Interesting illustration
I was confronted by a father who told me "I don't know if 
I want my child to go into full-time service"

I was taken back because I thought all Christian parents wanted
their children to be used of God .

I asked him.  "
Who would you rather your child work for?" 
1. A lost employer that has no interest in spiritual  things. 
2. God, who has promised to supply all our needs according to
his riches in Glory by Christ Jesus?

I know that all children are not going to go into full-time service
but, why would a parent not want them to serve the Lord?

If you will do these things in 2017 your life will be enriched greatly
Check them off as you do them!

1. Daily Devotions
2. Family Devotions
3. De-Stress through planning and organization
4. Take a Media Fast
5. Guard your eyes
6. Confess your faults immediately
7. Set up a specific prayer list
8. Take time to memorize some scripture
9. Contact with missionaries to encourage them
10.  Show concern for those that are absent from church
11. Bring someone to church
 12. (Purge Day) Get rid of clutter
13. Day of Fasting
 14. Remove any idols in your life
15. Give to missions
 16. Tithe faithfully
17.  Be sure  your language is godly
 18.Don’t be a slave to your flesh
 19. Make it a point to serve others
 20. Say yes to anything the Lord asks
 21. List 50 blessing you have received from the Lord
22.  Carry Tracts
23. No Gossip
 24. Forgive anyone that hurts you 
25. Manage your debt
 26. Improve your marriage (Date Night)
 27. Sit toward the front of the church.
28. Visit shut-ins.
 29. Read Biographies.
 30. Study a Biblical topic you know nothing about.
 31. Determine an area where you are limiting God.
32. Show your parents your love.
 33. Do something special for those in need.
 34. Remove all rebellion toward authority in your life.
 35. Disciple someone that has been recently saved.
 36. Encourage your pastor, his wife and children.
37.  Do a special project for your church.
38.  Go soul-winning.
 39. Be at church on time.
 40.Break any bad habits.
 41. Contact those that have been a blessing to you down through the years.
42.  Learn to defend your faith
 43.Encourage someone that is down
 44. Do something to make a difference in our nation
 45. Do something to make a difference in your community
46. Visit a mission field
 47.Spend time with your family
 48. Don’t allow anyone to cause division
49. Smile and be happy in Jesus
50. Stay single focused
51.  Be balanced
 52.Expect great things to happen in your life
​"Lord, Please send Revival in our life time"

Why don't Independent Baptist work in Teams
Ecclesiastes 2:9 Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their labour. For if the one fall the other shall lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth for he hath not another to help him up.
Acts 13: 2 The church at Antioch, Separate me Barnabas and Paul for the work whereunto I have called them.
Acts 13:43 Paul and Barnabas persuaded them to continue in the grace of God.
Acts 13:47 Paul and Barnabas waxed bold.

Paul and Barnabas, Paul and Silas, Barnabas and John Mark  Two by Two. When a Man of God starts a church he often goes on deputation and raises support and heads to a City or Town to start a church. He is alone. there is no encouragement  but from people who are not there and don't know what they are going thru. He often is not motivated and there is not organization and accountability. There is a way to accomplish the work of God much quicker if there are two helping each other than one doing it alone. A man of God who is called of God must start asking the Lord to call a couple to work with him in starting a church. We call him the second man, Assistant, a laborer to help and there are many great things that advance growth quickly
1. Two families beginning verses one
2. Young families with children encourage families with children
3. The Assistant can be the treasurer, song leader, usher, help clean, help visit etc.
4. They can visit together, Pray together, Each knows his place and they ask God for a unified spirit.
God help us to get back to Bible principles of Church starting and growth!
Think of...
D.L. Moody - Ira Sankey
R.A. Torrey - Alexander
Billy Sunday - Rodeheaver 
Some of the most long term preachers have started with help!

Pick your Choice for the future of the Next Generation Missionary
Plan A
1. Send your students off to Bible College for 4 years for Bachelors and 1 year for Masters
2. Send them to work in local church  for 1 year to gain experience
3. Send them out on Deputation for 3 years to get their support
4. Send them to Language school for 1 year to learn the language
5. Now they can begin being a missionary and starting a church
         Total years till they become a missionary 10 years

Plan B ...that almost does not exist.
1. Send them on Missions trips while in High school. God may call them.
2. Have them raise support in their Senior year and leave right after graduation.  
3. Send them to work with a recommended Missionary or College in the country where they feel called.
4. They can learn the language in the summer of their first year.
5. Begin their first semester and on weekends be missionaries and help start churches immediately.

Total years till they become a missionary  (immediately)
​
I know this would not apply to some but to serious students that have had local church experience throughout their high school years could fit into this kind of setting.

Dear Friends,

What is happening to this generation?

So many of this generation are wanting to do as they please and excuse themselves from the way in which they were raised .
1. Some leave the church all together. Marry lost people, get tattoos and piercings, live just like the lost.No evidence of Salvation in their lives.
2. Some go to churches that are progressive with rock style music, no Sunday school program, no commitment to tithes and offering, it appears they just want to be entertained.
3. Some want to start churches that allow about everything and do not stand for anything.
4. Some have eliminated Sunday evenings, even Sunday school, allowing anyone to join from any church that claims they are Born again and have been baptized in any church. Not protecting their doctrinal position on clear teaching.
5. Some, it appears, want to prove to their parents generation that they can do what they want and still accomplish maybe even more than their parents did.
6. Some give up Soul-winning and passing out tract 
7. Some give up their standards of:  modesty in dress , Christ honoring music, and the Bible version they were raised with and accepting new doctrine.
8. Some say their parents and pastors are legalist.  ( not in relation to Salvation but standards)
9. Some have started attending movies, drinking, dancing, gambling, missing church when it is not convenient.
10. Very critical of those that take a stand and have no problem belittling their old- fashioned standards.


I understand that we may have given them reason by our inconsistency , critical spirit, gossip, do as I  say not as I do, over eating, allowing debt,  not living by faith, not seeing miracles of God's power in our generation.
I thought the next Generation should learn from our mistakes and be better Christians than their parent but it is the opposite.

What we are seeing
1st Generation fights the good fight of Faith
2nd Generation enjoys the spoil
3rd Generation Sells out to the enemy

I appreciated the stand my father took against sin and compromise! However, at first I chafed against it. I justified compromising preachers and it really bothered my Mom and Dad. They said, "We did not raise you that way." I thought well look at the good their doing and the crowds etc. The more I researched the compromise the more I realized my dad was right I had drifted a bit and My Dad made it clear to me that if I  continued justifying compromise they would not fellowship with me till I got right ( I must say, I guess my Dad knew which buttons to push and I'm glad he had the nerve to do it.  It made me a better Christian and Pastor and I hope Father.


Concerned about the direction this generation is taking,

Dan Knickerbocker

Pastors have been getting away from  Revival meetings.
Years ago,  a meeting was planned to go as long as it took. Some times they would go for weeks.
Billy Sunday had  meetings in Boston and New York City  that lasted  up to 10-12 weeks.
Then came One month then Two-Week meetings
Then the One -Week,  Sunday to Sunday meetings
Then the Sunday thru Friday meetings
Then the Sunday thru Wednesday meetings
Then the Friday-Sunday meetings  ( The Weak-end Revival)
Then Revival  Sunday
Then no Revival meeting all year long.
And we wonder where God’s power went?
 Ask the Lord to help you have a Revival.
If you can’t afford it you need to have one. Take offerings on Wednesdays to prepare financially for it.
Have cottage prayer meeting a month before the meeting!
Work at inviting  the lost and backsliders as well.
Any Evangelist should be willing to come without the promise of a Love offering! Do what you can to take care of the Evangelist expenses but never let the cost keep you from having revival! Some Evangelist are supported by churches to make it possible to go to the churches that are struggling!

One Pastor said, “I can’t get a good attendance on week nights.” 
“We can’t afford it!”
“I couldn’t  give you a good love offering.”
“My people might not come.”
All perfect reasons to have a Revival!
Attendance will grow, love offerings on the none church nights is more than enough, your people that are hungry will come and we don’t stop having revivals for those that don’t want them but for those that would come!