MANA Newspaper Holiday Issue 2015

DECEMBER 2015

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MINISTERIAL ALLIANCE OF NORTH AMITYVILLE

INSIDE From the Office of the President.....................................................3 Who Is This Jesus?................................................................................4 When Your Worship Team Is Small – Really Small........................6 MANA Newspaper Editor Releases New Book..................................6 Looking Closing at the New Year......................................................7 What Does Christmas Mean To You?.................................................8 Various Ways to Use Periscope in Your Ministry............................9 From Shepherd Boy to King, A Man After God’s Own Heart.........10

You are in the Red Zone! Score........................................................11 Eleven Ways to Evaluate Your Own Preaching.............................14 Four Ways to Deal with Difficult People.......................................15 7 Sentimental Lies You Might Believe............................................16 What Do You Tell Your Kids About Isis...........................................18 Secrets to Live Streaming Success................................................20 Overcoming Insecurity.....................................................................21 Setting Spiritual Growth Goals for 2016.....................................22

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DECEMBER 2015

The MANA NEWSPAPER Ministerial Alliance of North Amityville NEWSPAPER STAFF

From the Office of the President...............................................................................3 Who Is This Jesus?..........................................................................................................4 When Your Worship Team Is Small – Really Small...............................................6 MANA Newspaper Editor Releases New Book......................................................6

Dr. David Robinson President

Looking Closing at the New Year................................................................................7 What Does Christmas Mean To You?........................................................................8 Various Ways to Use Periscope in Your Ministry...................................................9 From Shepherd Boy to King, A Man After God’s Own Heart.......................... 10

Pastor Keith Hayward Executive Editor

You are in the Red Zone! Score.................................................................................11 Eleven Ways to Evaluate Your Own Preaching................................................... 14 Four Ways to Deal with Difficult People............................................................... 15 7 Sentimental Lies You Might Believe................................................................... 16

Bishop Andy C. Lewter Managing Editor

What Do You Tell Your Kids About Isis................................................................... 18 Secrets to Live Streaming Success......................................................................... 20 Overcoming Insecurity............................................................................................... 21 Setting Spiritual Growth Goals for 2016............................................................... 22

Pastor Roy Kirton Consultant ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTS Vernell Duncan Sharon Jackson Nadine Johnson

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From the Office of the President Rev. Dr. David I. Robinson As we enter into the Advent Season, let us not forget that Jesus is the reason for the season. The season of Advent is the time for believers to celebrate the miraculous birth of Christ; who left His throne in glory to seek and save us who were lost.

Let us, the body of Christ, join in with the Angelic voices of Heaven in celebrating His triumphant entry. Joy to the world the Lord is come. Let earth receive her King.

Who is the King of Glory? The Lord of Host, He is the King of Glory! “Happy Birthday Jesus�

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DECEMBER 2015

Who Is This Jesus?

Rev. Dr. Keith Hayward Throughout history no one has made a greater impact on this world than Jesus Christ, yet many people simply don’t understand who He is. Some believe His life began in a manger in the ancient town of Bethlehem, but in reality, He existed long before that (John8:58). As a member of the Trinity, Jesus is the eternal Son of God, which means He has no beginning or end.

His birth in Bethlehem was merely His physical entrance into the world He created.

Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah, who came to earth to carry out the mission given to Him by His Father. At one point, He asked His disciples, “Who do you say that I am?” This is the question each of us must answer. There is no middle ground when it comes to decide who Jesus is, because He was the only way to the Father, either He is the Son of God, or He’s a fraud.

In Matthew 16:16 when Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God,” Jesus told Him that the Father had reveled this truth to him. We too need the Lord’s help to comprehend who Jesus is.

The best way to understand Him is to examine his birth, life and ministry as recorded in Scripture.

Simply learning what the Bible says about Jesus is not enough. Once you’ve heard who He is and what He came to do, you must respond. What will you do with Jesus? To hear the truth and reject it leads to spiritual death, but those who believe and accept Christ receives eternal life.

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God sent Jesus to redeem the world.

These verses tell us some very incredible things about God and His plan.

God has a plan. He has a plan for this universe, for nations and a plan for each individual’s life (e.g.

Jeremiah 29:11-13). God is orderly not chaotic (1 Corinthians 14:33, 40). He is not a fly by the seat of the pants God. God works things out in intricate details.

The incarnation of Jesus is a perfect example of this.

“But when the fullness of the time had come, …” There is a time set by God for all things (Ecclesiastes 3). God is not One to dilly dally or meander around with no regard for timing. No, not at all, God keeps a schedule for His sovereign plans. For instance, Jesus came as predicted by Isaiah and Micah (who wrote eight centuries before the birth of Christ) and Daniel (who wrote five centuries before the birth of Christ). He came into a world that was primed for Him to come. There may have been relative outward prosperity and security under Roman rule. But the heart of the people was ready for something more than proliferating immorality and powerless relgious forms.

We can take tremendous encouragement and hope from God’s orderliness. Life can seem out of control at times like a white knuckle roller coaster ride or trying to drive on black ice. Life can be scary. But we can be sure that God is in control and He does have a plan that He is working out.

“God sent forth His Son, . . .” Jesus existed in eternity before His incarnation (John 1:1, 2, 14-15). Elsewhere Paul proclaimed the eternal nature of Jesus writing, “Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.” (1 Timothy 1:17). Yes, amen to that!

God does at times stretch our faith by waiting until the last possible moment for rescue. But even when things get harry we can rest assured that God has a plan. His timing is perfect. Always just in time He will assert His will and authority to fulfill His plan.

“Born of a woman…” This tells us Jesus was and is fully human. God foretold beforehand in the Bible by way of prophecy that the Messiah would be birthed uniquely, born of a virgin (Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23; Luke 1:31-35). Jesus experienced all the pressures, temptations and limitations that we experience (Hebrews 2:18; 4:15; 5:2, 7-8). Jesus therefore knows what we’re going through. We don’t worship a distant unknowable God. We worship God with us; Immanuel! Knowing the only true God and Jesus Christ Who He sent is what eternal life is all about (John 17:3).

Remember this, no matter how hopeless things look, God has a plan, God is in control, and God will save the day just in time. Remember this too, God’s plan and our plan conflict at times. We may suffer loss. But God’s plan is the best plan. We may not always understand it. But God’s promise is to work it out for good (cf.

Romans 8:28). God’s ultimate plan is to conform us to the likeness of Jesus (Romans 8:29). That can be painful at times. But it is always worth the wait.

You see, we are His poetry, a beautiful work of art (Ephesians 2:10). Poems take time and effort, rewrites and profound thought before they are completed.

We are a poetry book with many different chapters and sections compiled through the seasons of life.

Jesus is a perfect example of how God works. What might seem as though it is just in time to us is only the fullness of time to the Lord and His plan. And the fullness of time of the Lord is always just the right time. That’s what the apostle Paul was inspired to write in his letter to the Galatians where he states: Galatians 4:4-5 – “But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.”

These two verses from Galatians capture the awesome plan of God that at just the right time

you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit” (Ezekiel 18:31). Because of His love He offers us a heart transplant option. He offers us a new heart, filled and pumping with His love. And to keep this new heart pumping purely the Holy Spirit offers to make our heart His home. All we have to do is turn from our sin to the heart surgeon Jesus. Trust this Surgeon. Your life depends on it.

Why should we trust Jesus? Jesus showed His commitment and love for us when He chose to give His life on the cross to pay the penalty of death for our sin (Romans 6:23). The cross is God’s remedy for sin. Saving faith, that faith that consents to God’s spiritual surgery, is described with the acronym Forsaking All I Trust Him. We have to trust Him, Him alone, not ourselves, not anyone else. When we turn from or repent of our sin and ask God to forgive us based on what Jesus has done for us on the cross then God will forgive us and give us a new heart that has an eternal never ending expiration date. Do that and it will be like a second birth (John 3; Galatians 3:10-13; 2 Corinthians 5:21).

Jesus did this just in time. His redemptive work is just in time for those who have yet to receive Him as their Savior. Here’s your opportunity for a fresh start with a new heart. God gives you the opportunity to be freed from this curse of sin now. But beyond now all bets are off and there are no further guarantees. The Bible says that “Now is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2). “Now” is just the right time for you to be saved from the curse of sin. “Now” is just in time for you.

“To redeem those under the law, . . .” This alludes to the curse of sin brought to all who have broken God’s law even once. God is holy. God is so holy that he will not look on or tolerate sin (Habakkuk 1:13). Sin is like cancer. Even a small cell of cancer can prove fatal if left unattended. Sin is like cancer; what you think is a small miniscule sin can prove fatal. Break one law one time and you’ve broken them all and destined to an eternal garbage dump called hell (Galatians 3:10-13). That is because of the cancerous nature of sin. And the garbage dump is appropriate for those who for an entire lifespan have neglected to heed God’s remedy for their sin.

“That we might receive the adoption as sons.” Under Roman law a child that was adopted into a family had all the rights of a natural born child of that family.

There was total equality between natural born and adopted children in the family. While Jesus is the “only begotten Son of God” (John 1:14, 18; 3:16, 18; Hebrews 11:17; 1 John 4:9), we can be adopted into God’s family. We will never be equal to Jesus in the sense that we become “God, ” but we can experience the rich blessings of having God as our Father (2 Corinthians 6:18). This is God’s promise to those who put their faith in Jesus (Romans 9:8; Galatians 3:29). Adoption is attained through faith in Jesus (Galatians 3:7, 26). This adoption is purely provided as a gift of God to be received by the grace of God (Romans 4:16, 17; Ephesians 1:5, 6, 11). So just turn to Jesus and ask Him for this gift. “Lord Jesus, I accept you as my Savior. I admit I’m a sinner. But please forgive my sin. Please give me a new heart.

And please accept me as a part of Your family.” What an offer! What a new heart! What a new family! What a blessing! Praise You and thank You Lord! What are you waiting for? Now is just the right time for you.

Sin is a curse that has infected all humanity. It’s prime effect is on the heart. Sin rotted hearts are irreparable. But God is rich in mercy. He has a plan.

“Cast away from you all the transgressions which

Pastor Claude T. Stauffer: Calvary Chapel of Hope/ 803 County Line Road, Amityville, NY 11701 / www.calvarychapelofhope. com / WGSS 89.3 FM / 631-789-4837.

“Born under the law, . . .” Jesus was Jewish. Jesus fulfilled and submitted to every requirement of the Law pertaining to His birth and calling (Luke 2:21-27; Matthew 3:13-15). Jesus therefore fulfilled the Law.

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DECEMBER 2015

When Your Worship Team Is Small – Really Small

By Jamie Brown You don’t look or sound like any of the worship teams you see online or hear on albums. An electric guitar has never crossed the threshold of your sanctuary.

The newest song you sing was written in 2001 (and that’s pushing it!). You would be thrilled to add more musicians to the team. You would love to have the problem of having so many musicians that they’re all clamoring to play on Sundays. You wish you had a plethora of people to fill different musical slots.

GOD ARRANGES THE MEMBERS OF A BODY To draw again from Paul in 1 Corinthians 12:18, don’t forget that “God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose.” God doles out gifts and arranges members as he sees fit. Make as many invitations to musicians in your congregation to step forward, to audition and to explore using their gifts in your team. Maybe you’ll get an overwhelming response. Maybe you’ll just get one 60-year-old who can play piano. See who God has placed in your midst. If he hasn’t given you what you want or need yet, then keep praying.

SMALL WORSHIP TEAMS CAN BE I NCREDIBLY FRUITFUL Maybe it’s just you on the platform with an old piano that your church can’t afford to tune. Or maybe there are four of you, and if you try to play anything faster than “Shout to the Lord,” the wheels fall off. Your ministry—and the ministry of a small worship team of just a few musicians—can be incredibly fruitful. Fruitfulness doesn’t come from numbers. Fruitfulness is a gift of the Spirit! And when God-empowered, Spirit-manifested, Jesuscentered gifts come together, regardless of the size, then beautiful and fruitful things can happen.

KEEP INVITING One of the most recent additions to the worship team at my church was at our church for about six months before he finally stepped forward. And I’m glad he did! He plays acoustic and bass guitar, and is a wonderfully gifted worship leader. He had heard my pleas for musicians, had read my blurbs in the church newsletter, and finally after hearing me invite

MANA Newspaper Editor Releases New Book

By Sharon Jackson With great pride and pleasure we are delighted to bring to you the latest literary work of our newspaper’s editor, Pastor Keith Hayward, “I Am Who I See”. This book examines the under achievement of gifted African American males and seeks to explain what is the cause of their poor performance. However, unlike many other books of this type, this book challenges the reader to take inventory and ask what they can do to help those persons who find themselves in the category.

In a most creative way, Pastor Hayward links the plight of African American males to several characters found in the Bible. With this kind of dialogue, Pastor Hayward challenges his reading community to reclaim the lives of this group of males. Finally this book holds the Black Church accountable to continue their traditional role of being a resource and support mechanism for young African American males.

We do hope that you will search out this title by contact the church office of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Copiague, NY or search for purchase of the book online.

people enough, he stepped forward. Never stop inviting those musicians-in-hiding in your church to step forward and explore using their gifts.

Large teams and small teams (even when they’re really small) are all part of God’s grand design for his Body, the Church. This is good and encouraging news.

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Looking Closly at the New Year

By Bishop Andy C. Lewter, D. Min.

In the closing days of 2015 we take time to reflect upon both the ups and down that has punctuated this past year. Like so many of you we are grateful that God has been an ever-present help during the course of this past year. Like so many of our sister churches in this community, we have seen our share of death and pain. Sickness has attacked the bodies of some of our members and still others find themselves battling back from the brink of economic devastation.

With that said, we look forward to the year 2016 as a time of promise and potential. It was the Apostle Paul who said “forgetting those things which are

behind, I press toward the mark of the high calling of Christ Jesus�. With a similar principle at work, we are looking forward to making the year 2016 as a foundation for the possibilities of heaven.

Might we take this time to wish you, our readers, a happy and prosperous New Year. However, we do not intend for this to be just a usual, run of the mill, kind of salutation. But rather, we are hopeful that you will take some critical time to look out over the landscape of your life and see the particular ways that God can make a way out of no way for you. We also want to take this time to send you and your family the very best. No

doubt, our families have been under assault these last years. However, we are confident that we are living in a time of fragile uncertainty. The situation being what it is, we encourage you to re-connect with your faith and re-establish your rich relationship with God. So with an eye on tomorrow, we say to you, go forward from this day with a resolve and passion that causes you to see the best in life rather than the worst in people. The Bible is punctuated with stories of how people of faith have been able to overcome their circumstances with the knowledge that God is on their side.

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DECEMBER 2015

What Does Christmas Mean To You? A Holiday Message From Dr. David I Robinson

a shiny, bright red that glows. There are according to the popular Christmas Song-12 days of Christmas .

During the 12 days, a total of 400 gifts were brought to the recipient by her true love. You know the gifts named in the song: Day 1: A Partridge in a Pear Tree Day 2: Two Turtle Doves Day 3: Three French Hens Day 4: Four Calling Birds, and Day 5: Five Golden Rings.

Isn’t it interesting that he brought 400 gifts and not one of them was a bible? To this post­modern world I ask the question, What Does Christmas Mean to You? Christmas has become so commercialized that it seems that it’s no longer a Holy-Day-It’s now just a Holiday.

Many who profess to be Christians no longer have time to go and Tell It on the Mountain that Jesus Christ is born: We’re too busy dashing thru the Snow on a One Horse Open Sleigh. We no longer walk In the Light: We’re too busy walking in A Winter Wonderland . We no longer respond to the invitation 0 Come All Ye Faithful: We’re too busy Roasting Chestnuts on an Open Fire.

I again ask the question, What Does Christmas Matthew 1: 18-25 Verse #21 And she shall bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.

My subject comes in the form of a question, and the question is: What Does Christmas Mean To You? The clock is ticking, and in a few days our nation will celebrate what has become known as Christmas Day. Stores are opening early with early bird specials, and closing late to accommodate shoppers. The Glitter, the Colorful Lights, the Lighted Christmas Tree, the Lighted Tinsel, and the Christmas Music that can be heard thru – out the malls all convey the message that

it’s Christmas Time in the City. Even though Economist are projecting a short-fall in the spending patterns of shoppers due to escalating gas and oil prices, the malls are full and crowded with shoppers looking for the perfect gift at the lowest price. Even as Christians we find ourselves caught up in the hustle and bustle that’s associated with the Christmas Season. Pushing and shoving thru the shopping crowds, has caused me to become suspicious and suspect of the possibilities that even as Christians, perhaps we have lost sight of the real meaning of Christmas. The world would have us to believe that Santa Claus is preparing on Christmas Eve to fly thru the sky on his sleigh drawn by reindeers.

Frosty the Snowman will be dancing around town because he’s a Jolly Old Soul, and Rudolph’s nose is

Mean To You? The real meaning of Christmas cannot be found in Macy’s, Toys – R – Us, Wal-Mart, or J.C. Penny. The real meaning of Christmas can be found in St. John 3:16. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Christmas is about the Christ child who came to redeem us back to the Father. 0 Come Let Us Adore Him, Christ The Lord. Jesus Is The Reason For The Season. Joy To The World , The Lord Is Come. Let Heaven and Nature Sing and Rejoice for born this day in the city of Bethlehem is the Savior of the World.

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Various Ways to Use Periscope in Your Ministry

By Stacy Hart Recently I have been spending time using the new mobile app Periscope. Periscope.TV is a relatively new mobile app that has exploded on social media.

Since I am usually an early adopter to new social media, I had to check it out and try it to see if it’s something that ministries can use to benefit what they do and I can tell you the answer is YES! The Periscope mobile app can be easily downloaded in Android or IOS and instantly connects to your Twitter account. In fact, Periscope is now part of Twitter and has been compared to another video app called Meerkat. Since I haven’t used Meerkat I can’t give a comparison, but many in social media business circles are saying Periscope has better features.

Once you download the Periscope app you can instantly go live and broadcast your message to the world. What makes this mobile app different than using a Google hangout or You Tube is that your viewers can interact with you live on the screen of your phone. They can both comment and leave you hearts by tapping the screen. The hearts are the equivalent of a “like” on Facebook or a RT on Twitter. The hearts are the sign of how much your viewers are engaging with what you are saying during your live broadcast. Users can also leave hearts during the replay of your broadcast.

Rebroadcasts are available for only 24 hours.

Many ministries, including radio shows and Christian bloggers, pastors, churches and TV shows are

already using Periscope for ministry. Here are 10 ways I’ve already seen Christians using Periscope.

1. Bible News Radio is using Periscope to give morning devotional thoughts, news updates and live streaming of our daily radio show and giveaways. You can follow Bible News Radio on Periscope at @BibleNewsRadio and @StacyHarp 2. Jay Sekulow from The American Center for Law and Justice uses Periscope to live stream his radio show and answer viewer questions.

Follow Jay Sekulow at @jaysekulow 3. Perry Stone is using Periscope to show behind the scenes tours of his ministry

campus and is giving personal updates.

Follow Perry Stone at @perrystonevoe 4. Many pastors are showing elders meetings and offering prayer for viewers and also bible studies.

5. Some individual Christians are using Periscope to answer bible questions and offer encouragement to fellow believers.

6. Christian authors like Tricia Goyer are already using Periscope to share about their latest books and give “mommy” tips. Follow Tricia Goyer at @triciagoyer 7. Periscope is being used as a platform to give away prizes to viewers. Bible News Radio has offered books from Christian publishers.

8. Breaking news and live prayer for those who are in crisis. Christians are already using the platform to bring urgent requests to God. 9. Many Christians are using Periscope to show tours of their facilities or places of interest like Israel.

10. Christians are also using Periscope for business.

Whatever way you may choose to use this exciting new medium, one thing is sure, Christians are generally two years behind most of the world when it comes to adopting new technology. I want to encourage you to jump in and join the Periscope world and begin to engage your circle of influence for Christ.

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From Shepherd Boy to King, A Man After God’s Own Heart

By Bishop Andy C. Lewter, D. Min. With the close of the year literally only a few days away, I find myself wondering what are some of the final acts I can perform to make a difference and offer a contribution to general body of Christ before we enter 2016. After much thought, I have chosen to create a new online course on a figure that is extremely popular, but who we may not know nearly as well as we may have thought.

David rose from the ranks of being shepherd boy to sitting on the throne of Israel. As a young lad he was anointed by the prophet Samuel, faced the ferocious giant Goliath, was scandalized by his association with Bathsheba but in the end became the most beloved king that Israel ever had.

In this online course the student will look at the life of David from a variety of perspectives. David the Warrior, David the King, David the refugee are all taken into consideration. Several video lectures are used to take the student on a journey through the pages of the Old Testament and the life of an ever popular king. Why not use this time at the end of the year to deepen your knowledge of the Bible and familiarize yourself with one of the most dramatic stories found in either the Old or New Testament of the Bible.

This course will eventually sell for nearly $50, but for a limited time only, the course is available at a deep discount of over 85%.

We do hope that you will take advantage of this opportunity and share access to the course with your family and friends. http://bishop.teachable.com/courses/david

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You are in the Red Zone! Score

By Bishop Jderry Hutchins Scripture: Numbers 20:12 At the time of this writing, the Atlanta Falcons led the NFL in an area that they are not proud of; red zone turnovers. The red zone is the area of the field between the 20-yard line and the goal line. Teams are expected to score once they get this close but it requires a change in strategy.

The pressure increases. Even if they do not score a touchdown, settling for a field goal is the second option but a turnover is tragic. Moses had led the children of Israel out of Egyptian bondage. He had alsonled them through the wilderness for the past thirty-eight years.

The Promised Land is just two years ahead of them. They are in the red zone but Moses is penalized and will not be allowed to cross the goal line and go into the Promised Land. The Lord had instructed Moses to speak to the rock and it would pour out water for the people to drink.

Instead,Moses called the people rebels and struck the rock, disobeying the Lord’s instructions.

Numbers 20:12 reads “Because you did not trust in me enough to honor me as holy in the sight of the Israelites, you will not bring this community into the land I give them”.

The enemy does not want you to accomplish the goals you have set, but you are closer than you think. You are actually in the red zone. Stay focused. Don’t allow people to distract you. Obey God and allow Him to be glorified as you score.

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DECEMBER 2015

Eleven Ways to Evaluate Your Own Preaching

By Chuck Lawless The more important our work is, the more imperative it is we strive to improve. If you are a preacher or teacher of the gospel of Jesus Christ, you are proclaiming the most significant message in the world. Thus, those of us who do this work must be open to evaluation. Here are some ways to do so: 1. Read good books on teaching/preaching, and compare your approach. No two people preach/teach alike, but we can learn from experienced proclaimers. Even a nugget of truth can affect our preaching/teaching in a positive way. Two books I recommend are Bryan Chappell’s Christ-Centered Preaching and Haddon Robinson’s Biblical Preaching.

2. Enlist a preaching/teaching team to help prepare and critique your sermons or lessons. Others can help you exegete a text, consider appropriate illustrations and determine applications for your

particular audience. That same team can then evaluate each sermon or lesson when it’s delivered.

3. Pay attention to your hearers. Are they attentive? listening? sleeping? texting? Your hearers may have a multitude of reasons not to listen well, but boredom might be one—and that issue most often lies at the feet of the speaker.

4. Do immediate self-reflection. As soon as you finish preaching or teaching, make a few notes. What worked? What didn’t seem to work? What would you change?

5. Record and watch. I don’t know many people who like to watch themselves preach or teach, but this approach is invaluable. After 30+ years of preaching, I still catch myself giving too little eye contact, fiddling with coins in my pocket, etc.

6. Ask for evaluations. Even if you don’t use a team to help develop your sermon or lesson, enlist others to evaluate your work every week. Unlike the prep team in #2 above, these folks would be exposed to the teaching only when it’s delivered—that is, like almost all of the people in your audience.

7. Give “pop quizzes” throughout the next week.

As you spend time with your listeners the week following your sermon or lesson, ask them what they remember of your material.

Find out what life changes, if any, they’ve made as a result of your teaching.

8. Ask for feedback the following Sunday. For the entire congregation, include a quiz from last week’s sermon or lesson in this week’s material (perhaps in the worship guide if evaluating a sermon). Ask your hearers to recall major points and application. If few remember, you might want to think about ways to reinforce your teaching.

9. Watch good preachers/teachers and learn from them. I’m hesitant to include this option, as I don’t want anyone to simply use somebody else’s material or delivery. We can learn, though, from others who seem to do these tasks better. Listen. Watch. Learn.

10. A sk your spouse and children to be honest with you. It’s likely your spouse will recognize nervousness, confusion, disorganization, etc. Your children—especially if they are teens—can help you know if you connected with their generation.

11. Intentionally and regularly work on improving one area of your teaching/preaching. Even the best proclaimers have room for improvement. Determine the weakest area of your teaching/preaching, and spend time strengthening that component.

Focus on one component every six months—and never reach the point where you have arrived.

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Four Ways to Deal with Difficult People

By Pastor Lisa Jenkins

Let’s face it, we all have to deal with difficult people every now and then. And let’s get real. We all have been a part of the difficult people circle. Yes, admit it. Unless you’re fresh out of the womb, you, my friend, as have I, have been a difficult person. But let’s just say that you are a recovering difficult person — you are cognizant of your wayward ways of old and you have done a complete 360 and you are now skipping through a life of lilies full of joy, laughter and agreeability. So now what are you to do with those around you who have not yet turned over their autumn leaf and are still being, um er uh… difficult? Here are four solutions: 1. ONE UP ‘EM! Well, not exactly….but I got your attention, didn’t I?.

The New International Version puts it this way in 1 Peter 2:15 For it is God’s will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish people. Whooooo…. I absolutely LOVE the Bible.

Sometimes you have to really dig deep to get the meaning of the Word. But not here. Peter says, in order to silence the ignorant talk of foolish people, all you have to do is perform good work. Sounds like something my mama would say. The Lucy Mae Jenkins translation, “God got too much for you to do fo’ you to be worried about ignant behind, foolish folk!!!” For those of you not in the know, Deaconess LucyMae Jenkins is my late mother And she would most definitely use another word rather than the word behind. But you get the meaning. Often those who do the most talking are lacking knowledge themselves. The quickest way to silence these difficult people is to just do the work that God has called you to do. And do it well!

2. SAYONARA! ARRIVEDERCI! ADIOS! BYE FELICIA!!

Matthew 10:14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet. This is priceless.

Because the gospel of Matthew is not just saying to

leave the difficult people right where they are. But he says leave AND shake the dust off your feet! It’s one thing to just walk away. But to shake the dust off one’s feet was usually done only when Jewish people had just traveled from or through foreign or pagan countries. Basically, by shaking the dust off of their feet, the Jewish people were saying that the very dust, gathered their feet after walking on foreign soil is not worth tracking into their holy space. So when difficult people get difficult with you. You just say “Bye!” The shade that they are throwing is too foreign for you to deal with. It is not your language. In fact, it can be downright contagious and might get you to acting up. That’s when sometimes the only word is Bye! 3. REALIZE, IT JUST AIN’T ABOUT YOU! 1 Samuel 8:7 “And the LORD said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee: for they have not rejected thee, but they have rejected me, that I should not reign over them.” (KJV) This is a very interesting scripture. The prophet Samuel has just gotten blasted by the people of Israel.

Actually, it wasn’t just the everyday folk. It was the elders who were complaining. Basically, they told Samuel that 1) he was too old to lead them and 2) that

the didn’t know how to raise his own kids. So they said, give us a king like the other nations (because in other words, you’re just not good enough for us.) Now that’s a downer. Samuel already had to deal with his difficult children. And now he’s got to deal with his difficult leaders. Bummer. But God assures Samuel that the folk are not rejecting him (Samuel). They are rejecting God! Samuel was God’s prophet! And regardless of what the Baptist deacons, I mean, uh, Israel’s elders had to say, it wasn’t about Samuel. When you are called by God and people being difficult and rejecting you and making life hard for you, it’s really not you that they’re opposing. They’re opposing God and they don’t even know it! Because it is God who anoints and appoints you. And any rejection of you is a rejection of God’s decision. So, chin up! It’s not about you.

You’re in the will of God. And that’s all that matters!

4. PRAY WITHOUT CEASING FOR DIFFICULT PEOPLE 1 Corinthians 1:3, 4 Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ. I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ.

If ever there was a difficult church, the church at Corinth was it! They had all sort of characters doing all sorts things But Paul let them know in the very beginning of his letter to them that he is constantly praying of them. Not only does he speak to God about them, but he actually thanks God for them!

Imagine thanking God for the difficult people in your life! Try it! We don’t know what people are going through. We want God to touch every area of their life. No matter how we are treated, we should always pray for them. The Bible says in Luke 6:28 that we are to pray for those who despitefully use us. “Despitefully” use folk. That sounds even worse than being difficult. But we are instructed to love and pray for difficult people who often despiteful use us. In fact, this should be our first course of action. Prayer. Prayer changes things, including people. Think about it. If God changed us, what more can he do for others, when we pray…..

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7 Sentimental Lies You Might Believe

By Matt Redman The Princess Bride (1987) spans the spectrum of film-lovers’ delights. It boasts one of the cleverest movie scripts of all time, and includes a great deal of refreshing honesty about life. In particular, one line from the grandfather and narrator has remained with me since my first watching—and has sunk deeper in my many re-watchings.

The young boy, sick in bed, stops his grandfather’s reading of The Princess Bride during a description of an especially unjust sequence where the princess is being forced to marry the evil prince. He indignantly declares, “It wouldn’t be fair.” His grandfather’s response drips with wisdom from above: Well, who says life is fair? Where is that written?

Simple and brilliant. And much needed today.

The underlying challenge is clear: Examine your assumptions. Our society carries hundreds of unquestioned assumptions, and we Christians ought to ask, astutely and often, “Who says? Does God say that? Is it biblical?”

The following is a list of seven of the most egregiously assumed truth-claims in popular culture today, with a biblical check for each one.

1) “Things will work out.”

Who says? Unless the speaker means that “all things work for the good of those who love God and have been called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28), which is specifically to see them “conformed to the image of his Son” (Romans 8:29) while they are “waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13), then it is simply wishful thinking.

“Things will work out” is not the mantra of the people of Swaziland, where the AIDS epidemic is out of control, or in Syria, where the terror of ISIS is ever-present. Only the Bible offers a fixed, specific hope that roots such a sweeping statement in the firm soil of reality.

2) “The most important thing is your health.”

Who says? God clearly states, “You are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes” (James 4:14). When you are sick, Paul is there to remind you that your “outer nature is wasting away,” while your “inner nature is being renewed day by day” (2 Corinthians 4:16).

Is it really most important, given this brief mist of a life, to maintain pristine health? God thinks not.

He is committed to the display of his glory (Isaiah 43:7) and invites you to embrace that mission as one of utmost importance (1 Corinthians 10:31). God did not think the most important thing about his incarnate Son was his health.

3) “They’re in a better place.”

Who says? Funerals are painful for many reasons, but one of the more subtle ones is this ostrich-like burying of the head that happens so rampantly.

Sadly, people whose lives have been characterized by self-centeredness and the denial of Christ are brazenly declared to be in heaven at most any funeral.

of all sinners (1 Timothy 1:15). There is never a point when we leave behind the identity of saved sinners, in need of God’s grace, even into eternity.

But the Son of God says, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him” (John 3:36). It is far better to make a statement founded on the objective work of Christ through faith than to wish that statement into existence simply by saying it.

6) “Follow your heart.”

4) “You can do anything you set your mind to.”

Who says? This statement makes for a great Nike commercial or after-school special, but it is based in the fiction of autonomous selfdetermination. Autonomy (literally “self-rule”) may be the source of our sickness, but it is not the avenue for our cure. We hate the idea of our limitations, but we are made to be limited. God enumerates those limitations in his breath-taking, four-chapter revelation of Job’s lack of power and understanding (Job 38–41). And perhaps he was even more explicit in displaying our limitations when he shut up sinful humanity under his law (Romans 3:19), leaving us helpless and needy for a Savior (Romans 3:20; Galatians 3:22).

We certainly bear God’s image and have amazing creative capabilities, but when it comes to anything we set our minds to, we desperately need the truth, “The mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God” (Romans 8:7–8).

5) “He’s a good guy.”

Who says? On the one hand, the sentiment here is understood. There is God-imaging nobility in the world, and beyond that, Christians have hearts that have been renewed by the Holy Spirit.

But on the other hand, Jesus sings a very different tune. “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone” (Mark 10:18). Paul echoes that judgment when he declares himself the foremost

Who says? For decades, Disney has warmed the hearts of millions with this sometimes overt, sometimes covert theme. But the following of our hearts is not a biblical recommendation.

Paul agonizes over his divided heart in Romans 7:24, “Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from this body of death?” That’s no ringing endorsement for trusting oneself.

It is death to self, rather than the embracing of self, that saves your life (Luke 9:23; Matthew 16:25).

So when unfettered heart-following tempts you, remember the words of Jesus to Peter: “What is that to you? You follow me!” (John 21:22).

7) “All good things must come to an end.”

Who says? This widely accepted axiom is a blatant coping mechanism. Since the broken world hurts— and that without fail—we must invent a verbal anesthetic to keep ourselves from being crushed.

But it is a lie. God has a different end in mind. “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4). In God’s economy, all bad things will come to an end, but the best of things will endure for all eternity.

Renew Your Mind Beware the spirit of the age. Its lips drip with honey. It will tickle your ears, but following its adages leads to death.

So when a sweet-sounding, seemingly obvious statement hits your ears, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2).

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What Do You Tell Your Kids About Isis

By Erik Raymond Christian parents are called to help their children think about, interact with and evaluate current issues from a biblical perspective. Cultivating a Christian worldview is one of the main components of child training.

Over the last couple of years, as ISIS has been increasingly in the news, we have had a number discussions as a family about what has been happening. Our six children range from 4 to 20, so there needs to be thoughtful care given to the details of our discussion. However, it is quite near impossible to tame down the atrocities of ISIS to a general audience.

Our children became quite concerned—and with good reason. The barbaric beheadings speak of ancient tribal savagery rather than modern military battles. Most of the conflicts they have heard of have involved airplanes, ships and soldiers. Now these guys come along with a fearlessness that is only matched by their thirst for blood. Of course our kids are concerned—we are concerned.

In talking with one of my children who admitted her concern, even fear, about them taking over America and the world, I gave her the following advice.

1. ISIS is a group of very evil and bad people. They don’t love God or want to honor him. This is why they are doing these things (Col. 1:21; Titus 3:3). Remember that this is what comes out of an unbelieving heart. All of us have sinful hearts and need to turn to and trust Jesus (Eph. 2:1-3). Not all of us do the same wicked things as ISIS but we all need a Savior. We are all suffering from the same problem: sin.

2. The world has a lot of bad guys in it who love to do sinful things for the same reason (John 3:19-20). Even in America, there are horrible, unspeakable things happening every day (murder, abortion, abuse, etc.). This is because we live in a fallen, broken world (Rom. 1:18-25, cf. #1).

3. This type of thing has been going on throughout history, and even throughout your young life. There have been lots of bad guys and terrorists doing evil things since even before you were a baby.

4. Our security does not ultimately come from America or even our ability to protect ourselves, but from God (Ps. 20:7, Ps. 121:2).

5. God has given you a Daddy to protect you, and I will do it with all of my strength and resolve.

6. The Bible tells us to pray for our leaders and all of those given charge over us that we may lead quiet peaceable lives (1 Tim. 2:1-4). Let’s pray for our president and military commanders and thank God that we have those who serve in this way.

7. Pray that God would save some members of this terrorist group. Remember the Apostle Paul, he was basically a terrorist, like ISIS, who killed Christians. God saved him and used him very powerfully for the gospel.

8. Pray for the Christians being persecuted. Pray that they would be comforted by the Holy Spirit and that they would be faithful, even if it means unto death.

9. Remember that Jesus is coming back again. He will punish all evil and set up his kingdom and reign forever. He will make all things new and there will be no more tears, suffering or death. There will be no more bad guys there (Rev. 21:1-5).

10. Jesus told us to pray that God’s name would be honored, his kingdom would come, his will would be done (Mt. 6:9-13). Let’s pray for this with confidence and anticipation because we know this day is coming. Maybe even soon!

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Secrets to Live Streaming Success

By Jonathan Batteas

DECEMBER 2015

The encoder transforms the source video signal into Web-friendly (or mobile – friendly) data streams. This transformation involves compression (to “squeeze” the video and audio signals down to a data rate that can be streamed over network connections) and “wrapping” the compressed video and audio into a format and protocol used to transport the content. The church can decide what bit rate (data rate) the video streams will be compressed down to. Essentially, a larger bit rate enables higher video quality, but requires higher Internet bandwidth for both the church and viewers.

The resulting stream is sent from the encoder to a distribution (streaming) server or external service (Content Delivery Network, CDN), from which the content is delivered to viewers. (Note that in the case of a single stream being sent from an origin site to one remote campus, a direct connection may be possible, with no server or CDN required at all). In a typical situation with multiple viewers or destination sites, there is generally not any “direct” connection between the viewer and the encoder – they connect only to the distribution server or CDN. Viewers access the live content through a video player embedded in a web page or on their mobile device.

PITFALL #1 – LOW-QUALITY VIDEO SOURCE A fairly common misconception is that if you’re just creating a small, lowbitrate output for the Web or mobile phones, you can get away with using a lower-quality source signal. In fact, the opposite is true – lowquality sources have a lot of video noise, etc. that makes the video harder to compress, and you’re wasting bits compressing the junk in addition to the content. In a low bit rate output, those wasted bits are a higher percentage of the total, so you can end up with a LOT lower quality output than if the source had been “clean”.

Houses of worship are embracing the use of streaming video to expand the reach of their ministries. Video on the Web and mobile devices allow churches to reach congregants unable to attend sermons in person.

While on-demand video is an important element for faith-based websites, live video streaming adds the element of immediacy that can deepen the connection between you and your viewers. Live streaming can also be used to connect multisite church organizations, enabling live sermons to be delivered across multiple gathering locations.

Live streaming, however, has more technical considerations that you must plan for to be successful. While advances in streaming technology and recent encoding solutions have made Web streaming easier and more accessible to houses of worship than ever before, there are some common misconceptions and mistakes that those implementing streaming for the first time often discover too late.

This article highlights a few of the potential pitfalls, with advice on how to avoid them.

REVIEWING THE BASICS Before delving into these pitfalls, it’s useful to review the basics of a streaming workflow. At a simplified level, there are four key steps in a typical streaming setup, with the content following a linear flow: VIDEO SOURCE –> STREAMING ENCODER –> STREAMING DISTRIBUTION SERVER OR SERVICE –> VIEWER

You should always use the best quality signal possible, starting at the camera itself – lower-end cameras can introduce noise into the video signal, and lighting is also a big factor in compression quality. Video shot in low light has considerably more video noise than well-lit video; low-light video that looks OK on a monitor connected directly to the camera can look considerably worse once compressed for streaming. For connectivity, SDI digital signals are ideal. For analog video, component signals are the best, followed by Y/C (S-Video) and composite. The best encoding systems have video processing capabilities that can do a lot to help “clean up” the less-than-ideal video sources to create a goodquality output – but fantastic quality starts with a good source.

PITFALL #2 – HIGHER RESOLUTION CAN RESULT IN LOWER QUALITY There’s a trade-off between visual quality and your choices of resolution and bit rate.

A common mistake is to decide to stream at higher resolution (frame size) with the expectation that it will provide better quality. The problem is that a larger size requires more compression to achieve a specific bitrate; so the resulting visual quality may be much lower than smaller sizes at the same bitrate. Streaming at a lower resolution can actually give better quality than streaming at higher resolution at the same bit rate.

DECEMBER 2015

If you want to increase your resolution, you may need to use a higher bit rate to accommodate it.

PITFALL #3 – BIT RATE TOO HIGH FOR YOUR VIEWERS That leads to another possible mistake, though – choosing too high a bit rate relative to your viewers’ connections.If your bit rate exceeds the sustainable bandwidth of a viewer, it’s likely to result in an unwatchable experience (lots of buffering, stuttering, etc.). Be sure to offer a stream with low enough bit rate for the “minimum” connection you expect of your viewers. In fact, it may be best to consider offering streams at multiple bit rates – at least one for those with slow connections, and a high-quality stream for those with fast connections. Some encoders can output multiple streams at various resolutions and bit rates simultaneously from the same source signal, but don’t forget that if you’re offering multiple streams, your Internet connection must be fast enough to send those streams out simultaneously.

PITFALL #4 – TOO MANY VIEWERS, NOT ENOUGH BANDWIDTH (THE NEED FOR A CDN) Whether to use an in-house distribution (streaming) server or CDN depends on the number of viewing locations to be reached, and the available Internet connection upload (sending) bandwidth. When using its own streaming server inside the church, the amount of bandwidth needed by the church to reach multiple viewers is essentially the sum of all of the individual viewing bandwidths. If you’ve chosen a 750Kbps bit rate, and you have 100 viewers, the total bandwidth demand is 75,000Kbps (75Mbps) – far greater than the upload speeds of most Internet connections, so not practical. If instead you’re streaming to just two other sites, an in-house distribution server may be viable.

A CDN service provider lets you scale to a virtually unlimited number of viewers.

The church only needs to send a single stream to the CDN over their outgoing Internet connection; the CDN effectively replicates the stream for each viewer, so it’s the CDN who needs the big bandwidth to deliver to all of the viewers.

PITFALL #5 – INADEQUATE BANDWIDTH FROM THE ENCODER TO THE CDN OR SERVER It’s very important to distinguish the upload (outgoing) speed of the church’s Internet connection from the download (incoming) speed.When Internet Service Providers promote the speed of their service, the number they’re citing is generally the download speed – and on all but the highest-end offerings, the upload speed is significantly less (we’ve seen service packages with 12Mbps download speed but only 1Mbps upload). The sustainable upload speed should also allow for overhead beyond the video itself – if your video stream is 1Mbps, a 1Mbps upload link won’t be enough.

PITFALL #6 – SHARING THE OUTGOING INTERNET CONNECTION Ideally, the Internet connection used for sending the streaming video should be separate from the general Internet connection that the church uses for other tasks such as e-mail, web browsing and other uses. Sharing an Internet connection between The outgoing streaming and other tasks can result in unexpected performance drops as the various tasks contend for bandwidth. A dedicated line ensures that the outgoing stream isn’t affected by any other Internet activity at the church.

Overcoming Insecurity Rev. Dr. Keith Hayward There is no quick solution for overcoming insecurity. First we have to acknowledge we feel insecure. Then, we should try to identify what generates those feelings. Finally, we must decide to overcome that state of mind. Drifting into security is impossible, we must work toward it.

Having a sense of security involves more than just building self-esteem. Jesus Christ is our genuine source of strength and confidence. If we attempt to overcome our insecurities without Him, we’ll simply be making it with our own efforts.

The way we see ourselves isn’t necessarily the way we truly are. Instead we have to ask how the Lord sees us. To shift our focus from ourselves and our mistakes, we must get into God’s Word. Therefore, to overcome insecurity, we must first deal with any doubts we may have about the Bible. Scripture is so powerful that when we read what God says about us, our thinking starts to change, and we can step out of insecurity’s destructive mindset.

To continue the process, focus on the positive qualities in your life. Take a blank sheet of paper, and ask the Lord to guide you in your honest assessment of your advantageous traits. You will be surprised at what God shows you about yourself. But it is important not to look at others’ talents to see how you measure up. No one is like you, so it’s pointless to make comparisons. Our mission is to follow Jesus in the way He calls us individually. Consequently, we can look to Him as our source of security.

Loving yourself and loving the Lord will allow you to see how much you have grown in God and who you are in Him.

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DECEMBER 2015

Setting Spiritual Growth Goals for 2016

By Reverend Dr. David I. Robinson

Do you plan on making resolutions for 2016? The beginning of the New Year is a great time to start fresh, evaluate your spiritual health and set goals for growth.

I fully understand that in and of ourselves we cannot cause our spiritual growth; only the Holy Spirit has the power to transform us into the image of Christ. God does expect our obedience and active cooperation.

Resolutions are goals and often hard to keep. Statistics show that at best only 46% of New Year’s resolutions are still kept 6 months into the year. The reason being is that people lose their resolve quickly because they set unattainable goals.

The following tips will help us set personal discipleship goals that will keep us growing throughout the year.

• Concentrate your Efforts – Set just one, two or three goals at a time. Don’t spread yourself too thin. When you experience success then add another goal.

• Be Realistic – Set goals that are attainable. If you don’t read your Bible regularly now, don’t set a goal to read the entire Bible in three months. Instead, commit to reading three to five times per week.

• Think Concretely – Set goals so progress can be measured. For instance, this goal is too ambitious: I’m going to spend more time with God. Instead be concrete: I will read one Bible chapter and pray 10 minutes five times a week.

• Include Strategies – Develop strategies designed to move you toward your goals. If your goal is to memorize Scriptures, determine how you will accomplish it and how often will you memorize new ones?

If our lives are going to resolve to pursue excellence, and expect victory in the year ahead it is going to require a daily response of trust and obedience. It is imperative that we put Jesus at the Center of our lives daily to make the New Year all about serving him.

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