Gary Rohrmayer's Blog, page 5
September 11, 2018
Spiritual Journey Guide now is in Spanish
This newly updated Spanish Edition of the best selling Spiritual Journey Guide. Separates itself from any other evangelism tool on the market.
This is not a traditional gospel tract; it is a spiritual conversational tool used to help bring more focus to your spiritual conversations. The Spiritual Journey Guide is built on a dialog model of sharing the wonders of Jesus' teaching on who He is and our relationship with Him.
This is an excellent spiritual assessment tool to help seekers and believers alike determine where they are spiritually and to show them how to take the next steps on their spiritual journey.
In its tenth printing. Over 2.5 million sold.
The product comes in packages of 100 guides
5x6 inches
August 30, 2018
10 Commandments for Dealing with the Opposite Sex Properly
In light of recent events with prominent pastors, I thought it would be good to repost an article I wrote ten years ago.
Over 20 years ago I read Rick Warren’s 10 commandments for dealing with opposite sex for ministry staff. It has served me and others well over the years.
I thought I would give it a shot at updating this information in light of the changes in our culture and technology that are facing ministers of all ages.
You will not go to lunch or meet for coffee alone with the opposite sex.*
You will not have the opposite sex pick you up or drive you places when it is just the two of you.*
You will not kiss any attendee of the opposite sex or show affection that could be questioned.*
You will not visit the opposite sex alone at home.*
You will not counsel or mentor the opposite sex alone at the office, and I will not counsel or mentor the opposite sex more than once without that person’s mate. Refer them.
You will not discuss detailed sexual problems with the opposite sex in counseling. Refer them.
You will not discuss your marriage problems with an attendee of the opposite sex.
You will be careful in answering emails, instant messages, texts, Facebook chats, online chat rooms, cards or letters from the opposite sex and you will notify your spouse and your supervisor if you receive anything of a questionable nature.
You will make your co-workers and team members a protective ally.
You will pray for the integrity of other staff members and leaders in the church.
[*The first four do not apply to unmarried staff. Source: Pastors.com]
Sexual temptations are lurking around every corner of our lives today! Resisting the temptation to gratify the flesh is a full-time job.
We need to learn how to rehearse the melody of the gospel in our lives like a classical musician rehearses a beautiful sonata.
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope – the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. Titus 2:11-14
July 10, 2018
21 Courageous Prayers - New Book Release
We live in times where God’s people must find a greater level of courage in order to see God’s blessings in their lives and the gospel advance in our world.
For church leaders, courageous faith is imperative if the church is going to make inroads into our culture today. There is no room for cowardice, timidity, or faintheartedness when we face resistance to the gospel.
Our prayer for you during these 21 days is that you would get a bigger picture of who God is and what He wants to accomplish in your life. Our hope is that God will infuse your heart with a courageous faith and fill your mouth with courageous prayers as you trust His promises, rely on His power, and experience His presence.
In 21 Courageous Prayers, Gary Rohrmayer introduces you to the spiritual discipline of reading, meditating on, and praying through the book of Psalms. Our hope is that this 21-day journey will turn into a 365-day spiritual habit.
Practical Advice for Doing a 21 Day Prayer Campaign
Devote one month to this Prayer Initiative – Fall (August, September or October) Winter (January, February or March)
Preach a four-week sermon series on prayer:
Sermon #1 - Introduction to series and 21-day devotional book.
The next three sermons can be ideas from the book to reinforce it in the lives of your people.
Read Gary’s Blog – How to Create Momentum for Fall Outreach with your team and see how you can maximize your efforts.
Invite them to courageously pray for friends and family who are far from Jesus.
Have them generate a list of five friends or family members to pray for during the 21 days.
Invite them to courageously pray for a list of church-wide prayer goals.
Leadership - develop five to six prayer goals for the church for your members to pray for during the 21 days.
Hold a series of corporate prayer meetings or a concert of prayer.
Purchase the 21 Courageous Prayers books at a discount from Converge MidAmerica to give out free to your people or just simply charge them $1.00.
Purchase Here
21 Courageous Prayers Sermon Ideas
Sermon #1 - Courage: Where do I find it?
Text: Joshua 1:1-9
Summary: Fear can have a positive effect on our lives and our churches if leveraged appropriately. Fear can propel us into the arms of God. It can drive us toward deeper community and dependence on the body of Christ. Fear can raise our level of faith and reveal the depth of our courage.
Courage is not the absence of fear; courage is the conquest of fear.
Where does courage come from? I believe courage comes from God. It is interesting that the subject of fear is addressed over 500 times in the Bible. So, when God commands us, “Do not be afraid,” He is promising to give us the courage to overcome the fears we face. Joshua is a great example of a young leader called to get God’s people moving again. They were a people who were stuck, who were paralyzed by their fears and living with the cowardly choices of their past. God promised Joshua a victory: “I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses” (Joshua 1:3). God told him no one could stop him. “No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Joshua 1:5). God promised to be with him every step of the way. “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).
Application: Where does courage come from? It comes from trusting God’s promises, relying on God’s power, and experiencing God’s presence.
Invitation: Join us over the next 21 days as we trust God to transform our fears into a more bolder faith. Pick up one of the 21 Courageous Prayers books as we together, as a family of faith, seek to embolden our prayers with courageous fire from heaven.
Sermon #2 – The Lord Is My Rock
Text: Psalm 18:31-33
Summary: In times of danger, when under attack from enemies or even large predators, people in the ancient world sought out large rocks for safety and security. Because of their massive size and elevation, these rocks provided perspective. They offered a clear view of the enemy’s approach. They also provided protection, a firm place to stand while the enemy struggled to access the rock face. King David, remembering God’s deliverance from his enemies, declares out of a heart of worship that God is his living rock! God is the rock who gives us a clear vantage point when life does not go our way, and God is the rock who provides a place of sure footing so we can stand with confidence when our world gets shaky. “And who is the Rock except our God? It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he causes me to stand on the heights” (Psalm 18:31–33). There is nothing more powerful than when the Lord our Rock provides a rock-solid viewpoint from a safe place.
Application: King David prays a courageous prayer: “Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer. From the ends of the earth, I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I” (Psalm 62:1–2). When life gets shaky, where do you seek perspective? When your world is crashing in on you, where do you run for protection?
Sermon #3 - The Lord Is My Portion and Cup – Psalm 16
Text: Psalm 16:1-11
Summary: There is nothing more invigorating than a cool drink of mountain spring water after a long day of hiking in arid and mountainous conditions. It refreshes and rejuvenates our bodies.
In this psalm, King David reflects on life, death, security, and fulfillment. When he writes about God being his portion and cup, he sees God as the only one who can satisfy his soul and completely refresh his spirit.
This world trains us to be or find our own source of satisfaction. In essence, we try filling up our cups with entertainment and activities that leave us empty and thirsting for more. Yet we are made by God to find our satisfaction and fulfillment in Him alone.
When the Lord is portion and cup, my thoughts are filled with God (v. 7), my eyes are focused on the Lord, my life is secure (v. 8), my words are filled with worship (v. 9), my future is filled with hope (v. 10), my path is sure, my joy is complete, and my heart is eternally satisfied (v. 11).
Application: A soul filled with God is the fuel for praying courageously. What really brings satisfaction to your life? Are you satisfied enough with God to pray courageously?
Sermon #4 - The Lord Is My Shepherd – Psalm 23
Text: Psalm 23:1-7
Summary: The 20 metaphors concerning God’s character and care for His people can all be summed up in these eight powerful words: “The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.”
Before King David became a ruler, he was first a shepherd. He knew how to tend a flock of sheep; he led them, guided them, protected them, fed them, and disciplined them. The connection between the shepherd and his sheep was deep and intimate because the financial future of his family depended on their care. David’s declaration of God as his shepherd is filled with a lot of emotional intensity and spiritual humility. The king had to admit he was a sheep in need of a shepherd. Any ranch hand will tell you that sheep are the dumbest animals God created. They mindlessly wander from safety, are always getting hurt or lost, and get into life-threatening situations. It’s as if David is saying, “The older I get, the more I need a shepherd to guide me, protect me, and care for me because I am just as impulsive, senseless, and foolish as the sheep I once cared for.”
For God’s sheep to experience the Shepherd’s care, they must submit, yield, and follow. Ray Steadman wrote, “If the Lord is my shepherd, then I shall not want; but if I am in want, then it is obvious that the Lord is not my shepherd. It is that simple. If emptiness, loneliness, despair, and frustration exist in our lives, then the Lord is not our shepherd. Or if anyone or anything else is shepherding us, we are never satisfied.”
Application: When you pray, do you appeal to the nature of God’s character? Is your prayer needs causing you to grow in intimate dependence on God’s character, God’s word, and God’s presence?
New Book - 21 Courageous Prayers
We live in times where God’s people must find a greater level of courage in order to see God’s blessings in their lives and the gospel advance in our world.
For church leaders, courageous faith is imperative if the church is going to make inroads into our culture today. There is no room for cowardice, timidity, or faintheartedness when we face resistance to the gospel.
Our prayer for you during these 21 days is that you would get a bigger picture of who God is and what He wants to accomplish in your life. Our hope is that God will infuse your heart with a courageous faith and fill your mouth with courageous prayers as you trust His promises, rely on His power, and experience His presence.
In 21 Courageous Prayers, Gary Rohrmayer introduces you to the spiritual discipline of reading, meditating on, and praying through the book of Psalms. Our hope is that this 21-day journey will turn into a 365-day spiritual habit.
Practical Advice for Doing a 21 Day Prayer Campaign
Devote one month to this Prayer Initiative – Fall (August, September or October) Winter (January, February or March)
Preach a four-week sermon series on prayer:
Sermon #1 - Introduction to series and 21-day devotional book.
The next three sermons can be ideas from the book to reinforce it in the lives of your people.
Read Gary’s Blog – How to Create Momentum for Fall Outreach with your team and see how you can maximize your efforts.
Invite them to courageously pray for friends and family who are far from Jesus.
Have them generate a list of five friends or family members to pray for during the 21 days.
Invite them to courageously pray for a list of church-wide prayer goals.
Leadership - develop five to six prayer goals for the church for your members to pray for during the 21 days.
Hold a series of corporate prayer meetings or a concert of prayer.
Purchase the 21 Courageous Prayers books at a discount from Converge MidAmerica to give out free to your people or just simply charge them $1.00.
Purchase Here
21 Courageous Prayers Sermon Ideas
Sermon #1 - Courage: Where do I find it?
Text: Joshua 1:1-9
Summary: Fear can have a positive effect on our lives and our churches if leveraged appropriately. Fear can propel us into the arms of God. It can drive us toward deeper community and dependence on the body of Christ. Fear can raise our level of faith and reveal the depth of our courage.
Courage is not the absence of fear; courage is the conquest of fear.
Where does courage come from? I believe courage comes from God. It is interesting that the subject of fear is addressed over 500 times in the Bible. So, when God commands us, “Do not be afraid,” He is promising to give us the courage to overcome the fears we face. Joshua is a great example of a young leader called to get God’s people moving again. They were a people who were stuck, who were paralyzed by their fears and living with the cowardly choices of their past. God promised Joshua a victory: “I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses” (Joshua 1:3). God told him no one could stop him. “No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Joshua 1:5). God promised to be with him every step of the way. “Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).
Application: Where does courage come from? It comes from trusting God’s promises, relying on God’s power, and experiencing God’s presence.
Invitation: Join us over the next 21 days as we trust God to transform our fears into a more bolder faith. Pick up one of the 21 Courageous Prayers books as we together, as a family of faith, seek to embolden our prayers with courageous fire from heaven.
Sermon #2 – The Lord Is My Rock
Text: Psalm 18:31-33
Summary: In times of danger, when under attack from enemies or even large predators, people in the ancient world sought out large rocks for safety and security. Because of their massive size and elevation, these rocks provided perspective. They offered a clear view of the enemy’s approach. They also provided protection, a firm place to stand while the enemy struggled to access the rock face. King David, remembering God’s deliverance from his enemies, declares out of a heart of worship that God is his living rock! God is the rock who gives us a clear vantage point when life does not go our way, and God is the rock who provides a place of sure footing so we can stand with confidence when our world gets shaky. “And who is the Rock except our God? It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; he causes me to stand on the heights” (Psalm 18:31–33). There is nothing more powerful than when the Lord our Rock provides a rock-solid viewpoint from a safe place.
Application: King David prays a courageous prayer: “Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer. From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I” (Psalm 62:1–2).
When life gets shaky, where do you seek perspective? When your world is crashing in on you, where do you run for protection?
Sermon #3 - The Lord Is My Portion and Cup – Psalm 16
Text: Psalm 16:1-11
Summary: There is nothing more invigorating than a cool drink of mountain spring water after a long day of hiking in arid and mountainous conditions. It refreshes and rejuvenates our bodies.
In this psalm, King David reflects on life, death, security, and fulfillment. When he writes about God being his portion and cup, he sees God as the only one who can satisfy his soul and completely refresh his spirit.
This world trains us to be or find our own source of satisfaction. In essence, we try filling up our cups with entertainment and activities that leave us empty and thirsting for more. Yet we are made by God to find our satisfaction and fulfillment in Him alone.
When the Lord is portion and cup, my thoughts are filled with God (v. 7), my eyes are focused on the Lord, my life is secure (v. 8), my words are filled with worship (v. 9), my future is filled with hope (v. 10), my path is sure, my joy is complete, and my heart is eternally satisfied (v. 11).
Application: A soul filled with God is the fuel for praying courageously. What really brings satisfaction in your life? Are you satisfied enough with God to pray courageously?
Sermon #4 - The Lord Is My Shepherd – Psalm 23
Text: Psalm 23:1-7
Summary: The 20 metaphors concerning God’s character and care for His people can all be summed up in these eight powerful words: “The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing.”
Before King David became a ruler, he was first a shepherd. He knew how to tend a flock of sheep; he led them, guided them, protected them, fed them, and disciplined them. The connection between the shepherd and his sheep was deep and intimate because the financial future of his family depended on their care. David’s declaration of God as his shepherd is filled with a lot of emotional intensity and spiritual humility. The king had to admit he was a sheep in need of a shepherd. Any ranch hand will tell you that sheep are the dumbest animals God created. They mindlessly wander from safety, are always getting hurt or lost, and get into life-threatening situations. It’s as if David is saying, “The older I get, the more I need a shepherd to guide me, protect me, and care for me because I am just as impulsive, senseless, and foolish as the sheep I once cared for.”
For God’s sheep to experience the Shepherd’s care, they must submit, yield, and follow. Ray Steadman wrote, “If the Lord is my shepherd, then I shall not want; but if I am in want, then it is obvious that the Lord is not my shepherd. It is that simple. If emptiness, loneliness, despair, and frustration exist in our lives, then the Lord is not our shepherd. Or if anyone or anything else is shepherding us, we are never satisfied.”
Application: When you pray, do you appeal to the nature of God’s character? Is your prayer needs causing you to grow in intimate dependence on God’s character, God’s word, and God’s presence?
June 29, 2018
June 27, 2018
June 25, 2018
June 22, 2018
June 20, 2018
June 19, 2018
Creating Spiritual Momentum in Your Church
“Momentum...it's God's work. Spiritual leaders can neither create a movement of God's Spirit nor control it. But a leader should build an atmosphere charged with a desire for spiritual momentum”. Wayne Schmidt
As we embark on a new ministry year, all of us will be seeking a unique breakthrough whether personally, or corporately as a church to move us to a new level of impact and fruitfulness.
God's people have been seeking spiritual breakthrough for generations through the practice of prayer and fasting. Some examples are Moses, David, Isaiah, John the Baptist, Paul and Barnabas just to name of few. Yet our supreme example is our Savior. He set the example by fasting for 40 days in the wilderness and also through his clear instruction on the subject.
Here are five reasons why pastors should call their church to a corporate season of fasting that will create an atmosphere of spiritual momentum.
1) It’s a biblical practice.
Jesus did not say to his disciples "if" you fast but he said "when" you fast. (Matthew 6:16) 'If' is optional but “when” assumptive. Jesus assumed the continued practice of fasting with their prayers. It is a spiritual discipline to be employed by the church as a regular practice. When fasting is a regular habit it keeps our hearts tender towards God.
2) It creates community.
As a community of believers, we need to fight spiritual battles with spiritual weapons. When we do, there is spiritual bonding that takes places which strengthens our sense of community. Public fasts were declared under great times of stress and need by Samuel (1 Samuel 7:6), Ezra (Ezra 8:1), Nehemiah (Nehemiah 9:1) and Joel (Joel 1:14). The leaders in the Antioch Church worshipped, prayed and fasted together in seeking God's leading (Act 13:1-3). Paul and Barnabas continued this practice as the appointed elders in the new churches (Acts 14:23). When it is a regular part of the church’s calendar, it births deep connections in God's family.
3) It reinforces spiritual disciplines.
When in your preaching calendar do you take people deeper in their relationship with God? One of the marks of a missional Christian is that there is evidence of a craving and experiencing of spiritual intimacy with God through the practice of spiritual disciplines. When fasting is addressed from the pulpit it reminds disciples of their need to be disciplined in their daily walk.
4) It generates spiritual dependence.
It is too easy to do ministry in our own strength but in doing so we will only achieve results that will impress man and not God. Crying out for God to do the spiritually impossible is the key to experiencing spiritual breakthroughs. Fasting is a physical act the keeps us focused on the spiritual. When fasting is regularly practiced, it reminds us that spiritual victories are fought and attained in the heavens first. (Psalm 20:7).
5) It produces humility.
Pride is an infectious problem that spreads through the hearts of all men. Pride produces strong reaction from God. He will directly and firmly battle against the proud (Proverbs 3:34; James 4:4). King David used fasts to humble himself before God the true King (Psalm 35:14). When fasting is a practice, it can lead to a humble soul who experiences the favor of God (I Peter 5:5).
Will you join us? Pastor, will you lead your church to join us as we kick off the year with a prayer and fasting emphasis?
Check out our resource page to help lead your church through a 21 Day Prayer and Fasting Emphasis.
