Prayer, Evangelism and Worship

So we face the inevitable - online worship!  Your people are in agreement to do online worship service but will they really worship and at best serve?  Here are some ideas on how to prepare your church to worship and serve during the online worship service. TECHNOLOGY  Meaningful worship exalts God through His word, prayer, service, and fellowship.  A pastor can check the first two with ease, but the last two might be a challenge.  That is why I like FB messenger, Google Hangout, Skype and Zoom.  They facilitate an interaction that FB Live might fall short from.  However, FB Live has real-time comments that might just do the trick. PREPARATION  Not all of your congregants are techy.  So what do you do?  Prepare your people before Sunday.  Teach them how to use their smartphones, download the apps or use a computer.  If that is too much, ask their 2nd grader to help them out.   Finally, post these advice...

It may be a new norm but doing online worship doesn't have to be an unusual experience.   As your leaders try to put together online worship for your church.  Remember these four principles. Homogenize By definition, it means the "same likeness".  The idea is that whatever your congregation sees, try to come as close to what they usually would see.  That could be the face of the pastor to the face of the worship leader or the background of the church or a slide showing the church.  The order of worship and perks and quirks that come along with live worship. Contextualize You can't really attain the same experience with live worship so contextualize it.  Maybe you don't have to do the whole 45-minute sermon.  How about your offering?  Can't pass the bucket so figure out if you need to do an online giving, a deacon passing by this week to collect or just simply mailing it to the church.   Have you ever thought of a direct d...

There are a few things we know about the Holy Spirit, but do we really know him.  Matthew 28:19-20 - 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Here are a few things about the Holy Spirit He is Creator, Genesis 1:2 He gives life,  Ezek. 39:29 He sustains life, Genesis 2:7; Job 27:3 But beneath this, the HS has a power related to you today,  John 15:15-20 15 “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— 17 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be[c] in you. 18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Fat...

The ability of God’s Living, Powerful, Sharp Word: (Hebrews 4:12) For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. a. Living: (John 6:63b) “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” (Mat 4:4) But He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.'" b. Powerful: •  (1 Th 2:13) For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe. c. Sharp: d. Divides Soul and Spirit: •  (John 6:63a) “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits no...

Shortly after 5 p.m., the day after the country just celebrated Easter, the country was rocked with a 6.1 earthquake.  The center of the quake is near Floridablanca Pampanga, a 2 to 2 1/2 hour north drive from Manila.  Pray for the Philippines as reports are coming in for damages and death count. The Mililani Fil-Am Baptist Church is putting together a medical mission team that will go on July, 2019.   If you are interested to join, support and help, please contact Pastor Bong Abagon at (808) 741-6294. #luzonquake by Manila Bulletin #luzonquake by ABS CBN

Topic:     The 7 th and Final Saying Theme:    Words of Assurance Text/Context Passage:  Luke 23:44-47 Resources:  Matthew Henry; John F. MacArthur Jr.; Rick Warren Note:  These notes are formatted as an educational tool  for men of our network churches preaching on April 19, 2019 during the Good Friday Service.   Click here to access the whole 7 sayings preparation.  Introduction They say that the last words of a dying man are one of the most important thing you need to listen to.  Jesus have spoken six and now we come to the final saying which brings “Words of Assurance.”   We all need assurance.  In this next ten seconds, can you write in your paper that’s making you really worry?  You’ve been thinking about his lately, your mind has been preoccupied, or you’re just scared …  (PAUSE) Transition  Let me read to you Luke 23:44-47 44  It w...

The 7 last words of Jesus Christ  The Gospels record that during the six hours Jesus was hanging on the cross He made seven different statements. These statements are of tremendous significance because they are the last words of Jesus before His death. They demonstrate that Jesus was consistent in His life and in His message until the end. 1.   Read - The Word of Forgiveness - "Father forgive them for they do not know what they are doing" Context Passage:   Luke:  23:27-37 2.   Read - The Word of Trust - "Today you will be with me in paradise" Context Passage: Luke 23:39-43 3.   Read - The Word of Love - "Woman behold your son"  Context Passage:   John 19:25-27 4.   Read - The Word of Substitution - "My God, my God why have you forsaken me?"  Context Passage:   Matthew 27:45-46 5.   Read - The Word of Humanity - "I thirst" Context Passage:   John 19:28-29 6.   Read -  The Word of Victory - "It is fin...