Finding your place

Find Your Place In Ministry
Understand how God knit you together for ministry.

Welcome to Find Your Place, a segment of BuidingChurch.net devoted to (1) helping every member of the Body of Christ recognize that God has called them to be a minister in the Body, (2) recognize that God has uniquely qualified each individual to minister in a unique way within the body, and also (3) to help members of the body of Christ in finding that particular place of ministry God has for them.

"Now, there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit;
and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord;
and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone."
1 Corinthians 12:4-6

1) Developing a Personal Ministry Profile

The Find Your Place program is designed to be a tool to assist you in defining your place in ministry in your local church. The overall objective of this program is to help you develop a Personal Ministry Profile, which you can use to help you identify which ministries at your church God has uniquely qualified you to be a part of. By developing your PMP, it is our desire that you will be able to more clearly see what you particular strengths and giftings are and what area of ministry God has called you to so that you will have a clearer vision for what part God would have you to play in the Body of Christ at your local church.

"Now, there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit;
and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord;
and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone."
1 Corinthians 12:4-6

There are five elements of a PMP that this program will address. Certain elements of the PMP are more important to the life of the Body of Christ, or are often misunderstood by the Body of Christ. Therefore, the Find Your Place program will spend greater amounts of time developing these areas of the profile, and give you basic guidelines on the other portions.

The five elements of a PMP are:
1. Spiritual Gifts
2. Temperament (or personality type)
3. Natural Talents and Learned Skills
4. Life Experiences, and
5. Heart’s Call

The contents of your evaluations will be only for your information, and you will not be asked to turn back your results to the church. Therefore, we want you to be honest and open when evaluating yourself and take into consideration that while we should all have certain good qualities as Christians, there are differences in motives and in ways of expressing the unique character that God has gifted each of us with. The final portion of the Find Your Place program will explain to you how you can use your PMP with the Every Member In Ministry Commitment Card in order to find an appropriate place of ministry within the Body of Christ at Lakeview Baptist Church. Hopefully you can use the example of Lakeview's EMIM program to help you identify the ministry God has for you in your local church.

As a member of the Body of Christ, you are crucial to the overall health and strength of the body. We will only function as effectively as God intended if each member is doing its part. That is why we have a strong conviction that each member have a place of ministry, and we hope the Find Your Place program will give you information that will be helpful in finding the place of service that God intends for you to have within the local body.

PMP Part 1: Spiritual Gifts

This portion of your PMP is designed to assist you in identifying your strengths as specifically relating to ministry and service in the local church. Its primary purpose is to enable you to pinpoint areas of ministry for which you are most likely gifted. There are many other resources available that can assist you in exploring further your gifts and strengths.

"Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant."
1 Corinthians 12:1 (NIV)

The following spiritual gifts inventory, Gifted2Serve, was developed for the distinct purpose of helping the members of Lakeview Baptist Church know their own spiritual gifts, and how each of the gifts is used within our church. Keep in mind when you score yourself that most of these are desirable traits for a Christian to have, and giving yourself a 0 or 1 on a particular trait does not mean that you are unspiritual, but rather that it is not a primary motivating factor for you as an individual.

Also keep in mind that the church will not be looking at your individual answers to particular questions, but rather using the overall information to highlight areas in which you are especially gifted and motivated. Once your primary areas of ministry strength are identified, you can then use this information to identify specific service opportunities which may be of interest to you.

"All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills."
1 Corinthians 12:11

As you discover your spiritual gifts, realize that God has called you to use your gifts for the edification of the Body of Christ, and begin to think about how God would have you use your spiritual gifts within the local body.

". . . All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church."
1 Corinthians 14:26b (NIV)

"For as in one body we all have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them . . ."
Romans 12:4-6

Gifted2Serve is a spiritual gifts inventory you can take online. Included are detailed definintions for each of the spiritual gifts.

Click here for the Gifted2Serve main page

The class notes for Find Your Place contain more information about how the gifts are used in the local church.

Click here for Find Your Place class notes

Understanding Your Temperament

The temperament evaluation is designed to assist you in identifying your temperament or personality strengths and weaknesses as they specifically relate to ministry and service in the local church. It is not designed to put you into a box or a mold, but rather to enable you to understand why you are motivated the way you are and what some of the accompanying weaknesses might naturally be. In turn, you can use this information to assist in finding a ministry or service area that best utilizes your unique strengths.

Also be aware that other people in the Body have a different personality than you, and therefore will often react differently than you in particular situations. While this can become a problem if not understood, we hope that this portion of Find Your Place will enable the members of the church to operate peacefully within their differences.

"Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other, as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony."
Colossians 3:12-14

Due to copyright laws, the temperament sorter is not available online. I suggest using David Keirsey’s Temperament Sorter in his book, Please Understand Me.

An online version is available online: http://www.advisorteam.com/user/ktsintro.asp

Keep in mind that the church will not be looking at your answers, but rather using the overall information to highlight areas in which you are especially gifted and motivated. Once your primary areas of ministry strength are identified, you can then use this information to identify specific service opportunities which may be of interest to you.

"But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh . . . But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."
Galatians 5:16, 22-23

Natural Talents and Learned Skills

God gave each of us natural talents. Some of us have a talent for music, others for carpentry, and still others have other natural talents. Natural talents are different from spiritual gifts in that every person, whether they are Christians or not, have natural talents. God gave us these natural talents for the distinct purpose of bringing Him glory. While we may use these talents for things that seem "secular," or apart from the church, everything we do should be as a ministry unto God. Also, we should try to use our natural talents within the Body of Christ, as well.

"Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ."
Colossians 3:23-24

This concept of our "secular" activities extending into our ministry includes more than natural talents. The vocational and other learned skills that we have accumulated over the course of our lifetime should also be considered a part of our PMP. We must all realize that our ministry is not limited to the church building, but should extend to every aspect of our lives at every moment.

"Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!"
Psalm 90:17

Perhaps the strongest example of how natural talents and learned skills can be used in determining your place in ministry is in the life of the apostle Paul. Paul’s two primary skill elements surrounded his trade as a tentmaker (or worker with leather, Acts 18:3) and his training as a Pharisee (Philippians 3:5-6). In several cities, such as Athens and Thessalonica, Paul used his vocation as a tentmaker as an "excuse" to be in the marketplace. While in the marketplace, his superior training as a Pharisee gave him authority and ability in debate and preaching (Acts 17:17, 1 Thes 2:9).

On a piece of paper, prayerfully think through the natural talents and learned skills that God has given you over the course of your lifetime. As you consider these various skills, begin to consider possible ways that God wants you to use these talents and skills in ministry within His body, so that He might receive the glory for the use of those talents and skills.

"Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!"
Psalm 115:1

On a piece of paper, make a chart with a list of natural talents and learned skills down the left-hand column. Then, in the right-hand column, prayerfully consider some ways that God may be asking you to use those talents and skills in ministry, both within the church and as a way to bring glory to Himself in the "secular" world.

For help in filling in this chart, consider your spiritual gifts. Are any of these gifts the product of a "God-empowered talent"? Sometimes (but not always) God chooses to take the talents He has already given us and glorifying them into spiritual gifts.

"Hide not your talents. They for use were made. What's a sundial in the shade?"
Benjamin Franklin

Life Experiences

Theologians often call history "His-story," because all of history is the story of God revealing himself to man and seeking to redeem His creation unto Himself. Therefore, each of us has a story. Anyone who has taken part in evangelism training has been asked to develop the story of their personal spiritual pilgrimage, because testimony is an extremely effective tool in evangelism. God uses every aspect of our lives, good or bad, to shape us into the ministers He calls us to be. In this portion of the PMP, you will be asked to consider your history. What has happened in your life that has caused you to be uniquely qualified for a specific area of ministry?

Consider Paul’s testimony in Acts 22:3-21:

What elements of Paul’s story before he met Jesus has he used in this testimony?

What elements of Paul’s conversion experience has he used in this story and what purpose do these elements serve?

What changes did his conversion make, and what elements of his story drive his ministry?

"And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose."
Romans 8:28

This concept of our "secular" activities extending into our ministry includes more than natural talents. The vocational and other learned skills that we have accumulated over the course of our lifetime should also be considered a part of our PMP. We must all realize that our ministry is not limited to the church building, but should extend to every aspect of our lives at every moment.

Understanding the elements of Paul’s testimony in Acts 22, consider you own story. Prayerfully make a list of events in your life, experiences that you have had, that may give you insight on a direction in ministry within the body.

What experiences before salvation could affect your place in ministry?

What do the elements of your conversion experience tell you about your call to ministry?

What events have occurred in your life as a Christian that have uniquely molded you for ministry?

Your Heart's Call

Up to this point, Find Your Place has been studying concepts from Scripture that help you understand how God has put you together. The final portion of your PMP is meant to knit all of the other portions together in such a way that you can begin to understand specifically how God wants you to minister in the Body of Christ.

As you review the other portions of your PMP, you may notice that the elements may point to specific areas of ministry, but quite often, they may show you what areas of ministry you do not belong in. Even as you look over the other elements, there are probably still a large number of ministry areas that you would appear qualified to be a part of. Therefore, this portion pulls the elements together by asking one simple question: "What has God called you to do?"

". . . I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received."
Ephesians 4:1b (NIV)

This portion of the PMP is called "Your Heart’s Call" for a reason. God has called each one of us to specific places of ministry within the Body. He has uniquely gifted and trained us to serve in these ministries. When we discover the ministry that God has called us to, we find great satisfaction and fulfillment in bringing Him glory through doing the work of the ministry. Great enthusiasm results when we are fulfilling the calling that God made us for.

For the purposes of the PMP, your heart’s call is simply the "thing" that God has burned into your heart to do for His mission on earth.

Before you consider this portion of your PMP, consider some people in your own life. Who around you seems to be overridden with enthusiasm or passion for a specific area of ministry? Think of a few people who seem extremely enthusiastic and what their passion is, and what about their behavior lets you know that it is their overriding passion?

The Apostle Paul's passion:

"God, whom I serve with my whole heart in preaching the Gospel of his Son . . ."
Romans 1:9 (NIV)

"Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart."
2 Corinthians 4:1

Paul’s heart’s call was to preach the Gospel and plant churches among the Gentiles (Gal 1:15-16).

Now, prayerfully consider what God has placed in you as your heart’s call.

"I will bless the Lord who give me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me."
Psalm 16:7

What is the one thing that you are involved with that drives you and gives you great satisfaction?

What is the one thing that you would love to have an opportunity to do for God or to advance His kingdom?

"God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him."
John Piper

"The heart of a man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps."
Proverbs 16:9

". . . Doing the will of God from the heart."
Ephesians 6:6b


Every Member In Ministry

Congratulations! You have now completed your Personal Ministry Profile! As you have worked through the various elements of your PMP, you have probably begun to understand the areas of ministry where God has uniquely qualified and called you to serve. Now, it is time for you to consider how you are going to use this calling for ministry within the context of the local church, specifically, at Lakeview Baptist Church.

God has given certain people within the church the specific responsibility of equipping the other members to effectively minister according to their calling. That is why the staff at Lakeview is called the Equipping Staff, rather than the Ministerial Staff or Pastoral Staff as it is known at other churches. Each of our staff ministers considers it his/her job to equip the members of the church to serve in their area of ministry according to God’s calling.

"And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ . . ."
Ephesians 4:11-13

At Lakeview, we have developed the Every Member In Ministry program as a source of accountability for each of the members of this local body. We have recognized that God has called everyone who is a Christian to a specific area of ministry, and that the Body works best when every member is fulfilling their God-given assignment. Each November we ask each member to commit to at least one specific ministry within the church in the coming year. This way, we have a way to be accountable to each other to be fulfilling our calling throughout the year.

Now that you have a basic understanding of how God has uniquely qualified you for ministry in the Body through your Personal Ministry Profile, each year, when you receive your EMIM Commitment Card, prayerfully consider where you will serve and how it will most glorify God. If you are still unsure of where God wants you to serve within our local body, remember that God has called the staff and others to be equippers for ministry-feel free to seek guidance in finding your place in ministry.

"As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whover speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength God supplies--in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen."
1 Peter 4:10-11

Bibliography

Colson, Charles, The Body (Dallas, TX, Word Publishing: 1996).

Foster, Richard J., Celebration of Discipline, The Path to Spiritual Growth (New York, HarperCollins Publishers: 1998).

*Hemphill, Ken, The Official Rule Book for the New Church Game (Nashville, Broadman Press: 1990).

Ogden, Greg, The New Reformation: Returning the Ministry to the People of God (Grand Rapids, MI, Zondervan Publishing House: 1990).

Stedman, Ray C. Body Life (Grand Rapids, MI, Discovery House Publishers: 1995).

*Wagner, C. Peter, Your Spiritual Gifts Can Help Your Church Grow (Ventura, CA, Regal Books: 1994).

Whitney, Donald S., Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life (Colorado Springs, CO, Navpress: 1991).

*Wilkes, C. Gene, Jesus On Leadership: Becoming A Servant Leader (Nashville, LifeWay Press: 1996).

Calvary Baptist Church, Documents, Discovering Your Spiritual Gifts.

All scripture quoted is from the English Standard Version, unless noted.

Note: “*” Indicates highly recommended for further understanding of the principles studied in Find Your Place. Some materials are suggested for further understanding of the theological basis for the Every Member In Ministry program. Other materials are suggested based on the content of the EMIM Discovery Class at Lakeview Baptist Church. The class notes are available on this site.

Find Your Place is ©2001, Andrew P. Kulp - adapted from the Find Your Place curriculum developed for Lakeview Baptist Church, Auburn, AL.



Spiritual Disciplines
The Basics of the Christian Life

BuildingChurch.net on Spiritual Disciplines

This section contains information I have developed related to basic Christian living through spiritual disciplines. Much of this is developed as part of a new members class for the church. For Adobe Acrobat files, download the Acrobat Reader here.

In order to understand the importance of spiritual disciplines in the Christian life, especially as a foundation upon which to build the particular ministry to which God has called each and every Christian, I highly suggest reading through the exposition of Romans 12 found in the Find Your Place Class Notes, Session 1, Part 2 -- The Individual in the Church.

In order for God to be most glorified in us, Christians are to seek to do his will. Additionally, His grace should drive us to it. When we reflect on God's grace, our thankfulness and humility will drive us to know Him more and do His will. Spiritual disciplines are the first step in developing the kind of lifestyle that is consistently bent towards appreciation for the grace of God.

Personal Spiritual Disciplines
These are the spiritual disciplines that are activities the individual Christian should embark upon in order to develop him/herself as a mature, Christ-like believer. These disciplines can be divided into two sub-categories: internal and external disciplines.
Internal External
Meditation
Prayer
Fasting
Study Simplicity
Stewardship
Solitude Submission
Service
Evangelism

Corporate Spiritual Disciplines
These are the spiritual disciplines that are activities for the body of believers. These disciplines are best practiced in the context of a local church body to which one is a member, but can also include gatherings of multiple congregations for special celebrations of God's grace and glory.
Confession Worship Guidance Celebration


"Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come."
1 Timothy 4:7b-8 NASB

"Clap your hands, all peoples! Shout to God with loud songs of joy!
For the Lord, the Most High, is to be feared, a great King over all the earth."
Psalm 47:1-2

"Prayer is an unspoken confession of our utter dependence upon God.
Prayerlessness is an unbroken testimony of our dependence upon the flesh."
Randy Sprinkle

"Pride is the greatest enemy to the centrality of God."
T.W. Hunt

"As Scripture says that love covers over a multitude of sins, in the same way, prayer covers over a multitude of mistakes."
Hal Cooper


Links to Spiritual Discipline helps:

Celebration of Discipline, Richard J. Foster
This is one of my two top recommended books on understanding the spiritual disciplines. Most of the spiritual disciplines portion of BuildingChurch.net is modeled after this book. Foster not only gives the basic theological foundation for each of the disciplines, but he also gives practical insight into how you can expect your life to be changed as a result of practicing each dicipline . . . not only spiritually, but physically, psychologically, and beyond. Not only is this one of my top books on spiritual disciplines, it is among my most recommended books on all subjects of Christian faith.
My only warning is that some popular theologians argue that there is New Age influence in certain portions of this book. I understand their concerns, but believe they are overstated. Most of the questionable material is more the result of the author's Quaker background than the New Age. The benefits are well worth the read, simply read with a discerning mind, as you should read any book.
To order this book from ChristianBook.com, click here: Celebration of Discipline, Richard J. Foster.

SpiritualDisciplines.org
This web site is the ministry web site of Donald S. Whitney, author of Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, which is the second of my two most recommended books on the topic of spiritual disciplines. This book is a little more in depth and comprehensive as you study through the disciplines.
To order this book from ChristianBook.com, click here: Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life, Donald S. Whitney.

Session 1: The Purposes of the Church

"Our Mission: To bring people to Jesus and membership in His family,
develop them to Christlike maturity, and equip them for their ministry in the church
and their life mission in the world, in order to magnify God’s name."

Church growth advocates point to 5 overall purposes of the church, derived from Acts 2:42-47. These 5 purposes are: discipleship, fellowship, ministry, worship, and evangelism. Some church growth advocates include prayers as a 6th purpose, and I tend to agree. I would also point out that fellowship should not be a priority in planning ministries, because it is a natural bi-product when Christians work together in ministry.

Here is how those 6 purposes are contained within the mission of NorthStar, and how they are accomplished:

1. Evangelism: To bring people to Jesus
* Inviting others to church
* Servant evangelism activities
* Coffee House
* Women's Hike
* Developing small groups
* Miscellaneous other "involvement" activities

2. Fellowship: Membership in His family
* Friendly and comfortable atmosphere
* Developing small groups
* Sunday dinners (upcoming)

3. Discipleship: Develop them to Christlike maturity
* Small groups - Wednesday
* Small groups - Sunday dinners (upcoming)

4. Ministry: Equip them for their ministry in the church and their like mission in the world
* Servant evangelism activities
* As-needed basis
* Developing small groups

5. Worship: In order to magnify God’s name.
* Sunday mornings - "We rock"

6. Prayer: ?????
* Small groups

If you notice, the small-group setting is the strongest avenue in which the ministry of the church takes place. Being involved, and getting others involved in small groups is the key to effective ministry in the local church.

Part 2 - The Individual in the Church

* What is the primary purpose for each person's existence?
o Glorify God
+ "The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever." - Westminster Catecism
+ "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-for this is your spiritual act of worship." - Romans 12:1

* How do we do this?
o Don't conform, but be transformed!
+ "Do not conform any longer to the patter of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing, and perfect will." - Romans 12:2

* You mean we can really know exactly what God’s will is?

* How can I be transformed, then?

1. Spiritual Gifts
* Romans 12:3-8
o Each part does its function - just like a body. A finger can't exist without a heart to pump blood to it. The heart pumping blood is useless without the lungs putting air into the blood.
o "According to the grace given us" - means that we must be recipients of God's grace. In order to be recipients, we have to accept it. In order to have spiritual gifts, we must have our salvation nailed down.
* 1 Corinthians 12:1 - "Now about spiritual gifts, I do not want you to be ignorant." - I think Paul is pretty clear here. He then goes on and gives extensive instructions inf chapters 12, 13, and 14 about what the gifts are and how they should be used.
* 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 - "just as he determines" - we are not the ones who choose what our spiritual gifts are. God knits us together for a specific purpose, and he directs us, or calls us to fulfill that particular function.

Working definition: A Spiritual Gift is the particular ability given to individual Christians to accomplish a specific role or task within the ministry of the body.
Notice all the individualistic words: "particular," "individual," "specific." That is the key to understanding spiritual gifts, they are given to individuals for the purpose of a specific role in the body.
2. Spiritual Disciplines
* Romans 12:9-16
o "Keep your spiritual ferver" - although the english translation ends this thought with "serving the Lord." and adds a period, I believe that the entire section gives us instructions on how we can keep our spiritual fervor. By practicing spiritual disciplines, we are kept in an intimate relationship with God and will be neergized for ministry.
o Just like when we feed and excercise children as they grow up and mature, we must feed and excercise our spiritual lives in order to mature and be healthy as Christians. Without food and excercise, we will waste away and die. The same goes for our spiritual lives.
* Richard Foster: Celebration of Discipline - I highly suggest this book for further understanding about spiritual disciplines. Foster not only gives excellent biblical reason for why we should practice each spiritual disciple, but he gives simple, practical steps that we can take to begin the discipline. He also gives some insight into what we can expect as we begin to practice the disciplines.
* Donald S. Whitney: Spiritual Disciplines for the Christian Life. - This book is a little more difficult read, but I include it mainly because Foster does not include evangelism as a disciple, while this book does.

Working definition: Spiritual disciplines are those activities that every Christian should be involved with in order to be in a place to mature in faith and bear spiritual fruit.
Notice the universal word: "every."
3. Spiritual Fruit
* Romans 12:17-21 - while these actions can be characterized as disciplines, we must all admit that we have no desire to work this way on our own. As we practice the spiritual disciplines and are active in the ministry God has gifted us for, the fruit will be that we are enabled by the Holy Spirit to accomplish these kinds of things.
* Galatians 5:22-23 - this is the primary scripture for spiritual fruit. Listed here are the basic characteristics of the fruit that results in a maturing Christian life: "For the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law."

Working definition: Spiritual fruit is the tangible results of living and growing in the Christian life--the changed attitudes, actions, and thought-patterns that result from a transformed life in Christ.

Therefore: Let us Find Your Place!-The Personal Ministry Profile:

* Understanding yourself:
o How God has made you
+ Psalm 139:13-16 - whenever you begin to feel useless, this verse is an excellent encouragement, as it explains that everything in our lives has a purpose: God knew they were all going to happen before you were even born . . . and He has a reason for it.

Be a functioning part of the Body!

Internal Disciplines

BuildingChurch.net on Internal Personal Disciplines

These are the spiritual disciplines that are activities the individual Christian should embark upon in order to develop him/herself as a mature, Christ-like believer. These disciplines can be divided into two sub-categories: internal and external disciplines. This page contains the internal personal disciplines.

Internal Personal Disciplines

Meditation

Psalm 23 -- A new look
These are several personal interpretations of Psalm 23, giving a personal identification of who God is to a variety of people. Many of these interpretations were inspired as the result of a prayer conference with T.W. Hunt at Lakeview Baptist Church, Auburn, Alabama. These personol interpretations demonstrate the value of meditation on scriptural truth, and personalizing that which is learned.

Prayer

A.C.T.S. Acrostic
A quick description of the A.C.T.S. acrostic format for disciplined and balanced prayer. (document in Adobe Acrobat format)

Praying Through Scripture
A simple description of how to use Scripture as a catalyst for prayer. (document in Adobe Acrobat format)

Prayingwalking
An overview of prayerwalking and basic instructions for effective prayerwalking. (document in Adobe Acrobat format)

Angels, Demons, and Spiritual Warfare
An overview addition for use during the third level of FAITH evangelism training, FAITH Discipleship Journal.
(Class Notes via Adobe Acrobat format)

Fasting

Jesus said, "When you fast," not "If you fast" (Matt 6:16). Therefore, he assumed that believers would practice the discipline of fasting. It is not an option. Fasting helps the believer remove the focus from earthly pleasures and focusses on the grace and glory and wonder of God, and the pleasure of knowing and pleasing God. For further understanding, Richard Foster's chapter on fasting is priceless. I would suggest buying his book just for this one chapter.

Study

Bible Search
The BuildingChurch.net Bible Search pop-up tool. APK's translation of choice is the English Standard Version (ESV). The ESV balances the accuracy of the NASB with the readability of other translations, and is highly respected by many contemporary authors, preachers, and theologians.

APK's Basic Guide to Studying the Bible
A basic list of suggested tools to be used in Bible study and an outline of the process to go through in order to maximize the effectiveness of personal and group Bible study.
(Outline via Adobe Acrobat format)

External Disciplines

BuildingChurch.net on External Personal Disciplines

These are the spiritual disciplines that are activities the individual Christian should embark upon in order to develop him/herself as a mature, Christ-like believer. These disciplines can be divided into two sub-categories: internal and external disciplines. This page contains the external disciplines.

External Personal Disciplines

Simplicity

"God made man simple; man's complex problems are of his own devising" (Ecc 7:29, JB). We live in a busy, gadget-centered world. The fact that you are reading this page means that you probably have access to technology such as computers. In such a high-tech world, the idea of simplicity is extremely foreign. God calls us to allow Him to supply all of our needs, and all the rest will take care of itself (Matt 6:25-34). He calls us to lead peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness (1 Tim 2:2), that He might be glorified. My primary mentor, Al Jackson, put the Richard Foster book on his top ten list because of this one chapter. Again, the book is worth the price for just one chapter!

Stewardship

Although Foster does not include this discipline in his book, Donald S Whitney includes it in his book. I agree with Whitney that stewardship is an essential part of the Christian life.
Stewardship is about more than money. Stewardship involves managing wisely all of the assets that God has entrusted us with. How are we going to use our time, talents, and money to bring the greatest glory to God? I honestly believe that tithing all of our assets is merely a starting point. Tithing was the requirement of the Old Testament law. Those of us in the New Testament church can see the full extent of God's abundant grace. Our appreciation of such wonderful grace should drive us to give far beyond the requirements of the law.

Solitude

Submission

Service

This discipline is the primary purpose and vision for the entire site of BuildingChurch.net. I am utterly convinced that a Christian will be unable to live a consistent life of gratitude and glory to God until he/she begins to turn their own faith around and serve God in the context of a ministry to which they are called. The Find Your Place curriculum and Gifted2Serve inventory are specifically geared to help Christians in this discipline.

Evangelism

Although Foster does not include this discipline in his book, Donald S Whitney includes it in his book. I agree with Whitney that evangelism is an essential part of the Christian life.
Although I have been trained in Evangelism Explosion, FAITH Sunday School Evangelism Strategy, and other programmatic forms of evangelism, I prefer a more personal method. If possible, I suggest such a simple method as including the essential parts of your Christian faith within the story of your testimony. In the context of your story, most people won't realize how much of the Gospel you are giving to them. Also, while they may argue with your understanding of what you have experienced, they can't argue with the experience itself. They must somehow explain what you have told them happened to you.
Beyond including the Gospel in your testimony, I suggest using a simple tract. Many tracts and methods of sharing the Gospel are man-centered, centering on the person's reward. I suggest finding one that is centered on God, His glory, and His desire and original plan for mankind. I find Your Most Important Relationship to be an excellent bridge from the human need to God's ultimate desire and plan for mankind.

Corporate Spiritual Disciplines
Bonding the Body Together

BuildingChurch.net on Corporate Disciplines

These are the spiritual disciplines that are activities for the body of believers. These disciplines are best practiced in the context of a local church body to which one is a member, but can on occasion include gatherings of multiple congregations for a special celebration.

Prayer

Although prayer is primarily considered an individual spiritual discipline, a body of believers without a corporate prayer life is a powerless body. Most of what applies to the personal discipline of prayer applies to the corporate discipline. I consider it essential to mention the discipline again as a corporate activity, as it is so often forgotten or given little priority in the corporate life of the church. Spirit-led Prayer, especially as a corporate activity in conjunction with confession, is essential for genuine revival.

Confession

"Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working." (James 5:16). Although I believe that sins should be confessed on the level that they are committed, there is definitely a place for corporate confession of sin. When we genuinely confess to a group, it takes great humility. Also, public confession supplies a source of accountability. I also will add that corporate and public confession of sin, in conjunction with Spirit-led prayer, is a gateway to genuine revival.

Worship

Praise and Worship
APK's information related to Praise and Worship. Includes essays, helpful information, praise and worship songs, and helpful links.

Worship Community
APK's vision for planting new churches, centered around a God-centered notion of building relationships through corporate worship and daily worship-living.

PDI Music/Sovereign Grace Ministries
Under the leadership of Bob Kauflin, I find the music of Sovereign Grace Ministries to be musically excellent, theologically sound, lyrically thought-provoking, and rich with passion and excitement. I highly suggest looking into incorporation of Sovereign Grace worship music into any church's corporate gatherings.

Guidance

Celebration

PDI Music/Sovereign Grace Ministries
Yes, this is the second reference to Sovereign Grace Ministries on this page . . . but the passion and excitement demonstrated in their weekly gatherings is the epitome of what Christian celebration can be.


"Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness; for bodily discipline is only of little profit, but godliness is profitable for all things, since it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come."
1 Timothy 4:7b-8 NASB

"Clap your hands, all peoples! Shout to God with loud songs of joy!
For the Lord, the Most High, is to be feared, a great King over all the earth."
Psalm 47:1-2

"Prayer is an unspoken confession of our utter dependence upon God.
Prayerlessness is an unbroken testimony of our dependence upon the flesh."
Randy Sprinkle

"Pride is the greatest enemy to the centrality of God."
T.W. Hunt