Darrel Girardier joins us to discuss how bet to operate your church’s communications efforts for both online and in print.
Some highlights from today’s episode include:
The tools you use depend on the skills of the user.
When you build a website on a proprietary platform, you’re stuck with that platform.
“The majority of your church’s social media content should revolve around the sermon.”
You should see growth over time with your social media the more people engage with it.
Having a planning calendar allows you to better schedule your church social media content.
The four communications problems ways churches lose volunteers are:
Technical (What tools should we use?)
Content (What should we create and share?)
ROI (What is a win?)
Resources (How do we maximize our time?)
About Darrel
Darrel Girardier is the Digital Strategy Director for Brentwood Baptist Church. He is focused on helping churches utilize social media and technology in advancing their mission. He and his wife, Amy-Jo, have two kids—Scout and Skylar.
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Basic Scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:5-7; John 10:19-39
Once a public bus driver starts his intolerable antics, he is simply regarded as “ mad.” When a young preacher takes the pulpit and with some over-exagerated gestures, ministers the Word, he is regarded as “mad.” Years ago, at Orlando Florida, I saw a young music artist who had his hair plaited as though he was a woman. But more weird was the fact that he had two different hairstyles on, as he thrilled the crowd. He was the center of attraction and to many present, he was probably “mad.” However, in everything great people do, the operative word which they always bring to bear is something close to “madness.” Here, we are not concerned with psychiatrics cases of clinical dimension, but the degree of personal rebellion against the general accepted norm. Sometimes for me to write, I switch into this madness mood. That is when I rebel against every pain or distraction! I kneel down to write, sometimes I stand to write, sometimes, I lie down to write, and at such times, the GRACE and FLOW is awesome! Great men have always been people society consider to be “mad.” Hosea 9:7 says: “The prophet is fool. The Spiritual man is Mad.” To walk with or for God, you must walk like a madman! Noah seemed mad to his generation!
A seventy year-old man called Abraham was considered mad to move his household from the known ( the land of his fathers) to the unknown ( an unseen Promised Land). Elijah/Elisha lived abnormal lives! They were considered mad by their generation! No wonder Aristotle said, “there was never a great genius without a tincture of madness.” The friends of Jesus considered Him as mad (John 10:20). Paul was declared a mad man (Acts 26:24)! Refuse to follow the crowd! Be different if you must! Refuse to follow your five senses. Choose walk by faith – the sixth sense. Take actions based on the Word of God, which defy your brain. Men may consider you as mad, but only mad men are celebrated by their generation! Refuse to conform, because conformity is the jailer of dreams!
Please never forget what Jim Rohn said: “Success lies in the opposite direction of the normal pull.” Be different! Shout 12 Halleluyahs and pray now!
THE LAGOS (LEKKI) MOUNTAIN INTERNATIONAL ANOINTING SERVICE is NEXT Saturday October 28th; TIME: 8am-11:30 am. Theme: “AHITOPHEL MUST DIE! HOUSEHOLD WICKEDNESS MUST DIE!” Come with NAME OF FAMILY MEMBERS and any point of contact.
Prayer Points: Take Song 2: I need thee……..
1. I receive grace and determine to walk by faith and not by sight in Jesus Christ name.
2. Lord, make me different in my generation (pray it very well). Pray in Tongues today a lot!
3. Lord, move me forward and upward today in Jesus Chris name. I refuse to please society or men. Lord, radically make me a blessing! Declare often: “The spiritual man is mad! As 2017 ends, I walk by faith, not by sight.”
By Bishop (Dr) Chris E. Kwakpovwe (Cek) Publisher/Writer Of ODM And Rev (Mrs) Flora E. Kwakpovwe (Fek) Co-Publisher/Writer Of ODM.
The 52 year old tourist was visiting the Basilica of Santa Croce with his wife when a piece of decorative stone fell on him from a height of 66 feet.
Irene Sanesi, the head of the organisation that manages the landmark, told the Italian news agency Ansa: “We are really astonished at what has happened, and we ask ourselves how it could happen.”
The Basilica of Santa Croce is renowned as the burial place of iconic Italian figures Michelangelo, Galileo Galilei and Niccolo Machiavelli.
Italy’s Culture Minister Dario Franceschini said an investigation would be conducted by prosecutors to determine the cause of the incident.
The fatal accident raises fresh concern over the safety of the country’s cultural heritage, which includes many fragile and aging attractions.
Over the summer, two people were seriously injured when plaster fell from the ceiling of Sicily’s Acireale Cathedral during a wedding.
Four people died in the northern city of Pavia in 1989 when a 14th-century bell tower collapsed.
Topic: Increase Your Self-Acceptance [Friday October 20, 2017] He shall see [the fruit] of the travail of His soul and be satisfied; by His knowledge of Himself [which He possesses and imparts to others] shall My [uncompromisingly] righteous One, My Servant, justify many and make many righteous (upright and in right standing with God), for He shall bear their iniquities and their guilt [with the consequences, says the Lord]. —Isaiah 53:11
You may not think highly of yourself, but God wants you to know who you are in Christ and like yourself. Here are five practical tips to help increase your self-acceptance and your confidence of knowing who you are in Christ: 1. Never speak negatively about yourself. The communication of your faith is made effective by acknowledging every good thing in you through Christ Jesus, not by focusing on your weaknesses and flaws.
2. Avoid comparing yourself to others. Peter encountered this obstacle when he compared himself to another disciple. He asked, …Lord, what about this man? Jesus replied, If I want him to stay (survive, live) until I come, what is that to you? (John 21:21-22). We are not called to compare, only to comply.
3. Let God determine your worth. Remember, because of Jesus, you’ve already been accepted by Him.
4. Keep your flaws in perspective. It’s okay to see where you need to improve, but make sure you appreciate your progress.
5. Discover the true source of confidence. If you place your confidence in God, you can’t help but have a healthy attitude. Do your best, and leave the results to Him. Prayer Starter: God, thank You for accepting me even when I have trouble accepting myself. Help me to acknowledge the good qualities You’ve given me and to keep my flaws in perspective as I find my confidence in You.
Iranian Military Chief of Staff General Mohammad Baqeri meets with Turkish Chief of Staff General Hulusi Akar (not seen) in Tehran, Iran, Oct. 2, 2017. (Turkish Military/Handout via Reuters/File Photo)
Iran’s military chief warned Israel against violating Syrian airspace and territory on a visit to Damascus on Wednesday, Iranian state media said, a sign of rising tensions with Israel as it voices concern over Iranian influence in Syria.
General Mohammad Baqeri also pledged to increase cooperation with the Syrian military to fight Israel and insurgents in Syria, where Iranian forces and Iran-backed militias including Hezbollah have provided critical military support to Damascus.
“It’s not acceptable for the Zionist regime to violate the land and airspace of Syria anytime it wants,” Baqeri said in the Syrian capital at a news conference with his Syrian counterpart.
“We are in Damascus to assert and cooperate to confront our common enemies, the Zionists and terrorists,” he said, a reference to Israel and Sunni Muslim jihadists including Islamic State. “We drew up the broad lines for this cooperation,” Syrian state media cited the Iranian military chief of staff as saying.
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A boy collects candy as he goes trick-or-treating for Halloween in Santa Monica, California, Oct. 31, 2012.
While some Christians refuse to take part in Halloween celebrations, Answers in Genesis (AiG) president Ken Ham suggests that the occasion can be used to spread the gospel.
Based on the study of LifeWay Research in 2015, 54 percent of Christians in America see nothing wrong about celebrating Halloween “all in good fun” while 18 percent avoid taking part in the celebrations for the sole reason of its pagan origins, and 23 percent refuse to celebrate for the combined reasons of its pagan origins and other factors.
However, in an exclusive interview with Gospel Herald, Ham said that Halloween can be an opportunity for Christians to spread God’s word and that parents should take it upon themselves to decide if they allow their children to take part in the celebrations or not.
“I think parents should make their own decision before God as to what they’re going to allow their kids to participate in and why. More and more Christians are recognizing that this is an opportunity to use this time to witness to others,” Ham said.
Ham also pointed out that many churches these days have come up with an alternative to Halloween by adding a religious twist to it, such as the “reverse trick-or-treat” where Christians dress up in costumes, knock on their neighbors’ doors, and give them candy or home-baked goodies together with Bible Tracts.
Nonetheless, even if Christians opt to stick to the traditional trick-or-treat practice, Ham said that it can still be an opportunity to spread the gospel. According to Ham, who is also the president of the Creation Museum and the Ark Encounter, he and his wife have made it a practice to give away not only candies to trick-or-treaters on Halloween but Bible Tracts, too.
“We have big bucket of candy and we also have some special gospel tracts that we give to them with the candy. We believe we are doing our best to get the message of God’s truth to people,” Ham said.
Ken Burns’ historical Vietnam documentary is spellbinding. But even more gripping is what God is doing right now in the hearts of men in that communist nation! Be part of an international tribe of men who make great things happen! Join your brothers at Lions Roar in Fort Worth, Texas, on Nov. 8-10.
In a society bent towards the microwave mentality of “gotta have it now”, it would be convenient if God armed our brain with a porn “delete” button that would instantly delete the images from our mind. In a sense, He has…
Life in the Spirit exists to give you a deep understanding of who the Holy Spirit is, how He works in your life and how you can interact with Him on a daily basis.
When you lead other leaders, there are some specific truths that apply. If you don’t recognize these truths, you could end up losing your leaders and missing your most important goals.
Follow God on the most fulfilling journey of your life with Encounter the Holy Spirit! Break away from past hurts and press into the One who wants a personal encounter with you.
Receive the power and gifts that come through the Holy Spirit Baptism. Don’t go empty-handed; accept all that He has for you! His power is available to those who ask.
Break every stronghold with the power of the Holy Spirit. Use the power of your tongue to declare and decree the Word of God. Witness heaven move on your behalf.
This past summer, Sen. Bernie Sanders, D-Vermont, grilled President Trump’s pick for deputy director of the White House Office of Management and Budget over comments he made about Muslims.
In a conservative blog, Russell Vought, an evangelical Christian, defended Wheaton College for forcing out a professor who said Christians and Muslims worship the same God.
“I’m a Christian, and I believe in a Christian set of principles based on my faith,” said Vought at his confirmation hearing.
He added, “That post was to defend my alma mater, Wheaton College, a Christian school that has a statement of faith that includes the centrality of Jesus Christ for salvation.”
During Vought’s confirmation hearing, Sanders asked if the comments were Islamophobic. Sanders ultimately decided he would not vote for Vought.
Religious Beliefs Used as a ‘Litmus Test’ for Public Office
The attack against Vought shows just how tense the political environment has become for people of faith and the danger of using religion as a litmus test for public office.
“Christians are being discriminated against, and this is the hypocrisy of liberalism,” said Dallas pastor Robert Jeffress.
“Those who cry the loudest for tolerance are usually the most intolerant people when it comes to ideas with which they disagree,” he said.
Following Vought’s confirmation hearing, Jeffress demanded that Sanders apologize or resign.
Did Sanders Cross a Constitutional Line?
In an interview with CBN News, Jeffress said, “Here we had an evangelical Christian being questioned and Bernie Sanders got into the religious issue and took issue with this nominee’s belief that faith in Jesus Christ is the only to heaven. That is the foundation of biblical Christianity for 2,000 years, and Senator Sanders started to lecture this nominee and said he wasn’t sure he could vote for him.”
Jeffress, a member of the President’s Evangelical Advisory Council, said Sanders also crossed a constitutional line.
He explained, “Article Six of the Constitution says government cannot impose a litmus test, a religious litmus test for service. Now you and I can use whatever litmus test we want. But government can’t impose that, and that’s why I said Senator Sanders needs to apologize for what he said or he needs to resign.”
The mistreatment didn’t end with Vought.
Catholic Nominee Grilled Over Religious Beliefs
In September, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-California, applied her own religious test to federal appeals court nominee Amy Coney Barrett.
Barrett, a law professor at Notre Dame and a practicing Catholic, felt pressured to explain how her religious beliefs might affect her legal decisions.
Feinstein specifically referenced a 2006 graduation speech where Barrett made several references to God.
In her speech, Barrett told graduates, “No matter how exciting any career is, what is it really worth if you don’t make it part of a bigger life project to know, love and serve the God who made you.”
She went on to encourage students to “pray about your career choices before you make them.”
Feinstein said in the confirmation hearing, “When you read your speeches, the conclusion one draws is that the dogma lives loudly within you, and that’s of concern when you come to big issues that large numbers of people have fought for years.”
Metaxas: Religious Tests Are ‘Frightening’
Conservative author and radio host Eric Metaxas calls what amounts to a religious test, troubling.
“To me the idea that U.S. senators are this ignorant about this incredibly, utterly central element in American freedom, I find frightening, and it should be a wakeup call to everybody,” he told CBN News.
He said acts like this must be called out by all sides.
“Americans should not allow leaders to not understand this,” said Metaxas.
“You can have different views of faith or whatever, but when you don’t understand that that is sacrosanct, [it’s a problem]. In America, for 240 years, we have said you never go there. That is pure bigotry.”
While liberals might consider their actions as just political posturing, Metaxas sees the problem as much more serious.
“When Sen. Feinstein did this recently, I thought, she actually thinks that what she’s saying is OK. She thinks it’s just politics. It’s not just politics. It’s fundamentally unconstitutional,” he said.
Meanwhile, Jeffress believes the problem is likely to get worse.
“I don’t believe that is the call for fatalism, and I see that in too many Christians,” he said.
“They just throw up their hands. It’s all going to go to hell in a handbasket: Let’s just get in our holy huddles and try to encourage one another and hope nobody does anything bad to us. That is not what Christians need to be doing. We are to be on the offense,” said Jeffress.
Metaxas says the best way to do that is through prayer.
“The one thing however that we have as Christians is we have the power of prayer, and we need to pray against this.”
He added, “This is not God’s will. It’s God’s will that everyone be genuinely free, and we need to pray hard that in this nation that this would be preserved,” he said.
Reprinted with permission from CBN.com. Copyright The Christian Broadcasting Network, all rights reserved.
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Topic: I Know Your Works V [Friday 20, October 2017] Memorise: “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” – Matthew 26:41
Read: Revelation 3:1-6
1 And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.
2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God. 3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.
4 Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.
5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
6 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Bible In One Year: Mark 14. Hymn: Sing Hymn 4 – Take My Life And Let It Be
MESSAGE:
Our Lord Jesus Christ is the most practical personality that has ever lived on earth. This should not be surprising; since He is both God and man; He came to show us the way to live a victorious and fulfilled life. He affirmed that He came that we may have life and have it more abundantly (John 10:10). Our compassionate Lord, who would not want anyone, particularly those who have confessed Him as Lord to perish, is here in today’s reading, warning the Church to remember how they started and hold fast the Word of truth.
Another interesting lesson we must learn from today’s reading is that the Almighty God knows the state and details our lives, both spiritually and physically. However, you have to watch over your soul in this perverse generation and pray always if you will be worthy at the end of time. Moreover, the Lord promised that He would judge individuals in the church according to each person’s deeds. There shall be no collective responsibility when it comes to spiritual accountability.
Action Point: Since the Lord knows your works; take a self-examination of yourself and see where you need to repent, watch and pray for restoration.
Open Heavens Daily Devotional for Teen’s guide was written by Pastor E.A. Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, one of the largest evangelical church in the world and also the President of Christ the Redeemer’s Ministries.
Topic: Expect Wonderful Things In Christ — Friday October 20, 2017.
“…and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”(Isaiah 9:6 KJV)
If you have had an encounter with Jesus, you are not ordinary. Therefore, don’t expect things to happen to you as they happen to others. What you expect is what you get. The bible says his name shall be called wonderful, meaning you will be a wonder to behold. If you go for an interview you will be successful. If they put you behind the line, God will bypass the line and place you ahead of them. The enemy wants you dead, but God will disappoint their devices. People are watching around you, but the more they look at you the more beautiful you are. His name shall be called wonderful. This means you should expect wonders! It is your birthright because Christ in you is the hope of glory. Expect glory and not shame. I proclaim boldly, that the shame is over. You cannot see shame. You are called for glory.
Beloved, the names of Christ are his attributes. They point you to what you should expect. His name shall be called Counselor! In other words God intends to let you know what will happen at all times, how and where, what to do, where to go, what to sell and what to invest in. When Christ was to feed five thousand people, He knew what to do. Jesus does not want us to beat about the bush. From this moment forward you won’t beat about the bush. You will be on target. His name shall be called Counselor. That means he will counsel you. He will tell you about your husband, about your wife, how to live with them, about your academics and about every area of your life. He will let you know all you need to know. Expect these for they are yours in Christ.
Further Reading: Matthew 14:15-21, John 14:26, John 16:13
Written by Dr. Mike Okonkwo; Is the Presiding Bishop of The Redeemed Evangelical Mission (TREM); a versatile man of God with over 30 years of dedicated service unto the Lord.
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Midwestern Seminary is interested in helping you get to the field faster. And they’re serious about training leaders for the church. That’s why they’ve created the all-new Accelerate Program. In Midwestern’s Accelerate Program, students earn both Bachelor of Arts degree and Master of Divinity degree in just 5 years of intensive study. That’s a B.A. and an M.Div. at the same time. This innovative residential program combines rigorous academic training with practical ministry preparation, resulting in one of the most effective programs around, so that you can pursue your ministry calling as soon as possible.
Vanderbloemen Search Group is the premier pastor search firm dedicated to helping churches and ministries build great teams. They’ve helped hundreds of churches just like yours find their church staff and are uniquely geared to help you discern who God is calling to lead your church.
