helpingpayoffloans.com

Articles for the ‘Spirituality & Religion’ Category

Pastor Resources for Preachers and Bible Teachers

Time is a precious commodity for everyone. As a minister who has been preaching the Bible for over 25 years, study time is extremely important. It is no different for the business man or woman who teaches a bible class at their local church. It is easy to spend hours studying a bible passage, reading commentaries, and going deeper in Bible dictionaries and word study books.

The internet offers tremendous opportunities, insights, and time saving helps. These pastor resources are great! I have had my eyes opened wide to this in the past year after I decided to begin offering my bible studies and sermon outlines to people over the web. I build a site called Sermon Seedbed for pastors and Bible teachers to visit and enjoy. I have been amazed at the response and the encouragement I have recieved from users of the site from over 120 different nations. What a way to expand what you do!

Another benefit I have gained is added knowledge of other great sites on the web for students of the Bible. Sites like Bible Gateway, The Blue Letter Bible, and Sermon Central are amazing and very helpful. Sure there are sites that are too far left and too far right for a lot of us, but don’t allow a bone here or there to keep you from eating fish. There are tons of sites for people who desire to grown in their knowledge of the Bible and hopefully as a result, in their lives.

This article addresses people who have a formal preaching position or those who lead small group bible studies. Let me share with you three tips on making your study time more productive for you and those whom you teach.

1. Don’t bury your audience with endless details.

You purpose should be to open up the Word so it becomes relevant to their everyday life. When someone is struggling with their marriage, fighting an addiction, or coping with anxiety, knowing what those winged beings in Ezekiel’s vision may not be as helpful as knowing how David dealt with being deeply discouraged.

2. Keep it moving and engaging

Similar to the above tip, we preachers and teachers after spending hours studying a verse are tempted to share everything we have mined out of a verse. As a result, we can become bogged down and people begin feeling that it will take forever to cross the finish line. Overcome the temptation to stay at a place too long and keep a steady pace moving toward the end. By keeping it engaging, I suggest that you make a concerted effort in your presentation to connect with the people. Afterall, that is the purpose of it all, to transform lives through sharing God’s Word. Engage them with a story or illustration or question.

3. Be enthusiastic about what you are sharing.

Wow, if you don’t seem to care, then why should they? Notice I said, “If you don’t seem to care…” The actual words you share with people are important but there is so much non-verbal communication that takes place when preaching or teaching. Your listeners are looking at the whole package. Being excited about what you are doing will be contagious. I am not saying overhyped or ramped to explode. Just be yourself with a smile on your face, a spring in your step, and a song in your heart and it will shine through.

You can check out my pastor resources and sermons site at www.sermonseedbed.com.

This article will address the seven basic building blocks that are found in sermons. Entire books have been written on just one of these elements so please understand the few sentences I offer are just enough to head you in the right direction. Now let’s take just a peek at each of them.

1. Title
The title is much more important that you think. You want a title that will encapsulate the message in just a few words. Let me give you an example — Living On the Wrong Side of Your Hurt! This title tells a story, carries deep emotion, and offers hope, all in eight words. A title should create interest, curiosity, or longing in within a person’s heart when heard or read.

2. Introduction
A good introduction will move the audience from where they are to join you in what you want to share with them. Think of it as a bridge built to bring people out of their daily world to where you are with a desire to hear what you have to say. Be careful that it is not too long. It is just the beginning of the sermon, not the sermon itself.

3. Text
A sermon must rest on eternal truth. The Bible is the book preachers must use as the authority in their life and in their ministry. Think of it as the foundation. Everything you share should rest securely upon it without contradiction. What you say must rest upon what God has said. In this manner, you are connecting the spirits of the people with the Spirit of God.

4. Transitions
Sermon Outlines that the people are able to understand and follow will have good transitions included within it. Little is said about this, but transitions are very important. From each element to the next there should be transitions that tie them all together in a beautiful flow that enters the human heart.

5. Main Points
Without being a wisecrack, the main points are the main points. They are the main statements that you want to make. Try to keep these from three to five in number. If you go beyond that you will be pressed for time or take too much time. Word these points in such a way that they can be easily understood and remembered.

Within these main points there will be other content such as explanation, illustration and application. Some preachers enjoy alliterating their points so they can be easily remembered. Others will make each point make a statement or a question. There are many ways this can be done, so give your people a variety and it will keep you fresh.

These are five of the seven elements are the basic building blocks of a sermon. Familarize yourself with them and learn as much as you can. It will only help you to become a better preacher. The preacher who excels in the basics will soon soar in the advanced. To see the last two elements, visit this free sermons page on Sermon Seedbed.

This article written by Eddie Lawrence, D.Min. who is an author, pastor, and also oversees Sermon Seedbed which is a free resource site for pastors and Bible teachers offering free sermons and sermon outlines.

When I was in seminary, I remember the professor one day handing out a resource for us entitled, “How to Build A Sermon in Only Ten Hours.” We had been taught that the average time it took to build sermons was 20-40 hours per sermon. Most people simply do not realize the time that pastors and Bible teachers put into building sermon outlines and Bible studies.

With all the other demands on spiritual leaders, a huge time crunch is created when it comes to preparing for the message of the week. Like or not, ready or not, Sunday morning comes around. And for a lot of pastors, so does Sunday night, Wednesday night, and the weekly radio program, the weekly Bible study, the monthly men’s group, the frequent funerals and the occasional revival meeting. Preaching is such a wonderful calling but that does not lessen the time constraints.

Fortunately, we are in the advent of new methods of communication. There are some wonderful resources available for preachers that offer quality materials that also save time. The computer is having a great impact on the landscape of sermon preparation. Think of these factors:

1. A pastor can Google any Bible verse, word, or question and instantly get tens of thousands of pages representing a volume of study that someone has undertaken.

2. The hours of preparation time that are taken over the course of a year in just flipping pages and looking for a resource are eliminated in a click. This is certainly a wise use of time. Why take ten minutes to scour through Strong’s Concordance looking for the meaning of a Greek word when you can do a one second click and find every reference to that word in Strong’s and other word-study resources?

3. An idea library awaits at the nearest PC for every Bible teacher. Many times just reading one idea another preacher shares can ignite pages of thought. This is iron sharpening iron. There are tens of thousands of free sermons to be read and studied online.

These factors are just three amidst many that could be listed. Now a word about abusing privilege. Some people are concerned that pastors will simply come to rely on the work of others without studying themselves, so they discourage the use of the computer in Bible study. To this concern let me say four other quick things:

1. Yes, some will. Eden was perfect but it was still abused.
2. Some still do without the computer by just using books, cd’s, etc. Any thing good can be misused,
3. The use of other’s material to guide us can be blessed by God as we receive it into our own hearts, experience its truth for ourselves, and then share it with others and let them know where we first heard it.
4. Taking an idea that blesses us and building upon it is a method of learning we all use in every area of our lives and we should.

So, just make sure you do your study, whatever the method, with integrity and true heart hunger, and I believe you will be in a safe place and be used by God in what you do.

This article written by Eddie Lawrence, who is a pastor and also the overseer of Sermon Seedbed, a free online Bible study site.

The topic of free sermon outlines is one I love to talk about. Just over a year ago I launched a site to be able to give away sermon outlines to pastors and Bible teachers around the world. Wow, I never dreamed of the impact that SermonSeedbed.com would have globally. In the first year, visitors from over 180 nations came to the site registering over  three million hits and the site continues to grow.

This in itself demonstrates the hunger there is among pastors and Bible teachers to access materials that will help them in their preaching. Amazingly, my site is just one among hundreds and hundreds of others also providing materials and many of them free of charge.

Here are three pointers of how to quickly locate a free sermon outline on whatever topic you may be studying.

1. Use Your Search Engine Wisely
Learn to type in more than just the word sermon. Type in “free sermon outline on love” or whatever the topic may be. Type in “sermon on” plus the scripture reference you are studying. This will provide you with a ton of material in a nano second.

2. Visit Sermon Sites
Take some time to visit several of the free sermon outline sites and bookmark your favorites. I hope you will consider Sermon Seedbed as well. Most sites have some way to search for a specific site. My site is categorized plus has a master index to consult.

3. Visit Audio Sermon Sites
This one will require more time. But you can actually listen to sermons preached on the topic you are studying. Download the MP3 into your ipod or to a CD and listen to it while you drive and do visitation. You are bound to get some good input to inspire you and give you ideas for your own sermon.

Use these three ideas and you will be waist deep in good preaching material. Pray over what you find, feed your own soul, and out of the overflow, feed others.

Eddie Lawrence, who wrote this article, is an author, pastor, and oversees Sermon Seedbed, a resource site providing free sermons for pastors.

Of late, we have been hearing about our beloved world coming to an end. Have you ever given a thought to it? They say that 12 21 2012 marls the last day of our earth, as per the Mayan calendar. The 2012 phenomenon, as believed to be, will comprise of a series of cataclysmic or transformative events that will occur on 21 12 2012; with this, will end a five 125-year long cycle and begin a New Era.

It is believed that post 21 12 2012, earth and her inhabitants will go through a positive transformation which might be either physical of spiritual. As per general beliefs, the world will undergo a major catastrophe as the earth will be in total alignment with the moon, the sun and the Milky Way’s black hole. 

Modern thinkers opine that then end of the current cycle will usher in global consciousness shift whereby the world will progress and foster a spiritual revolution. There are so many significances of this date and that’s what makes 21 12 2012 so talked about.

According to some, 2012 will end 26,000 year Precession of the Equinoxes cycle, whereas, some believe that it signifies the end of a 104,000 year cycle. With the end of a cycle, comes a new age. But you must not be scared; instead you must understand the prophecy which says that we all have to be more and more aware and we need to wake up and answer to the beckon call of the new era. Standing on the cross-road, we must enjoy the historical landmark that we witness and respond to it positively.

Mankind will be transformed into a complete harmony of nature and all her children. 21 12 2012 is going to bring one of the best and most significant moments we have ever seen!

Compatible Horoscopes is Important when you start dating someone seriously. Looking out
for the Star Sign Compatibility will ensure he or she is the right person for you. People
featuring distinct Horoscopes signs will occasionally be amazed to find that they are more
or less suitable for their partner because of their individual Horoscopes signs.

Even though Aries is normally seen as quite an outgoing horoscope sign, it could sometimes bring about jealousy to their partner. In actual Fact, those who are an Aries may seem to be quite flirty when in reality they are just being friendly.

When you’re looking at Taurus for zodiac sign compatibility, you will discover that sometimes, they could become possessive, which will in extreme cases ruin relationships, however , if properly handled can help you show your partner just how much you love them.

Libras are fortunate in regards to the dating world. Their horoscope sign is extremely romantic which happens to be of great help in a relationships. A significant factor of being a Libra is the capability to search for someone who loves you just as much as you love them. Usually having a Libra star sign can be quite a problem as you end up being very too intimate or romantic, but getting a person who shares the same sentiments as you sometimes can be quite difficult.

Scorpio star sign is an fascinating personality because it is quite sexually aggressive and like to have the upper hand in the relationship.
Possessing Scorpio zodiac sign might be good in the early stages of a relationship as you’ll be exciting to your partner and both of you will constantly want to be close to one another but soon after you might find your partner getting a little annoyed with your controlling approaches.

If your star sign compatibility match is not described here, then look for your Compatible Horoscopes here. Simply by clicking on the links you’ll find more great information on Horoscopes Signs and this will definitely enhance your dating life. Get Your Free Love Horoscope and zodiac signs compatibility done too.

One integral part of that helps in reaching different people in different places and winning them for God are portable communion sets.

The Holy Communion is part of an important Christian tradition.

Normally, when you hear of Communion, it is different from Baptism wherein the latter is done once while the former is a practice done all throughout a Christian’s life.

Catholics mainly follow the Communion simply because the Lord said so. During communion, Christians are expected to remember Christ and his sacrifice and suffering for humankind.

In this holy practice, there are several essential elements. However, the top two would include the bread and wine.

There are three essential views that Christians hold regarding the bread and the wine.

One view is that there is transubstantiation that occurs and the bread and wine actually becomes the real body and blood of Christ.

Another view that is held is that the bread and the wine remain unchanged, but the Lord’s presence is made spiritually real through their faith.

The last view that most Christians hold is that the bread and wine are used as merely symbols. It represents the body and blood of the Lord and remembers the sacrifice that he has done for the people.

Anybody can go ahead and participate in a Communion. Normally, you will find this done in regular churches, but there are also priests that are assigned in remote places where there is no proper church.

People who live in these places and want to participate in a communion can now do so since there are portable communion sets available.  Hence, a priest can go ahead and conduct it to them.

Portable communion sets are necessary tools for a priest or any member of the clergy in any denomination to have especially if he is visiting a remote place or region.

There are many places that a clergy might make use of these portable sets.

For instance, it can be used in a hospital, a nursing home or even during the battlefield. This makes it easier for people to join and participate in this sacred worship without having to attend the church.

There are four main elements that make up communion sets. There is the cruet, paten, chalice, and pyx. There are small as well as large communion sets that you can use.

There will also be a carrying case for the set. Some pieces in the sets are ornate while others are simple and made of silver.

Each piece also has a specific function during the service. The cruet is a small container or bottle that is used to hold the wine during the service. The Paten is a small disk or plate that is used to hold the communion bread during the service.

Then you have the pyx, this is a small, often round, container that holds the host inside. Finally, you have the chalice. This is also known as the communion cup, where the wine is poured onto and drank from.

All of these help to make up the elements that are part of portable communion sets.

When shopping for communion sets, you may also consider customizing your own set by choosing what design of Communion plates you wanted or the style of communion cups you prefer, thus making it even more personal.

I love the quote, “The journey of a thousand begins with one step.  Likewise, the preaching of a great sermon begins with one thought. In this article I will share with you three simple methods of getting ideas for your sermon starters folder. These are not meant to replace your Bible study at all, but just ways to lead you into the Bible for a relevant preaching idea. Having a seedbed of starters is a great resource for any preacher or Bible teacher.

Idea Number 1: Record That Thought!
I wish I had all the great ideas for those sermons that never got preached because I failed to record the inspiration that whizzed through my mind. These are the big fish that got away because I did not set the hook. Writing down that inspired thought is the way the preacher sets the hook to reel in a good sermon.

Keep a little notebook with you, record it into your cell phone, send yourself a text message….just get a record of the thought some way. Have you ever awakened in the middle of a night having had a dream that was very vivid. You thought of getting up and writing down the details, but you thought it was so vivid and clear that you could never forget it. The next morning when you got up, you could not remember it to save your life. Where did the dream go? It went to the same place those great sermon starting ideas go that you didn’t write down.

Idea Number 2: Read That Title!
I have been amazed at the times I have read the title or headline of a newspaper article, an internet news story, the title of a book, and of course, the titles of other people’s sermons and gotten an idea that started me on a quick jog into sermon building paradise. Just the title which is the leader board of a story to follow can set your imagination in motion. With the idea that a title pops in your mind, you will often begin imagining what it is about before you ever read further. Your mind will begin building your own sermon just from the title. Notice these things and consciously think about them as sermon starters. Even billboards can stuff a sermon starter into your cranial cavity form time to time.

Idea Number 3: Research that Question!
This one will unleash an avalanche of sermon ideas for you. Think of questions that people ask about life, love, and problems and then research them. You will be swamped in an hour with a mountain of sermon ideas, sermon illustrations, and starting points for topics that people are hungry to hear about. Then you can add what the Bible teaches on that subject and you are on your way to helping others through a relevant heart touching Bible based sermon.

Now that you have three simple ideas for sermon starters, all that is left for you to do is to get started. That great sermon is just waiting to be thought of, inspired with creativity, and launched to waiting ears. God bless you as you get going.

Written by Eddie Lawrence, who is an author, pastor, and overseer of Sermon Seedbed a resource site for pastors and Bible teachers which provides free sermons and sermon outlines.