tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-132507342011-04-21T19:48:28.462-07:00Johnnoreply@blogger.comBlogger41100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13250734.post-1117374141372612072005-05-29T06:42:00.000-07:002005-05-29T06:42:21.376-07:00Abundant Inspiration<br /><br /><br /><br />INTRODUCTION<br />We live in an era of biblical illiteracy. You have perhaps seen the interviews of the people on the sidewalk or malls that did not know some basic facts about the Bible. There have also been various studies done of long term church members and those entering Bible colleges that scored poorly on basic Bible knowledge. <br /><br />During this era there is an over-abundance of information being hurled at everyone. Madison Avenue makes sure that there are ads everywhere for everything. The Christian bookstores have plenty of new books released. There are various Sunday school classes and seminars offered.<br /><br />Yet along the way there are many and various key lessons that are too often neglected.<br /><br />Another important application for this list is that it serves at an initial sketch of the Blueprint of Educational Nucleus for Four Bridges Ministry www.fourbridges.org <br /><br />This will bridge the gap between Sunday school and Bible College or seminary. The seminary students will be the teachers. <br /><br />I submit to you that there is a large demand for teachings and sermons that go deeper and wider than what is usually offered. We are in an information age when people can access all sorts of detailed information about medicine, sports, finances, entertainment, weather, hobbies, etc. over the web. Yet often when they come to church there is the same narrow band of teachings that have been there for decades.<br /><br />The following list will help you think outside of the box of conventional thinking. Yet for a youth group, singles group, those preparing for missions work or just want to gain a firmer foundation for their faith this will hit a bull’s eye. <br /><br />These ideas tend toward the meat but there can be a milk version for children and new believers.<br /><br />This list will also serve as an initial sketch of the curriculum for the online lay institute or Four Bridges Ministry www.fourbridges.org <br /><br />This is just a rough draft of the hundreds of topics related to biblical Christianity. This begins to give an overview of the comprehensive lists that will follow. <br /><br />In order for the Online Lay Institute to have thousands of 3 minute messages that are able to be searched then there needs to be a comprehensive outline for the search engine to use.<br /><br /><br />AUDIENCES<br />This is just a sample of the kinds of people who can use this list.<br />Sunday school teacher<br />Small group leader<br />Pastor <br />Missionary<br />Chaplain <br />Personal Bible study<br />Home schoolteacher<br />Parents <br />Grandparent<br /><br /><br /><br />PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY <br />Personal responsibility for world missions <br />Personal responsibility for local benevolence<br />Personal responsibility for personal evangelism<br />Personal responsibility for the persecuted church<br />Personal responsibility for evangelizing and discipling family members – nuclear and extended<br />Personal responsibility of a husband to a wife and visa versa<br />Personal responsibility of a father to each child and visa versa<br />Personal responsibility of a mother to each child and visa versa<br /><br /><br /><br />WHY AND HOW<br />Why and how of progressive sanctification and personal holiness<br />Why and how of personal devotional prayers and intercession<br />Why and how of personal thanksgiving and private worship<br />Why and how of Bible memory<br />Why and how of meditating on scripture <br />Why and how of fasting<br />Why and how of repentance<br />Why and how of confession of sins – privately to God and selectively to believers <br />Why and how of forgiveness – forgive others & ask for forgiveness<br />Why and how improve stewardship of a person’s time, talents, and treasures (things and money) <br />Why and how discover and develop spiritual gifts<br />Why and how give money to the local church and other Christian ministries <br />Why and how love the sinner while hating the sin<br />Why and how love one another<br />Why and how love God<br />Why and how practice the golden rule – do unto others as you would have them do unto you<br />Why and how perform good deeds as genuine believers <br />Why and how serve in the local church<br />Why and how claim and stand on the promises of God.<br /><br /><br /> <br />DEFINE AND DESCRIBE<br />Body - soul - spirit<br />World - flesh - devil<br />Armor of God <br />Sovereignty of God <br />Free will<br />Lust of the eyes – Lust of the flesh - Pride of life<br />Sins of commission - Sins of omission<br />Seven deadly sins – Pride, Anger, Lust, Envy, Sloth, Greed, Gluttony<br />Seven virtues – Humility, Generosity, Love, Kindness, Temperance, Zeal, Self Control<br />Hell <br />Heaven<br />Spiritual warfare<br />Judgment of unbelievers <br />Judgment of believers<br />Eternal rewards<br />Eternal security & Assurance of salvation<br />Satan and demons<br />Angels and archangels <br />Gospel<br />Mind of Christ<br />Heart of God<br />Great Commission<br />Salvation<br />Rebirth<br />Redemption <br />Reconciliation <br />Fruit of the spirit<br />Spiritual gifts<br />Works of the flesh<br />Election<br />Foreknowledge<br />Predestination<br />Calling<br />Regeneration<br />Dispensation <br />Elder<br />Deacon<br />Pastor<br />Rapture<br />Tribulation <br />Millennium <br />Tolerance<br />Unity – diversity - uniformity <br />Duty<br />Community <br />Koinonia <br /><br /><br /><br /><br />MISSIONS<br />Biblical mandates <br />Motivations<br />Goals<br />Means<br />People<br />Responsibilities<br />Prayer<br />Money<br />Culture<br />Cross culture <br />Language<br />Travel<br />Health<br />Safety<br />Testimonies <br />Missionary care<br />Kinds<br />Benevolence<br />Evangelism<br />Discipleship<br />Church growth<br />Church planting<br />Leadership development<br />Economic development <br /><br /><br /><br />IDOLATRY <br />The following items can become idols if taken out of balance. Note that Americans have a far better life style than most of those on the planet today or than most people in recorded history. Yet they many church members cannot seem to find enough time, money or energy to do what they know is best for their marriage, family or church. Thy find themselves too busy for much Christian service or spiritual disciplines because often there is a serious imbalance. And maybe it has gotten to the excess of an idol. <br /><br /><br />Materialism<br />Consumerism <br />Status<br />Looks<br />Excesses<br />Power<br />Prestige<br />Pleasure <br />Security<br />Control<br />Comfort<br />Convenience<br />Beauty <br />Recreation <br />Entertainment <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />FELT NEEDS<br />What are the biblical ways to meet these felt needs?<br />What are the key Bible verses, biblical principles and other practical steps.<br />How does prayer, fellowship, forgiving, repenting, confessing and just enduring fit?<br />There are an abundance of books, tapes and web sites to deal with each one.<br />There are plenty of self-help books that address these matters.<br />Each person experiences a few bumps on the road of life.<br />They need coping skills to deal with these.<br />God can and does use the difficulties of life to get our attentions.<br />But then what?<br /><br />Anger<br />Depression<br />Fear <br />Anxiety <br />Worry <br />Resentment <br />Guilt <br />Shame <br />Bitterness <br />Loneliness <br />Grief <br />Sadness <br />Overwhelm <br />Burn out <br />Rage <br />Despair <br />Apathy <br />Disappointment <br />Inadequacy <br />Helplessness <br />Hopelessness <br />Jealousy <br />Envy <br />Regret <br />Confusion <br />Denial <br /><br /><br /><br />fear of<br />abandonment <br />control<br />loss<br />rejection<br />betrayal<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />desire for<br />gain<br />security<br />significance<br /><br /><br /><br />THEMES AND THREADS THROUGHOUT THE BIBLE<br />Covenant<br />Blessing/Cursing<br />Redemption<br />Glory of God<br />Reconciliation <br />Faith/Hope/Love<br />Grace/Mercy/Judgment<br />Deliverance <br />Remnant <br />Law <br />Promises of God made and fulfilled<br />Character of God proved by His acts<br />Weaknesses, imperfections and selfishness of humans proven in various settings<br />Blood <br />Righteousness/Sin <br />Justice<br />Holiness <br />Life/death<br />Light/darkness<br />Truth/deception <br /><br /><br /><br />VIEWS OF GOD<br />Polytheism<br />Pantheism<br />Monotheism<br />Deism<br />Theism<br />Atheism<br />Agnosticism<br /><br /><br /><br />JUDAISM<br />Feasts<br />Holidays<br />Law<br />Traditions <br />Land<br /><br />Tabernacle<br />Outer court<br />Bronze altar<br />Brass laver<br />Holy place<br />Golden lamp stand<br />Table of showbread<br />Altar of incense<br />The veil<br />Most holy place<br />Ark of the covenant<br />Mercy seat<br /><br />Priest<br />Priestly garments<br />Priestly duties <br /><br /><br />Offerings <br />Burnt offering<br />Grain offering<br />Peace offering<br />Sin offering<br />Trespass offering<br /><br /><br /><br />WORLD RELIGIONS<br />Present a summary of the history, major beliefs and how unlike biblical Christianity. <br />Hinduism <br />Buddhism <br />Judaism<br />Christianity <br />Roman Catholicism<br />Eastern Orthodox (Greek, Russian)<br />Traditional African religions<br />Islam <br />Wicca <br />New Age<br /><br /><br />CULTS<br />Present a summary of the history, major beliefs and how unlike biblical Christianity. <br />Mormon<br />Jehovah Witness<br />Unification Church <br />Hare Krishna <br />Bahai<br /><br /><br /><br />FUNDAMENTAL DOCTRINES<br />Inspiration of scriptures<br />Virgin birth<br />Divinity of Christ<br />Trinity<br />Blood atonement<br />Bodily resurrection <br />Second coming<br /><br /><br />SOLAS<br />This was used during the Reformation to sum up what they stood for what protesting the Roman Catholic church. It can be used today as an excellent guide to discover how faithful a person or group is to the essentials of the Bible. On a related note this brief essay is very challenging Cambridge Declaration http://www.reformed.org/documents/cambridge.html <br /><br />Solas sola is Latin for alone <br /><br />Salvation is <br />by grace alone<br />through faith alone<br />in Christ alone<br />based on Scripture alone<br />to the glory of God alone.<br /><br /><br /><br />ARCHAEOLOGY<br />Overview of the field<br />Archaeology and the OT<br />Archaeology and the NT<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />HOT TOPICS <br />Homosexual marriage<br />Ordination of homosexuals<br />Ordination of women<br />Women as church elders<br />Women teach men <br />Baptism by emersion vs. sprinkling <br />Baptism of infants <br />Baptism as needed for salvation <br />Abortion<br />Euthanasia<br />Infanticide<br />Stem cell research<br />Gun control<br />Capital punishment (death penalty)<br />Dating vs. courtship <br />Open theology <br />KJV only<br />Baptism in Jesus name only<br />Oneness <br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />SPRING BOARDS<br />Use the various statements of faith as a spring board for messages.<br />Each element in the doctrinal statement of your local church and/or denomination <br />Each element of the Apostles Creed<br />http://www.carm.org/creeds/apostles.htm <br />Each element of the Nicene Creed<br />http://www.carm.org/creeds/nicene.htm <br />Each element of the IFMA Doctrinal Statement – hundreds of mission agencies agree to this<br />http://www.ifmamissions.org/doctrin.htm <br />Each element of the Westminster Confessions – if disagree then why<br />http://www.reformed.org/documents/wcf_with_proofs/indexf.html <br />Each element of the Lausanne Covenant – if disagree then why<br />http://www.gospelcom.net/lcwe/statements/covenant.html <br /><br /><br /><br />CONTEMPORARY ISSUES<br />What is the situation ethics and how is it influencing our society?<br />What is the cultural relativism and how is it influencing our society?<br />What is feminism and how is it influencing our society?<br />What is the New Age and how is it influencing our society?<br />What is postmodern and how is it influencing our society?<br /><br />Victory over Internet pornography for Christian men<br />Modesty in dress for Christian teen girls and women<br />Men and anger related matters <br />Body image, dieting and eating disorders for girls and women<br />Sanctity of life, euthanasia, stem cell research, abortion, etc.<br />How are appeals of the world, flesh and devil commonly present and how are they best defeated?<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />MISCELLANEOUS<br />Death and dying <br />Live in the light of eternity in uses of time, money commitments, relationships, etc.<br />Gossip<br />Original sin, sin nature, kinds of sin, biblical solutions to sins, etc.<br />Justification and sanctification – how are they similar and different<br />Problem of Evil – God is all-powerful and loving yet pain, suffering and evil exist<br />Book of Ecclesiastes – what does this book say about Solomon, human nature and believers today<br />Psalms 119 - the themes, the key verses and the central message – as a guide to spiritual maturity<br />How to be in the world and not of the world<div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/13250734-111737414137261207?l=abundantinspirationhub.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13250734.post-1117340026591960902005-05-28T21:13:00.001-07:002005-05-28T21:13:46.593-07:00This blog is just a tiny part of what will be woven into the Blueprint for Four Bridges Ministry <a href="www.fourbridges.org ">www.fourbridges.org </a> <br /><br />This will be interweaved on the web platform with other blogs that you can explore here <a href="http://hubofhubs.blogspot.com/">http://hubofhubs.blogspot.com/</a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/13250734-111734002659196090?l=abundantinspirationhub.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13250734.post-1117339997630837732005-05-28T21:13:00.000-07:002005-05-28T21:13:17.630-07:00Bible Study Hub<br /><a href="http://biblestudyhub.blogspot.com/ ">http://biblestudyhub.blogspot.com/ </a><br /><br /><br /><br />Message Sparks Hub<br /><a href="http://messagesparkshub.blogspot.com/ ">http://messagesparkshub.blogspot.com/ </a><br /><br /><br /><br />Abundant Inspiration Hub<br /><a href="http://abundantinspirationhub.blogspot.com/ ">http://abundantinspirationhub.blogspot.com/ </a><br /><br /><br /><br />Thousand Questions Hub<br /><a href="http://thousandquestionshub.blogspot.com/ ">http://thousandquestionshub.blogspot.com/ </a><br /><br /><br />Question about God <br /><a href="http://questionsaboutgod.blogspot.com/">http://questionsaboutgod.blogspot.com/</a><br /><br /><br /><br />Questions about Humans<br /><a href="http://questionsabouthumans.blogspot.com/">http://questionsabouthumans.blogspot.com/</a><br /><br /><br /><br />Simple Questions Hub<br /><a href="http://simplequestionshub.blogspot.com/ ">http://simplequestionshub.blogspot.com/ </a><br /><br /><br /><br />Critical Words Hub<br /><a href="http://criticalwordshub.blogspot.com/ ">http://criticalwordshub.blogspot.com/ </a><br /><br /><br /><br />Biblical Terms Hub<br /><a href="http://biblicaltermshub.blogspot.com/ ">http://biblicaltermshub.blogspot.com/ </a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/13250734-111733999763083773?l=abundantinspirationhub.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13250734.post-1117339960659934822005-05-28T21:12:00.000-07:002005-05-28T21:12:40.663-07:00Your comments, suggestions and questions are always welcomed.<br /><a href="http://fourbridges.org/Feedback.html ">http://fourbridges.org/Feedback.html </a><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/13250734-111733996065993482?l=abundantinspirationhub.blogspot.com' alt='' /></div>Johnnoreply@blogger.com