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  • Be A Biscuit - Pursue Christian Community with Joy

    Be A Biscuit - Pursue Christian Community with Joy
    2024/05/20

    This episode is a practical, hands-on application of some of the foundational ideas of living the inviting life as a Christian. (For more in-depth, biblical underpinning for this fun episode, see the related episodes below!) Find full show notes here.

    Key ideas:

    • We need each other in the body of Christ.
    • We're going to have to work for it.

    My husband and I are currently three years into being the "new kids" in a very inter-connected community at Camp Bethel, in a southwest Virginian Appalachian Mountain town. While our new neighbors and "family" in ministry have been welcoming, it's also a very interconnected community, and it often takes work to connect on a deeper level with new friends.

    What I've found first hand over many years of being new in various communities, is that it takes work to go beyond surface-level relationships and pursue the kind of transformative Christian community that God calls us to.

    What we can not do as we pursue healthy Christian relationships:

    Stay in a community that is unhealthy.

    Bully our way in with an arrogant or critical spirit.

    Two things to look for in a healthy church, in particular:

    Expository biblical teaching

    Biblically modeled leadership (Paul writes extensively about what church leadership should entail, and we should seek that out in a solid, Bible-teaching church!)

    We need to go into our church setting, local study, neighbor group, workplace, and whatever community God allows us to be part of, with a heart that is humble to learn and hungry to serve. We need to ask Him to help us find a place to serve, even as we seek to continually grow as Christ-followers who seek to continually, increasingly, know Him through His word and be transformed by His Spirit.

    It can be hard to pursue healthy relationships as a Christian; but God calls us to it, and it is worth the work.

    Related episodes:

    Grow Mature Lead with Jahlil Jefferson (episode 43)

    Be Kingdom Minded (episode 9)

    We Need Our People (episode 35)

    Dwell Richly - The Word-Rich Inviting Life (episode 39)

    Where is the Stapler? An Unexpected Way to Create Welcome (episode 38)

    Ask Good Questions - Invite Genuine Community (episode 20)

    Refine Your Focus: Pursue Community in Truth and Love (episode 21)

    When We Feel Afraid, But God is Bigger with Kim Russo (episode 7)


    Resources:

    • The Gospel Comes With A House Key (Rosaria Butterfield)

    • 9 Marks of a Healthy Church

    • Pastor John Piper on How to find a Good Church

    Let's Connect:

    Instagram

    Facebook

    Join the Facebook Community!

    Pinterest

    YouTube
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    20 分
  • Grow Mature Lead with Jahlil Jefferson

    Grow Mature Lead with Jahlil Jefferson
    2024/05/01

    Today I'm so excited to share with you my first interview with a brother in Christ! We got to be friends when Jahlil joined Jahlil is a follower of Christ, and a former student-athlete at University of Virginia at Wise, where he served as a diversity, equity, and inclusion intern at the college. While studying at UVA, he served in several off-campus Christian fellowship ministries including Mt. Olive Baptist Church college ministry, Camp Bethel Ministries, and Young Life in Wise, Virginia. He is currently pursuing Doctorate of Physical Therapy at Lincoln Memorial University—understanding that, "In every avenue of life I'm making efforts to attribute all my handiwork to God's glory."

    For the full shownotes, head to the Everyday Welcome blog post.

    A few key takeaways from my interview with Jahil:
    • The investment of godly parents can have incredible fruit in the life of a young man.
    • No matter what setting you're in, you can choose to boldly step into hard places, in obedience to Christ and for His glory.
    • God may call you to stretch outside your comfort zone (and humble yourself!) for His glory. Say yes!
    • Any skill, any opportunity, can be used to share the hope of the gospel of Jesus.
    • If we are too afraid to say yes when God gives us an opportunity, it might be a sign that we're seeing ourselves, not Christ, as the cornerstone.
    • When we take small steps in saying yes to living the #invitinglife, the next steps become easier.

    Related Episodes and Posts:

    Be Kingdom Minded (episode 9)

    How Do You Identify? (episode 33)

    Reconciliation and Hope! (episode 24)

    Be Interruptible (episode 5)

    Salted Honey: The Words We Eat and the Words We Speak (episode 13)

    How to Let Go of Your Fears and Host a Bible Study

    Resources:
    • Just Do Something, Kevin DeYoung
    • 5 Conversations You Must Have With Your Son, Vicki Courtney
    • Men and Hospitality from Gospel Coalition

    Read the full shownotes here!
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    41 分
  • Behave Yourself: How To Be A Hospitable Christian on Social Media

    Behave Yourself: How To Be A Hospitable Christian on Social Media
    2024/04/19
    Each one of us needs to think about how to be a hospitable Christian on social media. For complete show notes, head to Everyday Welcome. In episode 41, we talked about our need to be seen. When we're irritated and rightly angry at others wanting to be "seen" in their sin, we need to remember that we all really want to be "seen," and often our desire for it leads us to sin. We talked about social media and how it reflects this innate desire in each of us - but how God already sees us, and what that looked like in scripture. Today let's down together a little bit more about how we can be hospitable, or invite meaningful interaction, online. Whether that's comments and conversations we're having on Facebook or Instagram, or the content we're creating and posting, or what we're re-sharing, we have maybe unprecedented opportunity to glorify God to a huge audience, with our online interactions. The words we speak say volumes about where we stand in relationship with God, they have incredible power for influence in truth and in love, and they even affect our own emotional and physical well-being. "Gracious words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the body." -Proverbs 16:24 "For no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thornbushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure produces evil, for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks." - Luke 6:43-45 I want to begin by saying it isn't necessary that we speak at all online. God tells us in several ways in scripture that having a gentle and quiet spirit, having patience to be quiet, and otherwise just keeping our mouths closed (see Ecclesiastes 3:7 and Proverbs 17:28), can be the most loving and God-honoring thing to do in a given setting. Having said that, I also believe that social media is our modern version of the quilting bee combined with the town square, and if we use it and use it wisely, we have a responsibility to be winsome and truthful, and even be willing to engage in conversations where we say hard things. Not everyone agrees with me, but I actually think the online space gives us opportunities to speak the truth, in love, in ways never possible before, and I don't think Christians should be absent from what I see as a huge opportunity for meaningful communication. It is a challenge to say the hard things with grace and love, but we must listen to the prompting of the Holy Spirit in us, even as we fill our minds with God's word, so that we identify what the truth IS in a given situation, and we can not be driven or influenced by fear. If we choose to speak in the public sphere, and we're willing to think about how to be a hospitable Christian on social media, let's be intentional. Here are some ways we can combat ungracious speech on social media, placing our trust firmly in God's work through our obedience: Pray about it. Whatever the issue is that's on your heart or that you've read in a social post, pause and genuinely seek God's leading. Timing matters here - devote time before spouting off. Journal your thoughts on the matter and revisit them a day or two later, if at all possible. And speaking of time, take TIME to Use Scripture as your foundation before speaking. What does the Bible have to say about this topic?Is it nuanced? Look for multiple places where the issue is addressed and get a rich view of how God says it's to be handled.Did one of the prophets, writers of scripture, or Biblical leaders address this topic or one that's related? What tone and actions did they use to speak to it? Seek godly counsel. Go digging either in writing or in person to see what wise, seasoned believers have said or done in this realm. How have they approached it, either in person or publicly? After taking these important steps to pray, seek the Bible for wisdom and looking for godly counsel, if God calls you to speak online, here are some guidelines to help you. HOW TO SPEAK TO HARD TOPICS ON SOCIAL MEDIA Be humble. Always be willing to listen and learn. Remember that God has graciously chosen to allow you to join Him in His work - but HE is the One who does the work. We can reflect the gentleness and humility God displayed if we're willing to say "I'm sorry," even when the point we are making is correct, when we have been unloving. You never know who's watching - we say much when we maintain a respectful tone, in a public conversation. Set aside fear. It's vital for us to be willing to disagree with people and to not shy away from that hard conversation."If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the ...
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    36 分
  • People Be Peoplin: The Need to Be Seen

    People Be Peoplin: The Need to Be Seen
    2024/04/05
    People have an inherent need to be seen. So it's no surprise that America, at the outcry of a small sect of the population, declared a "National Day of Transgender Visibility." It's no surprise that a president placed himself in a position of seeming support to declare a group people "visible," as if his statement issued support, love, and validation in a meaningful way. Christians raised an outcry, offended that this day took place this year on Resurrection Day. The disrespect! And they're right - it's thumbing the nose at God, to declare a holiday for a lifestyle choice that goes against all He says is good and right in the image of Himself He created in man and woman. It's ironic, the timing (although the day was declared first in 2021 in the states; it wasn't new), there's deeper irony, I believe, in the need to be "seen" at all. If we are honest, we all want to be seen. I believe this desire has become an epidemic in our modern society. You see it in the way we dress, the way we obsess over social "media" (which actually means publication or mass communication!), and even in such cultural trends as a show called American Idol, popular for over 8 years. The enemy loves to twist truth and draw out our longing for what is genuine in a way that is perverted, and we can see that in the realm of identity, and in particular, the need to be seen. We'll do just about anything to be noticed, even if it's in our shameful behavior. And here's the deeper irony: we already are seen, by the God who made us. (For complete shownotes, head over to the Everyday Welcome blog.) Here's the first deeper irony: We want to be seen and we'll do anything to get it. In the first place, God sees all our sins (and they're the very reason we need Him). In Psalm 32, the writer says God blesses the man "whose sin is covered," and tells us his hidden sin caused him to waste away. When He confessed to God, he was forgiven and freed of this burden. In Hebrews 4, 12 and 13, we see that God's word reveals our deepest thoughts and intentions, and "all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account." The amazing thing is that God sees us fully for the wretches we are, and He gives us the opportunity for restoration. We can try to hide in our inadequacies, our wrongful desires, our seeking after artificial things, but He invites us to run for our tendencies and into His forgiveness, through Christ. In a second deep irony, we crave to be seen and will do almost anything to get it; God already sees us in a way that He cares for us: deeply, fully, completely. There's a story in Genesis 16 about how Abram and Sarai, pursued a longing in their hearts. God had promised them a child and generations of blessed offspring. When His timing wasn't fast enough for them, Sarai brought her maidservant Hagar to her husband and said basically, "here, make a baby with her." Once she conceived, Sarai hated her and regretted her decision. Abram backed out of responsibility, Sarai abused Hagar, and she ran. Alone by herself in the wilderness, Sarai received a visit from God, who gave her her own promise (go read this story again!). Here are a few amazing notes to take away from her encounter (see resource list below for some of my takeaway on this): Sarai was a lowly servant girl and God made a personal visit to her (He sees the lowly ones and is gentle toward them).Sarai received her own promise, even though she was abused by the ones with whom He had made a covenant (He sees the forgotten ones and still offers mercy).Sarai didn't die when she saw God - and we know one would die from seeing Him in all His holiness (He sees the humble ones and makes Himself known to them). Here's maybe the saddest part - Abram and Sarai grasped at their own kind of fulfillment apart from God's promise, and in doing so, they missed out on a first blessing, they harmed another, and they brought all kinds of trouble on themselves. At best, we miss the opportunity to see the majesty of God's working when we are impatient and take matters into our own hands. When we reject God's provision and grasp for ourselves, we will always cause grief. Once again, human nature is willing to settle for "almost;" we're willing to grasp for an artificial, unfulfilling version of what God intended as precious and good. And it is the reason (more on this in a minute) why God's people, who know truth and life and hope, must speak the truth in love any and every time we are given opportunity. When there is a struggle with sin, and we give up and give in and embrace our own desires for what God says is forbidden, it is tragic. Since the first man and woman, there has always been the struggle against sin, but true sons and daughters of God, through Christ, have the ability to resist sin and in so doing we meet with the incredible blessing of God's help. Paul battled sin. Jesus Himself, as scripture says, was tempted to sin. And yet HE DID NOT GIVE IN...
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    30 分
  • The Easiest Way to Love Your Brothers and Sisters in Christ

    The Easiest Way to Love Your Brothers and Sisters in Christ
    2024/03/29

    How can and should we love the body of Christ? Find full episode notes and scripture references on the Everyday Welcome website.

    We can love our brothers and sisters in Jesus in the easiest (but arguably the most powerful) way, by praying that churches and leaders

    • worship in spirit and in truth
    • boldly proclaim the gospel

    Let's pray, intentionally, for our fellow Christians! This week, make it your aim to pray for every church you pass (and even every believer's home!), that our brothers and sisters in Christ may worship in spirit and in truth, and that they may boldly proclaim the gospel!

    Related Episodes and Posts:
    • We Need Our People (The Church is God's Provision for us; episode 35)
    • How to Let Go of Your Fears and Host a Bible Study
    • Dwell Richly (The Word-Rich Inviting Life; episode 39)
    • Refine Your Focus: Pursue Community in Love (episode 21)
    • The Gift of Desperation… and Community! (episode 19 with Kera Freeman)

    Resources:
    • Time Challies: A Pastoral Prayer for Unity
    • A great article on Spirit and Truth
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    5 分
  • Dwell Richly Episode 39

    Dwell Richly Episode 39
    2024/03/23
    In this episode, we dig deeper into Colossians 3:16-17, as a defining passage for how to cling to Jesus and walk out the #invitinglife.

    (For full shownotes, head to Everyday Welcome Blog.)

    Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. – Colossians 3:16-17

    First and foremost we recognize: everything we need to know about Christ we find in the Word (it is inerrant, all-sufficient and inspired by God). (For an interesting additional deep-dive, print out Colossians 3:16-17 as well as Ephesians 5:18-20, and read them side-by-side. What do you notice about Paul's wording? Take some time to look at the Ephesians church and the Colossian church, explore Paul's letters to both, and look at how those letters overlap.)

    Key words we study together in this episode (using ESV translation).

    1. Let

    2. Dwell

    3. In you

    4. Abundantly/richly

    5. Wisdom

    6. Teaching and admonishing

    7. Psalms, hymns, spiritual songs

    8. Singing

    9. With grace

    Spurgeon sums it up with an incredible word of instruction:

    "Do try, dear friends, to get so full of the word of Christ in all forms of it, that you may run over with it. You know, it cannot come out of you if it is not first in you. If you do not get the word of Christ into you, you will not be instructive in your general conversation." (Spurgeon; source)

    Related Episodes and Posts:

    How to Read the Bible and Love it (episode 12)

    Salted Honey: The Words We Eat and the Words We Speak (episode 13)

    How to Let Go of Your Fears and Host a Bible Study

    Reading the Bible as Literature

    How to Read the Bible and Really Get It (episode 11)

    Resources:

    • Look at The Book with John Piper

    • Greek roots sourced from Biblehub.com

    • Commentary from Precept Austin



    Additional Scripture References

    • 1 Peter 3:15-16

    • Compare Ephesians 5:18-20 with Colossians 3:16-17

    • 2 Corinthians 5&16-17
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    29 分
  • Where Do They Keep the Stapler? (Unexpected Welcome at Church)

    Where Do They Keep the Stapler? (Unexpected Welcome at Church)
    2024/03/08

    Today I want to talk about an unexpected way to create welcome in your church. It might seem counter-intuitive, but I think this is more effective in the long run than any cute gift or committee or other method.

    (See the full show notes on the blog.)

    In episode 37 (Better Than Elderberries with Noelle Talley), Noelle gave me interesting insight into her family's journey of becoming an integral part of a new church community. I realize, as I look back on our own family's experience, there is one way many churches (and women's Bible studies, and mom's groups, and so on...) don't even think to embrace members. But it makes a huge difference in feeling connected and vital to the family of believers.

    Related episodes:

    We Need Our People (episode 35)

    More Than Elderberries with Noelle Talley (episode 37)

    How Do You Identify? (episode 33)

    Ask Good Questions – Invite Genuine Community (episode 20)

    Refine Your Focus: Pursue Community in Truth and Love (episode 21)

    The Gift of Desperation and Community with Kera Freeman (episode 19)

    When We Feel Afraid, But God is Bigger with Kim Russo (episode 7)

    Resources:

    • An excellent article on evangelism with friends and family

    • The Gospel Comes With A House Key (Rosaria Butterfield)

    • Before You Share Your Faith

    • How Do I Lead Someone to Christ?

    • Humbly Handling the Offense of the Gospel from Desiring God

    Let's Connect:

    Instagram

    Facebook

    Join the Facebook Community!

    Pinterest

    YouTube
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    13 分
  • Jesus More Than Elderberries with Noelle Talley

    Jesus More Than Elderberries with Noelle Talley
    2024/03/02
    Today we welcome Noelle Talley, owner of Noelle's Naturals. Noelle became a friend when I had the privilege of being her birth photographer ten years ago, and since then she's had some wild adventures in business and in life. Today we talk about how God's people showed her family welcome during a huge transition and how she's living the "inviting life" through her successful natural products business. Find the full shownotes at Everyday Welcome. A few key takeaways from our conversation: We can take notes on how a new church made the Talley family feel at home after a huge move: "We were invited into people's homes.""We were given a place to serve.""Our giftings were seen and valued.""A lot of people stand against the wall, just waiting to be asked.""There's an all-hands-on-deck" mentality; you're just expected to be a part of the community.""They asked, 'how can I help you,' and also, 'what do you have to bring to the table?'""There's an expectation that you'll serve." From Angela: "In the church, we often feel like we have to create entertainment, but it is really the opposite. We need to create a place for people to serve." - Angela Sackett Noelle shares advice for practicing hospitality, even during unexpected seasons of life. "Even if you're in a hotel room, you can creatively welcome someone in and share the love of Christ with them." She shares about living out her faith in caring for her customers: "If I believe that Jesus is the only way and I don't tell you that, I am being so unloving to you." We talk about trusting God when the world around seems to be chaotic From Angela: When Noelle shares about remembering the bigger story God is writing even during times of great difficulty, I'm reminded of a passage in scripture Teresa, a pastor's wife friend shared and that I still hold on to: "Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer's; he makes me tread on my high places." - Habakkuk 3:17-19 One piece of advice from Noelle in this season of her own life: "If I could go back, I'd do a lot less looking for/living for the 'next thing,' and a lot more just being present and being thankful for where the Lord has me, being thankful for that." From my conversation with Noelle, I'm reminded that as God's people, we are called to recognize the darkness around us, and then live as ones who have within us the Light of the world. Whether it is through our tiny or grand home, our business, our friendship-building or mothering, whether we're single or married, seemingly successful or rebuilding, God has purpose His glory and our good in every season, and He's calling us to share that with a watching world. Related episodes: How Do You Identify? (episode 33) Be Kingdom Minded (episode 9) Ask Good Questions - Invite Genuine Community (episode 20) Refine Your Focus: Pursue Community in Truth and Love (episode 21) When We Feel Afraid, But God is Bigger with Kim Russo (episode 7) Find Noelle Online: Noelle's Naturals Website Noelle is on Instagram @noellesnaturals and @naturallynoelleshow Noelle on Facebook Resources: Noelle's interview with Angela on The Naturally Noelle Show An excellent article on evangelism with friends and family The Gospel Comes With A House Key (Rosaria Butterfield) Before You Share Your Faith How Do I Lead Someone to Christ? Let's Connect: Instagram Facebook Join the Facebook Community! Pinterest YouTube
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    28 分