Oswald Chambers on Spiritual Transformation

 

                                                           (Beth and Linda, in Jerusalem)

"Jesus says that there is only one way to develop spiritually, and that is by concentration on God. “Do not bother about being of use to others; believe on Me” — pay attention to the Source, “and out of you will flow rivers of living water.”

We cannot get at the springs of our natural life by common sense and Jesus is teaching that growth in spiritual life does not depend on our watching it, but on concentration on our Father in heaven. Our

heavenly Father knows the circumstances we are in, and if we keep concentrated on Him we will grow spiritually as the lilies."

– Oswald Chambers

Join Me at My Favorite Conference

 

Join me and Linda at my favorite conference this summer.

June 25-29

Details HERE.

With Christ Overstreet

and Derrick Snodgrass

Two-Step Leadership: A three-part mini-conference for Pastors

 

Two-Step Leadership: A three-part mini-conference for pastors and Christian leaders. 

Led by Dr. John Piippo 

Three zoom gatherings. 

9-10 AM 

June 3, 10, 11 

As a pastor and leader, have you ever felt overwhelmed by the amount of literature and conferences on how to lead your church? Perhaps you would like to simplify leadership? Maybe you are interested in what a minimalist strategy for church leadership looks like? 

If this is you, please join Dr. John Piippo for three sessions on a biblical way of leading that is exciting, energizing, and emerges out of an abiding life in Christ. 

John is an American Baptist pastor, in his 31^st year at Redeemer Fellowship Church in Monroe, Michigan. He is the author of several books, including Leading the Presence-Driven Church. John has an M.Div. from Northern Seminary, and a PhD in philosophical theology from Northwestern University. 

John has taught in seminaries, conferences, and retreats around the U.S. and the world. He is currently an Adjunct Professor at Payne Theological Seminary (A.M.E.) and Faith Bible Seminary in New York City (Chinese). 

John and his wife Linda will celebrate their 50^th wedding anniversary in August 2023. They have two sons who are both married, and two grandchildren. 

For information, and registration, please contact: 

Pastor Rusty Strickler 

Warren First Baptist Church (Indiana) 

pastorrusty128@gmail.com 

260-375-2811 

***

johnpiippo@msn.com

Speaking at Resource Leadership Conference in May

I'll be presenting my Presence-Driven Church workshop at this conference, in May.

SMALL CHURCH PASTORS' AND LEADERS' CONFERENCE
EQUIPPING PASTORS AND MINISTRY LEADERS

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Enjoy a time away to renew and energize.  Bring some of your church leaders so you can get more out of the conference as a team.  Spend time with other Pastors and Leaders from smaller churches and be inspired by teaching from gifted Christian leaders and teachers. Keynote Speakers include NFL Veteran and ESPN Commentator Sam Acho; small church expert and speaker Rev. Karl Vaters; Ellen Gray, teacher of “I Said This, You Heard That”  by Kathleen Edelman; and a panel discussion with the three sponsor organization leaders, Dr. Gene Crume (Judson University), Rev Patty Bilyeu (Executive Minister ABC-GRR), Rev Mark Thompson (Executive Minister ABC-IN/KY)

Learn More

SAM ACHO

NFL Veteran, ESPN In-studio Analyst, Author, Speaker

Sam Acho is an author, a public speaker, a humanitarian, an in-studio analyst for ESPN, a nine-year NFL veteran, and a committed Christian. He’s also currently an ambassador for the International Justice Mission.

Learn More

REV. KARL VATERS

Pastor, Author, Speaker

Rev. Karl Vaters' heart is to help pastors of small churches (up to 90 percent of us) find the resources to lead well, and to capitalize on the unique advantages that come with pastoring a small church.

Learn More

ELLEN GRAY

Temperament Specialist, Author

Ellen Gray graduated from Samford University in 2004 with a B.A. in Religion. She has served the church and para-church organizations for over 20 years. She has studied temperaments for nearly a decade and has been Kathleen Edelman's Assistant and understudy for the past three years. Ellen is married to the love of her life, Ryan, and they have three beautiful boys, Jackson, Carter, and Maddox. Ellen is the co-author of three devotional books and is passionate about Jesus, sports, the outdoors, ice cream, and family.

Learn More

GENE CRUME

Judson University President

Dr. Gene C. Crume, Jr. became Judson University’s sixth president in April 2013.

Learn More

REV. PATTY BILYEU

GRR Executive Minister

GRR Executive Minister

Learn More

REV. MARK THOMPSON

Executive Director, American Baptist Churches of Indiana and Kentucky

Executive Director, American Baptist Churches of Indiana and Kentucky

Learn More

 WORKSHOP DESCRIPTIONS

CONFERENCE SCHEDULE 2023

THURSDAY, MAY 18

3:00 PM:  Check-in

4:00 PM:  Leadership is More Than ... Workshop - Rev. Dr. Rex Rogers

5:30 PM:  Dinner and Keynote - Ellen Gray

7:30 PM:  Social Activity 

​

FRIDAY, MAY 19

9:00 AM:  Worship

9:30 AM:  Keynote - Rev. Karl Vaters 

10:30 AM:  Breakout Workshops #1 (See workshop tab at top of website page)

11:45 AM:  Lunch and Keynote  -  Sam Acho

1:15 PM:  Breakout Workshops (See workshop tab at top of website page)

2:15 PM: Refreshments in the Cafe

2:45 PM:  Breakout Workshops (See workshop tab at top of website page)

4:00 PM:  Breakout Workshops (See workshop tab at top of website page)

5:45 PM:  Dinner and Panel Discussion with our three supporting organization leaders

​

Spend time with other Pastors and Leaders from smaller churches and be inspired by teaching from gifted Christian leaders and teachers. Choose from workshops highlighting innovative ministry strategies on topics such as essentials and redefining success in ministry, capitalizing with online possibilities in smaller churches, leading the presence-driven church and communication improvement 

​

BREAKOUT WORKSHOPS

Ellen Gray - I Said This, You Heard That. Learn a simple framework that will instantly improve your communication. 

Rev. Karl Vaters - Big Churches, Small Churches - What's the Difference?

Essentials and Redefining Success in Ministry

Jaime Flores & Bruce Cochran - Latino-Anglo Bridgebuilders (LAB) is focused on building healthy, open relationships between Latino and Anglo congregations

 

Dr. Gene Crume - Capitalizing with online possibilities in smaller churches 

 

Attorney Sally Wagenmaker - Getting your legal house of worship in order

Roger Simmons - Managing cultural diversity and training in cultural awareness

​

John Piippo - Leading the presence-driven church

​

Rev. Meg Biddle - MinistrElife Workshop

Prayer Is Wider Than the World



(My prayer chair, in our backyard by the river)

I pray. 

In praying I encounter God and experience God. 

Prayer is talking with God about what he and I are thinking and doing together.

In praying I know God and am known. 

To pray is, historically, the heart of abiding in Christ. God has come to make his home in us (John 14), and we converse together in the living room, by the fireplace, that is our hearts. 

When a Jesus-follower realizes this, the listening part of praying walks onto center stage. This is actual, real prayer, and has little or no relation to reading books about prayer, or saying "I believe in prayer but can't find the time for it." (Which often is an indicator of unbelief.)

Praying is talking with the Maker of Heaven and Earth in our spiritual heart-house. This is a world of moral and spiritual vastness. I like how James Houston expresses this:

"Prayer is wider than the world, deeper than the heart, and older than the origin of humanity, because prayer originates from the very character of God. its possibilities are infinite and so our explorations in prayer can be vast." (Houston, The Transforming Power of Prayer: Deepening Your Friendship with God, 75) 

When I was studying Old Testament theology in seminary, one of the OT scholars we had to become familiar with was Walter Eichrodt. Houston gives this beautiful quote from Eichrodt, illustrating the scope and sensitivity of a praying life.

"The man who knows God hears his step in the tramp of daily events, discerns him near at hand to help, and hears his answer to the appeal of prayer in a hundred happenings outwardly small and insignificant, where another man can talk only of remarkable coincidence, amazing accident, or peculiar turns of events. That is why periods when the life of faith is strong, and men have enthusiastically surrendered themselves to God, have also been times rich in miracles." (In Ib.)

Engage in vast prayer-exploring today.

***

My two books on praying are...

Praying: Reflections on 40 Years of Solitary Conversations with God

31 Letters to the Church on Praying

ATONEMENT Posts

 

                                                                  (Door, in Jerusalem)

Here are some blog posts I have made on the atoning sacrifice of Christ, on the cross.

Atonement - The Death of Jesus on a Cross Heals the Separation Between Us and God

The Atonement - What Did God Accomplish?

Atonement as At-One-Ment

Atonement Lies at the Heart of the Christian Faith

Atonement - Jesus Died In Our Place

The Atonement of Christ - Some Resources

Atonement and Substitution

Atonement and the Scandal of the Cross

The Atonement Is Not "Morally Outrageous" (No "Cosmic Child Abuse" here)

Atonement and the Crucifixion of Christ

The Meaning of 'Atonement'

Atonement and Expiation

The Atonement | Progressives & William Lane Craig with Alisa Childers

Atonement and Jesus, the Suffering Servant

Christ Is the Atoning Sacrifice for Our Sins

In the Atonement the Wrath and the Love of God Meet

Cross By the Road (Visual Symbol of The Atonement)

The Atonement as Entertainment

By Christ's Atoning Sacrifice, All Who Believe are "Reckoned" as Righteous

The Mind-Crushing Paradox of the Atoning Sacrifice of Christ

TWO-STEP LEADERSHIP MINI-CONFERENCE (A Minimalist Strategy for Pastors and Christian Leaders)

 

Two Step Leadership:

          A 3-part mini-conference for

          pastors and Christian leaders

              ___________________________________________________

           Led by Dr. John Piippo

           Via 3 Zoom Gatherings

            June 3, 10, 17 from 9 – 10 AM

                  ___________________________________________________

As a pastor and leader, have you ever felt overwhelmed by the amount of literature and conferences on how to lead your church? 

Perhaps you would like to simplify leadership? 

Maybe you are interested in what a minimalist strategy 

for church leadership looks like? 

       

If this is you, please join Dr. John Piippo for three sessions on a biblical way of leading that is exciting, energizing, and emerges out of an abiding life in Christ.  

       

John is an American Baptist pastor, in his 31^st year at Redeemer Fellowship Church in Monroe, Michigan. He is the author of several books, including Leading thePresence-Driven Church. John has an M.Div. from Northern Seminary, and a PhD in philosophical theology from Northwestern University.  

       John has taught in seminaries, conferences, and retreats around the U.S. and the world. He is currently an Adjunct Professor at Payne Theological Seminary (A.M.E.) and Faith Bible Seminary in New York City (Chinese).

        John and his wife Linda will celebrate their 50^th wedding anniversary in August 2023. They have two sons who are both married, and two grandchildren.

 

       For information and registration, please contact:

                      Dr. Bruce Cochran – Region Minister

                      brucecochran@abc-indiana.org / 812-521-1575

                      Or

          Rusty Strickler – Warren First Baptist Church

pastorrusty128@gmail.com / 260-375-2811

 

       Zoom information will be sent to those who register.

 

How to Communicate in Conflict

                                                                        (Ypsilanti, MI)

(Linda and I studied with David Augsburger in seminary. Here is one of the most important things God taught us through David.)

COMMUNICATION AS SPEAKING THE TRUTH IN LOVE (CARING + CONFRONTING; from David Augsburger, Caring Enough to Confront)

Ephesians 4:15 says: “therefore speak the truth in love; so shall we fully grow up into Christ.” Here we are told, in communication, to be both loving and truthful, caring and confronting.

Work at communicating both caring and confronting in the middle of marital or relational conflict.

Here are the attitudes to have and hold to.

SEE ALSO...

Be Slow to Anger - Three Tools for Communicating When in Conflict

How to Deal with Anger - Some Resources

A Post to Christians About Gentleness and Respect

(Ancient war helmets, Detroit Institute of Art
Looks like someone took a spear in the forehead.)

Some Christians - maybe many - have this edge to them, a judgmental harshness, which is not from God. I see this happening everywhere, to include, sadly, in the Church. 

It speaks to me as well. Perhaps I am writing this for my own instruction? To remind myself of The Standard? If so, I can accept that. 

I agree with Dallas Willard, who once confessed that he had not loved others enough. Me either.

When you feel anger, be gentle and kind. That's the fruit the Holy Spirit produces. Harshness and unkindness is sin. In your anger, do not sin. 

Here's an example.

I embrace the traditional definition of marriage as between a man and a woman. Other revisionist definitions are, therefore, wrong. Some people feel anger towards me because of what I affirm. What shall I do? How shall I respond?

How I talk about what I affirm is important. In Romans 12 we are told to not conform our hearts to the pattern of our culture. God's kingdom, as Jesus repeatedly demonstrated, is not of this world.

One of this world's patterns has always been harshness and disrespect. Especially when it comes to disagreement. Much of this is seen on social media. It gets unloving and hate-filled. And anti-Christlike. Followers of Jesus who descend into the ugly side of social media are conforming to the world's modus operandi.

The Jesus way, on the other hand, includes beliefs and attitudes such as...

Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you.

All the awesome spiritual gifts are nothing if you don't have love, as a heart attitude that leads to behavior.

Love is the greatest thing. Therefore, if you are on social media, be great.

Express your reasons for the hope you have, but always do it in gentleness and with respect.

Avoid the argumentative person. (Proverbs)

Speak the truth? Yes! But always in love!

If it has flesh and blood, it is not our real enemy. (Do not be sucked in by social media about this. On social media we see people fighting against people.)

When disagreeing, be patient with others, as you work to listen and understand them. (1 Cor. 13)

In disagreement, never dishonor others.  (1 Cor. 13)

Remove your anger buttons. (1 Cor. 13)

Grow up spiritually, and put the ways of children behind you. (1 Cor. 13:11)

When in conflict and disagreement, see HERE for how to be both truthful and loving. 

Remember that, contrary to much media, to disagree is not to hate.

If, when dialoguing and disagreeing, you fall into hatred, dishonor, and diminishment of the other, repent, and ask them for forgiveness.  

The superior conflict-discussing, understanding-and-forgiving environment is face-to-face. Phone conversation comes in second. Email and texting is a distant, inferior third. The worst way, the incendiary way, is on social media, for the world to see. True, that's more interesting and attention-getting. Which is part of our world's disease.

See In Essentials Unity, in Nonessentials Liberty, and in All Things, Love. 

Read, again, 1 Corinthians 13. Apply.

(Maybe...   one more suggestion...  take some philosophy classes. In my experience these classes had much debate and disagreement, but done civilly. Because, in logic, ad hominem abusives are irrelevant to truth-seeking.

Rudeness adds NOTHING to an argument, except to further polarize.)