Category Archives: Recommended books

New 9Marks Journal – “Lay Elders: A User’s Guide, Part 1″ Nov-Dec 2012, 9:6

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November/December 2012, Volume 9, Issue 6

Articles

BASIC EXPECTATIONS FOR LAY ELDERS

A Job Description for Lay Elders - Okay, you’re an elder. So now what are you supposed to do? - By Jeramie Rinne

How Much Time Can a Lay Elder Give to Ministry? - Job + family + ministry = a serious time crunch for the lay elder. How can he navigate it? - By Sebastian Traeger

TRAINING LAY ELDERS

Raising Up Elders: Three Areas to Address - How can you raise up elders for your church? Train men in content, character, and competence. - By Mike McKinley

Raising Up Elders: Four Foundational Principles - Ever feel like you have no business playing teacher because you’re still a student? The gospel reminds us that God’s power is made perfect in our weakness. - By Garrett Kell

EQUIPPING LAY ELDERS

Four Ways to Equip New Elders - To set your new elder up for success, get him a brother, some books, and a budget—then put him on a billboard. - By Garrett Kell

Besetting Sins of Lay Elders - What Demas, Judas, the Pharisees, and King Saul teach us about how (not!) to serve as elders. - By Steve Boyer

How Pastor Mark Passes Out Authority - Giving away authority is one of the best ways to grow leaders and a gospel culture in a local church. Here’s a profile of a pastor who does it well. - By Jonathan Leeman

Audio

Contact Evangelism with Mack Stiles and Friends - How pushy should we be in our evangelism? Do we have to earn the right to share the gospel? Mack Stiles and a few friends discuss.

Membership as Citizenship by Jonathan Leeman - Church membership is different and more important than you think, says Jonathan Leeman in this 9Marks Workshop message.

Trellis & Vine Talk 1 – not about small groups

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| | September 8, 2011

In this first episode of Trellis & Vine Talk Tony and Col discuss—amongst other things— why the ideas in The Trellis and the Vine are not about small groups and one-to-one. Listen to it here, or download the file to catch up on it later (MP3 | M4A).

Col Marshall will be coming to Los Angeles to do a Trellis and the Vine two day workshop on October 18-19 for Christians in the area.

For 3 days only: Free eBook of The Gospel-Centered Life Leader’s Guide (a $12.99 value)

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This nine-lesson small group study is being used in churches all over the world to teach participants how the gospel shapes every aspect of life. Each lesson is self-contained, featuring clear, biblical teaching and requires no work outside of the group setting. The self-explanatory Leader’s Guide helps small group leaders teach and apply the material.
“I have not seen a better resource for training people in the implications of the gospel. It communicates both to the new Christian and to the seasoned pastor, much like the gospel itself.”
Darrin Patrick

“This is a rich gospel-centered small group curriculum that I am really excited to see published.”
Mark Driscoll

“With simple and direct language, The Gospel-Centered Life helps people understand and effectively apply the gospel to their lives, regardless of where they are in their spiritual journey. It’s one of the few resources out there that explicitly challenges others to reach out with the gospel, even as it is growing deeper into their own lives. I highly recommend it!”
Steve Childers

3 Suggested Methods for Reading the Bible with another Believer (or unbeliever)

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Four steps to preparation (from One to One Bible Reading: A Simple Guide for Every Christian, p. 35):

  1. Pray for understanding and that God will use these meetings to grow your mutual faith in the power of the gospel.
  2. Read through the assigned portion of the Bible at least twice.
  3. Write down your impressions after reading the text each time – observations, main points, questions you have (depending on what sort of framework you are useing).
  4. Pray based on what you have read, and pray again for your forthcoming meeting.

The Swedish Method

  • No prep time
  • Pick a passage or book to go through regularly
  • Look for an insight, question, application, and who you want to share what you learned with.
  • Discuss together and pray

COMA

  • Choose passage or book
  • See prep time above
  • Read passage out loud
  • Ask questions of Context, Observations, Meaning, and Applications.
  • Pray together about what you learned
  • Use these sheets

6 Steps to Encouragement

  • 15 minutes prep time for everyone before meeting – writing 5 things about the passage (insights, application, questions, etc).
  • 30 minute discussion time – read the passage aloud together and discuss your 5 things
  • Pray

This is a cross post with the CrossView Church LA blog and God is Better than All.