Kathy Howard's Blog: Unshakeable Faith for Life, page 60

Glimpses of Bangladesh

Want to expand your view of our great God? Just travel to the other side of the world. He is already there, working in every culture, in every people group, revealing Himself to every race in every language.

This time last week I was in Bangladesh, in South Asia, with a team of 7 women. Our primary purpose was to lead a retreat for teenage girls at the Light of Hope Learning Center. This center provides basic education, life skills, and biblical teaching to at-risk girls from the slums of Bangladesh.

Safety issues limit what I can show you and tell you here, but I can share a few glimpses.

Our team spent 7 days in Bangladesh not counting travel time. We worked at 3 different day centers in two cities, spent some time with local Christians, prayer walked through a Bihari refugee camp, and visited with people in a Dhaka slum area.

Our team outside the guest house where we stayed.

Geneva Camp for Bihari refugees in Dhaka.

Playing a relay game with the girls at one of the centers.

Visiting with children in a Dhaka slum.

Laughter and sweet smiles.

Bangladesh needs Jesus. The work seems overwhelming, but God is good. And He is powerful. I’m praying for His people who serve there. They love the people. They pour themselves out. May God strengthen and empower them to complete His work.

Read this for more about the Bihari people.

Read this for more about The Light of Hope Learning Center.

 

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The 5 M Plan to Develop Bible Study Leaders

An ongoing Bible study program can be a useful tool for discipling the women of your church. Increase in biblical knowledge, spiritual growth, accountability, and fellowship are just a few of the benefits. But it can happen without effective Bible Study Leaders.

Do you see your church in any of the following scenarios?

More than 100 women have signed up for Bible study. Awesome! But, just four women are willing and equipped to lead small groups. Well, that’s enough for about half…

You have enough leaders – barely – for the amount of women you have coming to Bible study. Okay. But, these leaders are tired and overworked. They’d love to simply be a participant one semester. But, without them…

You have a solid number of equipped, faithful leaders for your women’s Bible study. But they’ve been leading for years. There aren’t any young, fresh faces in the bunch. When the current leaders are gone…

For many churches, leadership can be one of the greatest challenges of women’s ministry. Often, we lack enough trained, faithful small group leaders. And even if we have enough leaders now, we should be planning for the future by equipping women from the younger generation.

Your women’s ministry can have strong leadership now and in the future through purposeful leadership development. The 5 M strategy, which I have used to recruit and train small group leaders, could also be used with other types of leadership positions.

Model – Current leaders model leadership in their groups. Include your current small group leaders in your plan for leadership development. Train them well so they demonstrate strong leadership qualities. Solid role models not only foster a desire to lead in others, they also set an example for future leaders to emulate. (See “7 Characteristics of Effective Leaders.”)
Mentor – Current leaders identify and mentor potential new leaders. Ask your current leaders to prayerfully watch for potential future leaders within their groups and initiate a mentor relationship with one or two women who are willing. Then the mentees can assist the mentor in leading the group for a period of time. (See “7 Signs She Might Make a Great Small Group Leader.”)
Monitor – Leadership responsibilities reverse. Now the mentee leads the group while the mentor supervises and assists. The mentor and mentee should meet periodically during this stage to discuss any problems, review areas of strengths and weaknesses, and to pray together.
Motivate – Release the group. The new leader assumes full leadership of the group. The mentor encourages from the sideline and is available for help and to answer questions.
Multiply – The new leaders become mentors. Begin the process again with your new leaders.

This strategy can take much of the anxiety out of your Bible study program. Just think, no more scrambling for leaders or begging your friends to take a group. Instead, with ongoing leadership development that continuously enlists, equips, and encourages new leaders, you are always ready to go!

What methods have you used to identify and train new Bible study leaders?

 

 

 

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I’m headed to South Asia. Will you pray?

Right now I am putting the last things in my suitcase. Tonight, me and six other women will board a plane and head to South Asia for a short-term mission trip. I would covet your prayers for the team and ministry as we go!

Here are some of the things we will be doing in the name of Jesus:

Leading a retreat on biblical friendship for at-risk girls at a day center.
Meeting with and encouraging national women believers.
Teaching Bible stories and doing games, and music with boys and girls in two other day centers.
Teaching the Bible and doing crafts with moms and young women.

We will be traveling starting tonight and arriving at our destination early in the morning Saturday, March 14. We will be on the ground ministering from Saturday, March 14 through Friday, March 20. We will be traveling home on Saturday, March 21.

Here are a few ways you can pray:

Health and travel safety of our team members. Peace about those we are leaving behind.
Final planning and preparation.
Strength, unity, and bonding of our team. May God unify our minds and bond our hearts to each other. May He help us to work together as a team to fulfill His purposes.
Those we are working with there. Pray for their emotional, spiritual, and physical well being. Pray that God will use them powerfully.
The three centers and their staff. Praise God for this incredible ministry to the children. Pray that God will provide for the staff and strengthen and grow them spiritually. Pray for their effectiveness as teachers and spiritual mentors. Pray that God will supply all the financial needs of the centers and that they would stay right in the center of God’s will and purposes for them.
The children – pray for them in every possible way you can think of – their salvation, their spiritual growth, their health, their protection from trafficking, their futures, their families

I have kept this information general for safety concerns. But God knows all the details! Your prayers would benefit God’s Kingdom and encourage us! Will you pray for us?

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7 Signs She Might Make a Great Bible Study Leader

I have a soft spot in my heart for women’s Bible study programs. When I was a young first-time mom, I attended my first official women’s Bible study. That’s where my love affair with God’s Word began.

Bible study is one of the most important areas of any church’s women’s ministry. But it can also be one of them most difficult. From scheduling to childcare to leadership it often consumes your time and sanity. For instance, the thought of recruiting a few new Bible study leaders may cause you to sigh heavily.

Do you sigh at the thought of recruiting #BibleStudy #leaders?
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But dear leader, hang in there. Providing an environment where women of all ages come together to study the Bible and grow in God’s truth is well worth every drop of blood, sweat, and tears! And today I’m offering you a bit of help.

Maybe one reason recruiting new leaders seems like a daunting task is because you aren’t sure what to look for in potential leaders. You can provide training in some areas like guiding discussion and dealing with different personalities. But other qualities cannot be so easily taught.

7 signs to look for to spot potential new #BibleStudy #leaders
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Look for these seven signs in potential new leaders. Although not a sure thing, they are strong indicators that you could have a great leader in the making!

She cares about and actively serves other women (Romans 12:9-13).
She is passionate about God’s Word and is committed to its study (2 Timothy 3:14-17).
She takes discipleship seriously and is growing spiritually (1 Timothy 4:7-8).
She is a woman of strong character with a good attitude and integrity of speech (Titus 2:7-8).
She demonstrates faithfulness and reliability in her current commitments (Proverb 31:27).
She is humble and teachable (James 3:13).
She is a woman of prayer (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).

These signs will help you identify possible new leaders. Come back next Monday for a strategy to help train these new leaders you find!

What would you add to this list of characteristics?

 

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Somebody Turn on a Light

Have you taken a good look around lately? I mean really looked around? It sure is dark out there. In fact, somebody needs to turn on a light.

Evil is running rampant on the world stage. Global terrorism in on the rise. Putin is bullying eastern Europe. Human trafficking is a huge international business.

And things aren’t much better here in the good ‘ole USA. Greed, immorality, addictions, self-absorption, and pornography seem to be the accepted norm.

Some do try to push back the tide. Recently the Houston police department conducted a sting operation to identify men looking to purchase sex. The goal was to be proactive in the fight against sex trafficking, to lower the demand. HPD arrested more than 60 men. Sad.

But the world needs more than just feeble attempts to contain the darkness. The only real solution to darkness is light. Somebody needs to turn on the Light.

#Darkness can’t be contained. The only solution is turn on the #Light
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According to Jesus, we are that “somebody.” Believers are the light the dark world needs.

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”  Matthew 5:14-16, NIV

When believers shine the light of Christ, we reveal the glory of the Father to a dark world. But what does it mean to be a light? Just how can we “shine?”

When believers shine the #light of Christ, we reveal the glory of the Father to a dark world.
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Paul lays it out for us in Ephesians 4:17-32 and Ephesians 5:1-21. Here’s a quick summary of the main points:

The lost world lives in “darkness” – They are separated from the life of God because of their sin and can’t even understand the way to salvation.
Christians are “children of the light” – We also lived in darkness before God saved us. But now we are filled with the Light of Jesus.
Christians have an obligation to be clean receptacles of the Light – Because God saved us, we have an obligation to rid our lives of anything and everything that would hide the Light of Christ in us.

Not long ago, I noticed the headlights of my car didn’t appear to be shining enough light on the dark road. When I checked it out, I discovered that the lights were not the problem. Instead the headlights were covered with dirt and grime. When I cleaned them, the light shone as brightly as before.

Believers hide the #Light of Christ when we live like the dark world.
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The same is true with us. The Light of Christ within His children always shines brightly. But too often we “hide it under a bowl” by living like the dark world. When we live holy lives though, His light will shine forth and those who see it will glorify God.

Are you shining or hiding the Light of Jesus? What steps can you take in your life today to “turn on the Light?”

 

 

 

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5 Situations When Prayer is Vital

This last week, our small group did a brief study on Jesus and prayer. We examined His actual prayers recorded in Scripture as well as His teaching and practice of prayer.

As I searched the Gospels studying this topic, I began to notice the larger context of the instances Jesus spent intensive time in prayer. No doubt Jesus had constant, ongoing prayer with His Father. But, since the Bible also tells of specific times He withdrew to pray, these should be noteworthy for us.

Since everything in God’s Word is purposeful – and not accidental or haphazard – I realized that knowing the motivation and purpose behind Jesus’ purposeful times of prayer should be important for His followers’ prayer lives too. Let’s take a look and when and why Jesus prayed.

5 Purposeful Prayer Times of Jesus

Before an Important Decision (Luke 6:12-16) – The night before Jesus chose the twelve men who would be His apostles, He spent the entire night on a mountainside praying to the Father. He sought the wisdom and guidance of God first. I cringe to think about how often I’ve made big decisions without first taking enough time to seek God’s will and direction.
To Prepare for Ministry (Mark 1:35-39) – Jesus made prayer first priority. “While it was still dark” He got up early in the morning and found a quiet place to pray. When His disciples found Him praying, He announced it was time to go and preach in the villages and the synagogues because that was why He had come.” Jesus was preparing in prayer for the work the Father had laid before Him.
When He Received a lot of Attention (Luke 5:15-16) – As Jesus taught and ministered and performed miracles, “the news about Him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear Him” and be healed. Many of us might begin to think we were pretty great. Oh, Jesus knew who He was. But He also knew He came to point the way to the Father and to do it the Father’s way. So when all eyes were on Him, His eyes were on the Father. This passage tells us, “Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”
After a Spiritual High (Matthew 14:21-24) – Immediately after Jesus fed 5,000 plus people with just two fish and 5 dinner rolls, “He went up on a mountainside by Himself to pray.” Why then? Soaring on great spiritual highs like this opens the door for many potential crashes. Most of us have been there. Pride from our hand in the event. Disappointment when the “high” begins to level off. Perhaps Jesus recognized the need to stay grounded in order to keep moving ahead. But we should follow His example and go straight to God in the afterglow of a spiritual high.
For Strength to Face a Trial or Temptation (Luke 22:41-44) – The night Jesus was betrayed and arrested He spent intensive time of prayer in the Garden. He even asked His closet friends to pray with Him. He knew the hours ahead would not be easy. He knew the pain would be great. So He went to the Father. He poured out all His emotions. He asked for what He wanted. Yet He submitted to the will of the Father. And the Father strengthened Him for the task ahead (Luke 22:43).

Yes, let’s “pray without ceasing.” But let’s also be purposeful in more intense times of prayer. Jesus knew the importance. Let’s follow His example.

What other situations or instances in life have you found intense prayer to be vital?

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3 Steps to Create a Hunger for the Bible

The people on the street crowded in tight around us. They stretched out their arms desperately wanting to snag a copy for themselves. In just a few hectic days, our short-term mission team gave away 10,000 Bibles to the spiritually hungry citizens of Moscow.

That was September 1991, roughly two weeks after an attempted coup in the USSR. Bible distribution in the Soviet Union had been limited and closely monitored for nearly a century. Only a relative few enjoyed the privilege of owning a Bible. But many more hungered for God’s Word.

Do you long for God’s Word like that? If you didn’t have a Bible would you stand in a line for hours to own one?

Whether or not we acknowledge the source of our hunger, we humans long to connect with our Creator, to intimately know the God of the universe. God satisfies this spiritual hunger of our souls through His inspired Word. He reveals Himself, His character, and His ways in the Bible.

We can develop an insatiable appetite for Scripture. God Himself will foster this hunger if we step out in obedience to pursue it. As we begin to take in God’s Word the more we will experience its power. The more we experience its power the more we will want to savor God’s Word again and again.

When we limit our intake of God’s Word, our desire for it diminishes. To develop an insatiable hunger for Scripture we must feast on it regularly. At first, this may mean more discipline than desire. But if we faithfully pursue a daily time in God’s Word, the Holy Spirit will bless our obedience with a passion for Scripture. Soon our discipline will give way to desire.

My love affair with chocolate helps me understand this phenomenon. The more I indulge in its dark, creamy sweetness, the more of it I want. But the opposite is also true. The more I deprive myself of enjoying this special treat, the less I think about it.

These three steps will get us started in the right direction on an ongoing journey to deepen our desire for feasting on God’s Word and experiencing the glorious benefits.

Make a Commitment – Yes, sticking to a commitment to be in the Bible daily will be hard, especially at first. It requires discipline and sacrifice. You may have to adjust your schedule or give up something, but the benefits are eternally great. (Quiet Time Tips)
Develop a Plan – A haphazard approach to Bible intake will yield haphazard results. Time in the Bible must be planned and purposeful. Choose a reading plan that will be challenging but not overwhelming. If you don’t already read your Bible several times a week, don’t try to tackle the “Read the Whole Bible in a Year” plan. Evaluate where you are now and select a plan that is a step beyond that. Many plans schedule five days of reading a week, which gives you two days to “catch up.” I occasionally have days when I let life take over and miss my time with God. You will too.
Savor & Soak – We must slow down our intake of Scripture so its truths can penetrate the hard crust of our hearts. “Slow” does not mean “less frequently.” Slow refers to our approach. Instead of continuing our often fast-paced, surface reading of God’s Word, we must take the time to seriously contemplate what God is saying to us through His Word. In addition to simply reading God’s Word, we can also meditate on it, allow it to prompt prayer, pray it back to God, and memorize it.

Do you long to long for God’s Word? Give God the opportunity to create that hunger in you. Make a commitment. Develop a plan. Savor and Soak!

Where are you in your journey with a love affair with God’s Word? Does it still feel like discipline? Can you just not get enough? Or are you somewhere in between?

You may also be interested in this post: 4 Truths the Bible Teaches About Itself

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4 Truths the Bible Teaches about Itself

The Bible was the first book ever printed. It also holds the distinction of being the best-selling book of all time. In fact, the Bible continues to be the top seller of the year – year after year – with about 25 million copies sold annually in the United States alone.

According to a 2006 New Yorker article by Daniel Radosh, research shows that 91% of American households own at least one Bible and the average household owns four. Reflecting on these statistics, Radosh wrote, “…Bible publishers manage to sell 25 million copies a year of a book that almost everybody already has.”

I just took an inventory of all the Bibles in our house. The result? Twenty-one Bibles in nine different translations.

That inventory does not include the numerous translations I can read online. Or on my phone. Abundant audio versions allow us to listen to the Bible in our cars, at the gym, or anywhere else we can take our MP3 players. Access to God’s Word today has never been greater or more varied.

Unfortunately, the numbers of those who actually read the Bible regularly do not reflect the high level of ownership and accessibility. Pollster George Gallup, Jr. has been widely quoted as saying, “Americans revere the Bible, but, by and large, they don’t read it.” Polls show that only about a third of American Christians read the Bible on their own one or more times each week. How physically healthy would we be if we ate less than once a week?

“Americans revere the #Bible, but, by and large, they don’t read it.” George Gallup Jr
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Are you a statistic? Let’s foster our desire to be in God’s Word by considering four key truths the Bible teaches about itself:

The Bible is literally the words of God – Although physically recorded by the hands of men, every word was inspired by the Spirit of God. God breathed out His Word through humans for humans. (2 Timothy 3:16)
The Bible is alive and active today – God’s Word is working in our lives and the lives of those around us. It is not static or bound by time. It crosses all cultural barriers, language differences, and geographical borders. (Hebrews 4:12)
The Bible is a mirror for our spirits – The Holy Spirit wields God’s Word like a sword to pierce our hearts and reveal our sinful thoughts, attitudes, and motivations (Hebrews 4:12-13).
The Bible is God’s tool for refinement – He lays it out beside our lives as a measuring rod to teach, correct, and equip us in preparation for God’s purposes (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

4 key truths about the #Bible – inspired, alive, mirror, growth
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God longs to lovingly apply His Word like a balm to our souls, to heal our hurts, comfort our grief, and fill us with His joy. Yet often we fail to give Him the opportunity. If we really believe that the Bible is the very words of God to us and for us, then why don’t we read it? Why do we fail to taste its sweetness?

Do you have a fast-food approach to the #Bible?
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We’ve allowed our fast-food, high-speed internet culture to shape even the way we approach the Bible. I confess, I still sometimes allow the busyness of life to pressure me to get “in and out” of the Bible and on to my full day ahead. Yet to be truly affected by God’s Word, to be transformed by the Holy Scriptures, we must slow down. Linger over it. Savor every word. We cannot experience its earth shaking power on the run.

We can’t experience the power of the #Bible on the run. Slow down. Linger. Savor.
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In Thursday’s post we will consider 3 steps to creating a hunger for God’s Word. Between now and then, let’s reflect on our desire for Scripture. Do we hunger? Do we only take it in when it’s convenient? Do we make time in God’s Word a priority?

Let’s do some honest sharing today. Where are you? How often do you take time to sit down and linger with your Bible?

Note: This blog was adapted from my book “Fed Up with Flat Faith: 10 Attitudes and Actions to Pump Up Your Faith”

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4 Ways to Prepare for Christian Persecution

Christian persecution went viral over the weekend. On Sunday, the terror group ISIS released a 5-minute video showing the beheading of 21 Egyptian Christians in Lybia. The video was titled, “A Message Signed With Blood to the Nation of the Cross.” Obviously, ISIS purposefully targeted followers of Jesus.

Franklin Graham responded publicly to this brutal act with these remarks:

As we mourn with the families of those 21 martyrs, we’d better take this warning seriously as these acts of terror will only spread throughout Europe and the United States. If this concerns you like it does me, share this. The storm is coming.

“The storm is coming.”

Like Franklin, many believe terrorism will continue to spread across the globe. And yes, here to the United States. By it’s nature, terrorism specifically means the targeting and persecution of Christians.

While the persecution of believers has risen in other parts of the worlds over the last century, we have remained free from it here in America. The unfortunate result is that the faith of many American believers is weak and shallow. We have not been tested. We have not been forced to rely on God and His strength.

I often wonder how I would respond with a gun to my head – or a knife to my throat. Would I stand firm? Would I be willing to die rather than deny my Jesus?

And what about you?

Let’s begin to prepare our hearts and minds now. Let’s be ready to weather that storm when it comes.

4 ways we can prepare now to stand firm when #ChristianPersecution comes
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Those Egyptian believers remind me of those faithful saints of the Hall of Faith in the eleventh chapter of the book of Hebrews. This morning I read it again to see how these men and women lived “by faith” no matter what came their way. Even in the face of death.

4 Ways to Prepare for Christian Persecution

The passage gives us these following characteristics of one who “runs with perseverance the race marked out for us.”

Cling to God’s Promises (Hebrews 11:13) – Many of God’s promises to us won’t be fully realized until eternity. But we can hold fast to them now, knowing without a doubt our heavenly Father always keeps His promises.
Remember Our True Home (Hebrews 11:13-15) – We are but foreigners and sojourners here on the earth. This physical life is only temporary, a mere breath. Our true home – and our true life – is now and eternally with Christ.
Turn Away from Sin (Hebrews 12:1) – Sin entangles and trips us up. Disobedience weighs us down and hinders our faith journey. Instead, a holy life gives us strength and freedom to run hard after God.
Keep Our Eyes on Jesus (Hebrews 12:2) – Jesus is our goal. He is the prize for which we run. He is our source of life. The life within us. Don’t let your focus drift. Fill your heart and mind with Him.

Cling. Remember. Turn. Keep. #ChristianPersecution
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These preparations will help us stand firm whether terrorist come to our door or our neighbor laughs at our commitment to Jesus. Sometimes I think the more “subtle” persecution is the most dangerous. I know for me, it’s often easier to justify a “small compromise.”

Will you join me in committing to stand firm for Christ in all the big and little persecutions? What kind of persecution have you witnessed around you recently?

 

Other posts you might be interested in:

Christian Persecution Right Here in Houston
My Changing Perspective on Christian Persecution
10 Things to Pray for Christians in Iraq

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I’ve Neglected Praise

Yesterday, God showed me an area of sin in my life. It’s not something I’ve been doing. It’s something I’ve failed to do enough. I’ve neglected praise.

I’ve neglected praise. God deserves so much more. #PraiseGod
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Our church small group is working through Rick Warren’s “Bible Study Methods.” This past week we did a thematic study on praising God in the Psalms. After pouring over dozens of passages in the book of Psalms, I realized I have fallen far short of giving God the praise He deserves. And that is sin.

I have purposefully practiced praise for years. And the more I’ve learned about the character and nature of God, the more my praise of Him has grown. Yet He still deserves more.

Here are a few things I learned from my study this week:

God “ordained” praise (Psalm 8:2) – God Himself determined that we should praise Him. He established praise as the proper response of the “created” to the Creator. Praise is right, good, and expected. After all, He created us for His glory (Isaiah 43:7).
God deserves our praise – The psalms gives us hundreds of reasons to praise God. For instance, we should praise God for His great power, miraculous works, unfailing love, righteous laws, faithfulness, and abundant goodness. We should glorify His name because He heals, forgives, satisfies, and strengthens. Basically, we praise God for who He is and what He does.
Praise should flow constantly – I saw many references in the Psalms as to “when” we should praise God. We should praise Him morning and night, through the night, as long as we live, now and forevermore, from the rising to the setting of the sun, day after day, at midnight, 7 times a day, and forever. I understood all that to mean I should continuously praise God with my words, thoughts, and deeds. Everything I say and do should bring honor and glory to God (1 Corinthians 10:31).
Praise should be public – Yes, there should be private moments of praise. Daily times when I’m alone with God. But praise must also be public. I must purposefully praise Him in public for who He is and what He’s done so that others will “know of His mighty acts” (Psalm 145:12). We must commend His works to the next generation (Psalm 145:4). We must declare His glory among the nations and His marvelous deeds among all peoples (Psalm 96:3).

God created me so I would praise and glorify Him. I allow too many things to distract me from my primary purpose. I intend to be more purposeful in praising God throughout the day. I commit to declaring His praise to other people.

I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise Your name for ever and ever. Every day I will praise You and extol Your name for ever and ever. Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; His greatness no one can fathom.  Psalm 145:1-3, NIV

How are you doing? Have you “fallen short” in praising God? What are some ways you can purposefully praise Him today?

 

 

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