Good morning Lord Jesus, I begin another week admitting I am weak without Your strength and I seek your Spirit to empower me to do your will throughout my day.
My reflection this morning is a little different as it is more of a personal reflection from a life experience this past week. Last week I got a call from another pastor who Is a good friend of mine. That morning she was driving back home with her children and she noticed at the CVS on a corner of her rout home a man sitting in a wheel chair outside. The man was alone and had bags by his wheel chair. She pulled in to talk to him. The man, we will call him Larry (not his real name) was someone she thought she recognized from her work at Manna House and downtown. Larry is homeless, and had been admitted into the hospital that is close by the day before for catheter issues and when he was released this morning he had no where to go so he rolled to the CVS. It was hot, so my friend bought him something to drink and some breakfast. The man needed a ride to the Manna house which is 20 minutes away, she knows how I minister in our community so she called me and asked if I could come get him and give him a ride. I told her yes and I would be there in a little bit.
When I got there I recognized Larry. He is a regular at the Manna House and I know him and have had many conversations with him. As I mentioned Larry is homeless. As I wheeled him to my car, helped him get in and loaded his wheel chair and bags in the car the strong odor of BO and urine filled my car from him and his chair. Once loaded we headed on our way.
As I said I know Larry. Larry is a veteran who served many years in the army. He was then a guard at gate 9 of the Arsenal. He was a volunteer fireman in his community for 27 years. When Manna House launched back in 2004 he work to help it launch and helped put up the steel racks used to hold the pallets of food and he served there. He was a productive member of society and helped others. Then Larry used and got addicted to crystal meth. His drug addiction led him to loose everything, his home and all he owned and iit destroyed his life and his health.
Why am I sharing this with you this morning? To remind you that in the midst of this season we are in with all the news and focus on the corona pandemic, fears about its effects, social isolating and the closing of churches, all the other social diseases that are destroying people’s lives and killing them are still there. Drug and alcohol addictions are actually getting worse. Addicts and those who use or at risk using drugs all got the $1,500 stimulus check. Many of them have lower income jobs in restaurants and service industries that were closed down because of corona. They got on unemployment and because of the $600.00 federal unemployment supplement the receive, their income has increased and some almost doubled. So they have more money to spend on drugs and their dealers know this. People are also out of work so they are at home, isolated, with more time and opportunity to abuse drugs and alcohol.
Addictions affect thousands more people a day then corona and thousand more die from it. And ministering to addicts and helping them, sharing with them the hope of the Gospel to break the chains of addiction, through church led Celebrate Recoveries, outreach ministries, and other programs is a major ministry of Christians and churches. So as drug abuse is going up now and more people need help, churches are closing their doors and programs out of corona fears. And those people caught in addictions, families affected by it, are finding themselves isolated with no help or hope.
As churches weigh the closing or opening status of their churches and the possible costs to their members, they need to consider the costs to their neighbors they are called to love. The Church and all Christians in them are the source of bringing the light and love of Christ into the world. As that source of love and light diminishes in the world, darkness increases. When we put the outreach and presence of the Church on hold until it is safe, we can’t assume that since we are putting church on hold, that addictions, depression, spouse and child abuse, struggling marriages, people needing food, evil, and all the needs Christ call’s the church to minister to in their community will also put themselves on hold until The Church starts back again. As the church weakens and lessens its presence out of fear, none of these things mentioned before fear or are weakened by corona, but and increasing because of it. The church was never created to be “safe” and an institution that protects itself from darkness but one that runs into darkness.
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:13-26)
And since we are called to love our neighbor as ourselves, Jesus’s words also imply “For what will it profit The church if it remains safe and gains the whole world and forfeits his neighbors soul? Or what will the Church give in exchange for his neighbors soul?”
My family, I pray you will reflect on today as I am on your call to run with the light of Christ in you not away from, but into darkness, in Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
Please post and share your thoughts, reflections, questions, or prayers with us in the comment box below.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community/Toney UMC
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC/ Toney UMC
Please support and partner with my self and my family as we serve those God crosses our path with in our community with your one-time or monthly financial gift by clicking link below.Become our partner and support us in our ministries by becoming supporting us monthly or with a one-time gift. Thank you!
Good morning, Lord Jesus. Make me more like You today. ...
"We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; and not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies" (Romans 8:22-23).
We all have a destiny of greatness. We are all groaning for greatness. We are all yearning to be all we were created to be. We're yearning to be all You created us to be: forgiven for our sins, filled with Your Spirit, filled with your power and peace, and fulfilling our destiny as the sons and daughters of the King we are. May we settle for nothing less. As we seek to fill our hunger and fulfill our greatness and redemption in you, may we not try to satisfy our hunger with personal greatness and popularity, material possessions, and careers. May we hunger and thirst for more: more of You, more of Your love, more of Your grace, more of Your nature in our hearts and Your power in our lives.
Lord, let it be so. Set us free from complacency and give us fresh passion. Deliver us from the poverty of lacking a zeal for You and the fulfillment of Your Word and Your will in our lives. With an increasing, insatiable hunger for Your kingdom and Your righteousness, we're groaning for greatness in You (Matthew 6:33). And as we do, Your Word will be fulfilled: "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled!" (Matthew 5:6).
Hear God’s words for you, "Thus says the Lord who made the earth, the Lord who formed it to establish it -- the Lord is His name: Call to Me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known... I am going to bring (you) recovery and healing; I will heal (you) and reveal to (you) abundance of prosperity and security.... And (you) shall be to Me a name of joy, a praise and a glory before all the nations of the earth who shall hear of all the good that I do for (you); they shall fear and tremble because of all the good and all the prosperity I provide for (you)!" (Jeremiah 33:2-9)
My family, I pray you will be filled with a hunger and thirst for more of Jesus, that you groan for greatness, and that you will settle for nothing less than the greatness in the Lord and the great and awesome things He desires to do in you and through your life, in Jesus' name! Please pray the same of me. God bless you, my friends!
Please share your reflections and prayers in the comment box below.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Please support and partner with my self and my family as we serve those God crosses our path with in our community with your one-time or monthly financial gift by clicking link below.
Good morning Jesus, I begin this morning centering my day around you.
“Now Jesus went up the mountain and called for those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed twelve (whom he named apostles), so that they would be with him and he could send them to preach and to have authority to cast out demons. He appointed twelve: To Simon he gave the name Peter; to James and his brother John, the sons of Zebedee, he gave the name Boanerges (that is, “sons of thunder”); and Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.” (Mark 6:13-19)
Jesus called twelve people to be follow him, to be his disciples, to be members of his “church.” What was the first and most important thing Jesus required of them? To spend time with him. At the core of being a disciple, at being a follower of Jesus is the necessity of spending time with Jesus and developing a deep relationship with Him.
Jesus’ call of his disciples reveals three things. First, Jesus “called those he wanted” (v.13). Jesus’ wanted and desired a close, personal friendship with his followers. Jesus did not call them as a marketing plan or to hire workers. He did not call them with a “human resource model” of getting them to sign up to be greeters, ushers, childcare workers…and the list goes on. He simply wanted to spend time with them. Second, “they came to him.” (v.13) The disciples attraction was simply Jesus. It was not a program, building, or ministry. It was not because their spouse made them or out of guilt, shame or tradition. They came and desired to spend time with Jesus. Third, “So that they could be with him.” Though whole point of Jesus calling those to follow him was so so that they could be with him. Yes, he wanted to “send them out to preach and cast out demons” however all authority and power for them to be able to do this has its source and is only possible from a deep abiding relationship with Jesus.
What is the whole goal and purpose of your being a follower of Jesus? Why did Jesus save you, redeem you, and call you to follow him? To spend time with him. At the core of Jesus calling of you is his desires to personally and intimately spend time with you. At the core of your Christian walk needs to be a desire to personally and intimately block off time to spend with Jesus. I have found as a Christian leader that if I do a service project of some sort people willingly show to serve and work even though the tasks may be difficult and outside in hot or cold conditions. I have found that people willingly get up on Sunday mornings when they could sleep in, get dressed, get kids ready, get in their cars and drive to a church to attend a service. However, I have found that getting people to spend time daily with Jesus: to sit comfortably on a couch in their pajamas with a cup of coffee or tea in their own home and read the Bible and prayer, to simply be with Jesus, is a struggle for them.
Yet “doing” things: attending church services and programs, serving in a church or in a ministry, doing serviced ministry projects, and teaching or leading a church event is not at the core of Jesus call of you, and just as “DOING” things was not at the core of the first group he called to follow Him. It is “BEING” with Him. You must first desire to be with Jesus before you can go out and do things for Jesus. The great commandment, to love God with all you heart, soul, mind, and strength ( Mark 12:30) comes before and is a pre-requisite to fulfilling the great commission, “Go and make disciples.” (Matt. 28:18-20)
There is nothing myself or any other leader can do to get you to desire to spend time with Jesus. As much as Jesus desires to be with you, he can’t make you spend time daily with Him in Scriptures and prayer. All he can do is call out to you, and expectantly await your response.
My family, I pray today as you begin your work-week, you will come to realize that you salvation and your call to follow Jesus is not centered on “doing” things for Jesus, but “being” with Jesus. May you desire to be with the one who desires to be with you, Jesus Christ. Please pray the same for me! God bless you my friends!
Please share your reflections and prayers in the comment box below
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community/Toney UMC
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website: https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
Please support and partner with my self and my family as we serve as those in our community with your one-time or monthly financial gift by clicking link below.
Last Thursday night was Halloween. Ourfamily put on a Halloween gathering in our front yard for our neighborhood. We went all out on decorations in the front yard and moved our fire pit onto our driveway. We put out hot dogs, all kinds of chips, cupcakes, desserts, s’mores makings, coolers of soft drinks and beer, and got LOTS of candy. Then we had fun with our neighbors. We had well over 200 kids come and Trick or Treat us. And those kids all had at least a couple or more adults walking them around the neighborhood so we estimate we had 400 plus people stop by our party throughout the night. When the kids and parents came up to the house and asked what was going on, we told them to come and cook a hot dog and s’more and grab a drink. Their eyes would light up and say “Wow!” and they would head to the fire pit. Throughout the night we had people hang out around the fire, cook a hot dog or s’more with a stick over the fire, and get a drink. Hands were shaken, introductions were exchanged, and life stories were connected. Besides it being cold and the craziness of cars parked all over our streets the night went perfectly.
Everyone can reach their neighbors. This neighborhood party of 400-500 people was put together by my family and a couple others who each pitched in $20-$25 each for the food and drinks. We did not have spend money to trying to “draw” people or get them to “come to us” by renting large blow-up things for kids or provide carnival-type games. We leveraged the holiday as our draw. And we did not make them drive to us, we came to them in their neighborhood, and offered them a fire pit and friendship. I don’t know how many of my neighbors stopped and took time to take family pictures and “selfies” in our front yard. Imagine if a church of 200 families instead making everyone come to them for a "Harvest Festival" on Halloween divided the 200 families up in groups of 10 families and had 20 of these events at 20 houses around their city. It would be amazing!
Many of the people who came were people who don’t attend a church. That is who we hoped would come. People love Halloween so we did not “weird it out” by calling our gathering a “Harvest Festival” or as I saw a sign in front of one church a “Halleluiah Party.” Being real, non-church people do not want to attend either of these, they want to go to a Halloween Party. No one asked or cared if I am and Elder in the UMC, they just cared that I cared about their neighborhood. No formal prayer or liturgy was given but I shared stories around a fire pit. Through people talking around the fire pit it got out who we were. I had a couple fathers come up to me and said, “So you are a pastor? How is that? Or “Tell me about it.” Another woman who found out I was a “pastor” came up and shared about her 30 year old son who was addicted to heroin and she did not know what to do and asked if I would help her. A party of over 400 people took place “in the community” and God was glorified. And we “loved our neighbors as we love ourselves.” And our neighbors loved us back.
How are you known in your neighborhood or apartment complex? Not your church you attend, but you personally? If you were to move out would your neighbors miss you? Would they grieve the loss of you in their lives? You were not sent by God to a church. You may have been called to help serve and participate in a church, but it is your neighborhood or apartment complex you find yourself in to whom you are sent. You are sent into your neighborhood to be to them a tangible example of the kingdom of God in their lives. You are sent to be to them examples of salt and light, justice and mercy, love and compassion, partying and banqueting, laughter and dancing.
My family, I am asking you to take time to pray over this today however not in your house or apartment or where you usually spend your devotion time, but in your neighborhood. Go outside and spend time prayer walking your neighborhood. Take your spouse, children or roommate with you. As you walk, pray over the houses and apartments to which you have been sent. Pray for the Holy Spirit to give you opportunities to connect with your neighbors. Pray and come up with ways and events you can be to them tangible examples of salt and light, justice and mercy, love and compassion, partying and banqueting, laughter and dancing, in Jesus’ name. Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
Here is the invitation we handed out to every child with the candy. Looking forward to who God will bring into our house tonight. Who are you inviting into your home?
Happy Halloween!
We Love and wanted to bless our neighbors!
Because Jesus has loved and blessed us!
We would love to invite you back to our home to share a meal, share our stories, and share the story of Jesus together.
Your Invited!
When: Tuesday November 5th, 6:00pm-8:00pm
Where: Gary and Nancy Liederbach’s home 102 Champions Green Drive. Madison, Al
Who: All are welcomed, whether you know and have heard the story of Jesus for years or really don’t know who He is. It is our story’s we want to connect.
What: Casual, get to know each other, and plan future when, frequency and times to meet again.
Please RSVP if you plan on coming. Can’t make Tuesday however you still would like to connect at a future dinner, or want more information, please contact us as well with your info and we will keep you connected.
Gary & Nancy Liederbach email garyl@onedirection.community Text/Call: 256-302-3785
Thanks For Coming!
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Please share in the comment box below your reflections with us, as well as encourage us with ways you are tangible examples of Christ in your neighborhood.
Gary Liederbach
Email:Garyl@onedirection.community
Help us financially do what we do. Please click on the link below to our news and support letter and view photos and stories of One Direction Community’ ministries.
Good morning Jesus, this morning I again start my day at the foot of your cross, which restored me access again to the embrace of the Father, and the healing waters of the Holy Spirit.
“And all the country of Judea was going out to him, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins…In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.” Mark 1:5,9
Yesterday my message at the church was for an Awakening in our church and a tangible falling of the presence of God. Mark’s gospel states, “In those days Jesus came” (v.9). As a leader embracing my call to make disciples of Jesus, my main goal is to get people into a place, a situation, or an atmosphere where they will encounter Jesus. So when I read the phrase, “In those days Jesus came” my mind goes to, “What were “those days”? What was going on and happening; the place, situation or atmosphere that was conducive for Jesus to come? “Those days” recorded in Mark were a time when people were coming together in a massive way and confessing their sins, and seeking repentance and forgiveness of their sins. (v.4). They were not just stating problems or concerns, they were confessing their sins: their deep, personal acts, attitudes, choices and lifestyles that were keeping them from God. They were seeking repentance and forgiveness to “prepare the way” (v.2) for Jesus to come into their hearts. It was this into atmosphere of confession that facilitated “These days” that Jesus came.
I went to The New Room Conference a month ago. It was a conference on returning to Wesleyan roots of Holiness, Scripture, discipleship and praying into an Awakening in the church. During the conference was a session on prayer and confession to the Holy Spirit. There were over 1,700 people attending this session: pastors, bishops, church leaders and members. Now I know this may not seem like something proper “Methodist” do, but the presenter, Peter Grieg,, asked everyone in the auditorium to seek a space they could and lay face first on the floor before God. And the whole assembly did. And Pete led us into a worship time of confession and repentance of everything; actions, attitudes, choices, programs and plans that we have chosen as leaders and members in the church that we have put before simply loving and knowing the Father.
And face first on the floor I confessed all the strategizing, white-boarding, and striving I have put in place of simply loving God. I found myself with tears running down my face, listening to others sobbing face-first on the floor next to me and other around me. And the Spirit fell on the room and it became “ in those days Jesus came.” I and others experienced the love and the presence of Jesus and we laid there, sat there, prayed over each other, and rested in His presence for almost 2 hours.
It is in a “Those days,” an atmosphere of confession and repentance of sins that leads to an awakening, that leads to a revival, that leads to “Jesus came. I have attached a 27 minute video of a “those days”, a revival that took place at Asbury College in 1970 in which “Jesus came”. It began with a time of confession of sins. Please take time to watch it.
My family, I pray today that we together as a community, starting with you individually, will confess your sins: your deep, personal acts, attitudes, choices and lifestyles that are keeping you from God. May we come together today in repentance as a church to create an atmosphere into which we can experience “Jesus came.” Please pray the same for me. God bless you my friends!
Please share your prayers and reflections in the comment box below.
Join Us At The Well!
Friday, Nov, 8th from 7:30pm-10:00pm at Toney UMC in Toney Alabama we will meet to soak in living water and pray for an awakening! All are welcomed Click on the button for more information.
Gary Liederbach- Lead Follower
One Direction Community
Email: garyl@onedirection.community
Website:https://www.onedirection.community
Facebook: One Direction Community-ODC
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I could use you’re the gift of your financial support for my family and those on the margins God has placed in my path I refuse to walk around. Please partner and support my family and ministries through setting up a monthly donation or a one –time gift by clicking the link below. Donation checks can be made out to ODC, 102 Champions Green Drive, Madison, Al 35758.
Thank You!
Today we are on our final day of the 30 Day Discipleship Challenge. We have spent a month together being encouraged and challenged in our call to become disciples of Jesus Christ who multiply and make Disciples of Jesus Christ. What is next?
If you desire to continue on in this process, and I pray you do, you must personally answer this question, “Am I a disciple worth multiplying?” God does not desire to multiply mediocrity. He desires to multiply those who exhibit immediate, radical, costly, obedience. Discipleship is the act and process of modeling and conforming yourself to Christ. You must have the desire to examine and improve your personal prayer life and walk with Jesus before you can step into trying to examine and improve your community and get others to walk with Jesus.
Discipleship as a life-long process of growing… becoming more and more like Jesus. As God reveals thoughts, attitudes, and actions that are not “Christ-like,” a committed apprentice responds by changing to be more like Christ.
If you are, if you are committed “change”, committed to keep going in this life long process of becoming a disciple of Jesus, I would love to walk with you for a season. I lead a 9 week Discipleship 101 training that goes deeper into the principles presented in this 30 day Challenge where we can model discipleship together out in the community that I would love to walk you through at my home or go to your church or small group. I also would love to talk with anyone who is praying about starting a simple house church type gathering in their home and walk alongside you as your prepare, launch it and grow your ministry in your home, a restaurant or bar, community center, nursing home, or other location. I will help you no matter what denomination or church you attend. Discipleship has nothing to do with denominations or increasing my territory but increasing the territory of the God’s kingdom. If you live outside of the Huntsville area, when you click on the link you will see a 10 week training called Zume. It is a online training you can do at home or your church with just a couple people. I am also the Zume coach over the Nashville to Birmingham area. My email is garyl@odcmadison.com, Cell is 256-302-3785. Contact me about any of these or other ministry ideas, questions or comments.
I am fasting today in prayer over you on this final day of the challenge and your response. That’s all I can do. I have no control over how seriously you were committed to this challenge the past 30 days and engaged, participated in, and applied to you life daily each activity. I also have no control over your future commitment to be a disciple of Jesus worth multiplying. It is up to you. Many in Scriptures, throughout history and today when contemplating their call to discipleship found it to hard and walked away. Jesus gives you that free will as well. But if not you, then who? And if not now, then when? Remember that quote from Martin Luther, “Delay is the sharpest arrow in the enemy’s quiver.”.
Much love,
Gary
Link to Day 30 challenge:
Good morning Lord Jesus, Father ad Spirit I rest here i the quiet of my morning seeking complete unity of all that I am with all that you are…
Today's challenge looks reaching out to the lost, those who don't know the love of Jesus Christ. This passage comes to my mind. My thoughts on it follow.
"There was a rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate was laid a poor man named Lazarus, covered with sores, who desired to be fed with what fell from the rich man's table. Moreover, even the dogs came and licked his sores. The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried, and in Hades, being in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he called out, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house— for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’ But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’ And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’” Luke 16:19-32.
One thing I understand from this passage is that there is compassion for the lost in hell. The rich man begs for his 5 brothers to be warned about the reality of hell and separation from God. Even though they rejected life in Christ, those in hell have compassion and beg and plead that their loved ones and other do not join them. You and I who do know the love and life in Christ Jesus, how much greater and urgent should our outreach be to those who don't know Christ? If you cannot invest the time it takes in discipleship and strive to imitate our Lord Jesus Christ in heaven, please at least imitate those in in hell and their compassion for the lost.
Link to today's day 29 challenge:
When you click on the link and go to the Day 29 challenge, the link to the first video of the challenge is broken. Here is the link to that 2 minute video that is part of today’s challenge.
I am willing to walk with you deeper ito discipleship if you are. I am willing to go beyond "church" as simply Sunday morning worship and Bible studies if you are. Pray about this. If you would like more information, coaching, or mentoring on Discipleship, please contact me Gary Liederbach at garyl@onedirection.community.
Good morning Lord Jesus, fill me with your Spirit’s presence as I start my week so I may be your presence in the world throughout the week.
There were four steps to Jesus discipleship process with his disciples.
I do, you watch.
I do, you help.
You do, I help.
You do.
I do, you watch: Jesus did the action, demonstrated what the kingdom of God and discipleship looked like, while the disciples watched. Many Examples: Mark 3:1-6, Jesus heals a man's withered hand, Mark4:35-41, Jesus Calms the storm.
I do, you help: Jesus performs the action, but the disciples help: Mark 6:30-44 Jesus feeds the 5 Thousand. Matt. 14:22-33, Jesus and Peter walk on water.
You do, I help: The disciples did the action, while jesus helped: Mark 6:7-13 Jesus sends out the 12.
You do, I watch: Acts of the Apostles and today.
The problem with most churches today is they skip steps 2 and 3. They go straight from step 1, "I do, you watch" to step 4, "You do." People come to church on Sunday morning and sit in seats and watch people perform for them live on stage. They watch professionals who have spent days and months planning sermon series, meetings with worship teams and time spent preparing sermons and rehearsing songs. Then Monday morning comes and they are "live on stage" at their work, school, in daily life and they dod not know how to share their testimony, the Gospel, or reach someone for Christ because they were never mentored and guided through the most important steps: I do, you help and You do I help. And pastors and church leadership teams wonder why people are not becoming or making disciples! They wonder why people do not understand the cost of discipleship and tithe! It is because they themselves were never discipled. Worship services and Sunday morning services and Bible studies are not steps 2 & 3.
It takes a commitment to and an investment in time by both the church (you and I) and those being discipled. Commitment to going through this 30 day discipleship challenge. I lead a 9 week Discipleship 101 training I would love to use to invest time into you. I am willing to walk with you deeper ito discipleship if you are. I am willing to go beyond "church" as simply Sunday morning worship and Bible studies if you are. Pray about this.
Link to today's day 28 Challenge:
If you would like more information, coaching, or mentoring on Discipleship, please contact me Gary Liederbach at garyl@onedirection.community.
Good morning Lord Jesus, As the Father sent you into the world to make disciples, I acknowledge and accept that you have sent me as well
Today's challenge is pretty much "were the rubber meets the road." Todays challenge is when you will either exhibit Immediate Radical Costly Obedience, take action and use this past months challenge for the purpose of making disciples who make disciples, or check it off as another "nice" or "good" study, put it in your "done file", and begin looking forward to what will begin in 3 days.
Obedience is how we show our love to God.
Jesus said, "If you love me you will obey my commandments." John 14:15. "Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my word, and my Father will love him, and will come and take up residence with him." "What do you think? A man had two sons. He went to the first and said, "Son, go work in the vineyard today." the Boy answered. 'I will not." But later he had a change of heart and went. The father went to the other son and said the same thing. The boy answered, "I will sir," but did not go. Which one did his father's will? They said, the first." (Matt 21:28-31.0 Just saying "yes" to the salvation of Jesus, but not living into and using that salvation given in Jesus, is a waste of that salvation. 90% of all Christians will not share the Gospel with one person in in a year. 75% won’t sure it in their life time.
If not now, then when? If not you, then who? I am praying over today's challenge and praying over you. I would love to personally pray with you over today's challenge. And I have resources for you to help start your gathering in your home. Please use me.
Link to todays Discipleship challenge: Day 27:
If you would like more information, coaching, or mentoring on Discipleship, please contact me Gary Liederbach at garyl@onedirection.community.
Today’s challenge looks at Eveangelism.
Dr. Tuttle was a professor at Asbury Theological Seminary that I attended and was an amazing man of God. He had a heart and gift for sharing the Gospel. One of his sayings I remember the most is what he asks after entering every room, no matter where it is, “Is everyone in here saved?”
Another I remember was, “My believing in the uniqueness in faith in Jesus Christ, doesn’t make me right, but it sure makes me an evangelist.” – (in response to how can you be so narrow-minded as to assume the uniqueness of faith in Christ.)
In the “Ministry of Evangelism” course Dr. Tuttle told us in his class one day, “Do something, even if it’s wrong,” I had to wrestle with the notion that God would be okay with me doing something for Him that He hadn’t personally given the official stamp of approval over, as long as I prayed over it. I originally believed that I should act only after receiving God’s official “go-ahead.” Dr. Tuttle challenged me (more than he could ever know) with that one little sentence.
As you know I have followed God’s calling into vocation of ministry full time, and I still seek God’s guidance on a regular basis, but I am no longer shackled by my desire to receive the divine “Do it.” Some wonderful, Kingdom-expanding ministries, amazing encounters with Christ, have begun as a result of Dr. Tuttle pausing from his sentence, looking at each person in the class, and saying, “Do something even if it’s wrong.” My understanding of evangelism has a slogan, and I can thank Dr. Tuttle for giving it to me.”
Dr. Tuttle also said that 90% of evangelism is just being present where you are. Not thinking about where you came from, or what’s next on your list, but being present with the people and situation you find yourself in. Praying before you go into a location that the Holy Spirit will give you an unavoidable opportunity to share the Gospel with someone is huge. It is a prayer he honors and answers.
Link to today's day 26 challenge:
Spiritual Warfare
The song, "There is power in the name of Jesus, to break every chain..." came to my mind as i read today's challenge. There is power in Jesus. In the battlefield of spiritual warfare, claiming the name of Jesus, claiming the power of Jesus, claiming to be in Jesus through the presence of the Holy Spirit in you is the ultimate weapon. But the Holy Spirit is a consuming fire. He is not a lap dog that you can beckon to come and go, and there is nothing domesticated about Him. So you do not "play" with Him or flippantly throw out the name of Jesus. Like handling a powerful, explosive weapon, there is a sense of awe, respect, and fear involved.
Acts 19:13-16 (NASB)
13But also some of the Jewish exorcists, who went from place to place, attempted to name over those who had the evil spirits the name of the Lord Jesus, saying, "I adjure you by Jesus whom Paul preaches." 14Seven sons of one Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. 15And the evil spirit answered and said to them, "I recognize Jesus, and I know about Paul, but who are you?" 16And the man, in whom was the evil spirit, leaped on them and subdued all of them and overpowered them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.
When I went to Darfur, Sudan, the region was and still is an extremely dangerous and violent region. Some team members before we left the states for Sudan requested permission to carry a hand gun. We were told you can bring a hand gun but once you carry one, in the view of the military forces in the area, you are no longer a civilian on a mission, you are a soldier on a mission, and they do not play around. You do not carry it for show. If you are going to carry a gun, you better make sure in your inner being that you are willing to use it, without hesitation on another human being, because the Islamic military personnel will not even blink an eye at using their weapons on you.
What you need to understand, is that when you accept Christ's call as a disciple, to reach out into darkness with light and choose to carry a cross, the way you are viewed in the worlds eye is changed. You are no longer a civilian in the world's system under the Ruler of the World; empathetic, complacent, selfishly withdrawn and docile. You are viewed as a soldier under the command of Jesus your Lord. And just as real and plain as the Darfur illustration, is the seriousness and the life and death consequences of your decision. You do not carry a cross and follow your call to be a disciple for "show." Because it is something neat and cutting edge, and being a disciple sounds cool. You are attempting to to build an outpost in enemy territory, and there is a enemy who hates it. If you are going to carry a cross you better embrace the serious military and warfare implications of Ephesians 6:10-18. Take seriously its call to put on the full armor of God and arm yourself with the sword of the spirit. For there is an enemy who has come to kill, steal and destroy (Jn 21:25) who also will not blink an eye in using his weapons on you. Press into Jesus who's battle it is and who's victory it is. So when the evil spirits look at you, with terrified eyes they will see Jesus, and tremble with fear.
Understand the view as a cross bearer for Christ you have in the world's eyes. Read Ephesians 6:10-18, and pray yourself into the full armor of God. Then close your eyes and visualize the victorious Christ reigning in you, your family and your neighborhood.
Read Ephesians 6:19-20. Pray those two verses over yourself, and each member your church. Pray them also over 5 people you know who are Gospel bearers.
link to today's day 25 challenge: Day 25: Persecution
If you would like more information, coaching, or mentoring on Discipleship, please contact me Gary Liederbach at garyl@onedirection.community.
Good morning Lord Jesus, Humble me in your sight oh Lord that I may conform to your will for me this day.
When I hear someone say, "I do not need to go to church, I can get all the God I need at home with my Bible," I cringe inside. Do the Scriptures contain everything needed for salvation? Absolutely. Does isolation allow you you experience, live into, and fully take part in that salvation you received? Also;ute;y not.
Say you wanted to be a football player. You could get books on football and spend months reading them. You could read play books of great coaches. You could get videos of football and spend hours at home watching them. When your done, do you know what it is like to be a football player, No. It is not until you take the field and join a team that you see what being a football player is like. In the practices, hands on applications, and then on game day when you hear the crowd, make the big play and feel the exhileration and connection with your team do you experience what it is like to be a football player.
In the same way, you can spend years in your room reading the Bible and other books on Christianity. You can download sermons and teachings from great men and women of faith. You can place a kneeler in you living room and spend hours there in prayer. At the end of that time do you know what it is like to be a Christian, No. It is only when you go out and join in the body of Christ, serve, minister, worship, and be vulnerable to and with others do you understand what it is like to live out your salvation. When you are active with the church, serving and worshipping, giving and sharing burdens, and encounter the Holy Spirit in that interaction with others that you truly experience what is the joy, hope, love of being a Christian.
One Week left of our 30 Day Discipleship Challenge. Please post as a comment ways you have recently experienced living out your salvation in the body of Christ.
If you would like more information, coaching, or mentoring on Discipleship, please contact me Gary Liederbach at garyl@onedirection.community.
Yesterday we looked at the necessity of being able to self-feed your self in Scripture. Today we look at your ability to self-feed yourself in prayer. In today's video, Curtis talk's about our need to pray, prayer as evangelism and the importance of prayer walking. I agree with him completely. The more seriously I take my calling to be a disciple and to make disciples, the more seriously I understand the absolute necessity of prayer if I in any way want to be successful. To be able to be able to follow Jesus and be His disciple, we must be able to hear His voice. At the heart of building a church that desperately wants to be disciples and make disciples has to be a heart of prayer. It can't just be a church with a prayer ministry, it has to be a church that prays. And who is the "Church?" You an I. We need to pray.
Link to todays day 23 challenge:
The Biblical focus of this challenge is The Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew chapters 5-7. Spend time in S.O.A.P.S. feeding on these chapters throughout the challenge.
If you would like more information, coaching, or mentoring on Discipleship, please contact me Gary Liederbach at garyl@onedirection.community
Good morning Lord Jesus, Father and Spirit; Father, Spirit, help me to love The Son the way you love Him…
We have about 8 days left in this challenge. Today we begin to put some of the steps we have been working together and look at the outline of forming a discipleship community or house church. The formation of this is key to continuing your formation as a Disciple of Christ and leading others to become disciples who make disciples in the days past the 30 days of this challenge. Your call and challenge to grow as a disciples of Christ and grow others into disciples of Christ is not just a 30 day challenge, it is a life-long calling of Christ. This 30 day period is designed to jump-start your faith for all the days following it. This challenge is a reminder and encouragement of that calling.
In the link for this week, what they call a CHAT group is the same thing as what we call a Band Group.
Link to today's challenge for August 22nd, day 22:
Good morning Lord Jesus, you are my all and all, I want to be all you made me to be.
In my ministry with people and making disciples, wether they are brand new Christians, recovering addicts, seasoned church goers or those who are nominal Christians, the only real success I have found in people to conform themselves to the image of Christ, growing deeper in Christ, and discipleship are those those who commit to self-feeding in their faith. The main purpose of the church is not to the sole source of feeding you. Maybe for a short time when you first come to Christ to get you started, but every Christian needs to practice, develop and pour into being able to pick up a Bible, read it, hear God and be fed from it. And devote themselves daily to a time of prayer.
Allan Hirsch illustrates the church to a nursing mother. Many people view the church as a nursing mother where they come and suck and feed from it. A mother breast feeds her child for 8 months to a year. There is a trend today to go longer, but breast feeding for 4 years? 10 years?, if she does it for 15 years they are both going to jail! The child needs to learn to feed themselves to grow up healthy and mature. His illustration is that so many Christians are latched on to a church like a breast with the mindset of a consumer child coming that the church exists to feed them. Unfortunately, some churches and pastors instill that mindset in their parishioners.
You want to see a real change, a real miracle in you life:
Get up Sunday morning (yes before church) and read your bible and pray for 30-60 minutes
Get up Monday morning and read your bible and pray for 30-60 minutes
Get up Tuesday morning and read your bible and pray for 30-60 minutes
Get up Wednesday morning and read your bible and pray for 30-60 minutes
Get up Thursday morning and read your bible and pray for 30-60 minutes
Get up Friday morning and read your bible and pray for 30-60 minutes
Saturday morning you could sleep in, but you get up in the morning and read your bible and pray for 30-60 minutes
Wether it is morning, afternoon, evening, if you dedicate yourself and commit your self to doing this, at the end of a month, 3 months, 6 months, you will see a real change, I would say a real miracle in your life. A change in your life only God can do as your life conforms more and more to Christ . The miracle comes only from God, however only you can decide if you are willing to prioritize and invest the time in prayer and reading Scripture to receive it.
Link to today's Day 21 challenge:
The Biblical focus of this challenge is The Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew chapters 5-7. Spend time reading and reflecting on these chapters throughout the challenge.
Format reminder for the 30 Day Discipleship Challenge:
Daily: After reading my reflections, go to link for that day of challenge, read daily Bible passage and commentary, watch the 3-4 minute video, and then spend time in prayer over them and the completion of the action for that day.
Weekly: Pick a day that works for you and spend one day a week fasting in prayer over becoming a deeper disciple of Christ.
Frequently: Please Post a reflection, prayer , question, in the comment box below for discussion.
If you would like more information, coaching, or mentoring on Discipleship, please contact me Gary Liederbach at garyl@onedirection.community.
Good morning Jesus, I begin my day in awe of the one died for me….
You may have noticed an underlying theme through these first 20 weeks. That of personnel implementation and application of the life of Christ in your life. I have two daughters who are now a sophomore and junior in college. As the begin their life away from home on their own will they continue to seek after God and attend church? I pray they will. And I have been preparing them not simply by teaching them my beliefs of God, who I believe God is from the pulpit and Bible classes, but also by getting them to see and experience who "their God" is. The only way they will want continue to seek a deeper relationship with God through Christ is if they experience their salvation in a way that it does not become just "the Gospel of Jesus Christ", but "their Gospel of Jesus Christ." Being a pastors kid won't, shame and guilt will improperly motivate them for a time, but it will never sustain them to follow Christ. And these means will never motivate you to continue to seek a relationship with God. Sitting listening to sermons, in Bible classes, reading teaches on the Bible and Jesus are good, but what are you doing, how are you spending time, where are you going to experience, taste, see, meditate, fall in love, and come to know Jesus in a personal way? Post some ways you personalize and make the Gospel your own.
S.O.A.P.S is technique of reading scripture that helps you personalize and implement Scriptures into your daily life.
Link to today's day 20 Challenge:
I lead a SOAPS Bible group on Wednesday evenings at Toney UMC from 6:30pm-8:00pm. You are welcomed to join us! Start your own in your home!
The Biblical focus of this challenge is The Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew chapters 5-7. Spend time reading and reflecting on these chapters throughout the challenge
If you would like more information, coaching, or mentoring on Discipleship, please contact me Gary Liederbach at garyl@onedirection.community.
Good morning Lord Jesus, Spirit of the living God fall afresh on me….
Sharing the Gospel with others is at the basics of the Christian faith. Yet unfortunately, in my time spent in various churches and conversations with Christians I am usually surprised when people can share the Gospel. Most churches do not train or put their parishioners in situations that require them to share the Gospel. I am even more surprised when one presents the Gospel with joy and zeal. The zeal like that of an 80 year old woman sitting in the first pew who may not be able to hardly move, but if you get anywhere near her she will tell you about the Gospel with a light and a love and a zeal that is undeniable. She shares out of a heart not just because it is The Gospel, but because it is her Gospel! it is a personal Gospel of what God has done and is doing in her life! It is a Gospel shared in joy.
I believe the greatest hindrance of non-Christians accepting the Gospel today is not hypocrisy; that they see Christians say one thing and do another. It is also not because of lack of morality; because you can have a church that is full of good people that is still declining. It is because of the lack of joy when one does share the gospel with another and the lack of joy in the everyday lives of Christians. I mean why would somebody want to join or be part of something that does not appear to bring joy to those who belong to it?
Link to today's day 19 Challenge:
Please share your reflection on sharing the Gospel in the comment box below
The Biblical focus of this challenge is The Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew chapters 5-7. Spend time reading and reflecting on these chapters throughout the challenge
If you would like more information, coaching, or mentoring on Discipleship, please contact me Gary Liederbach at garyl@onedirection.community.
Good morning Lord Jesus, remind me today that I will not only over come this world by the blood of the lamb, but also by the words of my testimony..
In yesterday's challenge I stated that your accepting Christ as your Lord and Savior, as amazing and important decision as it was, does nothing to impact your neighborhood or community if it just remains personal knowledge that you fail to share with anyone. We all have a testimony of how the grace and love of God has impacted and changed our lives and we need to share it with others. Remember my explanation of orthopraxy+orthodoxy= Christian life in day 13 of this challenge? Attending a Bible study at your church is good. Spending time in and understanding the Scriptures is great. But if all you are doing is attending and reading and looking at John chapter 1. And then then next week looking at John chapter 2. And so on and so forth without intentionally making a list of people and then sharing with them what you learned weekly from that Bible study, you gain "head knowledge" of God, but never put it into practice. Todays challenge is HUGE, as your obedience to completing it will ultimately impact the effectiveness of this challenge. Don't make it into another Bible study. It was never intended to be. It was meant to be a challenge.
Link to today's challenge:
Post your comments and feelings on sharing your testimony below.
The Biblical focus of this challenge is The Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew chapters 5-7. Spend time reading and reflecting on these chapters throughout the challenge
If you would like more information, coaching, or mentoring on Discipleship, please contact me Gary Liederbach at garyl@onedirection.community.
