The apostle John described a bad example of showing love in 1 John 3:11-15. In contrast, he illustrated the perfect example through Jesus Christ.

 

 

6) Read 1 John 3:16. When in the last year have you experienced someone laying down his or her life to make a meaningful sacrifice for you? How did his or her actions make Christ's sacrifice more real to you?

 

 

 

 

    Greek, the original language for most of the New Testament, has more than one word for "life." Bios is the earthly life, from which we derive the words "biology" or "biosphere," and zoe is the new life offered by God. We are called to lay down our bios to receive the zoe that God has in store.

 

7) When in the last year have you laid down your life and made a meaningful sacrifice for someone else? What did you discover about yourself through that experience? What did you discover about God?

 

 

8) What necessary endings do you sense God nudging you toward in your life? What's stopping you from making those necessary changes?

 

 

 

Sometimes we hold on to things that aren't God's best for us and we face a necessary ending. But when we let go, we can begin to lay hold of the new beginning God has for us.

 

 

 

Digging Deeper:

Read Genesis 13:5-18. What necessary ending did Abram(Abraham) face in his relationship with Lot? How did Abram respond to the situation? How did God reward Abram for his response? What wisdom or hope did Abram's story give you in any necessary endings that you're facing in your life?

 

 

 

Bonus Activity:

Reflecting on this, consider any necessary endings you sense God nudging you toward in your life. Over the course of the next week, prayerfully consider what moving toward one of these changes might look like. On a calendar, establish a timeline for these changes. Consider asking a friend to pray for and encourage you along the way.