5/29/2014
Confirmation mentors as disciple makers The Great Plains Conference hosted three confirmation rallies across Nebraska and Kansas this spring. Several of the groups that attended were comprised of nearly as many adults as students — many of these adults were serving as mentors to the confirmation students. At one of the rallies a group of senior adults walked into the church looking for the restrooms about an hour before the event was scheduled to begin. I thought they were there for another ...
5/29/2014
The process of growing and sharing the Christian life Living in a post-20th century Christianity, we know that people who risk checking out worship services are looking for something greater and deeper from life. This searching takes many forms — a father who works through the awkwardness of bringing his children to church as their mother pushes in order to connect his children to faith and community — a middle aged couple who is trying to find a place to connect with others as they “...
5/29/2014
Recent works suitable for small group study Turning attenders into disciples is a process, which most often involves conversation in a small group setting. If you’re looking for resources to facilitate those conversations, here are a couple of recent releases by Great Plains authors that are worth checking out. The Wesleyan Way First, is “The Wesleyan Way,” a small group study authored by Bishop Scott Jones and released last October. This eight-session study uses Scripture, a study book authored...
5/29/2014
Spiritual formation/prayer practices Spiritual formation can be understood simply as cultivating or deepening a personal relationship with God. In the Old Testament, God spoke to Elijah (I Kings 19:17), not in wind, fire or earthquake, but (my favorite translation) in “the sound of sheer silence” (NRSV) or perhaps more familiarly, “a still small voice.” (KJV) The Psalmist, speaking for God says, “Be still and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). Jesus modeled prayer for his disciples, ancient and...
11/13/2013
Christians know that God hates sin. God has condemned murder, lying, stealing, adultery, greed, sexual immorality, blasphemy and worshipping false gods. When an individual comes to having faith in Christ, God’s grace actively seeks to help that person grow toward “the holiness without which no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14). At the same time, God desires more than just a group of holy individuals. God’s will is that the entire world be re-created to conform to God’s will. Christians are ...
10/2/2013
Most United Methodists need a spiritual revival! If that is true of you or your church, what does revival look like, and how do you prepare for it? Revival is always by the grace of God and the power of the Holy Spirit. So, prayer becomes an important practice in seeking to find that new life that we seek. Many of us have our regular prayer routines, such as grace before meals or the prayers offered in our weekly worship services. I hope each of us has a daily prayer routine as well. Have you ...
10/15/2012
Dr. Lovett Weems has taught many leaders of The United Methodist Church a phrase that is being repeated widely: we need more people, more young people, and more diverse people. I agree. The average age of a United Methodist layperson is more than 57. The average age of people in the United States is in the lower 30s. There is clearly a problem here. If our mission is to make disciples of Jesus Christ, and if the population around us is younger than we are and we are not reaching them, we are not...
Discipling starts in the heart, a heart that rejoices in the ministries of others. This is what the Great Plains Camping ministry is all about. Camp is a place where all are welcome. To come explore, renew, and rejoice. Staff at camp rejoice in the individuality of campers, become campers biggest cheerleader, and foster growth in a community of love, acceptance, and support. Building relationships at camp with Christ, each other, and nature is a way of life at camp. This is why so many ...
Confirmation mentors as "disciplers" The Great Plains conference hosted three confirmation rallies across Nebraska and Kansas this spring. Several of the groups that attended were comprised of nearly as many adults as students – many of these adults were serving as mentors to the confirmation students. At one of the rallies a group of senior adults walked into the church looking for the restrooms about an hour before the event was scheduled to begin. I thought they were there for another church ...
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