Our blog for the outreach phase in Nepal is nepalpilgrimagedts.blogspot.com
Saturday, January 3, 2015
Tuesday, December 30, 2014
Week 11 - Evangelism and Baptism
Week 11
This week our speaker was Jim Hurn on Evangelism. We had a short week this week because of Christmas. Jim did a really good job of shifting our perspectives on evangelism from something scary that we're required to do to something that that we want to do. He shared strategies with us that makes evangelism all about the conversation. He also emphasized that we are each links in a chain - we don't have to convert someone in one conversation. God is in charge of that and He will keep bringing people into their lives. This relieves the pressure that we can often feel and allows us to just walk in faith and allow God to guide our steps. Jim also emphasized that even though evangelism can come naturally there is some preparation involved. We need to have a testimony prepared and we need to be alert for opportunities. This was something that challenged me. Often we feel like God will do all of the work, and He will meet us and do the heart changing, but we have to be ready to be used by Him.
This week was also a life changing week because Jeff and I both got baptized. We were both baptized in the past, but feel like this is a turning point in our lives and want to draw a line in the sand and say that we want to live intentionally for Jesus for the rest of our lives. It was a really powerful experience. Our school leader, Patty baptized us, and our outreach leaders prayed for us supported us. It was such a powerful symbol of dying to self once and for all and rising new with Jesus. We're both really excited to go forward in Jesus and walk with Him.
This week our speaker was Jim Hurn on Evangelism. We had a short week this week because of Christmas. Jim did a really good job of shifting our perspectives on evangelism from something scary that we're required to do to something that that we want to do. He shared strategies with us that makes evangelism all about the conversation. He also emphasized that we are each links in a chain - we don't have to convert someone in one conversation. God is in charge of that and He will keep bringing people into their lives. This relieves the pressure that we can often feel and allows us to just walk in faith and allow God to guide our steps. Jim also emphasized that even though evangelism can come naturally there is some preparation involved. We need to have a testimony prepared and we need to be alert for opportunities. This was something that challenged me. Often we feel like God will do all of the work, and He will meet us and do the heart changing, but we have to be ready to be used by Him.
This week was also a life changing week because Jeff and I both got baptized. We were both baptized in the past, but feel like this is a turning point in our lives and want to draw a line in the sand and say that we want to live intentionally for Jesus for the rest of our lives. It was a really powerful experience. Our school leader, Patty baptized us, and our outreach leaders prayed for us supported us. It was such a powerful symbol of dying to self once and for all and rising new with Jesus. We're both really excited to go forward in Jesus and walk with Him.
Week 10 - Worship
Week 10
This week our speaker was Josh Klinkenberg on Worship. He brought worship into a whole new focus for us. He emphasized how God loves when we are creative in worship. He also showed us that all aspects of our lives can be a form of worship. Josh taught us how to sing our own songs and to express our hearts to God in worship. He also talked about approaching God in different settings, when we're in a group, when we're inviting him into our daily activities and when we're having intimate time alone with Him. Josh taught us about how different stages of our lives require more of each type of time and how we can be strengthened in each type. He also encouraged us to look at what we are doing now and make sure that we are in balance and seeking God in all of the ways.
Josh also taught about how worship can unlock doors on outreach. He shared with us times when they've been worshiping and God has revealed to them things about the land and they've been able to intercede and break things off. Worship changes the atmosphere and claims ground for Jesus. This was a really important teaching to have before we go on outreach and a good reminder for future ministries.
This week our speaker was Josh Klinkenberg on Worship. He brought worship into a whole new focus for us. He emphasized how God loves when we are creative in worship. He also showed us that all aspects of our lives can be a form of worship. Josh taught us how to sing our own songs and to express our hearts to God in worship. He also talked about approaching God in different settings, when we're in a group, when we're inviting him into our daily activities and when we're having intimate time alone with Him. Josh taught us about how different stages of our lives require more of each type of time and how we can be strengthened in each type. He also encouraged us to look at what we are doing now and make sure that we are in balance and seeking God in all of the ways.
Josh also taught about how worship can unlock doors on outreach. He shared with us times when they've been worshiping and God has revealed to them things about the land and they've been able to intercede and break things off. Worship changes the atmosphere and claims ground for Jesus. This was a really important teaching to have before we go on outreach and a good reminder for future ministries.
Week 9 - Father Heart of God
Week 9
This week our speaker was Jono Turner on the Father Heart of God. He was a really dynamic speaker and made the topic really interesting. He showed us how God really wants to be our Dad, that He isn't distant or disappointed, but loves us and wants to share each day with us. Jono also shared a new idea for communicating with God which made daily conversations with Him more accessible. He helped us to see that God comes to our level to communicate and does everything out of love. Jono also spent some time and helped us to keep working through some of the things that Mary, his wife had talked about the week before. He and Mary were really invested in all of us and spent a lot of time praying with us and encouraging us to keep seeking to know God. We had an amazing ministry time at the end of the week where Jono prayed for each of us individually and spoke truth into our lives. It was so encouraging and affirming for Jeff and I. We feel like God is speaking to us individually and as a couple and bringing us into a new stage of our lives.
This week our speaker was Jono Turner on the Father Heart of God. He was a really dynamic speaker and made the topic really interesting. He showed us how God really wants to be our Dad, that He isn't distant or disappointed, but loves us and wants to share each day with us. Jono also shared a new idea for communicating with God which made daily conversations with Him more accessible. He helped us to see that God comes to our level to communicate and does everything out of love. Jono also spent some time and helped us to keep working through some of the things that Mary, his wife had talked about the week before. He and Mary were really invested in all of us and spent a lot of time praying with us and encouraging us to keep seeking to know God. We had an amazing ministry time at the end of the week where Jono prayed for each of us individually and spoke truth into our lives. It was so encouraging and affirming for Jeff and I. We feel like God is speaking to us individually and as a couple and bringing us into a new stage of our lives.
Week 8 - Holy Spirit and Hobbiton
Week 8
This week we had Mary Turner speak to us about the Holy Spirit. She asked us at the beginning of the week what questions we wanted answered and then based her lecture off of that. She talked about gifts of the Spirit, like teaching and preaching, being baptized in the Holy Spirit, and how we can invite His presence and allow Him to reveal things to us and work in our lives. She was an excellent speaker and brought clarity to the topic. She also discussed with us things that might be hindering our ability so experience the Holy Spirit and helped us to work through those things as a group and then individually. Overall we feel like we have a better understanding of who the Holy Spirit is and how He works in our lives.
We were also really blessed this weekend by my sister Hannah! She gave us tickets to go to Hobbiton, the movie set where they made the Hobbit movies! It was such a fun day trip; we got lots of pictures with some of the 39 hobbit holes and had a drink at The Green Dragon. It was so fun to recognize some of the scenery from the movies. We really enjoyed having a chance to get away from base and just have a day to relax!
This week we had Mary Turner speak to us about the Holy Spirit. She asked us at the beginning of the week what questions we wanted answered and then based her lecture off of that. She talked about gifts of the Spirit, like teaching and preaching, being baptized in the Holy Spirit, and how we can invite His presence and allow Him to reveal things to us and work in our lives. She was an excellent speaker and brought clarity to the topic. She also discussed with us things that might be hindering our ability so experience the Holy Spirit and helped us to work through those things as a group and then individually. Overall we feel like we have a better understanding of who the Holy Spirit is and how He works in our lives.
We were also really blessed this weekend by my sister Hannah! She gave us tickets to go to Hobbiton, the movie set where they made the Hobbit movies! It was such a fun day trip; we got lots of pictures with some of the 39 hobbit holes and had a drink at The Green Dragon. It was so fun to recognize some of the scenery from the movies. We really enjoyed having a chance to get away from base and just have a day to relax!
Week 7 - Defending our Faith and The Coromandel Peninsula
Week 7
This week we hiked The Coromandel Peninsula. Our speaker was Doug Sparks. He spoke on Defending our Faith. His main focus was to question why we believe what we believe so that we could examine it all for ourselves, and have something to stand on when unbelievers question us. It was a really eye opening week and we wrestled with some of the questions.
We started our week off with a day trip to Cathedral Cove and Hot Water Beach. It was a relaxing beach day with a small hike beautiful views. The hike this week was through the beautiful Coromandel Peninsula. It was a rugged hike through forests and over mountains. Our week was broken up this time into two days of hiking with a rest day in the middle followed by two more days of hiking. We did a total of 30 miles in that time. At some points we were climbing straight up and down with our 40 pound packs on our backs. We really had to rely on our teams to get through it. The hike tested our limits and helped us to grow as a group.
It was all worth it to see the beautiful mountaintop views at the end!
Cathedral Cove:
Coromandel Peninsula:
Cathedral Cove:
Hot Water Beach:
Coromandel Peninsula:
Monday, December 29, 2014
Week 6 - Relationships and Girls' Breakfast
This week our speaker was Marty Emmett. He spoke on relationships. His main focus was our relationship with God, then with ourselves and finally with others. We spent a lot of time looking at how our view of God and our view of others can be skewed based on our perceptions. We dove into the truth that is written about us in the Bible and how we are called to always love. This week was a breakthrough week for a lot of us and helped us to relate to each other better and form deeper relationships.
Marty also suggested that the guys do something to honor the girls. They decided to do a pancake breakfast with tons of thought put into the decor and the menu. In the end the girls felt very blessed as many had never been treated in this manner without expecting something from them in return. Marty also switched the meaning on the guys and said that it was actually about teaching the men to be men of God. He wanted the guys to realize how being intentional towards the women and just loving on them without expecting something was a huge blessing to the women and it is how they should be treated in our relationships.
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