What to Preach to Non-believers
Good stuff from John Piper:

Let’s do this inductively. I ask. You answer.
John 3:17, “God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”

• Why did God send his Son? _______________

John 3:36, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.”

• Does not obeying the Son (e. g., when he commands us to trust him) bring us under God’s wrath or leave us under his wrath? _______________
•  
• So what did God send his Son to save us from? _______________
•  
• Is this a felt need among the unbelievers you know? _______________
•  

What are the implications for the content of preaching and evangelism?

WHAT IS QUALITY TIME?

Quality time. Have you ever wondered what that is?

I wondered what quality time was until I heard someone
say that "quantity" time "is" quality time. Put another
way, it's not so important that every moment you spend
with your preschooler be life-changing and memorable;
it's more important that you invest a (large) quantity
of time into her life.

One thing I have learned about quality time: I can't
force it. It's not as if I can say, "OK. I'm going to
spend quality time with my daughter right now."

But I can say I'm going to spend a certain quantity of
time with her. And it's then, when I least expect it,
that the opportunity for quality time presents itself.

I encourage you to do the same. Invest "quantity" time
first. That way, you'll create an environment that
permits--even encourages--"quality" time.

Written by Sonlight

Good News for a Teacher/ Disciple Maker

For the last several months I have felt the need to study Greek.
Though I have studied the Bible and theology with vigor since I became a Christian, I have felt the need to go deeper in order to teach more accurately the things of God to others. I have felt this especially because of the fact that I am preaching more and I will be held accountable by God as to what I teach!

One Greek word that caught my attention lately is "math". 
Yes, Math! It is the origin of our word "math" which basically means "learning". "Mathetes" is a word that means "one under disciplined learning", usually translated as "disciple".

This refreshes me as I think about my role as a missionary.
Jesus said, "Go and make DISCIPLES of all nations..." He did not say, "Go make converts." My gifting and inclination has always been to make learners - as I love to invest in individual learning wherever I am: at school, at home and at church. It was good news to hear that this is exactly what God wants. And yet the qualifier is that he wants his disciples to be characterized by love. "They will know you are my disciples if you have love for one another." (Jn 13:35) Our teaching can never be abstracted from loving individuals and personally training them and walking through life with them. This is the type of missionaries God is looking for!

Modern day Judsons
Adoniram Judson and his wife, Ann, left America in 1812 for Burma (today, Myanmar). Adoniram was the first American overseas missionary. For 38 years he endured imprisonment, torture, illness, depression, isolation and the loss of two wives and several children to take the Gospel to the unreached peoples of Burma. When he died at sea in 1850, people wondered who would follow.
Read the stories:

Judson: A tale of two men changing lives

‘You are contemplating a missionary life’

Myanmar singer works to prove Christianity doesn’t replace ethnic identity

Then and Now: Sharing the Gospel in Myanmar

Wonderful Free Book to Stoke Your Fire for Missions
If you haven't yet done so yet, stroll over to the DGM website and pick yourself up a free e-book/PDF of "A Holy Ambition" by John Piper. I am reading it now and man am I being lit up! I encourage you to do the same.

Get it here.

My 2nd Cousin's TED Talk
Great stuff from a guy we got to stay with and spend some time with this summer.