ow to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast.  If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here:  https://www.buymeacoffee.com/robskinner Today, I’m talking to Pablo and Nicole Padilla, who lead the singles in the Los Angeles Singles Ministry, a group of singles in Orange County and serve on the International Singles Service Team.  They directed two conferences, most recently the North American Singles Conference in August of 2024.  They do all this while holding down full time jobs.  Find out how and why they do all this on The Rob Skinner Podcast. You can reach Pablo and Nicole and their platform to help promote bi-vocational leadership at: https://www.instagram.com/stylosleadership/ Pablo's email at:  [email protected] Nicole's email at:  [email protected]

How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast.  If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here:  https://www.buymeacoffee.com/robskinner   In this episode, I continue my exposition of the book of Matthew with Jesus' feeding of the five thousand in Matthew 14:13-21. Transcript:   Introduction Pictures from Apple Annies 1.    Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand, Matthew 14:13-21 13 When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. 14 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. 15 As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.” 16 Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.” 17 “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. 18 “Bring them here to me,” he said. 19 And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. 20 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 21 The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children. The Prophet Like Moses.  ·       Here is the second “banquet” in this chapter.  This is not as lavish as Herod’s but it was much better spiritually.  All four of the gospels record this feeding.  This reveals the importance of the event.  They are in a lonely place or desert on the northeast side of the lake.  There are Old Testament parallels to this event: o  Elisha’s feeding 100 men with 30 loaves in 2 Kings 4:42-44 o  Moses feeding the Israelites with the manna in Exodus 16:11, “11 The Lord said to Moses, 12 “I have heard the grumbling of the Israelites. Tell them, ‘At twilight you will eat meat, and in the morning you will be filled with bread. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God.’” §  This is Jesus’ way of pointing to himself as the New Moses or as the Prophet Moses predicted would come.  In Deuteron0my 18:15 it says, “15 The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your fellow Israelites. You must listen to him… 17 The Lord said to me: “What they say is good. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites, and I will put my words in his mouth. He will tell them everything I command him. 19 I myself will call to account anyone who does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name. 13  Jesus’ Compassion 13 When Jesus heard what had happened, he withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. 14 When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. ·       Jesus withdrew in order to deal with the loss of his relative and also to escape the potential political pressure or persecution coming from Herod Antipas.  Jesus is seeking solitude in his grief.  However, when he sees the crowds waiting for him, Jesus’ compassion is triggered and he puts aside any thoughts of “me-time” and instead he heals, helps and feeds the crowd.  Jesus reveals how when tough times hit, we want solitude and we also want people around us to comfort us.  His motives rise to the surface as he reveals compassion to the crowds and heals, teaches and feeds them.  Jesus’ ministry was a combination of preaching, healing and teaching.  What can we apply here? o  There is a time for solitude and recovery o  There are times when we are called to serve even in the midst of difficulty, persecution, tiredness and sadness. o  Compassion needs to drive our behavior.  It’s easy to get cold and clinical when we see people in need.  We let ourselves off the hook by pointing out people’s mistakes and failures that led to their problems.  Jesus could have done that with every one of us.  He still has compassion on each one of us.  Don’t get to the point where you are driving away people from you because there is no compassion in your heart.  15-18  “Give and it will be given to you.”  15 As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.”16 Jesus replied, “They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.”17 “We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,” they answered. 18 “Bring them here to me,” he said.  ·       The disciples are tired.  Jesus is tired and grieving.  They want to send the people away.  Jesus says they don’t need to.  They don’t even have enough food to feed themselves and Jesus asks for that. Jesus follows an Old Testament Pattern when he asks his disciples to give him what they do have.  This follows a pattern seen in 1 Kings 17:10 in a story about Elijah, “10 So he went to Zarephath. When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, “Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?” 11 As she was going to get it, he called, “And bring me, please, a piece of bread.”12 “As surely as the Lord your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.”13 Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. 14 For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.’”15 She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. 16 For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah. Keep the bread and skip the miracle o  The lady only has a handful of flour, she’s about to die of starvation and the prophet says, I know that, but feed me first.  If you want to see amazing things happen, it starts with giving up everything you currently have.  You have to sacrifice.  You have to take that first step of faith.  You have to let go of what you are counting on, worshipping or putting your trust in.  Jesus said in Matthew 9:29, “According to your faith will it be done.”  You have to make that initial investment of faith, even if it’s really small.  Like the woman in the story, who only had a little flour and oil, she sacrificed it and gave it to Elijah.  God saw the faith and multiplied the little she had.  Miracles start with faith.  Jesus will often ask you to “prime the pump” by sacrificing something important to you before he opens up the blessings. §  Financial blessing:  “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse and see if I won’t open the floodgates of blessings.”  Malachi §  Spiritual growth:  Let go of the sin in repentance and God will open the door to heaven for you. §  Relational blessings:  Give up the bad relationship and allow God to bring you someone or something better §  Example 19-21  The Original Lord’s Supper.  19 And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. 20 They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. 21 The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children. ·       The verbs used here, “take, gave thanks, broke, gave” all are replicated at the last supper and when he had a meal with the two disciples on the way to Emmaus in Luke 24:30, “30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.”    Paul repeats this format in 1 Corinthians 11:23-24, “The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”   This is a foreshadowing of the LORD’s supper.  Scholars consider this a foretaste of the Messianic Banquet in Matthew 26:29.  The Miracle ·       Simple food.  Have you ever tasted “Ezekiel” bread?  It’s pretty plain.  The bread these people were eating was like that, barley bread and plain fish.  That was it.  It wasn’t like Herod’s delicious dinner.  Jesus offered very plain fare.  Sometimes we don’t serve people because we feel like it has to be super fancy.  It has to come straight out of Pinterest or Better Homes and Gardens.  This keeps us from serving people and connecting with people more often.  We are overshooting it.  Next time, just serve your basic food, that’s all that’s needed. o  Pictures of James’ dinner ·       God works through people.  Who gave out the bread?  The disciples.  God works through imperfect people to do miracles.  ·       Mystery Miracle.  How did the miracle happen?  We don’t know.  What did it look like?  It must have been amazing, but only God knows. ·       The miraculous power of a full stomach.  All ate and had their fill.  12 baskets get picked up afterward.  This isn’t like the communion bread we are “snacking” on Sundays.  Everyone had a full stomach and there is much more food left over than there was when the disciples handed Jesus the little they had.  They were satisfied.  Food brings people together and provides temporary satisfaction and contentment.  That’s the power of food, fellowship and Bible teaching, it builds unity, joy and satisfaction.  It’s a powerful combination.  It’s how you build a church.  You build it on brotherhood, the Bible and breaking bread together.  There were five thousand men plus women and children.  Jesus said, let nothing be wasted.  They picked it up and used it later.   Conclusion: We’ve seen two banquets, one fancy and one plain.  One brought destruction and one brought life, healing and deeper faith.  ·       Jesus has the power to provide in abundance, to amaze us with his miracles. ·       He works through people to help others ·       His compassion is what drives him and us ·       Push through tiredness and resistance to give ·       Give what you have.  You can keep your bread but you’ll skip the miracle ·       Serve people don’t send them away ·       Believe Jesus has the capacity to multiply and meet our needs   Next Steps: ·       Grow in compassion.  Learn to serve and give even when you are tired, grieving and running low on resources.  Jesus sets the example. ·       Bring people to Jesus, don’t send them away.  In a couple of weeks we are going to have a neighbor day.  This is a small recreation of this meal in the desert.  We bring people to hear Jesus’ words and then we feed them.  Let’s bring people because we feel compassion for them.  Let’s not imitate the disciples who said, “send them away.”  Let’s bring people to Jesus and serve them.  Let’s have the heart of Jesus in his desire to meet people’s spiritual and physical needs.

How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast.  If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here:  https://www.buymeacoffee.com/robskinner Nick Kaplan, Evan Snow, Jacob Krell and I backpacked Arizona Trail Passage 5 this weekend.  It was a 15 mile hike and we did it over two days and one night.  The Arizona Trail is 800 miles long and extends from the Mexican border north to the Utah border.  Listen as we share our experience walking with Jesus and one another, getting closer to God and one another.   Here is the passage we backpacked:  https://aztrail.org/explore/passages/passage-5-santa-rita-mountains/

How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast.  If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here:  https://www.buymeacoffee.com/robskinner Mike Fontenot has been doing the ministry since 1968.  He just wrote a book about Spiritual Leadership.  I read it and am going to ask him about the book and why he wrote it. You can find the book here:  https://a.co/d/cvbrwFD

How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast.  If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here:  https://www.buymeacoffee.com/robskinner   Matthew Series Matthew 13:44-58 Sunday, August 25th, 2024 What’s the most valuable thing you’ve ever discovered?    1. Staffordshire Hoard, 2009 In 2009, Terry Herbert, a passionate amateur treasure hunter, was exploring a plowed field near Hammerwich, Staffordshire, England, when his  metal detector signaled a significant discovery. Over five days of diligent excavation, Herbert and the landowner, Fred Johnson, unearthed a staggering 3,500 military artifacts, collectively known as the Staffordshire Hoard. This extraordinary find included over 11 pounds of gold, 3 pounds of silver, and semi-precious garnets, possibly sourced from as far as Sri Lanka or Afghanistan. Dating back to the 6th and 7th centuries, during the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Mercia, the hoard is believed to have been buried around 875 A.D., when the region was under Viking threat.     2. The Le Catillon II Hoard, 2012 Reg Mead and Richard Miles, metal detection enthusiasts from Jersey, embarked on a decades-long quest after hearing a farmer's tale in the early 1980s. The farmer claimed to have discovered silver coins while plowing his field on the British island of Jersey. Mead and Miles, armed with perseverance, obtained permission to search the field for a mere 10 to 15 hours each year after the harvest. Their dedication bore fruit in 2012 when they unearthed 68,000 coins, along with gold neck torcs and glass beads. These treasures, dating back to 30 B.C. to 40 B.C., were buried by the Coriosolitae tribe of Celts, likely fleeing from a Roman invasion led by Julius Caesar. The Le Catillon II Hoard stands as the largest collection of gold jewelry and Celtic coins ever found.   3. St. Albans Hoard, 2012 In 2012, novice metal detectorist Westley Carrington ventured into a farm field in Berkhamsted, England, armed with a beginner's metal detector. His discovery turned out to be one of the largest hoards of Roman gold coins ever uncovered in Great Britain Jesus Introduction ·         This chapter forms a composite picture of the kingdom of God o   Responses to it o   Rejection of it o   Judgement of all people o   Personal responses to it o   The value of it ·         It can also form a historical outline: o   Planting of the seeds o   Varied responses o   Small beginnings o   Infiltration of the gospel throughout the Roman empire o   Individual responses and value of the kingdom o   Final judgment These parables are only found in Matthew 1.      The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and the Pearl 44 “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. 45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. 46 When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it. These stories build on what Jesus has taught about how things are “hidden” and “secret.”  Some find the gospel, others don’t.  The other parables talk about the impact or spread or nature of the gospel, these two talk about the value to individuals.  The treasure ·         People hid valuables in the ground, there were no banks or vaults to provide safety. o   Genghis Khan §  Khan was reported to have given himself a front row seat for the mayhem at Merv. He sat on a golden throne and watched as men were dragged before him and executed. It was said to have been a ‘memorable day for shrieking and weeping and wailing’. The invaders tortured the wealthy citizens of Merv so they’d give up their money and jewels.  One source puts the number of dead in the Merv massacre at 700,000, while a contemporary Persian chronicler estimated the number of corpses at a staggering 1.3 million. Khan apparently ordered each of his soldiers to kill at least 300 people. ·         He stumbles on it ·         He knows he’s found something amazing ·         He sells all out of self-interest Feb. 25, 2014, 12:53 PM MST / Updated Feb. 25, 2014, 12:54 PM MST A Northern California couple out walking their dog on their Gold Country property stumbled across a modern-day bonanza: $10 million in rare, mint-condition gold coins buried in the shadow of an old tree.   Nearly all of the 1,427 coins, dating from 1847 to 1894, are in uncirculated, mint condition, said David Hall, co-founder of Professional Coin Grading Service of Santa Ana, which recently authenticated them.   Although the face value of the gold pieces only adds up to about $27,000, some of them are so rare that coin experts say they could fetch nearly $1 million apiece. The pearl ·         This is a person who is seeking actively ·         He is familiar with prices and value ·         He realizes that this is the only one he needs to own ·         Once you have the gospel, you don’t need anything else ·         Share:  Silver Coins These stories emphasize that only the wholehearted get to enjoy the treasure.  You have to go all in, sell out and grab hold of what God is offering you.  Jesus specifically says that in Luke 14:33 “In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples.”   How’s your response to the gospel? Whether you’ve stumbled on it or have been searching for it these stories show that once you discover it, you have to determine the incomparable value of Jesus and then divest of anything necessary to get the treasure. The trouble is we don’t value Jesus highly enough.  We want him and a whole lot more. It’s time to repent and get baptized.   If you are already a disciple and have the treasure: Ø  Do you gripe and complain how hard it is to follow Jesus? Ø  Do you complain how much you’ve had to give up to follow him? Ø  Are you considering selling Jesus for something in the world, like Judas?   If you have Jesus, you have everything you need. There once was a fabulously wealthy man who loved his son above all things. To stay close to his son, they began to build an art collection together. Every spare minute, they were out at auctions and sales acquiring rare works of art: everything from Picasso to Raphael. By the time the Vietnam conflict broke out, they built one of the rarest most valuable collections in the world. A letter came one day informing the son he had been drafted. The father offered to pull some strings, but the son felt compelled to serve his country as his father and grandfather did before him.  The son went off to war, but he wrote his dad every day. One day the letters stopped. The father's worst fears were realized when he received a telegram from the war department informing him his son had been killed while attempting to rescue another soldier. About six months later, there was a knock at the door. A young soldier with a large package under his arm said, "Sir, you don't know me, but I am the man your son saved on that faithful day he died deep in the jungles of Viet Nam. He had already saved many lives that day, and as he was carrying me off the battlefield, he was shot through the heart and died instantly. Your son was my friend and we spent many a lonely night "in country talking about you and your love for art." The young soldier held out his package and said, "I know this isn't much and I'm not much of an artist, but I wanted you to have this painting I've done of your son as I last remember him. The father tore open the package and fought back the tears as he gazed at a portrait of his one and only son. He said, "You have captured the essence of my son's smile in this painting and I will cherish it above all others." The father hung the portrait over his mantle. When visitors came to his home, he always drew attention to the portrait of his son before he showed them any of the other masterpieces. When the father died the news went out that the entire collection was being offered at an exclusive private auction. Collectors and art experts from around the world gathered for the chance of purchasing one of them. The first painting on the auction block was the soldier's modest rendering of his son. The auctioneer pounded his gavel and asked someone to start the bidding. The sophisticated crowd scoffed and demanded the Van Gogh's and the Rembrandts be brought forth. The auctioneer persisted. "Who will start the bidding? $200? $100?" The crowd continued to turn up their noses, waiting to see the more serious paintings. Still the auctioneer solicited, "The son! The son! Who will take the son? Finally, a squeaky voice from the back said, "I'll bid $10 for the son." The bidder was none other than the young soldier the son had died saving. He said, "I didn't come to buy anything and all I have is $10 to my name, but I bid it all." The auctioneer continued seeking a higher bid, but the angry crowd began to chant, "Sell it to him and let's get on with the auction." The auctioneer pounded the gavel and sold the painting for the bid of $10. An eager buyer from the second row bellowed, "Finally, on with the auction." And just then the auctioneer said, "The auction is now officially closed." The hostile crowd demanded to know how after coming, all this way could the auction possibly be over? The president of the auctioning company came to the microphone and said, "When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a stipulation in the will I could not divulge until now. According to the wishes of the deceased only the painting of the son was to be sold today and whoever takes the son gets it all. So today, for $10 this young man has bought one of the world's most priceless art collections and the entire estate in which it is housed -- auction closed." And with the swing of the gavel, the crowd sat in stunned silence staring at the young soldier. “Whoever takes the son, gets it all” If you have the Son, you have it all.     2.     The Parable of the Net 47 “Once again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was let down into the lake and caught all kinds of fish. 48 When it was full, the fishermen pulled it up on the shore. Then they sat down and collected the good fish in baskets, but threw the bad away. 49 This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous 50 and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ·         This is similar to the parable of the weeds. ·         There will never be a time when you as a disciple will be surrounded only by “righteous” people. ·         It’s like a lake where everyone is swimming free. ·         There is a net slowly moving us in one direction, but we all have freedom now. So many people are like the optimist falling from a tenth story window, who called out cheerfully as he passed each story, going down, “All right so far!”   51 “Have you understood all these things?” Jesus asked. “Yes,” they replied. 52 He said to them, “Therefore every teacher of the law who has become a disciple in the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old.”   ·         When you become a disciple, you are like a teacher of the law who has access to treasures both old and new. ·         Why wouldn’t you want to share those with others? Ø  Share the word study and discipleship study this fall with someone   3.     A Prophet Without Honor 53 When Jesus had finished these parables, he moved on from there. 54 Coming to his hometown, he began teaching the people in their synagogue, and they were amazed. “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” they asked. 55 “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son? Isn’t his mother’s name Mary, and aren’t his brothers James, Joseph, Simon and Judas? 56 Aren’t all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?” 57 And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, “A prophet is not without honor except in his own town and in his own home.” 58 And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith. ·         This is a variation on the saying, “Familiarity breeds contempt.” ·         I should have read this scripture before I decided to plant a church in my hometown. ·         I somehow missed this ·         Many people became Christians, my family didn’t make it. ·         Show picture of my hometown church. You know how many family members responded?  None   Next Steps ·         Pay any price to get Jesus and his kingdom ·         Pull out treasures old and new and teach someone the word and discipleship study this fall ·         Prepare for the judgment.  Make sure you have a real relationship with Christ.  Repent and get baptized immediately.    

How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast.  If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here:  https://www.buymeacoffee.com/robskinner Have you ever felt the discouragement of a friend or family member walking away from Christ?  Have you ever been frustrated by the apparent slowness of God’s Kingdom?  Have you ever thought that the forces of evil seem to be gaining ground in this world and God doesn’t seem to be doing anything.  These are the very questions and situations that Jesus addresses in this section of Matthew 13:24-43.  Listen today as I continue my series on the book of Matthew. Transcript:  Matthew Series Matthew 13:24-43 Introduction Recently there has been an uproar about the Olympic opening ceremonies.  They were sacrilegious and worldly.  Crossdressers reenacted the Lord’s Supper.  Is that good?  No!  What should we do?  Kill them?  What do you do when there is obvious evil in the world, evil in the church, evil that mocks Jesus?  Jesus addresses these things starting in verse 10 about the nature of Kingdom Growth in the parables of the weeds, the mustard seed and the yeast.  Jesus describes ·       The reality of evil and good in the world  ·       How great things start from insignificant beginnings and,   ·       The patience needed in seeing God’s purposes fulfilled.   1.    The Parable of the Weeds 24 Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. 25 But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. 26 When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. 27 “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’ 28 “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. “The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ 29 “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”   36 Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field.” 37 He answered, “The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels. 40 “As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. 42 They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Whoever has ears, let them hear. ·       24  Jesus told them or “set before them” a parable.  The phrase is used of serving a meal before guests.  Jesus won’t spoon feed people, he let’s them feed themselves.  This is often explained as describing the church and there being good and bad people in the church, but it’s broader than that.  Jesus says that the field is the “world” not just the church.  He compares the parable not to the man who is sowing seed but the situation resulting from his scattering seed.  ·       Jesus is warning against having naïve expectations that this world and the church should be perfect like what heaven will be like.  We expect the church to be perfect and every person to be a saint.  Satan is at work in planting bad seed.  Where does evil come from?  Why do bad things happen?  Why does God allow evil in the world?  Jesus doesn’t answer why, he simply states that there is a spiritual force of evil at work in this world.  ·       Darnel is a weed that looks like wheat but has a poisonous head.  Roman law prohibited people from scattering these weeds in a wheat field as acts of revenge.  ·       The church has done the most damage when it has ignored this teaching.  When we take the sword of judgment into our own hands, we make massive mistakes.  o  Think about the inquisition.  Religious people tried to pull out the roots of those who differed from themselves.  It stained Christianity.  Jesus’ teaching is the exact opposite.  Let God separate out true believers from false.  Be patient.  Focus on growing yourself and making it to heaven.  o  The Bible does say that we need to judge those inside the church.  There is church discipline for those who are living in sin inside the church.  They are put out of the fellowship, but not killed.  The hope is that they will repent and come back to Christ. o  Jesus finishes it by saying that people will either shine or burn.  There will be a reward and punishment for every person.  No one is going to “get away” with anything.  2.   The Parables of the Mustard Seed 31 He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. 32 Though it is the smallest of all seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds come and perch in its branches.” ·       It’s important to remember the context that Jesus is speaking these parables in.  The disciples and others were hoping for the messiah to make a bigger splash a more sudden change.  However, Jesus’ ministry is not really taking off like many had hoped.  There are a few followers and many opponents.  The disciples were looking for a massive and sudden revival that would change everything quickly.  Jesus is managing expectations (Tom Cruise) so that they understand that his Kingdom will start tiny and get huge.  ·       Jesus is encouraging his disciples.  What can we learn? o  The Kingdom always starts small o  The Kingdom has the power of life in it to make it grow o  It becomes huge in time o  It’s growth is beneficial to the entire world ·       We want amazing things to happen quickly.  Jesus says that it takes time and it starts small.  Technically, there are smaller seeds than the mustard, but it’s best not to get hung up on that.  Jesus used hyperbole and exaggeration to teach.  “Great oaks from little acorns grow.”  In Zechariah 4:10 it says, “ “Who dares despise the day of small things, since the seven eyes of the Lord that range throughout the earth will rejoice when they see the chosen capstone in the hand of Zerubbabel?” ·       This small seed becomes a bush so big the birds of the air can sit in its branches.  This is similar to Nebuchadnezzars vision in Daniel 4:12, 21.  The birds are the subject nations.  Jesus was making a passing reference to all nations being brought into his kingdom. All nations will benefit from the tree. o  11 The tree grew large and strong and its top touched the sky; it was visible to the ends of the earth. 12 Its leaves were beautiful, its fruit abundant, and on it was food for all. Under it the wild animals found shelter, and the birds lived in its branches; from it every creature was fed… 21 with beautiful leaves and abundant fruit, providing food for all, giving shelter to the wild animals, and having nesting places in its branches for the birds— 22 Your Majesty, you are that tree! You have become great and strong; your greatness has grown until it reaches the sky, and your dominion extends to distant parts of the earth. ·       Acts 16:14-15 illustrates this concept.  A woman named Lydia was the first known convert in present day Europe.  The entire continent was changed starting with her conversion.  o  “14 One of those listening was a woman from the city of Thyatira named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth. She was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to respond to Paul’s message. 15 When she and the members of her household were baptized, she invited us to her home. “If you consider me a believer in the Lord,” she said, “come and stay at my house.” And she persuaded us.” ·       That’s why I love church plantings.  God works through a few people to build something amazing.  Show picture of mission team   3.   The Parable of the Yeast 33 He told them still another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about sixty pounds of flour until it worked all through the dough.” 34 Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable. 35 So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet: “I will open my mouth in parables,     I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world.” ·       Jesus builds on his theme of a tiny beginning having a huge impact.  Here he is explaining how a woman takes a small amount of dough with sourdough starter or active yeast in it and puts it into 60 pounds of flour.  That’s enough flour to feed a small town of 100 people.  The term mixed is also the word, “hid” which goes along with the theme of secrets, of the message being hidden from the wise and revealed to the simple. ·       Jesus reveals the means by which his kingdom would grow and spread.  He wouldn’t be doing it by force but by stealth.  Individuals would mix among the masses and slowly transform the entire world.  The kingdom won’t tear down governments but will build up men and women who change the culture.  Not with weapons or armies, but with lives that are transformed. ·       The kingdom of heaven may start insignificantly but it will pervade and transform the entire world.  Yeast by it’s very nature will grow, multiply and spread by being in close connection with it’s host.  We have to be connected and working with the people around us if we want to see change. ·       34-35  These lines echo Jesus’ earlier teaching that parables reveal hidden truth and he typically taught in parables to the crowds.  From these parables we learn that over time, enough people understand the meaning of his teaching Maand their change transforms the world around them.  Jesus’ intention is that his teaching will ultimately change the world.  We know from the benefit of hindsight that what he predicted is exactly what happened.  The known world of that time was changed over the next three or four centuries.   Next Steps ·       Accept the world as it is, fallen and filled with sin ·       Work on preparing yourself to face God, don’t worry about others ·       Have faith and mix with those who don’t know God.  Be the yeast that transforms the flour.

How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast.  If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here:  https://www.buymeacoffee.com/robskinner Today I’m talking about the tools you need to become a multiplying disciple.  When you think of a mechanic, a home builder or a surgeon, you naturally think of the tools they need to accomplish their task.  If you want to build the Kingdom, save lives for eternity and repair and supercharge your relationship with God, you will need to invest in tools that will help you get the job done.  I’m going to share some of the tools that have helped me the most. Transcript for: The Tools of a Multiplying Disciple My 1997 Honda Civic needed a new clutch.  It was slipping and my mechanic friend told me it was going to cost a couple of thousand dollars to replace.  That was more than I had at the time and so I decided I would do it myself.  I’ve never been much of a “shade tree mechanic.”  I had changed the oil a few times and that was about it.  I started asking around and a few people in the church encouraged me to try doing it myself and two older brothers said that would help me and offer advice.  The problem was that I didn’t have any tools to work on a car.  I was told to go to Harbor Freight Tool Store.  Harbor Freight is like Toys “R” Us for men.  It’s got every tool for every job you can imagine, painting, car repair, car body work, house repair.  If you have a project, you need to go to Harbor Freight.  My wife absolutely hates the store as much as I dislike walking into a Hobby Lobby home goods store or an Ulta cosmetics store.  I walked into Harbor Freight and bought everything I needed to change the clutch, a floor jack, jack stands, a clutch pulling tool, a wheeled floor crawler for getting under the car and a 300-piece mechanics tool set with all the wrenches and sockets I needed for any car job.  It took me about a week to change the clutch.  With the advice of the two older brothers and hours of watching YouTube videos, I finally got it back together and back on the road.  It was a fantastic feeling.  Not just having an operating car again, but viewing myself as a person who is capable of fixing mechanical problems.  All I needed was good advice and the right tools for the job. Becoming a multiplying disciple also demands the right tools if you want to be successful in walking with God and saving souls.  The Apostle Paul told Timothy in 2 Timothy 4:2 to, “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.”  Timothy needed to prepare for the work he was called to do.  He needed to have the right life, doctrine and tools necessary to get God’s will done.  If you want to grow in your spiritual skills, you need to get the right tools for the job.  Here are the ones that help me the most: ·         The first thing to buy when building your spiritual tool kit is a paper study Bible.  God’s word is by far the most powerful tool on your tool belt.  As I shared earlier, I started with a Zondervan Study Bible that had commentary notes embedded below the scriptures.  It increased my comprehension of God’s word dramatically.  You don’t need a combined commentary/Bible, but a large, easy to read Bible will provide you the space to take notes, highlight and dig into.  ·         Good books and spiritual books.  Look at how valuable books were to Paul in 1 Timothy 4:13, “When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls, especially the parchments.”  I already covered this in an earlier chapter, but a few classic books and biographies will inspire and equip you. ·         Bible App.  The Bible App is a great free resource that combines in one location tools that in the past demanded multiple tools.  It works as a great concordance so you can find scriptures.  I use it when I don’t have my paper Bible with me.  I probably use it the most for listening when I go for a walk in the morning.  I like having the Bible read to me and that is the way most people in the past “read” the Bible.  It also offers many other Bible study tools and series that I rarely use. ·         Gospel Study Series.  I rarely leave the house without my Bible and “Disciple’s Handbook.”  This is a book printed in the nineties that includes a gospel study series that covers the first principles of the faith.  Whenever I lead a Bible study, I use it to guide my discussion.  The version I have has a leather cover and was printed in the Philippines.  If you want to multiply disciples, you need a tool for guiding a seeker from initial interest to belief, repentance, baptism and the first year of discipleship.  There are also first principles apps that can be used.  ·         One volume commentary.  My friend, John Lusk, gave me a one-volume commentary when I was a younger Christian.  It was incredibly helpful in getting deeper into God’s word and offered more insight than the study Bible I had.  I would recommend one like the “New Bible Commentary” by Gordon J. Wenham.  Instead of multiple volumes, it covers the entire Bible in one book.  ·         Commentary set.  Once you are ready to move on from a one-volume commentary and you are starting to prepare Bible discussions and sermons, you will need multi-volume commentaries.  I have several that I used in preparing my Sunday sermons.  The first one I start with is the Tyndale New Testament Commentary set.  This series is inexpensive and basic, but it’s very readable and offers a great first approach to any New Testament passage.  The second commentary I read after the Tyndale is The New International Commentary on the Old and New Testament.  These commentaries are too expensive to buy in a set, so when I’m preparing to go through a series on Genesis or Matthew, I buy that specific volume that covers the book or letter I’m preaching on.  It offers great insight and a modern writing style.  The third commentary set I read in preparing for a sermon is the Pulpit Commentary Set.  This set was written in the late 1800’s and it’s prose can be a little tough to read at times, but I love it because it is written for preachers in particular.  It offers sermon outlines, ideas, illustrations and applications that are super handy for sermon preparation.  Some of my friends don’t like this series because it’s a little more difficult to read, but it’s always my last reference before preaching a good sermon.  Many times, it has helped me come up with outlining and providing subject headings for a particular passage.  You can buy the entire series for a little over $400.  I bought it in the early 90’s for $199.  ·         Audible.com.  Leaders are readers.  Often the only way I can find the time to read the books I’m in is by listening to them.  The best service I’ve found is Audible.com.  I listen to great books while walking, working out or driving.  Another benefit is that my family can share my audio library with me. ·         Journal.  I’ve gone back and forth between paper journals and digital.  Most recently I’ve kept a journal on a Microsoft Word document.  I started it in 2017 and use the same file and just keep adding to it.  This file has grown to over 700 pages   I borrowed the following questions from Tim Ferris and expanded them a little.  They serve as an outline and memory jogger: §  I am grateful for: §  Daily affirmations, I am… §  Three amazing things that happened yesterday §  How could I have made yesterday better? §  Goals §  What would make today great? §  10 ideas This takes me about five minutes and helps me keep track of where I’m trying to go in my life and what I can work on.  My advice is to use whatever journaling tool that you will actually use and stick with. ·         Clipboard and yellow pad.  I can’t really function without my clipboard and yellow lined pad.  This is as “old school” as it gets.  The reason I like it is that I’m a chronic list person.  When I sit at my desk and meditate or pray, I keep it next to me with a pen and when the Spirit brings up an idea, I immediately write it down on my pad so I won’t forget it.  I’m not a naturally organized person and without writing things down, I often forget what I need to get done.  Studies show that writing things down by hand actually improves your memory and recall.  A Chinese proberb says, “The faintest ink is more powerful than the strongest memory.”  You can use your phone or phone app or something else, but whenever God gives you an idea, make sure you take that thought captive and put in on paper or somewhere you can recall it later.  ·         G-2 pens.  I’ve tried all sorts of different pens and have landed on the Pilot G-2 07 blue pen as my favorite.  It’s inexpensive and super smooth flowing.  I buy them in a large bundle from Amazon.  ·         3x5 cards.  I absolutely love 3x5 cards.  They can’t be beat for versatility and utility.  I use them to keep track of the people I’m reaching out to.  I don’t like putting people’s names into my phone until they get baptized because it’s so easy to get lost in my contacts.  I write someone’s name down, their phone number and what I know about them and then every time I call, text or study with them I put the date.  I have 3x5 cards from people I met, followed up with, studied with and baptized.  It’s so encouraging.  I also use them for memory scriptures and inspiring quotes.  I use them often at our midweek gatherings when I ask for prayer requests or ideas for the ministry.  They are super cheap, disposable and incredibly portable and helpful. ·         Invitation cards.  Invitation cards make it much easier to share your faith.  There is so much natural reluctance to reaching out that I can’t imagine going without this handy tool.  I read a book on evangelism that compared it to handing out tickets to heaven.  One card can change a life.  Yet, without an invitation card, you are forced to rely on your natural conversational skill and inventiveness to get into a conversation and then steer it toward God.  With a card it’s as simple as, “Hi, I go to a great church and I’d love for you to come!”  If the person has any openness, they may take that first step.  ·         Freedom.  Freedom.to is a web blocking software that I use to increase my ability to focus.  If I want to write a book, prepare a sermon or podcast, or do anything else that demands sustained attention, the first thing I do is turn on Freedom for 45 minutes and it keeps me from going to distracting or damaging websites.  It’s a game-changer for me and one I’d recommend to anyone who wants to be able to concentrate on big projects. ·         Ear Plugs.  I can’t live without Mack’s Ultra Soft earplugs.  I started using these when my wife allowed our pug, FSBO “Fizbo”, to sleep on our bed at night.  He had a nasty snore and I got into the habit of using earplugs.  I found out they are also incredibly handy for screening out other noise when I’m working at my desk.  I need tools that keep me focused on my work.  They are very cheap and super handy.  The only problem is that my new pug, “Rocky”, slips into my office and eats the ear plugs.  I wonder where they all went and then I find them in my back yard after they have passed undigested through her GI tract! ·         Walking shoes.  I’ve gotten into the habit recently of walking for three miles.  It accomplishes three things at once.  It’s good exercise and burns around 300 calories.  I listen to the Bible on audio for the first thirty minutes and then I pray on the thirty minute return leg.  You need good walking shoes.  I’m currently using Hokas, but I also like any Nike running shoe brand. ·         Airbuds.  Airbuds create time in your life that you didn’t know existed.  Time while driving, working out, walking or working is time you can be learning or developing new skills.  I rarely turn on my car without first plugging in my Airbuds and turning on a book on Audible.  I recently finished a 130+ hour listen to “The Decline and Fall of The Roman Empire” by Edward Gibbon.  There is no way I’d have time to read this 2,100 page monster if it were in book form, but I can fit it into the “cracks” in my life and benefit from great writing and excellent narrators.  Prioritize reading over listening to music. ·         Purity accountability software.  I use accountable2you.com software to provide “guard rails” against pornography on the internet.  It sends a weekly report to a couple of friends showing my viewing habits.  I wish I didn’t need accountability but here’s how God views the human heart, “The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? But I, the LORD, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve.”  Jeremiah 17:9-10 NLT. I know God will hold me accountable.  I need to hold myself accountable. ·         Private location.  Every disciple needs a private place to meet with God.  You need your own desk or chair that gives you the privacy and space to connect with God.  I like a good desk and even enjoy having sidewalls that keep me focused on the work at hand.  A cubicle style of desk assists in concentration. ·         A good desk that is organized.  I can’t get anything done if my desk is dirty.  I have to keep everything as organized as possible. ·         Spiritual and personal development conferences.  In the summer of 2022, prior to our family of churches’ World Discipleship Summit in Orlando, I also attended a church leadership conference that was happening the week before.  I learned some things and gained some fresh insights.  Though theologically there are some differences, I want to learn from people who are growing and developing their skills.  Pay the money and travel wherever needed to grow personally.  You can learn from so many different people and sources.  These are only some of the tools that I use to help me walk with God and seek and save the lost.  Don’t be afraid of investing in yourself and your walk with God.  I read somewhere that you should spend 3% of your income on tools for your personal development.  Anything you spend on yourself to grow closer to God and save souls is an investment that has dividends reaching into eternity.  Don’t hesitate to spend.  I hope this will help you to invest in tools to help you grow. 

How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast.  If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here:  https://www.buymeacoffee.com/robskinner Transcript of the Matthew Series The Parable of the Sower Matthew 13:1-23 Introduction ·         Have you ever wondered why more people don’t become Christians?  If the good news is so “good,” why don’t people respond in greater numbers.  This chapter answers that question.  ·         The preceding chapters have been filled with a growing division between those who responded well and those who responded poorly to Jesus and his teaching.  He had just been criticized and accused of healing through the power of Satan.  What connects this chapter with the previous two is that it provides and explanation of why some people respond positively to Jesus’ teaching and some don’t.  Jesus will teach a number of parables in this chapter and what ties them together is how people respond to the secrets of the Kingdom of God.  Some are fruitful and some barren, some are good grain and some are weeds, some people are good fish and some bad and some respond radically when they stumble onto treasure or pearls and some don’t.  This is the mystery of the Kingdom, why do some people “get it” and some don’t?  Jesus teaches this chapter to help his disciples then and now not be so naïve in their expectations and to strengthen their resolve and conviction when people don’t respond or turn away from the good news.  He also has just highlighted the privilege that disciples have in being part of the family of God.  And when you are a part of the family, you share in the family secrets which he reveals in this chapter.    1.     The Parable:  Matthew 13:1-9 That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. 2 Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. 3 Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. 4 As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. 5 Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. 6 But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. 7 Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. 8 Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. 9 Whoever has ears, let them hear.” ·         13:1-2  That same day.  This is the same day that Jesus was in massive conflict with the Pharisees and accused of being a tool of Satan.  I would characterize that a “bad day.”  I’d probably head home for a little “me time.”  I’d whine to my wife and feel sorry for myself.  What did Jesus do?  He goes out and starts teaching them and his disciples!    o   What does it take to get you derailed from the mission? ·         I want you to imagine what this scene looked like.  He draws so many people that he has to set up a way to separate himself from the crowds.  He sits in a boat and teaches the crowds.    You have the crowd of hundreds or more and then you have a small boat with Jesus and his 12 disciples.  This picture illustrates the division that Jesus would go on to expound on.  There were the crowds and then those few disciples who were in the know.  It highlights the division in understanding and response that Jesus will go on to explain. 2.     Why Use Parables?  Matthew 13:10-17 10 The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?” 11 He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. 12 Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 13 This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see;     though hearing, they do not hear or understand. 14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: “‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding;     you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. 15 For this people’s heart has become calloused;     they hardly hear with their ears,     and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes,     hear with their ears,     understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’[a] 16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17 For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it. ·         13:10  Parables  After finishing an extremely short sermon and offering no explanation, no application and no “Next Steps,” Jesus turns to the disciples in his boat and has a private conversation.  This must have been an awkward transition.  Can you imagine if I gave a complete sermon like that?  I wouldn’t be here for long.    He goes on to explain why he is using this unclear means of communication.  From here on Jesus leans more heavily on these parables and only teaches the crowds using these parables.  The disciples turn to him and basically say, “Why are you teaching this way?  Why are you teaching in riddles?  Why don’t you just spell it out for everybody?  It was a great question.  The word parable has not come up yet in the book of Matthew, although we’ve seen it mixed in with Jesus’ teaching. Parables is more than just a short story.  It includes proverbs, maxims, riddles, allegories, wise sayings and other pithy quotes.  We often define them as short stories that illustrate or make clear a spiritual concept.  However, what Jesus is saying is that for every person who is helped by a parable another person is simply confused.  In fact, parables hide things.  Their design is to not reveal or explain everything.  The listener is forced to bring something to the table.  You have to wrestle with it, meditate on it.  Parables offer a challenge to the listener.  Many will not take the time or energy to understand the meaning.  This is the point of what Jesus is saying.  This is why Jesus calls the message a secret, not everyone gets it.  That’s why some people respond and some don’t. ·         Matthew 13:11  The secrets of the kingdom of heaven.  To know the message of the Kingdom is to know secrets.  Remember the documentary, The Secret, that came out about twenty years ago?  It talks about the law of attraction.  The message of Jesus is a true secret, the Greek word is Mysterion.  It’s the same word used in Daniel 2:18-19, 27-30 and 47 where Daniel is able to reveal the mystery of King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream while all the other wise men and enchanters can’t do it.  Jesus is pointing out that God reveals his secrets to those he chooses.  We learn by revelation not by being “smart” or having personal insight.  Jesus says the message is given to you, not to them.  This points out the clear division of people into two groups. ·         Matthew 13:12  This saying is similar to “Success breeds Success” or “It takes money to make money” or “The richer get richer.”  Jesus is saying those who understand God’s secrets start multiplying in their growth.  Understanding brings more and better fruit and it causes a chain reaction of good things.  On the other hand, those who reject the truth lose everything, even what little they think they have.  If you’ve ever seen someone who walked away or rejected Jesus who once was loving, happy and growing and then see them after a number of years, you see the difference. o   Example?  ·         Matthew 13:13-15  Hard hearted or Rejected by God?  Jesus goes on to quote from Isaiah.  This passage reveals the problem that people have in receiving God’s word.  Their hearts are hard.  Most people can hear but only disciples can understand.  However, the point of this section is that people’s response is both a fact of life and the purpose of God.  Mark 4:11-12 phrases it this way, “…To those on the outside everything is said in parables 12 so that, ‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving.’”  Matthew states that Jesus teaches in parables because people’s hearts are hard and Mark points out that Jesus teaches in parables to harden people’s hearts.   This emphasizes that Jesus teaches in parables to conceal the truth to some.  That doesn’t sound encouraging does it?  This is one of those mysteries between human will and God’s will.  Do people not respond because their hearts are hard or because God doesn’t allow them to see the message?  It’s like two sides of the same coin.  In any case, it is hard to avoid the difficult truth that God has chosen some to respond and others to reject his truth.  Parables reinforce this separation of response.  People respond according to their capacity, some are receptive and some not and that is how God has intended it.  You may not like it, but that’s the way it is. ·           The best way to understand that is with illustrations: o   Pharaoh in Romans 9:16-18  16 It does not, therefore, depend on human desire or effort, but on God’s mercy. 17 For Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” 18 Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden. §  The Bible says that God raise him up for the very purpose of highlighting God’s power and glory.  Pharaoh’s stubborn heart triggered God’s plagues of power.  However, Pharaoh was at fault for being hard hearted toward Moses’ words.  o   Butter and clay.  When the sun shines on butter, it melts.  When it shines on clay, it hardens.  Is it the sun’s fault?  No.  It has to do with the response and makeup of the object. ·         Matthew 13:16-17  Blessed are your eyes.  Jesus is pointing out how lucky, how blessed, how privileged any person is who has heard and understands the word of God.  Why?  Because that understanding is a gift of God.  Without that revelation you would remain blind to God’s secret.  o   We take it our faith for granted.  We neglect the Bible.  We don’t appreciate what God has done in opening our eyes.  We wonder why others don’t see what we see.  We wonder if we are wrong in our understanding.  You need to consider yourself the most blessed because God has opened your eyes to the truth.  We need to be grateful that any people make it at all. 3.     The Explanation:  Matthew 13:18-23 18 “Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: 19 When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path. 20 The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. 21 But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. 22 The seed falling among the thorns refers to someone who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, making it unfruitful. 23 But the seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” ·         13:18  The parable of the sower.  This title is a little misleading because the story and its interpretation has little to do with the sower himself.  It has everything to do with way different soils respond to the secrets of God’s Kingdom.  A better title would be, “The Parable of the Four Types of Ground.”  It’s important to keep in mind that Jesus is using this to explain to his disciples why people had so many different responses to him and his teaching in the events from chapter 11 and 12.  They were probably confused and a little shaken by the negative responses.  Jesus is emphasizing that the fault is with the soil, not with the seed.  ·         13:19.  Understanding.  Understanding is not intellectual understanding, it is changing your life to respond to the message of God.  It includes both a mental and physical response to God’s word.  Just knowing the Bible without obedience is actually encouraged by Satan.  Satan comes and takes away the word.  Satan is actively at work in those who reject the Bible. o   “I’m good!” o   “I don’t like organized religion!” o   “That’s good for you, not for me.” ·         20-21.         Joy and enthusiasm without commitment of time, energy and resources can’t last.  That person dries up, burns out and falls away.  How many of the people in these crowds were there when Jesus went to the cross.  Not many.  His disciples were there and even they struggled.  When your enthusiasm is based on feelings, circumstances, other people’s enthusiasm and not your own conviction, you will fall away when tough times hit.  o   Share my testimony ·         13:22  Third Soil.  Worries, desires for other things and the deceitfulness of wealth chokes people out.  When we are focused on possessions and money and not God and saving people we betray a focus on this world that is passing away.  Some of us are choked out and not bearing fruit because our time, money, energy and attention is wholly focused on this world. o   We don’t have time to study the Bible with people o   We don’t pray or read the Bible because we are worried or preoccupied with something else. o   We don’t tithe because our money goes to other desires o   We don’t grow because we are too distracted by “other things.” §  The only solution is to take the time to remove the weeds.  I had a blackberry patch that I wanted to turn into a garden.  Step one, buy some goatskin gloves and start cutting out the vines.  Roll it all up like a bail.  Pile it up and burn it.  Rototill the ground and plant seeds.  Voila, we had a garden! ·         13:23           Many people don’t understand the secrets of God’s Kingdom, but some people understand and bear God’s fruit.  This points to the fact that it’s not a problem with the message but with the listener.  Some have ears, some don’t.  The person who bears fruit or yields a crop is different than the previous soils: o   They have internal conviction o   They internalize the message o   They change their priorities and behavior o   They pull out the weeds that choke their lives.  ·         This parable applies to both those outside the kingdom and those inside.  There are different levels of fruitfulness, 30, 60 or 100 times.  It all depends on the condition of your heart.  It’s not a competition, but it is a challenge to be as fruitful as YOU can be.  This entire story highlights the importance of producing good for Jesus.  o   A good life o   a good character o   the good fruit of souls saved ·         A fruitless hearer is like the fig tree cursed by Jesus.  Jesus said in Matthew 7:19, “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” Conclusion Jesus explained why people had different responses to his teaching.  He wanted to prepare his disciples to have the strength and conviction to preach the word in the face of resistance. We need to scatter the seed to all four soils, to every person.  Some of us have given up.  We haven’t passed out an invitation in months if not years.  Why?  Because we have told ourselves that people aren’t open, that it hurts too much when people turn away after initial enthusiasm. ·         We blame ourselves ·         We blame our presentation ·         We blame our study series ·         We blame the preaching ·         We blame the preacher ·         We blame the church ·         We blame the message itself.  We think it’s not up to date with changes in society.  The lesson of this parable is that there is nothing the matter with God’s word.  The problem is with people’s hearts.  Our job as disciples is simply to scatter the seed and apply God’s saving word to every person we know or meet. Share about Brad and Alisha Tamashiro Next Steps •          Sink your roots into God’s word and build deep conviction.  Study the Bible. •          Cut out the choking weeds of this world.  Bear fruit for God •          Scatter the seed of God’s word, invite someone to church this week with a card.

How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast.  If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here:  https://www.buymeacoffee.com/robskinner Today, I’m reposting the most listened to episode of the Rob Skinner Podcast, my interview with Dinesh George.  Dinesh George has spent his career planting and building up churches throughout India.  In this episode from December 13, 2020 he recounts his harrowing, near-death experience with COVID and what it taught him.

How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast.  If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here:  https://www.buymeacoffee.com/robskinner   Transcript for "Raise your activity level, don’t lower your goals"   I was looking forward to the final message of the evangelism conference.  Christians from all over the world were gathered for a conference meant to inspire and unify our family of churches.  The final speaker was someone I’ve always respected and is one of my favorite preachers.  I was waiting for a massive call to action.  A dream casting lesson that set our vision on winning this lost world.  In past seminars and conferences, the final lesson is usually one of the best and is typically preached by one of the most gifted leaders.  That slot summarizes the primary points from all the classes and channels them into a call for massive action on the part of the participants.  As the speaker began, I was waiting for that call.  Instead, I heard a lot of stories about family and parenting.  It was a long, meandering lesson and what I heard from it was that we are not going to win the world in one generation, therefore let’s pass the torch on to our kids and let them do it.  I left deflated.  Instead of getting pumped up to return to my home church ready to change my city, I had seen a hero of my faith pull out the white flag of surrender and slowly wave it in front of the gathering of over ten thousand followers of Jesus.  Looking back, I understand what he meant.  We do need to pass on what we’ve learned, our convictions and passion for God and the lost people of this world.  I recognize that there will be millions of lost people long after I’m past.  I know that the work will continue on until Jesus returns.  However, the tone of the lesson was, “It’s never gonna happen so let’s not stress about it and let’s just focus on the next generation.”  It felt very much like a call to lower expectations and to get satisfied with maintaining what we had rather than multiply what God had given us.  As people filed out on their way home, I sat there thinking to myself, “I’m not ready to surrender, settle or be satisfied yet.  I’m not dead yet.  Yes, I want to pass my faith on to my children, but as long as I have breath, I want to advance the Kingdom as far as I can.” Every generation has to decide how they will face the challenges God has placed before them.  During the Exodus, Moses called the Israelites to explore the land they would enter and see what they were facing, both good and bad.  In Numbers 13:17 it is written,  17 When Moses sent them to explore Canaan, he said, “Go up through the Negev and on into the hill country. 18 See what the land is like and whether the people who live there are strong or weak, few or many. 19 What kind of land do they live in? Is it good or bad? What kind of towns do they live in? Are they unwalled or fortified? 20 How is the soil? Is it fertile or poor? Are there trees in it or not? Do your best to bring back some of the fruit of the land.” (It was the season for the first ripe grapes.)  Twelve tribal leaders led the scouting expedition.  Their evaluation is found in Numbers 13:26, “26 They came back to Moses and Aaron and the whole Israelite community at Kadesh in the Desert of Paran. There they reported to them and to the whole assembly and showed them the fruit of the land. 27 They gave Moses this account: “We went into the land to which you sent us, and it does flow with milk and honey! Here is its fruit. 28 But the people who live there are powerful, and the cities are fortified and very large. We even saw descendants of Anak there. 29 The Amalekites live in the Negev; the Hittites, Jebusites and Amorites live in the hill country; and the Canaanites live near the sea and along the Jordan.” 30 Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.” 31 But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.”  Ten leaders saw the land and said, “We can’t.”  Two leaders, Joshua and Caleb, said “We can.”  Those two men were some of the few who made it into the promised land.  The other ten were put to death by God for their lack of faith.  The Israelites were condemned to wander for forty years for their lack of trust in God.  All the leaders saw the same thing.  The same land, the same fruit, the same enemies and the same challenges.  The facts were identical, but the faith couldn’t have been more different.  Every generation has the same command to obey, “Go and make disciples of all nations.” (Matthew 28:19).  We face open fields, difficult fields, persecution and blessings.  This lost world has both opportunities and challenges for us individually and as a Christian family.  However, we have to decide how we will respond.  Will we say with Caleb, “We can!” or with the forgotten and doomed ten leaders, “We can’t.”  If you want to be a multiplying Christian, you have to consciously decide that you will be a “We can!” Christian.  It may be difficult, and there will be giants and fortresses to face down, but with God, we can.  One of the biggest traps many Christians fall into is lowering their expectations to when faced with spiritual challenges.  Instead of increasing activity, faith, intensity, focus, they begin to spout the language of those who say, “we can’t.”  You can recognize it by: ·         Being satisfied with only a few people becoming Christians ·         Shifting focus from saving the lost to satisfying the saved ·         A critical spirit toward those bent on conquest ·         Jealousy and envy toward those who are making spiritual progress ·         Negative talk, gossip and slander toward those whose passion for the lost is still strong ·         A change of emphasis from building God’s kingdom to padding our retirement ·         Faithless language like: o   “People aren’t open” o   “Times have changed” o   “I’ve tried but…” o   “We don’t have the right song service, enough money, the right people, etc.” I was reading a book by Grant Cardone called “The 10x Rule.”  He points out that so often when we don’t hit our goals, we lower our expectations and our efforts.  We don’t want to experience the emotional pain of failing.  Instead, he counsels people to increase your efforts ten times, or “10x.”  This principle is applicable to the world of finance, business, relationships, family or spirituality.  We all have a choice when faced with not achieving our ambitions, we can settle or we can set our minds on God and accept that our current level of faith, activity and love will need to grow to meet the challenge before us.  The difference between the man who returned with 10 minas versus the one who simply returned the mina given him by his master (Luke 19:11-27) is that the multiplying servant raised his expectations and efforts to meet the challenge and multiply what God had given him.  The wicked servant settled and became critical of the master and his expectations.  “21 I was afraid of you, because you are a hard man. You take out what you did not put in and reap what you did not sow.” (Luke 11:21)  He justified his inactivity by blaming his master for being hard and having too-high expectations. The apostle Paul faced difficulties in his ministry in Ephesus.  Take a look at Acts 19:8-10, “8 Paul entered the synagogue and spoke boldly there for three months, arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God. 9 But some of them became obstinate; they refused to believe and publicly maligned the Way. So Paul left them. He took the disciples with him and had discussions daily in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. 10 This went on for two years, so that all the Jews and Greeks who lived in the province of Asia heard the word of the Lord.”  When he faced opposition and a lack of openness, he didn’t lower expectations, he changed locations and raised his level of activity.  He held daily discussions in a public location.  The result was that he was able to multiply disciples, leaders and churches in western Asia Minor.  I was reading this passage recently and challenged myself to increase my level of effort this fall.  My goal is to hold 90 “discussions in 90 days.  Anytime I am using a Bible with a non-Christian present I’m counting it as a “discussion.”  Sermons, group discussions or personal Bible studies all count.  If I’m going to reach the metropolitan area I live in, it has to start with greater activity on my part.  Yesterday, I went sharing on campus and we shared with over 100 people. Then I led three Bible studies in the afternoon and evening.  The last person I had a discussion with said he wants to get baptized right away.  I was energized and fired up at the end of the day even though it was a packed day.  I’d rather raise my intensity than lower my standards. I appreciate people like Kevin Miller, church leader from Boston.  He has a passion to reach the lost in the Boston metro area.  He could sit there and say that the church is too old, it’s been this size for too long or the membership is too old or set in their ways.  Instead, he has a can-do attitude that won’t settle for survival. He wants to see the church grow, multiply and do better than it ever has.  I love what Shawn Wooten is doing in Eastern Europe.  He could call it a day and retire on all the inspiring experiences and stories he’s accumulated over the years.  Instead, he’s driving on toward expansion of the gospel. Dr. John Oakes lifts my spirits.  Like Caleb, he is an older man.  He’s retired from teaching.  However, he’s determined to advance the kingdom in central California.  He planted a church in Merced, California in his late sixties.  Instead of lowering expectations, he raised his levels of effort.  He goes out on campus twice weekly to reach out and has grown his church of three Christians to over 25 in a little over a year.  He is a “We can!” disciple. Take a look at yourself.  Are you listening to the excuses and rationalizations that Satan and even well-meaning Christians are placing in your head?  Satan’s lie is that when faced with difficult challenges, just lower your expectations, back off and don’t try so that you won’t experience disappointment, failure or defeat.  For example, if you haven’t saved a soul in a while, you might be tempted to think, “I’m too old, too unrelatable, too isolated or too something…”  Take captive that thought and instead raise your activity level.  Start sharing your faith actively.  Keep a prayer list of people you can pray for, serve, show hospitality to and invite to church.  Increase your efforts ten times.  If you raise your energy, efforts and faith, you will see things begin to change.  Jesus said in Matthew 9:29, “According to your faith will it be done to you.” Just like with the exploration of the land, for every two faithful followers there will probably be ten cynical and faithless people.  Don’t allow other people’s negativity or spiritual issues drag you down.  If you want to do great things for God, you will get heat and reasons why it can’t be or shouldn’t be done.  People will say your too “old school.”  This often happens because the person is simply trying to justify their lives and low expectations.  Ignore it and do God’s will.  Become a multiplying disciple.      Application: ·         In what areas have you surrendered or lowered your expectations? o   Relationships o   Evangelism o   Finances o   Purity ·         What could you do starting today to raise your level of faith and activity to see God work in that area?

How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast.  If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here:  https://www.buymeacoffee.com/robskinner Herod’s Dilemma Introduction How do airplane crashes happen? Malcolm Gladwell describes the 1997 crash of Korean Air Flight 801. The pilot was experienced and in good health. The aircraft was in perfect working order. As the flight approached Guam, the Ground Proximity Warning System alerted the pilot that the plane was within five hundred feet of the ground. Unable to see the runway in the rain, the first officer suggested aborting the landing and circling around for another attempt. The captain, however, was slow to respond. Before the plane could recover altitude, it hit the side of nearby Nimitz Hill, killing 228 of the 254 passengers. It’s not just plane crashes.  How do… ·         People end up homeless on the street ·         End up in terrible disfunctional relationships ·         End up deeply in debt and in a terrible financial situation ·         End up slaves to alcohol, drugs or porn ·         End up in jail or prison This chapter offers insight in how we can end up in a situation we never dreamed could happen to us… 1.      The Death of John the Baptist, 14:1-12 14 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the reports about Jesus, 2 and he said to his attendants, “This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him.” 3 Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, 4 for John had been saying to him: “It is not lawful for you to have her.” 5 Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people, because they considered John a prophet. 6 On Herod’s birthday the daughter of Herodias danced for the guests and pleased Herod so much 7 that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. 8 Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” 9 The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted 10 and had John beheaded in the prison. 11 His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother. 12 John’s disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus. ·         This is a sidebar in the narrative about Jesus.  Its importance is in closing the loop on what happened to John and also to foreshadow what would happen to Jesus.  Matthew 17:12, 12 But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.” ·         1-3  John’s death is recounted in a “flashback” formula.  Herod hears about Jesus and immediately connects Jesus to John whom he had murdered.  Herod had hosted a feast, which contrasts with the feast Jesus provides in the following section.  Herod is freaking out and imagining Jesus has reappeared.  This happens today with people who have passed away, like sightings of Elvis. ·         Anatomy of a bad decision. o   Herod and Herodias are like Ahab and Jezebel part two.  Their marriage is a sham.  John the Baptist had continually told Herod that it wasn’t right to marry this woman, but he did it anyway.  This kind of stubbornness led to one of the worst decisions on record, murdering John the Baptist.  John is the guy Jesus praised as the greatest prophet of all time.  I don’t want to think about what happened to Herod when he faced Jesus.  But I think this points out something that commonly happens today on a smaller scale.  Now I want to talk specifically to guys today.  o   Guys are on the run.  James Dobson highlighted this about twenty years ago in his book “Bringing Up Boys” when he titled a chapter, “Men “R” Dumb.”  Society is going after guys.  They are easy targets.  Look at recent movies like Frozen, Twisters and others.  Who is the hero?  Is it the man?  No!  The man is often the bad guy or lovable loser.   Go through the bookstore and pick out a bestseller.  Chances are the hero is going to be a woman.  This is a big shift. o   Herod comes across as a fool in this story, why?  Let’s take it apart: §  He commits adultery.  He marries his brothers wife while his brother is still alive. §  He messes with the wrong woman.  Herodias.  She is the boss, she’s the one in charge, the one organizing the “hit.” Herod is simply a puppet in her hands. §  He’s passive, he lets things happen. §  Sexuality is involved  §  Alcohol is involved §  Peer pressure is at play §  He doesn’t control his words §  Pride.  He doesn’t back out when he’s made a mistake, he allows pride to guide him down the road of destruction.  He should have said, this is stupid, I’m being manipulated.  Instead, he does something so wrong, it’s impossible to take back. §  The momentum and inertia from too many mistakes takes over.  Malcolm Gladwell talks about this in one of his books.  Most air disasters don’t happen after just one mistake.  There is one mistake, then another and they slowly compile until something massive goes wrong and the plane goes down. ·         “In a typical crash, for example, the weather is poor—not terrible, necessarily, but bad enough that the pilot feels a little bit more stressed than usual. In an overwhelming number of crashes, the plane is behind schedule, so the pilots are hurrying. In 52 percent of crashes, the pilot at the time of the accident has been awake for twelve hours or more, meaning that he is tired and not thinking sharply. And 44 percent of the time, the two pilots have never flown together before, so they’re not comfortable with each other. Then the errors start—and it’s not just one error. The typical accident involves seven consecutive human errors. One of the pilots does something wrong that by itself is not a problem. Then one of them makes another error on top of that, which combined with the first error still does not amount to catastrophe. But then they make a third error on top of that, and then another and another and another and another, and it is the combination of all those errors that leads to disaster.” o   For men today, we can end up following the same path: §  We mess with the wrong woman.  Instead of a godly woman, we start dating those who don’t follow Jesus passionately.  Women are like Kryptonite to men.  All the greats have been taken down by women:  David, Soloman, Samson.  §  We are passive.  We let the woman lead us instead of leading as God desires and designed.  Go to many churches and who do you find?  Women.  Where are the guys?  At home worshipping at St. Mattresses or St. Maddens.  We don’t stand up and do what’s right.  Slowly we are led to a place that we can’t get out of. §  Sexuality.  Porn, impurity, temptation weakens us. §  Alcohol.  Paul says “Do not get drunk on wine which leads to debauchery.”  Alcohol leads to bad decisions.  §  Peer pressure.  Once we allow our friends or family to guide our decision making, it’s nearly impossible to make changes.  §  Rash words.  We say things and make promises that are foolish.  Then we get held to those stupid words.  §  Pride is the final nail in the coffin.  Pride keeps us from making a change when we know we are way off course.  Instead of backing out, we plunge into destruction.  ·         Examples:  I was counting the cost with a young man and asked him, “What do you see as the biggest challenge facing you?  If Satan wanted to take you out spiritually, what would he do?”  The man answered, “Send a woman into my life.”  A few months later, this man started dating a woman and he abandoned his relationship with Christ.”  He knew it in advance and still fell. ·         Challenge: o   What situation are you caught in?  Do you feel trapped, closed in, boxed in with limited options.  That’s a sign you may be stuck in Herod’s dilemma. o   Some of us are falling right into Herod’s dilemma.  We are involved with the wrong woman or man.  We are drifting away from God, passively allowing it to happen.  Sexuality and alcohol may be contributing toward it.  We’ve said things that were stupid and now we’re afraid of making a change and looking foolish.  So we are stuck in a situation of our own making. o   If you want to be strong, you have to stand up, step back and look at your situation with fresh eyes.  Renounce the words you’ve spoken.  Break up with the wrong woman and turn back toward God. o   Get some help. Gladwell goes on to say, §  “These seven errors, furthermore, are rarely problems of knowledge or flying skill. It’s not that the pilot has to negotiate some critical technical maneuver and fails. The kinds of errors that cause plane crashes are invariably errors of teamwork and communication. One pilot knows something important and somehow doesn’t tell the other pilot. One pilot does something wrong, and the other pilot doesn’t catch the error.”  The copilot told the pilot they were too low, but the pilot refused to listen. §  Herod had no one in his life.  He didn’t have a copilot.  If you are a disciple and you need help you can reach out for help.  Unfortunately, when we get into bad situations, we often try to hide it and keep it from others.  We get prideful  That’s where discipling can make all the difference.  One spiritual talk with another disciple can often make all the difference.  Don’t be like Herod.  Don’t get caught in Herod’s dilemma.  Stubborn, isolated, compounding mistakes until he finally crashes and burns and commits the worst sin imaginable. 

How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast.  If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here:  https://www.buymeacoffee.com/robskinner   Transcript:   Watching the game of cornhole on tv fills me with many questions.  Questions such as: ·        “Why?” ·        “Who are these people who are so good at this ‘sport’?”  ·        “How many hours have they spent playing this game in order to keep getting that bean bag in the hole time after time?”  ·        “How do these people support themselves?” These same questions arise when I hear of professional video game players.  What really blew my mind was when I discovered someone in my church who enjoyed watching other people play video games on TV.  God gives us great freedom as disciples.  There are large areas that are “gray areas.”  These are activities or behaviors that don’t neatly fall under the categories of right and wrong.  You may not be able to point out a scripture that prohibits that particular past time.  However, that doesn’t mean it’s something that you should pursue.  What are some of these “gray areas” that aren’t discussed in the Bible directly? ·        Smoking cigarettes ·        Chewing tobacco ·        Cigars ·        Smoking marijuana ·        Video games ·        Online news addiction ·        TV binging ·        Hours of internet browsing and scrolling ·        Hobbies Moses and Jesus never taught a lesson on “spiritual views on smoking” or “Christ-like computer usage.”  Instead, we are left with principles to follow that address how to view areas not covered in the Bible.  Paul addresses some of these areas in 1 Corinthians: ·        “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive.  1 Corinthians 10:23 ·        12 “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything.  1 Corinthians 6:12 Paul was dealing with sexual immorality with prostitutes in a city that had three temples dedicated to the Goddess of Love, Aphrodite.  He was also trying to give guidance about eating food that had been sacrificed to idols.  The disciples in the church were pushing back against Paul and his authority and were saying, “I have the right to do anything.”  Paul agreed but added that not everything is constructive or beneficial.  He also advised to not do anything that may be allowed but could master a person or cause an addiction.  He then added in 10:31-11:1, “ So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 32 Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— 33 even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.  1 Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.”  Paul explains that a mature and multiplying disciple looks at behaviors and activities and evaluates their worthiness not only on whether the Bible allows or condemns them explicitly but also by the following spiritual questions and filters: ·        Is this activity constructive? ·        Is it beneficial?  Will it help me and others? ·        Will it master me?  Can it become addictive?  Will it choke me out and land me in the third soil? (Matthew 13:7, 22) ·        Will this behavior bring glory to God?  Will it draw positive attention and praise to God?  ·        Will this cause someone else to stumble, struggle or miss the way? ·        Am I imitating Jesus and Paul’s example of seeking the good of many? These are tougher questions that force us to evaluate our lives in light of God, other people and our influence in the world.  My campus minister asked me to help mentor or “disciple” another Christian on campus at UC Berkeley.  I was less than a year old spiritually.  He was a friend of mine and so I planned our first time together to make it “special.”  We walked down to Whelans Smoke Shop near the corner of Telegraph and Bancroft.  We each bought a pack of cigarettes and then went to a nearby coffee shop.  We drank our coffee, smoked our cigarettes and looked at scriptures together.  Does the Bible say you can’t smoke cigarettes?  No, but after that appointment I started thinking more deeply about it.  Can smoking master me?  Definitely.  Is it beneficial?  No.  Will it cause someone else to stumble?  Most likely.  That was my last “Smokin’ D-time.”  I threw away that pack of cigarettes.  You might be hanging on to hobbies, habits or activities from your days when you were living in the world.  All of us develop patterns that are not easy to change.  At the same time, they are often not clearly “wrong.”  If you want to be a multiplying disciple, you will need to take inventory of your life’s activities.  Paul warns in Ephesians 5:15, “15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.”  You have to be very careful how you live.  That means you will need to examine all of your current patterns and ask if they are beneficial or if they are low-value, or even harmful for you and others.  Like the Corinthians, we can get defensive and claim our “right” to do anything we desire.  However, that is often the behavior of an immature and unfruitful Christian.  We are only thinking about us and what we want to do.  We aren’t asking ourselves whether this is the highest and best use of our time.  Think about it this way.  If you were selected to join your country’s Olympic track team, what would you life and schedule look like?  Would you be smoking cigarettes, noshing on Snickers bars, downing gallons of Coca Cola every day and spending hours and hours on video games?  I don’t think so.  Your time would likely be scheduled hour by hour and even minute by minute.  Your aspiration to win a gold medal would force out low-value activities.  Your diet would improve, you wouldn’t have time for hours of mindless TV and computer viewing and you would spend most of your time with those who share your high ambition.  Low-value behaviors would be left behind.  As Paul shares in 1 Corinthians 9:24, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.”  The context of the chapter is that Paul had a right to get paid and supported by the Corinthians, but in order to save more people and undercut his critics, he chose to support himself financially.  He was very careful how he lived.  He was willing to let go of what was rightfully his if it meant more people could be saved.  This is the mature mindset of a multiplying disciple.  Application: ·        Take stock of your low-value activities.  What are you spending time on that may not have high value? ·        Evaluate your “gray areas.”  Instead of asking whether it’s right or wrong, use the questions above to determine whether your life’s activities are beneficial or constructive. ·        “Beat your body.”  Replace empty, fruitless behavior with action that will bear good fruit in your walk with God, your character and in saving souls.

How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast.  If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here:  https://www.buymeacoffee.com/robskinner     Transcript of Matthew 12:38-49   Introduction   1.     The Demand for a Sign:  12:38 38 Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from you.”  39 He answered, “A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40 For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. 41 The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now something greater than Jonah is here. 42 The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, and now something greater than Solomon is here. Jesus makes a judgment on that generation.  They were demanding a “sign from heaven” (Luke 11:16) in addition to the miracles he had been doing.  Their request wasn’t based on faith but unbelief.  If they aren’t convinced by now, what miracle can persuade them?  Their motive wasn’t to confirm their faith but for some other reason.  Jesus goes on to shame them with two examples of faithful responses by gentiles.  First, the Ninevites who responded to Jonah’s preaching and then the Queen of the South who traveled so far to listen to Soloman’s wisdom.  Jesus says that something greater than Jonah and Soloman is here.  Along with his previous reference that something greater than the temple is here, there are three things he is building his authority on.  The temple includes the priesthood, Jonah is representative of the prophets and Solomon represents the monarchy.  These were the pillars of Israel’ nation and history.  Jesus is greater than the temple and priesthood, the prophets and the kings or monarchy.  Even non-Jews responded to these lesser people and now someone far greater is here and people won’t respond. Some of us are waiting on God to give us a custom sign that we should follow him.  We want a “sign from heaven.”  We downplay, discount or disregard the miracles he has already done in our life: ·        Life itself ·        The blessings he has poured into our life ·        The “coincidences” and minor miracles he has already done ·        The Word of God that reveals God’s will for us ·        The people God has put in our life at the right time ·        The times God has rescued us from disaster or from ourselves. We ignore all of these and ask God to do something more.  What that is, we are often not sure.  But it keeps us waiting and allows us to make no decision for God.  Jesus says this behavior is that of a wicked and adulterous generation.  Like an unfaithful wife or husband, you are always looking for something or someone else to make you happy.  What’s it going to take for Jesus to persuade you?  I studied the Bible with a student at Stanford University.  He seemed to be waiting for something.  Finally, I told him I ran out of scriptures.  There was no point in still meeting together.  That shook him up and he got baptized shortly afterwards.   2.    Wandering Spirits:  12:43-45 43 “When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. 45 Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation.” This story points out the danger of repentance without relationship.  When you drive out an evil spirit, you must replace it with a good spirit.  Repentance without Jesus leaves a vacuum.  Many in that generation had repented at the preaching of John the Baptist, but they needed to replace that old sin with the presence of Jesus and discipleship to him.  The Jews had come back from exile and had driven out idolatry.  But when Jesus came along, they didn’t let him in.  They didn’t fill that empty house with someone greater than their old sin and demons.  If you aren’t positively for Jesus, you may end up against him.  You may have recently become a Christian.  You believed the gospel, turned away from sin and got your sins forgiven in baptism.  That’s awesome!  However, you need to fill your heart and mind with Jesus and love for him.  Because if you don’t, those old sins and demons will come back stronger than before. As a young Christian, I was struggling with pride and impurity.  A minister showed me this scripture and said I was focused on the wrong thing.  I was focused on “not sinning.”  I need to focus on loving Jesus.  That was great advice and when I grew in my love, it forced out the demons that were knocking on my door. I want to talk to you young Christians.  Now that you’ve turned from your old life, it’s time to add to your repentance a growing love for Jesus.  You need to: ·        Read the Bible all the time, crave it ·        Pray ·        Fast ·        Spend time with disciples ·        Sing songs, listen to spiritual songs ·        Love the fellowship ·        Serve in the church What’s the goal?  Do things that fill your heart with a greater love for Jesus.  If you are just “white knuckling” it, trying to say no to old sin, you will have a hard time staying faithful to God.  Why?  You haven’t replaced the sin and demons that were in your life with good things and the fruit of the spirit, things like love, joy, peace patience, goodness and self-control (2 Peter 1).  Jacob is a good example of this.  He is engaged in the fellowship and devoted to growing. When you see people baptized and then after a short period of time they are gone, you realize that a clean and empty heart is a vacuum that attracts evil to return in even greater measure.   3.    Physical and Spiritual Family:  12:46-50 46 While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. 47 Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.”  48 He replied to him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” 49 Pointing to his disciples, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers. 50 For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” Jesus puts into practice his teaching  (10:37) that you need to love God more than your family.  His physical family didn’t believe him until later.  They had come to take charge of him because they thought he was out of his mind.  Jesus explicitly points out what it takes to be part of his family.  It takes practical obedience.  “Whoever does the will of my father” is the same phrasing he uses back in Matthew 7:21 when he defines those who will be allowed into heaven.  Just saying “Lord, Lord” won’t do it.  Obedience will.  If you want to be part of royalty, you have to be born into it.  But if you want to be part of God’s family, something greater by far, you join it by practical obedience.  Your actions or deeds determine the quality of your relationship with God.  Obedience is what brings us together as a spiritual family. It was fantastic to join a Young Professionals gathering yesterday morning.  This group of guys is getting stronger and stronger.  Their bond is found in their relationship with God.  They are spiritual brothers.    Next Steps ·        Stop waiting for a “sign from heaven.”  Believe, repent and get baptized ·        Do at least one thing or habit this week that increases your love for Jesus ·        Devote yourself to your spiritual family, get connected to Jesus’ family 

How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast.  If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here:  https://www.buymeacoffee.com/robskinner   Transcript for "Plan Your Path" Be sure you know the condition of your flocks,     give careful attention to your herds; 24 for riches do not endure forever,     and a crown is not secure for all generations.  Proverbs 27:22-24 My Dad was born in 1921.  He grew up in the Great Depression and was a pilot in World War Two.  He was part of the greatest generation and he raised his kids to be independent early.  He taught my oldest brother to drive a farm tractor and pickup before the age of ten.  He taught me to drive by letting me sit on his lap when I was six.  One deer hunting season in the mid-seventies my Dad, older brother and I drove our 1957 GMC pickup to my Dad’s hometown of Jordan Valley, Oregon (Population 137).  As we drove through the sagebrush desert of Eastern Oregon, my Dad turned to me and asked, “You ready to drive?”  I was eleven years old.  I said, “Sure!”  We pulled over and I ran around to the driver’s side.  I got in with my Dad next to me and my brother on the passenger side.  It was a three-speed manual transmission and the truck had no power steering.  In order to keep it on the road, you had to make constant adjustments to the steering wheel.  It was more like herding than steering the truck.  I was weaving down the road.  I could see my older brother in my periphereal vision grabbing the dashboard, twisting his body and groaning as I make my way toward Jordan Valley.  My Dad was completely relaxed and enjoyed the ride.  All he told me was, “Just look way down the road.  Don’t look at the sides of the road or the lane markers because wherever you look is where you will go.”  Wherever you look is where you will go. This piece of advice had value not only for driving, but for life in general.  Anything you concentrate on, you will naturally gravitate toward.  This is the essence of many books that offer advice on the accumulation of money.  When Jesus told his disciples, “Follow me,” he meant literally follow behind me.  We grow spiritually when we keep our eyes on Jesus and his teachings.  That is why it’s so important to keep in the word every day and to pray on a daily basis. Take a look at what you keep track of.  What are you focused on?  The digital revolution has diminished our capacity to keep one thing in mind consistently.  It keeps us from bearing the good fruit God has in mind for us.  To become a fruitful disciple, you have to consciously decide where you are looking.  As Psalm 4 cautions: Above all else, guard your heart,     for everything you do flows from it. 24 Keep your mouth free of perversity;     keep corrupt talk far from your lips. 25 Let your eyes look straight ahead;     fix your gaze directly before you. 26 Give careful thought to the paths for your feet     and be steadfast in all your ways. 27 Do not turn to the right or the left;     keep your foot from evil. Solomon says that you need to “fix your gaze” and “look straight ahead.”  If we want to keep our hearts on the right path, we have to select what we are looking at and where we are going.  Multibillion dollar companies are hiring the best talent in the world to get you to fix your gaze on them and their online content and products.  It will take a firm decision to fix your gaze on your own path rather than the one that others would have you travel. Write down your goals.  One of the most important habits to get into is waking up and choosing where your focus will land on that day.  For example, if you want to win souls and persuade people, you will need to focus on reaching out to people.  Every day, I wake up and read my goals and rewrite them. Write down your top ten goals over the next five years.  Maybe you want to lose weight, save more souls, save more money or get married.  Whatever it is right it down.  Sometimes it helps to have a goal for each different role or responsibility in your life such as: ·        Relationships and family ·        Money ·        Soul-winning ·        Spirituality and peace of mind ·        Career ·        Fun and adventure ·        Health and fitness   Write a goal down for each one of these areas.  Keep it in a place you can look at it daily.  Pray over it.  Keep a log.  Keep track of how you are doing.  There are usually one or two key activities that needs to happen daily if you want to make progress toward your long-term goals.  Keep track of those activities.  That will keep you going toward your spiritual destination. Early in the planting of the Tucson Church, I wanted to see more people saved.  I created a 90-day program to focus my attention on this goal.  I made it my goal to lead 90 Bible study appointments in 90 days.  I did that and we started baptizing more and more people.  That was the most important thing to focus on if I wanted to save more people.  It doesn’t have to be complicated.  All you have to do is fix your gaze on the right thing.  Practice: ·        Write down your goals daily over the next week.  Write them down, pray over them and imagine how awesome it would be if they were to come true.  This is the first step in seeing your dreams come true. ·        Keep a daily log that keeps you on track to see your goals materialize.  Choose one daily activity that is essential in moving you toward your goals.  Check the box when you complete the activity. 

How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast.  If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here:  https://www.buymeacoffee.com/robskinner   This is one of my most listened to episodes.  Recorded in May of 2020, Shawn shares about his life, his conversion, his spiritual disciplines and his passion to take the gospel to Eastern Europe and the world.  This is one of the most inspiring interviews I've had the chance to participate in and it inspired me to fast, to pray and to recommit to the mission.  If you have only just started listening to the Rob Skinner Podcast, this is a chance to hear from some of the most inspiring episodes in my catalog.   This is a re-release of Episode 18 of the Rob Skinner Podcast

How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast.  If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here:  https://www.buymeacoffee.com/robskinner     Transcript So let it grow, and don’t try to squirm out of your problems. For when your patience is finally in full bloom, then you will be ready for anything, strong in character, full and complete. James 1:4, The Living Bible I started taking guitar lessons when I was fourteen.  After playing a little, I asked my Mom for a better guitar.  She bought me a used Ovation acoustic guitar with a built in electronic pick up.  It was a beautiful guitar with a rounded back.  I took lessons and Sanders Music in downtown Grass Valley, California.  Jeff, my instructor was in a band, had long, curly hair that was obligatory for any musician in the late seventies and early eighties.  He taught me the basics about chords and then started teaching some songs like “Lonely is the Night” by Billy Squier.  I learned some parts of the songs, or “licks,” but I hit a plateau in my musical skill.  I couldn’t seem to make any progress and develop the skills I admired in musicians I heard on the radio.  I figured I just didn’t have what it took.  I quit my lessons.  I kept my guitar but remained stuck at that same level of musical skill for decades.  Even now I can still play songs I learned forty years ago.  My Mom would tell me wistfully over the years that Jeff, the guitar teacher, told her when I quit that I had the talent and ability to play guitar.  Looking back forty years later, I no longer think I was missing any musical ability.  Now, don’t get me wrong, I don’t see myself as a natural music prodigy like Mozart.  However, I think I could have become a competent guitarist had I wanted to.  The only thing missing at the time was patience.  Had I stuck it out and worked through the pieces of music that frustrated me I know for sure I would have picked them up and learned them.  I wish someone had pulled me aside and shared with me Ben Franklin’s words on the subject of becoming good or great at anything.  He said,  “Genius is nothing but a greater aptitude for patience.”  What I needed was the patience to endure the boring process of going from an idealistic beginner to an experienced master guitarist. Great guitarists became that way by patient practice of difficult pieces.  Eddie Van Halen, guitarist for the band, Van Halen learned to play through patience.  When his brother and friends would go out on a Saturday night, he would stay home.  They’d leave at 7:00 pm and when they came back at 3:00 am, he’d be sitting in the same spot on the edge of his bed practicing his licks. This principle applies to every area in which you want to excel whether it is a technical skill, work-related skill, relational ability or spiritual growth.  It takes patience to become excellent at anything.  So often we start off optimistically envisioning ourselves as doing amazing things, becoming great at something and then after learning a few easy lessons and making rapid improvement, we hit our first obstacle or barrier.  We try hard and can’t seem to make improvement.  At this point,  we are often tempted to quit or turn our attention to another field or focus for our energies.  I like what George Lucas, creator of Star Wars, has to say about this critical moment everyone faces on their path to mastery, “You have to find something that you love enough to be able to take risks, jump over the hurdles and break through the brick walls that are always going to be placed in front of you. If you don't have that kind of feeling for what it is you're doing, you'll stop at the first giant hurdle.”  I love how he ties love to the fuel for patience is love.  When you love something enough, you’ll be willing to push through the boredom, opposition and times of slow progress.  Patience will keep you grinding through to the next breakthrough.  If you want to become a fruitful, multiplying disciple there are a number of skills and disciplines that you must master to have maximum impact in this world.  These are things like: ·         The discipline to connect with God first thing in the morning ·         Waking up early ·         The ability to sit quietly and pray and meditate for a set period of time ·         Knowledge of and fluency in the location and use of scriptures ·         The ability to teach the gospel or study series to a seeker from step one to being born again ·         The ability to speak and communicate effectively one on one, in small groups and in front of larger audiences ·         The ability to listen well and ask good questions ·         The ability to reconcile fractured relationships ·         The ability to “read people” and recognize non-verbal clues and body language ·         The strength to confess sin and come back from a spiritual setback ·         Fasting These and many other skills are the tools in the spiritual person’s toolbox.  They are not easy and are developed only through patience.  Many people start strong in their walk with God and then hit their first roadblock.  They drop out of the fellowship because they are unwilling to do the tedious work that leads to spiritual abundance. I needed patience to write my first book.  A book can’t be written in one sitting.  It takes multiple hours and days of consistent effort.  When writing my first book on church planting, I forced myself to sit down for three, forty-five minute sessions five days a week for a month.  I knew I needed about 30,000 words to produce a book.  That works out to 1500 words for the 20 days of that month.  I would wake up in the morning, say a short prayer and set an egg timer on my desk for 45 minutes.  I would write whatever came to mind during that time.  When the alarm went off, I gave myself fifteen minutes to use the restroom, check my phone, get fresh coffee and anything else.  Then I’d force myself to go for my second and third forty-five minute session.  I didn’t worry about quality, mistakes, excellence during those sessions.  All I expected was that I sat in my chair patiently for forty-five minutes.  In thirty days, I had produced a book.  That book is not War and Peace.  But that book is my first book and fulfilled a life-long dream I had to write a book.  It was a topic I had experience and enthusiasm for.  It just took a little patience. While living in Oregon, I read a book by Brian Tracy.  He recommended that I spend time every day, “going into the silence.”  Sitting quietly and coming into contact with the “Super Conscious Mind.”  I interpreted that as just another word for God.  He claimed that if I did that for sixty minutes, I would start to see amazing results in my outward life.  I was surprised to read this instruction in a business and personal development book.  I was reading it for help in my real estate career.  What he was talking about spilled over into my spiritual life and my work as a self-supporting minister.  I thought it was a good idea and started to work on developing a deeper meditation and prayer life.  As he mentions in the book, the first twenty minutes are pure torture.  It’s not hard to understand what is needed.  It’s hard to sit and do nothing at all.  He predicted that I would be immediately tempted to get more coffee, check the time, check my phone and reshuffle papers on my desk.  He was absolutely right.  It took patience to force myself to resist those temptations and distractions and to sit quietly and think about God, visualize the future, be grateful for the blessings in my life or at very least simply concentrate on my breathing.  After I broke through that initial period, I noticed that my breathing slowed, my heart rate slowed and new ideas started to float into my mind.  God would casually drop ideas into my mind.  I learned to keep a yellow pad nearby to record the ideas the “Super Conscious Mind” would offer me.  The benefit for me has been less anxiety, greater peace, more appreciation of God and the ability to see beyond my immediate problems to focus on God’s power, love and greatness.  Many people start meditation practices but soon discard them because of the distracted, crazy thoughts that get revealed when we sit quietly.  As Blaise Pascal wrote long ago, ““All of humanity's problems stem from man's inability to sit quietly in a room alone.”  If you want to get deeper in your devotional life, in “practicing the presence of God,” it will take one thing above all, patience.  You have to be able to force yourself to sit quietly for a set period of time no matter what you might be feeling, thinking or experiencing right at that moment.  The victory is in the patient sitting. About five years ago, I dusted off my guitar after not playing it for decades.  This time I decided to apply a little patience to my practice.  I started lessons again.  This time they were online.  The difference this time is that when I hit pieces that I can’t master immediately, I force myself to simply keep repeating them until I get musical piece “under my fingers.”  I’m not on track to dethrone Jimi Hendrix as the greatest guitarist of all time, but I’m growing, getting better and am able to play complete songs, serve on our church worship team and enjoy progress in my playing.  As Axl Rose says, “…take it slow It'll work itself out fine All we need is just a little patience” Application What area of learning, skill or ability have you started and then abandoned?  Was it, ·         Guitar ·         Piano ·         Drums ·         Programming ·         Computer usage ·         Martial arts ·         An Exercise regime ·         A foreign language ·         Reading the entire Bible ·         A deeper prayer life ·         Memory scripture? Whatever it is, ask yourself what role a lack of patience had in your quitting.  Did you try until you hit a roadblock and then were too impatient to stick with it through the boring period of skill acquisition?  There is power in concentrating on skill acquisition.  As Bruce Lee said, “I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times.”  Before you get good or great at anything, you must go through the desert of repetition without immediate rewards.  However, once you make it through, your patience will have rewarded you with a skill that very few others will have.  This week pray about what area would you like to grow in.  What one thing, if you could do it well, would make the biggest difference in your spiritual life, your relationships, your financial world and your work.  Make a decision that you will patiently learn the skill for a set period of time without quitting and when you hit a roadblock, view it as a sign that you are on the road of true mastery.  Let patience do its work.

How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast.  If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here:  https://www.buymeacoffee.com/robskinner   Ask Great Questions:  Transcript “They didn’t ask me a single question.  They know absolutely nothing about me.”  After having an older couple over for dinner recently, Pam and I talked about the evening.  This is how we summarized the evening.  Pam and I asked questions to get to know our guests while they talked on an on about themselves.  However, the couple showed little interest in asking about our lives or interests.  I wish I could say this was a rare occurrence.  Unfortunately, it happens all the time.  As a minister for a church, I’m in the people business.  I talk to people all the time.  When people ask me even simple questions like “how are you doing?” or “what’s going on in your life?”  I’m actually shocked because it so rarely happens. In order to become a person who connects with and influences other people, you need to be able to get to know that person.  As the scripture says in Proverbs 20:5, “ The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters, but one who has insight draws them out.”  A multiplying Christian is one who builds good relationships with others.  He or she is a good communicator and listener.  The first step is asking good questions that draw the person out.  If you want a better marriage, a better position at work, closer relationships with your kids, better friendships, or the ability to guide others into a relationship with Jesus, it all starts with questions.  I remember reading a Tony Robbins book thirty years ago when he wrote, “questions are the answer.”  He was the first person who pointed out how important good questions are.  He shared that whoever is asking questions is essentially in control or guiding the conversation.  We have an inborn reflex that causes us to find the answers to questions presented to us.  We can ask questions of ourselves or others and immediately we will start getting answers.  That was a nugget of insight that I’ve prized since I first discovered it.  Questions draw out of each one of us the deep waters within each one of us.  If you really want to get to know what makes a person tick, start asking questions.  Sooner or later, you will get to know that person well. Questions show love.  I’m not the only person who is rarely asked questions.  When someone shows interest in me by asking questions, I interpret that a loving gesture.  I have a brother-in-law who consistently asks what is going on in my life.  He will ask me about my church, my family and my hobbies.  He is one of my favorite relatives for that very reason.  He shows love by his curiosity about my life.  Questions surface ways to help.  You can’t help, guide or influence a person until you find out how to help.  The only way to know how to help is by asking questions.  What if you went to the doctor and she never asked you a question about how you are feeling or what symptoms you’ve been experiencing.  You probably would never go back to that doctor.  Why?  Because they can’t help you if they don’t ask you how you are doing and what is wrong.  If you are a disciple who desires to make more disciples, the same principle applies.  You have to ask a person about their life, background and struggles if you hope to guide them to spiritual health. Questions crucify the self.  Questions force you to take a back seat and listen.  While a person answers your questions, your mind is feverishly working behind the scenes to come up with your own stories and comebacks that you are dying to share.  Listening quietly forces you to say no to your ego and pride and let the desire to shine or outshine people fade away.  Questions place the attention spotlight on the person you are talking to.  They take that spotlight away from you and leave you in the shadows.  That’s not a bad place to be.  In fact this ability to treat people like we are treated is an application of the second most important command in the Bible.  Jesus himself said in Mark 12:33 that “to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”  The fact that you can sense yourself dying to share a story or answer your own question while listening to another talk tells you that you are loving that person exactly as you would want to be treated.  When you put yourself on “the bench” and let someone else into the game is a practical way to crucify self. Ask open-ended questions.  When talking to people ask them questions that enable them to open up about their lives.  Ask questions such as: How’d you become a Christian? Why did you do that?  Why do you say that?  Why did you go into that field of study or business? Who’s been the most influential person in your life? Where do you come from?  Where’d you go to school? How do you mean?  This is a good follow up question when you’d like more explanation.  Another way to dig deeper into a statement is to simply ask the last few words of what they said to you in a question form.  For example: Them:  “That’s when I finally got of the hospital.” You:  “Hospital?” Them:  “Yeah, I was on a bike, got hit by a truck and spent three months in a  hospital…” Ask awkward questions.  If you want to help people, there will be times when you need to ask difficult questions.  You will need to ask about what is happening in their private lives, what issues they are struggling with and what is preventing them from growing spiritually, professionally or relationally.  Too often, fear keeps us from asking the questions that matter the most.  This needs to be done with extreme care, sensitivity and gentleness, but it needs to be done.  I recently had a teeth cleaning.  April, my dental hygienist, started using her wand to scrape away the tartar accumulated since my last visit.  As she jammed that pick into the gap between my gums and molars, I felt a shock wave that seemed to lift me out of the dentist’s chair.  Recently, Pam and I were having dinner with a couple that we had met and invited to church.  They had been coming to church for months, but we hadn’t broached the subject of how they felt about their relationship with God or studying the gospel more deeply.  They were spiritual people who loved church and who are extremely successful in their personal and business lives.  I made a decision before our dinner that I was going to ask the awkward question.  After we talked and chatted for about forty-five minutes, I said, “Do you mind if I change the subject?”  They said, “No problem.”  I asked, “Would you be interested in studying the Bible with Pam and me?  If it’s okay with you, we could get together and look at some scriptures and make sure your spiritual foundation is solid.  You are an amazing couple, but I don’t want to make any assumptions about how you are doing spiritually.”  They were quiet for what seemed like a long time.  Finally, the husband said, “You know what, we’ve wanted to study the Bible for a long time, but we’ve always felt awkward asking for help.  We go to Bible discussions and never know how ask for help.  We’d love that!”  I was so fired up to hear their response and now the door is open for us to help them become strong Christians.  It all starts with forcing yourself to ask the awkward or meaningful questions.  These are questions that count.  It’s so easy to cruise along on the surface and never get deeper into people’s lives.  Ask the questions that matter. If you aren’t used to asking questions that count, here are some ways that may help you get to a deeper level with people.  Use phrases that prepare people to shift gears into a deeper level of conversation. ·         Do you mind if I asked you a personal question? ·         Would you mind If I changed the subject? ·         Do you feel like you’re at a point in your life, where you are ready to make some changes? Questions like these get people ready for a deeper discussion.  It enables them to opt out if they aren’t ready to “go there.”  People love to talk about themselves and it’s very rare to find people whom they can talk about the issues, situations and challenges that are making the biggest difference in their lives.  When you ask good questions about people’s lives, they often will appreciate that you care enough to listen to them and what matters most to them.  Ask good questions. Application Next time you are in a social setting at work, school, church or with friends practice asking good questions.  Ask one more question than you are used to and see if you can’t take your relationship to a new level.

How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast.  If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here:  https://www.buymeacoffee.com/robskinner      Transcript of Matthew Series Matthew 12:22-37 “Just Sayin’”   Introduction We continue our series on Matthew in chapter 12. 1.    Wicked Words 22 Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see. 23 All the people were astonished and said, “Could this be the Son of David?” 24 But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, “It is only by Beelzebul, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons.” 25 Jesus knew their thoughts and said to them, “Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every city or household divided against itself will not stand. 26 If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? 27 And if I drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your people drive them out? So then, they will be your judges. 28 But if it is by the Spirit of God that I drive out demons, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. 29 “Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can plunder his house. The people were amazed, again, but they posed a question because Jesus did many of the things that the Messiah or Son of David was supposed to do except rally an army.  He seemed to fit the picture of the Messiah they were looking for except for a few qualities.  The Pharisees saw this positive response and felt threatened.  In order to steer people away from Jesus, they attributed his power to Satan.  Jesus responds to the charge by using common sense.  He highlights that Satan has his own kingdom.  How can Satan’s kingdom stand if it’s disunified?  He then goes on to apply the same logic to his accusers who drove out demons, were they doing it by Satan’s power?  He then points to the fact that he is stronger than Satan and his kingdom. He then launches into an attack on the words that the Pharisees were using against him… 2.   Unforgivable Words 30 “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. 31 And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. 32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come. Jesus here returns to the unforgiveable sin.  People have often wondered if they have committed a sin that can’t be forgiven.  Jesus has said in other passages, “I solemnly declare that any sin of man can be forgiven, even blasphemy against me” Mark 3:28 TLB.  The Pharisees were speaking against the good works done by the Holy Spirit.  All sin can be forgiven, but a mindset that is determined to remain opposed to God in spite of his goodness and obvious presence puts that person out of reach of God’s grace.  They are rejecting God’s offer of forgiveness and mercy. What sins can be forgiven?  ·       Adultery ·       Murder ·       Lying ·       Cheating What sins can’t be forgiven? ·       A person who refuses to submit themselves to Jesus.  Who sees his greatness and rejects him any way.   3.   Words Matter 33 “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. 34 You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. 35 A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. 36 But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. 37 For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.” What Words Reveal The Pharisees were saying Jesus had a demon or was demon-possessed.  They were claiming that he was a tool of Satan.  These words, so far from the truth, revealed something evil about the Pharisees.  Their words were like X-Rays revealing a massive growth of cancer in the Jews’ soul.  They focused on the outward appearance and Jesus was pointing to what their words were revealing about their heart, their minds and their character. You will hear from time to time a phrase thrown into a conversation, “Just Sayin!”  It’s usually a negative comment that’s hidden under a funny phrase.    “It’s used when saying something negative or something that other people might not like or might find unusual, without trying to defend or give reasons for what you say: I don't want to insult anybody, but I'm just saying ...”  "You are witless, stupid and immoral, and I wouldn't let you near my tropical fish for fear you would contaminate them with your depravity. Just sayin'!" We say it to slip some criticism into the conversation without it being too harsh.  We also say it to avoid taking responsibility for our words.  We think we can say something terrible without being held responsible for it.  Jesus says that no matter how you package it, your words reveal something beneath the surface. ·       Swear words ·       Fearful words ·       Critical words ·       Lying words ·       Exaggerating words ·       Negative words ·       Constantly seeing the downside of every situation 2 We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check…5 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.  James 3:2-7 How Words Are Judged Accountable for every word?  I think whenever you interpret the Bible you need to interpret it in the context you are pulling it from.  The Pharisees were speaking “empty” words.  Some translations say, “Careless, idle, empty, useless or not important.”  Their words tore down and assassinated character.  That’s different than playful banter.  I don’t think the Bible is shutting down playful conversation.  You don’t need to be a “mister sourpuss.” At the same time, you do need to examine the tone of your language and ask how much you talk about positive things.  Is your language coarse, dirty, sexually based?  Is it filled with inuendo and double meanings?  Or is it simple, clear and kind?  Not only that, do you speak the truth in love, taking time to help people when they need guidance or correction? Words matter.  They reveal what’s happening inside your heart and they will be judged by Jesus.  Pay attention and be careful what you say.   Conclusion How are you responding to Jesus?  Are you astonished at him, amazed at him or are you opposed to him?  Have you shut your mind and heart against him?  Be careful of the decisions you are making.  Jesus honors your decisions.  He can forgive any sin in your life, but you are the one who has to choose to follow, love and serve Jesus.  Don’t commit the unforgivable sin of looking at the son of God and rejecting him purposefully.   Word Check.  How’s your language?  What’s coming out of your mouth?  That’s one gauge of the condition of your heart.  Are you pouring out dirty, negative, sinful talk?  That’s like a check-engine light going on in your car.  You might keep going for a while, but you’re headed for a breakdown. Words can bring life.  Romans 10:9 says, “9 If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”  When you say the right thing and believe it, it can literally save your life.  Two people today have chosen to speak words of life.  Gus Barragan and Azavius Perry believe in Jesus and are going to declare, “Jesus is LORD” today.  They have repented of their sins and are going to get baptized for the forgiveness of their sins.  Words matter.

How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast.  If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here:  https://www.buymeacoffee.com/robskinner      Transcript of "How to Become a Great Communicator" When I got that call and saw who it was, I couldn’t pick up the phone.  I had a heavy feeling of fear deep in my gut.  I let it go to voicemail.  When I listened to it later, I didn’t call back for a week.  The voicemail message said, “Hey Rob, this is Bruce Williams.  I was calling to see if you and Pam would be interested in planting a new church in Tucson, Arizona.  Call me back when you get a chance.”  The mixture of fear and confusion I felt paralyzed me into inaction.  I was living in Oregon at the time working a full-time job as a Realtor and leading a church full-time as a self-supporting minister.  Pam and I had been talking about returning to the full-time ministry.  The pressure to run a growing church and support a family through the great recession and housing collapse was intense.  I didn’t know how long I could keep it up.  However, the thought of change, upheaval and leaving my extended family while my kids were in high school worried me.  So, I just didn’t call back.  I didn’t know what to do. Fear keeps us shuttered in our homes, afraid of what might happen.  It shows up when we avoid people, avoid contacts, ghost people who text us or call us and ignore emails sent to us.  These behaviors are symptoms of fear.  For some reason, we are afraid of what might happen, what might be said, what might be found out, what might be asked of us and we run from the conversation.  As Solomon wrote in Proverbs 28:1, “The wicked flee though no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.”  We can downplay it or rationalize it for as long as we like, but this type of avoidance behavior is grounded in fear.  When we avoid people, we are fleeing from a conversation or a confrontation that often needs to happen.  God often works by sending the right person into our life at just the right time.  That phone call, text, email, WhatsApp or DM (Direct Message) might be a message from God.  If you have ever invited someone to church, followed up with them and then got ghosted you know the frustration and sadness you feel.  Why?  Because your invitation to them was really a ticket to heaven, a pass to eternal life.  Why do people run away from God?  It’s been happening since the Garden of Eden.  John explains this behavior in John 3:19-20,   “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.  Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.”  People ghost Christians because they are afraid of the light.  They are fleeing God because their deeds are evil.  They don’t want anyone to know what they’ve been doing with their lives. Even after we become Christians God sends people into our lives.  That’s why it’s so important to maintain and preserve connections with people and make ourselves available both to those we know and those we don’t know yet.  You never know when God is tapping your shoulder for something new and amazing. God called Jonah to lead one of the most miraculous revivals in the Bible, the repentance of Nineveh.  Jonah refused to answer God’s call, he ghosted him in Jonah 1:1-3.  “The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 ‘Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.’  3But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord.”  God was patient with Jonah and pursued him until he got his man.  Jonah almost missed the greatest opportunity of his life because of fear, racism and prejudice.  God called to him a second time and this time, Jonah was there to take the call.  He responded and went to Nineveh.  The whole city repented from the King down to the lowliest citizen.    When I called Bruce Williams back, I made profuse apologies for my slow reply.  He explained the offer of planting a new church.  A new planting, financial support for several years, a full-time salary, an amazing city and university and anything else I needed to be successful.  I told him no.  I wasn’t ready to make that move even though I felt like I was caught in a vise-grip of time and financial pressure.  He was patient.  He had another friend, John Lusk, call me a few weeks later and invited me to come and pray over the city of Tucson, Arizona all expenses paid.  I gradually started to realize that maybe this was God directing me and offering me a new start.  I went and prayed over the city.  I spoke with Bruce and told him then that I still wasn’t ready to make a decision.  I came back home, prayed and fasted.  One day after work, I walked into our master bedroom to take off my suit, shirt and tie and put on my casual clothes.  Pam was still in bed.  I asked, “Are you sick?”  She said, “No.”  I asked, “Why were you in bed all day?”  She said, “Because I think we need to move to Tucson.”  That’s the moment when I realized God was definitely calling us and I needed to be bold as a lion and stop fleeing from God’s call.   I called Bruce and told him that we would go to Tucson.  It turned out to be a great decision.  The church planting blossomed from zero to one hundred members in two years and my kids were able to all graduate from the University of Arizona.  Another church was able to get off the ground and many souls have been saved.  It all started with a phone call and a voicemail. If you want to be a multiplying Christian, take a look at how you handle communications.  Are you easy to reach?  Do you call or text people back quickly.  I think 24 hours is the maximum for voicemail, texts or emails.  I don’t think it has to be the same day.  Sometimes you need to sleep on it and consider how you’re going to respond.  There are times that I can sense my anger is bubbling up.  That’s the worst time to call or text back.  Better to give it a night to lose the heat and regain emotional control than to say, text or type something you’ll regret and have to apologize for later. Practicals: ·       Stop making excuses for ignoring, delaying and avoiding people when they are trying to communicate with you.  ·       Ask yourself, what is causing me to practice this behavior?  Is it fear, shame, lack of faith?  Whatever it is, deal with the reason for the avoidance behavior. ·       Decide to be a quick responder.  Set a 24-hour limit on your responses if not sooner.  You can say your not ready to decide, but at least make the connection.  You never know when God is opening a door for you.

How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast.  If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here:  https://www.buymeacoffee.com/robskinner      Transcript of Exposition of Matthew 12:1-21 This section connects to and highlights what Jesus meant when he said in Matthew 11:28-30, 28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”  Jesus offers rest which is the express purpose of the sabbath.  He says his yoke is easy and his burden is light.  This is in contrast to the legalism of the Pharisees.  They had develop 39 laws that explained what you couldn’t do on a day of rest.  39 categories of activity that could be classified as work.  They claimed to “put up a fence around the law” so you would be careful not to break the law. Here are twenty of the thirty-nine categories of work: 1. Carrying 2. Burning 3. Extinguishing 4. Finishing 5. Writing 6. Erasing 7. Cooking 8. Washing 9. Sewing 10. Tearing 11. Knotting 12. Untying 13. Shaping 14. Plowing 15. Planting 16. Reaping 17. Harvesting 18. Threshing 19. Winnowing 20. Selecting   Jesus addresses these by appealing to his inherent authority and the priority of the spirit of the law over the letter of the law.   Jesus, LORD of the Sabbath At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them. 2 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to him, “Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.” 3 He answered, “Haven’t you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? 4 He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread—which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests. 5 Or haven’t you read in the Law that the priests on Sabbath duty in the temple desecrate the Sabbath and yet are innocent? 6 I tell you that something greater than the temple is here. 7 If you had known what these words mean, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’[a] you would not have condemned the innocent. 8 For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” Jesus had offered rest in the previous chapter which was the purpose of the sabbath:  28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”  The Pharisees made sabbath keeping a chore: You could not spit on the Sabbath because it would disturb the dirt and you would be guilty of plowing. You could not swat a fly on the Sabbath because you would be guilty of hunting. A woman could not look at her reflection because she might see a gray hair and pluck it out, which would be doing work. They created loopholes to get around some laws. If your house was burning down on a Sabbath, you could not carry clothes out of it. However, you were allowed to put on several layers of clothes as the house was burning down. You could leave without breaking the law because you were wearing them instead of carrying them.   12:1-2  Picking grain could fall under the category of reaping, while getting the grain out of the husks could be considered threshing, both of which were prohibited by the Pharisees.  Keep in mind that this is happening on a Saturday and must have been close enough to town to not break the distance rule of about a half mile of walking allowed.  The Pharisees were circling Jesus and his disciples, looking for any breaking of their laws. Jesus argues against the Pharisees using three levels of authority he carries because of who he is as God: Jesus is greater than King David Jesus is greater than the temple Jesus is greater than the Law or Old Testament Writings 12:3-4  Jesus asks, “Haven’t you read…?” This was a subtle dig to the Pharisees who prided themselves on their knowledge and memorization of scripture.  He points out that David, their hero and king, broke their law by eating bread only allowed to the priests.  It was his authority as king that superceded the law.  Jesus is saying, how much more is it lawful for the king of the world to supercede any regulation.  Not only that, they were both hungry.  He’s not saying that because the law was broken once, it could be broken again, but it does matter who is doing it.  12:5-6  Jesus builds on this theme of authority when he talks about how the priests “work” on the sabbath in doing their normal duties at the temple.  Then he says something shocking.  He says, “something greater than the temple is here.”  To the Jew, what could be greater than the temple?  This was the house of God, where God lived.  The temple was the focus of Israel’s worship, it’s national center, the destination for all pilgrimages and the essence of its national identity.  Jesus is saying that he himself is the center of all future worship.  This is what got Jesus killed.  His cleansing of the temple, his claim that he would rebuild the temple in three days was the final straw that confirmed in the Jews’ minds that Jesus deserved death.  Jesus was saying that in serving him and eating while working, his disciples were serving the greater presence and residence of God, Jesus himself.  They were exempt from these lesser regulations. Jesus and the church he started were greater than the temple.  His role as mediator, prophet, priest and king is greater than the temple of Moses time.  That’s one of the significances of the temple curtain being torn when Jesus died.    12:7  Jesus again points out his operating theology drawn from Hosea 6:6, love matters more than ritual or rules.  It’s always better to err on the side of love over laws.  He also highlights the error of their human traditions that led them to people who were innocent in the sight of God. 12:8  Jesus drives the sword even deeper in calling himself the LORD of the sabbath.  The sabbath is a defining feature of the Jewish religion.  They and a few other groups are known as “sabbath-keepers.”  The sabbath originates all the way back when God rested on the seventh day (Genesis 2:3) and was instituted in the ten commandments.  In Exodus 31:13 God calls it “My Sabbath.”    As the creator of the world and author of the law, Jesus had unique authority to interpret it as he chose. For Jesus to say, I am the Lord of the Sabbath was heresy in the ears of the Pharisees.  He was saying, “I, not you, know how to interpret the sabbath law and its application.  I wrote the law, you didn’t.”  This was a direct attack on the Pharisees’ religious authority and it’s what made them so mad. The healing of man with the shriveled hand 9 Going on from that place, he went into their synagogue, 10 and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to bring charges against Jesus, they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” 11 He said to them, “If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? 12 How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” 13 Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other. 14 But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus. 11-12  He appeals to common sense that the average person would understand when he says, “If any of you has a sheep…” Jesus again stresses how much more valuable people are than animals.  Jesus also points out the inconsistency of the Pharisees’ own teaching.  They would do “work” if it meant preserving their own property.  Jesus’ interpretation puts responsibility on each one of us to figure out what is good or positive to do in interpreting any action.  The Pharisees had a fundamentally negative focus on what couldn’t be done.  Jesus points to a higher method of asking yourself, “how can I do good in this situation?”  12:13-14  Jesus goes on to heal the man’s hand publicly.  It was a public embarrassment and shaming of the Jews.  He embarrassed them in “their synagogue” (12:9).  He beat them on their home field.  Their authority was damaged, their motives were exposed and their hatred was inflamed.  The Jews want to kill Jesus.  Jesus said it’s lawful to do good on the Sabbath.  The Pharisees wanted to kill on the sabbath! Turtle Illustration  This is a touching video, viewed over two million times.  How much more powerful when we help people turn their “upside down” lives right side up.  That fires Jesus up! God’s Servant 15 Aware of this, Jesus withdrew from that place. A large crowd followed him, and he healed all who were ill. 16 He warned them not to tell others about him. 17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah: 18 “Here is my servant whom I have chosen,     the one I love, in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit on him,     and he will proclaim justice to the nations. 19 He will not quarrel or cry out;     no one will hear his voice in the streets. 20 A bruised reed he will not break,     and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he has brought justice through to victory. 21     In his name the nations will put their hope.”[b]   12:15-16  What does Jesus do?  He doesn’t go on the attack.  He withdraws.  He puts into practice what he had taught his disciples in Matthew 10:14 and 10:23.  When people don’t accept your teaching, shake the dust off and go somewhere else.  Be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.  Jesus just leaves and continues his work of preaching and healing.  Why does he do this?  Why doesn’t he have a massive showdown with the Pharisees right then and there.  It gets revealed in verses 18-21 as another fulfillment of Old Testament prophesy about the Messiah’s character and method. 12:18-21  Again Jesus defines himself by what he “doesn’t” do.  Unlike John and others’ expectations that he would judge, condemn, blow away, destroy Roman rule, Jesus reveals himself as gentle and lowly or humble.  He will not quarrel or cry out.  He touts a more non-confrontational manner, an avoidance of publicity and a patient, encouraging type of ministry.  He won’t argue with the Pharisees, he won’t shout at them or deliberately embarrass them.  Bruised reeds and smoldering wicks.  A reed was used as a light walking stick, a musical instrument or a way to measure things.  Once it was bruised, it was typically discarded.  A smoldering wick was made of linen and if it smoked, would fill the whole house with smoke.  It too was immediately replaced.  The ministry of the messiah is one in which he won’t break the reed or snuff out the wick.  Jesus is patient and kind with people who are bruised and who’s fire has dimmed.  He is patient with the Pharisees who were deeply damaged and he is incredibly patient with people who have experienced trauma, trouble, difficulties and trials.  Think about the bleeding woman, the man with the shriveled hand, the lepers.  These were all bruised reeds. ·         You might be a bruised reed.  Life has bruised you.  You’ve taken your hits.  Guess what, Jesus is loving and patient with you.  He won’t break you.  He won’t say, “I’m done with you!”  He is patient, gentle and lowly and is willing to work with all of us in our bruised and battered condition.  All he asks is that you come to him.  Look to him for healing.  Don’t count yourself out.  Stop tearing yourself down.  Go to Jesus. o   Share about recent appointment ·         You might be a smoldering wick.  Maybe your fire was higher in the past.  Maybe you used to light up the room when you walked into church, your home, your classroom or your workplace.  Now all you can muster is a barely burning flame and lots of smoke.  People know when you’re coming and when you’re around.  You’re not what you once were.  Guess what, Jesus won’t snuff you out.  He’s willing to work with you and help you get your fire going again.  All you have to do is go to him and work with him.  Don’t quit on him.  Ask for help.  Jesus offers rest and a light burden for all bruised reeds and smoldering wicks.

How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast.  If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here:  https://www.buymeacoffee.com/robskinner   Live a Transparent Life, Transcript I decided to lay it all out on the table with my Mom.  I told her my whole story.  All the dirt, all the secrets and everything I’d never told her before.  She was lying in a hospital bed in a rehabilitation facility in Medford, Oregon.  She was in her mid-90’s and would pass within a couple of years.  I didn’t know at that time whether she would recover from her current illness.  I was hoping she would become a Christian.  So I decided it was time to “open the kimono” and share my complete conversion story.  She always had treated me special as her golden boy.  I knew I needed to let her know what I was really like.  We went back in time together to the eighties.  I shared about my sin, my immorality, my drug use, drunkenness, my selfishness, the shameful events that led me to Jesus.  I shared about the broken relationships, personal failures and disappointments.  After I talked for about fifteen minutes, I apologized for the raw and unedited story of my life.  I said, “I’m sorry for my “R” rated story, Mom.”  She said, “Honey, everyone’s got an “R” rated story.”  I don’t know what I was expecting.  But when I saw how unphased and unchanged she was when I shared details about my failings, I realized how being open or transparent with our lives draws people closer to us.  This is why it’s so important to be an open book as a person and especially if you want to be a multiplying disciple.  Transparency is one of the most powerful human traits we can develop. The apostle John shares about this in 1 John 1:5-10, “ This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.  8 If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us.” Why be Open? Why should we work to be transparent with our strengths and weaknesses?  John says first of all that we should do this because God is that way.  He is light, there is no darkness in him at all.  God reveals himself to us through his Word, the natural world and through Jesus himself.  His nature is to reveal himself to us and invite us into his life.  He doesn’t have sin to hide like we do, but he loves to open up his life to us.  We need to imitate God’s character and holiness. Secondly, if we are hiding our sin and weaknesses we’re living a lie and are not living out the truth.  Jesus came to die for our sin.  When we hide our sin, we are living a fictional life that isn’t real. The third reason it’s important to be vulnerable about our failings is that when we do share vulnerably, “we have fellowship with one another.”  I get the most responses from my lessons when I share a setback or mistake I’ve made.  People love to hear that others have flaws as well.  Transparency opens the door to real relationships.  Another massively important reason to be an open book is that Jesus’ blood “purifies us from all sin” when we walk in the light.  I want Jesus’ forgiveness.  The way to a continual purification is through confession and openness.  I remember Ed Townsend preaching a lesson on this passage and saying, God doesn’t expect perfection, he expects honesty.  What a relief!  I can’t be perfect, but I certainly can be honest.  John goes on in verse eight to warn against living a self-deceived life in which we are filled lies and not the truth.  Again in verse nine, he hammers again on the power of a transparent life.  When we are open and confess our sin, we receive forgiveness and purification of all unrighteousness.  Not just a few of our sins, all our sins are forgiven and purified.  That includes the sins before conversion and the sins of our current lives.  Confession is like walking under a waterfall of purification.  Everything gets cancelled, forgiven and forgotten. The final reason John gives for living an honest life is that when we puff ourselves up and put on a front of perfection, we are making God out to be a liar.  We are denying God’s word that says “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).  We are claiming that Jesus is wrong about his estimation of us when he calls us evil in Luke 11:13 and Matthew 7:11, “If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” How to Get Open 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.  James 5:16 There are strong reasons to live a transparent life, closer relationships with people, closer relationship with God, forgiveness, purification, a more godly character, alignment of our lives with God’s word and more.  However, there are also strong reasons for not being open, fear, embarrassment, worry, pride, ego and arrogance.  Our default mode is to remain living in the darkness.  You will have to make a strong decision to push past embarrassment to get into the light.  Here’s how: Find a prayer partner or spiritual friend.  You need to identify at least one person that you can let down around and talk at a deeper level.  This person needs to be stable, steady, spiritual and caring.  This person can listen to you without freaking out.  Ask God for a person to talk to.  He will surface a worthy person. Ask the awkward question.  Here’s what you need to ask:  “May I confess some sin to you?”  This might be the toughest sentence you’ll ever pronounce and yet I’ve never had a person say no.  Every person I’ve talked to made time right on the spot and was incredibly kind and respectful.  Be direct.  Don’t hedge, explain or “paint the picture” about your sin.  It’s easy to minimize our sin by going into a long backstory about how tired we were, how hard we’ve been working, how much we’ve been doing for God, how challenging its’ been at home with wife and kids, how tough work has been etc.  We bring these things up to rationalize our diving into sin.  We want to blame our circumstances for our sin but Jesus says in Mark 7:20-22 that sin is an inside job.  “He went on: ‘What comes out of a person is what defiles them. For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil thoughts come—sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly.’” Explanation and excuses aren’t necessary.  Just say it: ·         I yelled at my wife yesterday. ·         I looked at porn last night. ·         I swore this morning ·         I drank too much While it’s important to be direct, you don’t need to go into graphic detail.  Don’t make your brother or sister struggle by sharing every single thing you saw or thought.  Protect the hearts of people around you.  Being honest doesn’t mean giving too much information.  Name the sin, name the situation and leave it at that. When is the best time to get open?  As soon as you sin.  Don’t wait.  Don’t allow sin to harden your heart.  Don’t live in fear and embarrassment.  Bring it into the light.  Talk about it now.  Don’t let weeks pass by without confession.  Paul offers good advice when he warns against taking communion without examining ourselves first.  Some churches demand confession before taking communion.  The principle is solid, don’t allow a week to go by without self-examination and confession. Where is the best place to get open with your life.  Find a quiet place, free from distraction.  Don’t mention it in passing.  Don’t text or email your confession.  You don’t want your sin to resurface on the internet later.  Keep it verbal. I’ve never felt closer to God and to people than when I’ve opened up about my life.  No hiding, no pretending, just real life.  I remember walking to a college devotional on the UC Berkeley campus.  I was a student and a baby Christian.  As I walked I talked to God about the sin I had committed that day.  I still remember the feeling I felt when I realized that God loved me anyway in spite of my sin.  Even though the Bible talks about this forgiveness, on that day I felt the forgiveness and love of God at the deepest level of my being.  It was awesome to know I was forgiven and purified of all unrighteousness.  Practicals ·         Examine yourself.  What sins have you allowed to remain in the recesses of your life? ·         Bring them in to the light.  Call someone or next time you are in a church setting, pull someone aside and ask the most important question, “Can I confess some sin to you?” Get specific.  Get to it.  Share your sin without backstory, rationalization or excusemaking.

How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast.  If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here:  https://www.buymeacoffee.com/robskinner   Transcript of Exposition on Matthew 11:20-30   Introduction Last week we covered the first half of chapter eleven and the responses of John, Jesus and the Generation of People around them.  Now we turn to look at Jesus’ judgment of and invitation to all people.  Rejection of Jesus is one theme of these two chapters 11 and 12.   1.    Greater Light Means Greater Responsibility:  11:20-24 20 Then Jesus began to denounce the towns in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. 21 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. 23 And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades. For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. 24 But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you.” Jesus had denounced the generation he lived in for wanting John and Jesus to dance to their tune.  Now he gets even more specific in preaching against those towns he had lived in and preached to. Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum were larger towns on the banks of the Sea of Galilee.  Jesus had done miracles there.  He was met initially with enthusiasm, but that had not led to repentance.  He compares them to Tyre, Sidon and Sodom.  The amount of time spent, sermons preached, and miracles done increased their guilt in comparison with these other cities.  Even though John and Jesus had different “styles,” their message and expectation was the same: In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea 2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”  Matthew 3:1-2 17 From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”  Matthew 4:17   Imagine being around Jesus for months and even years.  Seeing him raise from the dead and yet not changing your life.  He offered them forgiveness, but they refused his offer and felt no need to make a change.  Capernaum was Jesus’ home base.  The principle is clear, when you’ve received more light, you are more responsible and will be held accountable.  It’s been said that “Only the rejection of forgiveness is unforgivable.” A number of us have grown up in Christian homes, been around church and church people for years.  We feel comfortable around Jesus and his people.  That doesn’t mean our lives have really changed.  If you take pride in your spiritual background, be aware that you will be held more responsible for the knowledge you carry.  Example:  Negative and Positive   2.    The Humble Respond to Jesus:  11:25-27 25 At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. 26 Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do. 27 “All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 11:25-26  This section is very similar to Luke 10:21-22, which marks the return of the disciples from their limited commission.  “17 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name...”21 At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.” Jesus offers up a prayer to God.  This is the first prayer of his that is recorded. He addresses him as “Father, Lord of Heaven and Earth.”    Jesus points out that the religious leaders were missing their opportunity while the simple and poor were responding.  This is a common theme in the gospel.  God reverses the values and expectations of this world.  The wise can’t see the gospel, while the foolish respond to it.  Isaiah 29:14 says, “Therefore once more I will astound these people     with wonder upon wonder; the wisdom of the wise will perish,     the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish.” This points out God’s election.  God’s purpose and his will is at work in our lives.  He reveals himself to those who turn to him like little children, who are receptive and trusting.  Everything that happens on earth falls under the power of God’s will.   11:27  Jesus reveals the nature of his relationship with his Father.  This is a Christological high point in this gospel.  No one really knows Jesus except his Father.  No one really knows the Father except his only son.  This term “know” is not intellectual knowledge but relational intimacy.  If you want real happiness in life, it comes from knowing God.  Not facts but having a relationship with him.    Jesus, the gatekeeper Jesus goes on to say that no one can know God the Father unless Jesus reveals the Father to that person.  This is similar to what he says in John 14:6, “6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”  If you want to get to know God, you will have to go through Jesus.  There is no other way.  You can’t make a workaround Jesus.   3.    Jesus Calls All, Matthew 11:28-30 28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Carrying a yoke of sin is burdensome.  Everyone carries a yoke.  What makes a difference is which master you are serving.  Guilt, shame, worry, anxiety, lack of peace, the chase for money, status and power.  Jesus calls us to exchange that yoke for his yoke.  The yoke he is talking about is probably a human yoke as opposed to an animal yoke.  The human yoke is designed to make carrying burdens easier.  He offers peace, forgiveness, love, joy and sonship.  His burden is light because of who he is, he is gentle and humble in heart.  The yoke of Jesus is a yoke built from love and kindness.  It takes gentleness and humility to take on Jesus’ yoke.  You are entering into a relationship with a God who is gentle, kind, humble and loving. Jesus invites everyone to take his yoke on them.  You have to recognize your need and be willing to submit to his yoke.  You have to come to him, it takes effort on your part.  The prodigal son would never have restored his relationship with his father if he had stayed in his pig pen.   He invites all, but few take him up on the offer.  “Many are invited but few are chosen.”  Matthew 22:14.  Jesus talks about this concept many times.  Jesus talks about how the sower scatters seed all over, but only a few soils are receptive and bear fruit.  Three of four of the different soils are not conducive to receiving God’s word.  God wants all men to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth, but every person has to have a heart that is receptive to his message.  It depends on your character, not your circumstances. 

How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast.  If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here:  https://www.buymeacoffee.com/robskinner   Transcript “The primary wisdom is intuition. In that deep force, the last fact behind which analysis cannot go, all things find their origin.”  Ralph Waldo Emerson I need to take more showers.  It has nothing to do with how dirty I am but how many ideas come to while in the shower.  I need a waterproof writing pad in the shower because so many ideas float to the surface of my mind while I space out in the warm water.  Shaving also seems somehow connected to coming up with amazing ideas.  I have wondered to myself if the shower and my bathroom sink are holy ground.  I have looked up and wondered if there is some type of spiritual portal between earth and heaven on that very spot.  All because I get so many ideas, intuitive thoughts and nudges by God’s Spirit.  How does God communicate with us?  We can’t see him.  We can’t touch him.  We can’t hear his physical voice.  We know he talks to us through his Word and we talk to him through prayer.  I believe God also talks to us through our intuition.  He taps our shoulder through the Spirit living in us when a unique thought pops into our mind either once or repeatedly.   26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.   John 14:26 You are a spiritual being.  Jesus gave each disciple his Spirit to guide us, teach us and lead us.  How does the Spirit do those things?  I think he has many tools to get our attention.  The Word, coincidence, conscience, powerful preaching and intuition.  God spoke to the prophets in dreams and visions.  He guided Paul through his dream of a man from Macedonia.  I think God guides us through our intuition or inner sight.  We may have an idea that seems crazy, but keeps coming to us over and over.  Shortly after becoming a Christian, I went home for Christmas to my hometown, Ashland, Oregon.  I went out for a prayer walk and prayed and cried that some day there would be a strong church in that small town of 20,000 people.  Eighteen years later, after I had been overseas for ten years and returned to the US, a thought came to my mind:  “plant a church in your hometown.”  It came with increasing frequency.  I started to notice it.  I would put it aside and tell myself why it was a crazy thought.  I gradually connected my prayer from 18 years earlier to my current situation.  God was using me to answer my own prayer.  I sat down and told my wife Pam, “I want to plant a church in Ashland.”  Three months later, we had our two moving trucks stuffed to the rafters and were on our way to plant a church there.  A mission team of two adults and three kids. I believe that the Spirit uses our thoughts, ideas and intuition to guide us if we will listen, pay attention and act on those promptings. Spiritual Guidance or Satanic Whisper? Not every thought comes from God.  We have to be clear that we are bombarded with thousands of random thoughts every day.  Satan introduced a thought to the mind of Eve and brought down the whole world.  So how do we screen out thoughts introduced by Satan and those originating in God’s will? I think it starts by asking ourselves simple questions: ·       Does this idea fit with what the Bible tells me? ·       Does this thought lead toward sin? ·       Does this thought appeal to my sinful nature or to my higher, spiritual nature? ·       If I act on this, will it advance God’s Kingdom? ·       Will it help me and others if I choose to do it? We get cued or triggered daily to lust, to proud thoughts, to sarcastic comebacks and other evil thoughts and actions.  All it takes is a moment to take captive that thought, bring it to the forefront of our mind and either reject it or make it obedient to Christ and his will.  As Paul says in 2 Corinthians 10:5, “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” Evil temptations and triggers can be relatively easy to spot if we are looking carefully.  What is more difficult is evaluating thoughts that are neither right nor wrong.  These ideas may be new, they may appear “crazy” or unprecedented.  They may not fit with your current life and comfortable situation.  For example, you may have the following thoughts pop into your head: ·       I’d like to go overseas and do missionary work ·       I’d like to go to _______ and join or start a new church ·       I’d like to change jobs so that I can be more effective spiritually ·       I’d like to retire and move here to preach the word ·       I’d like to try out the full time ministry When thoughts like these arise, it’s important not to simply bat them away and tell yourself why you can’t do it or why it won’t work.  The Spirit may be teeing up an idea for you to drive down the course.  Instead, look for more evidence that God may be trying to get your attention: ·       The thought or idea keeps returning unbidden.  ·       Weird coincidences happen that make the thought come to mind or make the idea more realistic ·       Someone else mentions the idea out of the blue ·       You read something in the Bible that points to that thought ·       You hear a sermon that convicts you about the very thing you were considering ·       You hear of someone else doing or attempting the very thing you’d like to do ·       Circumstances change that make what you previously considered impossible a possibility In 2003 my church went through a shakeup that changed the way my church and related churches were guided.  All of a sudden, there was no longer a master plan for future plantings and development.  It seemed like there was no one in charge any longer.  That change of circumstance provided the opportunity for me to plant a church in a town that wasn’t on anyone’s master plan previously.  When circumstances changed, I realized that God had opened a door to see my prayer realized. Take action immediately I would guess that there are at least one or two ideas that have rolled around in the back of your mind for months, years and even decades.  That idea keeps making an appearance and then gets shot down by your rational, reasoning, careful, protective thought process.  We treat the promptings of the Spirit like a child that wants us to come play with him or her.  We tell the child we’ll do it later, not now, it’s not a good time, we’re too busy or some other excuse.  At some point that child will stop asking.  At that point, it’ll be too late, we’ll be too old to act on a dream God has placed in our mind.  As Emerson writes in “Self Reliance,” A man should learn to detect and watch that gleam of light which flashes across his mind from within, more than the lustre of the firmament of bards and sages. Yet he dismisses without notice his thought, because it is his. In every work of genius we recognize our own rejected thoughts: they come back to us with a certain alienated majesty. Great works of art have no more affecting lesson for us than this. They teach us to abide by our spontaneous impression with good-humored inflexibility then most when the whole cry of voices is on the other side. Else, to-morrow a stranger will say with masterly good sense precisely what we have thought and felt all the time, and we shall be forced to take with shame our own opinion from another. He is reminding us how important it is to pay attention to the Spirit’s prompting within us.  We tend to discount our own thoughts and ideas as less valuable than others.  If we keep on ignoring our intuition, we’ll hear about our idea or achievement spoken of or accomplished by another person and we’ll kick ourselves.  We’ll scold ourselves saying, “I could have done that, I could have said that, I could have accomplished that.  I had that idea long ago.”  You had intuition, but you didn’t act on it.  I think this is what Paul means when he writes in 1 Thessalonians 5: 19, “19 Do not quench the Spirit.”  Merriam Webster defines “quench” as “To put out the light or fire of something.  To cool or to cause to lose heat or warmth, to terminate by or as if by destroying.”  God is always trying to light a fire in us to fulfill his amazing purpose for our lives.  He is trying to bring passion, zeal and heat through his spirit into our lives.  Unfortunately, when we ignore, suppress and disregard the Spirit’s promptings we are effectively quenching the Spirit, cooling our zeal and terminating the amazing plans God has for us. Take action immediately As long as you’re alive, there’s time to “fan into flame the gift of God.”  (2 Timothy 1:6).  How do you do that?  Take action on the Spirit’s promptings.  Write down what the Spirit is putting on your heart.  What thought or idea has been nagging at you for years?  What would you like to do that you’ve put off for too long.  Write it down and then write down three things you could do today to move you in that direction.  Don’t worry about having a complete plan, just move in the Spirit’s direction.  You’ll be guided if it’s God’s will. “I want to raise $5,000 for charity this year.” I wrote this down as one of my goals on News Year’s Day while living in Japan.  A though popped immediately into my mind, “How could I raise not $5,000 but $50,000?”  I wrote down some ideas and then thought, “I’d have to do a charity run or something.”  That was the beginning of the Run for HOPE that raised $50,000+ that year and in it’s third year raised $150,000+ for charity.  It all started with an idea, intuition and the Spirit’s prompting.  I remember sitting in a chair in Ron and Nancy Markham’s house when we celebrated the first Run for HOPE.  I remember the feeling of complete peace and satisfaction at having listened to the Spirit’s prompting to do something that helped so many people.  It was and remains a high point for me.  I’m glad I took action on that idea.  Now it’s your turn. Practicals: ·       Write down what your intuition is point you to do. ·       Write down three actions steps you can take this week to move you in that direction ·       Start praying that God brings that idea to fruition

How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast.  If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here:  https://www.buymeacoffee.com/robskinner I’m going through the book of Matthew this year at the church I lead in Tucson, Arizona.  Today, I’m covering Matthew 11:1-19, entitled “Ears to Hear.”  You’ll learn what to do when you have doubts, why encouraging words are so important and what to do when you are shopping around for a different church, job or environment.  Transcript: After Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in the towns of Galilee.  Matthew 11:1 After Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in the towns of Galilee.  Jesus finishes his preparation of his disciples and continues his personal ministry.  The disciples’ short-term or limited commission isn’t described.  Chapter 11 and 12 describe the varied responses people had to John and especially Jesus. 1.    John’s response to Jesus:  11:2-6 2 When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples 3 to ask him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” 4 Jesus replied, “Go back and report to John what you hear and see: 5 The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy[b] are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. 6 Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.” John doubts After at least six months in a dungeon, John isn’t the man he once was.  John is disappointed, disillusioned, doubting, discouraged and depressed.  Why?  Jesus doesn’t follow his pattern of fasting and instead eats and drinks with sinners.  John has taken offence or has been “tripped up” by Jesus’ approach.  Another thing that may have bothered John is that Jesus didn’t immediately declare, “I’m the Messiah!”  John had predicted that Jesus was going to baptize with “fire.”  He may have had in his mind that Jesus was going to blow people away in massive judgment.  Elijah struggled when, after calling down fire from heaven, there was still opposition from Jezebel.  John may have felt like Jesus’ didn’t come through as he expected.  Jesus’ “low-key” ministry of preaching, eating and drinking with shady people wasn’t matching his expectations.  He was looking for something more “messianic” and judgmental.  The good thing about John is that he goes to Jesus with his doubts and fears.  He doesn’t ghost Jesus, drop out or cut off communication.  He doesn’t pretend or hide his worries.  He goes to Jesus himself.  Did you know you can go to church without going to Christ?  You can spend years in church and still have doubts about your faith.  That’s when you need to get into the word and start praying to Jesus to help you build a solid foundation.  Jesus reminded him of all the scriptures he WAS fulfilling in 11:4-5, but apparently this was not enough for John, he wanted to see fire falling from heaven.  John’s struggle shows how personal troubles and hardships can affect our walk with God. Jesus gives John a mild rebuke in 11:6.  He cautions him about getting tripped up spiritually because his expectations aren’t being met.  It may have been because Jesus was bringing in a new era and a Kingdom that John only knew from afar.  He wasn’t part of it. He offers a beatitude that shows the importance of being willing to elevate Jesus over and above our own expectations and feelings. There are times when we have been super strong in the past spiritually, but then things can “trip us up.” ·       Physical problems ·       Health issues ·       Losing people to death ·       Different church styles ·       Things changing in church ·       Things not being the way they are “supposed” to be ·       People doing things differently This is where it takes spiritually conviction and flexibility to go to Jesus and remember he, not any method or circumstance is the source of your faith.  Things are going to change.  You will lose your health, your friends, your family.  The question is will that damage or strengthen your relationship with God. 2.   Jesus’ Response to John:  11:7-15 7 As John’s disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind? 8 If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces. 9 Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 10 This is the one about whom it is written: “‘I will send my messenger ahead of you,     who will prepare your way before you.’[c] 11 Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. 12 From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence,[d] and violent people have been raiding it. 13 For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. 14 And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come. 15 Whoever has ears, let them hear. Jesus asks three times, what did you go out to see?  What were you expecting?  Not a reed swaying in the wind.  John wasn’t flexible, sensitive or tactful.  It is not surprising that he got thrown into prison for challenging the king about marrying his brother’s wife.  He wasn’t the kind of guy who was going to spin things or overlook things.  Jesus highlights this.  That’s what you’d expect from a prophet. The Greatest Jesus considers John the greatest of men and prophets up until that time.  He is not just a prophet, but the prophet who is predicted in Malachi 3:1 and 4:5-6.  3 “I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the Lord Almighty.  Malachi 3:1 5 “See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. 6 He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction.”  Malachi 4:5-6 Imagine being a regular person who is predicted and highlighted in the Bible!  He is the last Old Testament Prophet.  He was great as a man, a prophet and a herald announcing God’s arrival on the planet. What an encourager Jesus is!  He knew everything he said was going to get back to John.  So he takes time to really build up John and encourage him in his distress.  He verbally builds him up.  Are you an encourager?  Are you a person who not only recognizes the good points in other people, but talks about it, verbalizes it and praises that person both in their presence and when they aren’t there?  Praise gets back to people.  It is a loving currency in the kingdom of God.  Who have you praised recently?  Who have you written a card to?  Recently, I received a card of praise from Lena Valenzuela.  It made me choke up.  I put it up on my refrigerator so my family and friends could read it.  It carried me for about a week.  Today, take some time, not to gossip and tear down, but to praise and build up with your words. The Kingdom of Heaven At the same time, John is outside of the Kingdom of heaven.  Jesus came to build his church.  The church is like an embassy from heaven.  In this world but belonging to heaven and filled with citizens of heaven.  John is on the hinge of history between the Old and New Testament.  Just as Moses was an amazing prophet and leader and yet never got into the promised land himself, John led the people right up to the gates of God’s Kingdom but wasn’t a part of it himself.  John was a servant to the law, Jesus revealed the sonship of the gospel.  John’s message was about repentance and reformation, Jesus’ was about repentance and regeneration.  Just like Moses, they are in heaven because of their faith, but they never were part of God’s Kingdom on earth.    11:12:  Forceful men.  This is one of the most controversial scriptures in the Bible.  Is it forceful men who grab hold of it or is it subject to violence.  In the past it was interpreted as saying you needed to be forceful to enter or grab hold of the kingdom of God.  I lean toward the second explanation because both John and Jesus were victims of violence as they announced the Kingdom of God. 11:14  John=Elijah.  This is the only reference in the New Testament where Jesus makes the connection clear that John is the “Elijah” who was to come.  He looked like it, wearing the uniform of the prophet Elijah with a leather belt wrapped around him.  He preached like it.  He had a similar hardline temperament.  He experienced super highs and popularity and super lows and isolation.  11:15  Whoever has ears, let them hear.  Jesus often used this to invite people to concentrate and think deeply on what he is really trying to say.  This is why you can grow up in church for years hearing the Bible preached and yet one day, you finally “hear” the message for the first time.    How do you know if you are really hearing God’s message?  You can feel it.  You can feel it in your body.  You get goosebumps or the hair on your arm stands up.  You lean forward, you get focused. You start thinking about it after church.  You come up with ideas to put it into practice.  You think, “That guy’s talking about me!”  These are signs that you have ears to hear God’s message to you and that should encourage you.   Many people go their whole lives hearing, but they aren’t really listening.  Pray that God opens your eyes and ears to really see and hear his message for you.   3.   People’s Response to John and Jesus:  11:16-19 16 “To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplaces and calling out to others: 17 “‘We played the pipe for you,     and you did not dance; we sang a dirge,     and you did not mourn.’ 18 For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’ 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is proved right by her deeds.” 11:16-17  People of Jesus’ time were unresponsive to both John and Jesus.  John and Jesus had two different ministry styles or approaches, but like a child that refuses to stop sulking, nothing could make the crowds happy.  John’s method was appropriate for the work that God gave him, calling to repentance, getting your heart and life ready to come into God’s presence.  He was single-minded, intense and strong.    Jesus’ approach was perfectly suited to show another side of God, loving, seeking, reaching out, wanting to be with people.  There was no pleasing them the crowds.  John was too intense, hardline and strict.  Jesus was too loosy-goosy, indulgent and social.  He finishes by saying the “proof of the pudding is in the eating.”  We can make the mistake of getting more wrapped up in “style” rather than “substance.”  This is especially true if you have been around church for a while.  We are looking for the right delivery, the right feeling, the right package rather than the right message.  John and Jesus were both right for what they had to accomplish.  They got God’s will done.  Many rejected them because they were hard to please.  They should have focused on the message rather than the man or the manner. You might be just like the people in these crowds.  People like the Pharisees, Saducees and Teachers of the law.  You see flaws in every church, church members and church leaders.  You can pick apart, dissect, scoff at all the failings of various approaches.  This often leads to church-hopping.  You never settle in to one spiritual family.  You are looking for the “just-right” church of Christ.”  This one is hard to find because it mirrors your desires, strengths and weaknesses.  The problem with this response is that you never engage spiritually, you always have a reason for not following Christ closely because no one can bring you the experience you say you are looking for.  I was interviewing Dr. Sean St. Jean on my podcast recently.  He wrote a book about spiritual trauma and talked about how people come to him who are looking to go to different churches because they aren’t happy with __________.  He tells them “choose your dysfunction.”  Every family and every spiritual family has its own flavor of dysfunction.  You may not spot it until you’ve been there a few months, but don’t worry, you’ll find it.  And at that point you’ll pick up and go looking for the perfect church that has: ·       The right kids kingdom ·       The right music ·       The right teaching ·       The right length of worship ·       The right time of worship ·       The right kind of people o  Same race o  Wealthy o  “Put together” o  People your age o  People you can date and marry ·       The right kind of parking Unfortunately, after a few years like this, people often get so frustrated that they can’t get what they want that they disconnect entirely.  They look down on all churches and disconnect from Jesus’ body.  They opt for a religion created in their mind.  Just them and Jesus.  If you’ve been playing your pipe trying to get churches to dance the way you want, maybe the problem is with you, not with Jesus or his church.        Next Steps ·       Don’t let troubles trip you up.  Go to Jesus and ask him for the help you need in trials. ·       Encourage someone today and this week.  Praise people in front of them and in their absence. ·       Find a church and stick with it.  Connect to Jesus through his body and grow. 

How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast.  If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here:  https://www.buymeacoffee.com/robskinner Today, you’ll learn one of the secrets that enables billionaires and fruitful Christians become even more productive by seeking strong relationships.  Transcript: Nearly every day I go through my “Power Pack.”  This is a collection of scriptures and quotes that fire me up, encourage me and challenge me to grow, get closer to God and have greater faith.  I pulled one out the other day and it was a card on which I had written decisions made after a spiritual conference I went to.  I don’t know which one it was, but it had to be at least ten years ago.  It read: 1.        Conference Decisions a.       Build a sharing habit b.      Build relationships with strong leaders c.       Build the church on small groups d.      Raise the standards and confront difficult situations directly e.       Concentrate on training leadership                                                               i.      Build a training program:  Interviews                                                             ii.      Write book on small church planting I can see how I followed through with a number of those decisions.  I wrote a book on church planting, I developed a sharing habit, I have worked on training leadership with my young guns group and have forced myself to confront difficult situations directly. However, of all of these, building relationships with strong leaders has probably done more to help me grow than all of the other ones.  Solomon wrote in Proverbs 13:20, “He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.” Aesop said, “A man is known by the company he keeps.”  Jim Rohn said, “You’re the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”   All of these maxims point to the same conclusion, you maximize or diminish your life based on the quality of your friends.  I can quickly point to those men who have made a powerful difference in my life through their friendship, example and advice, Dick Gee, Doug Baity, Ed Townsend, Preston Shepherd, Frank Kim and Bruce Williams.  Their influence on my life transformed me from a worldly kid into a spiritual man.  All of them shared their life and friendship with me.  They mentored me and made time to walk with me, teach me and correct me at times.  They were patient when I struggled and weren’t afraid to call me higher when I was coasting.  My nature is to remain isolated and to try to tackle things on my own.  I’ve had to deliberately choose to allow people into my life so that I can “air out” my sin and weaknesses in an environment that fostered growth.  It’s way to easy for me to tell myself that I have to do it all by myself and should be able to do it without outside support.  Nothing could be farther from the truth.  I’m reminded again of Solomon’s words in Ecclesiastes 4:5-6,  “Two are better than one,     because they have a good return for their labor: 10 If either of them falls down,     one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls     and has no one to help them up. My pride and fear would often keep me from seeking friendships with men who were as strong or stronger than me in the areas I was looking to grow in.  I had to realize that two are better than one.  I need someone in my life who can pick me up when I fall down.  My marriage is certainly one of those relationships, but that alone is not enough.  I need a number of trusted friends who can help me be a multiplying disciple and “have a good return” for my labor.  I’ve been watching a series on TV called, “Undercover Billionaire.”  They drop three well-known multi-millionaires into a city they are not familiar with.  They give each contestant $100 cash, an old truck, a new name and identity, and a cell phone with no contacts in it.  The challenge for each contestant is to take their $100 and multiply into a $1,000,000 business in 90 days.  What I found most interesting and surprising about each of these three people is that the first thing they did was make friends with influential people in their new community.  They build their business by building relationships with strong characters in their area.  If I had been dropped off in the same challenge, it wouldn’t have been the first thing I focused on.  Jesus created a similar “reality show” challenge two thousand years ago when he sent his disciples off on the “limited commission” in Matthew 10 and Luke 10.  The hidden and yet essential key to victory is found in this passage in Matthew 10, 9 “Do not get any gold or silver or copper to take with you in your belts— 10 no bag for the journey or extra shirt or sandals or a staff, for the worker is worth his keep. 11 Whatever town or village you enter, search there for some worthy person and stay at their house until you leave. 12 As you enter the home, give it your greeting. 13 If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. 14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet.   In Luke 10, Jesus echoes this direction by saying find a “man of peace.”  They were told to find a worthy person, a quality friend and concentrate on building a relationship with them.  Why?  Because they would be able to reach far more people through that worthy persons network of relationships.  Good things happen when we build relationships with strong leaders.  Take a look at your friendships around you.  Step one is to determine if you have some good friendships.  Don’t be like the man “all alone” with no one to help him up.  If that describes you, it’s time to start looking around for at least one good friend. Secondly, start building the number of spiritual, quality relationships.  Ideally, you want five or more friends that you can turn to when tough times hit.  You need people who can offer you advice, encourage you and keep you on track.  Satan loves it when he can isolate someone and take them out like a lion takes out a wounded or young animal.  One reason I started the Rob Skinner Podcast was to build more relationships with strong leaders.  By calling to interview my spiritual heroes I have been able to build relationships with people I respect and honor.  I have learned from them and have grown from the relationship.  The number of my friendships has grown exponentially especially during a time of isolation caused by the COVID pandemic. I recently had dinner with Brock and Anne Roby, who lead a church in the San Francisco Bay Area.  I asked them if they would be willing to have a discipling relationship with each other.  They jumped at it.  We talk every couple of weeks, encouraging each other and doing our best to call the best out of each other. Let me leave you with some practical steps: 1.        Repent of the pride and reject the fear that keeps you from building good friendships. 2.       Stop listening to and making excuses for why you can’t be surrounded by good friends.  The only thing stopping you is you and your empty rationalizations. 3.       Realize that you deserve good friends and you have a lot to offer others. 4.      What can you do to build your circle of friendships?  How can you find a “worthy person?”  Find a meetup, join a club, have someone over, start a podcast, contribute articles to an organization you enjoy.  Get involved and find your worthy person. 5.       Make a call this week and set up a time to have fun and start building a friendship.  Text, call email but whatever you do, don’t let another week go by without asking for help

ow to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast.  If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here:  https://www.buymeacoffee.com/robskinner I’m Rob Skinner and this is the Rob Skinner Podcast.  Today I’m talking about how to become a multiplying disciple.  Specifically, how you need to multiply your talents in order to multiply disciples and your impact in your spiritual, financial and personal life. Reach Rob at [email protected]   Transcript Multiply Your Talents to Become a Multiplying Disciple “Skinner, you’re a jack of all trades and a master of none.”  My friend, Chris Bishop, gave me a rough evaluation that later proved to be right on target.  He was describing my interest in so many different areas and at the same time, I wasn’t great at any one thing.  In the fall I had tried soccer and dropped out.  In the winter, I got cut from the freshman basketball team.  I placed my hopes in making the spring freshman baseball team.  If there was one sport I thought I was good at, I thought baseball would be the one.  I bought brand new Adidas cleats.  I tried my best at the tryout.  Jeff Martinez laughed at me after the sprints and said, “Skinner, how’d you get so slow?”  The coach told us that our names would be posted on the coaches’ office window if we made the team.  I waited all day, sitting in classes visualizing the name, “Rob Skinner” on that roster.  When the final bell rang, I ran to the gym locker room where the coaches’ office was.  I looked down the list of names.  I thought I must be reading it to quickly.  I read each name again, slowly.  ·         Todd Newman ·         Shawn Huff ·         Jeff Martinez ·         Chris Bishop… All my friends were listed, my name wasn’t.  I looked one more time and raced to my Mom’s office in room E-5 of the English department.  She was an English teacher and department head.  She said, “What’s wrong?”  I said, “I didn’t make the team!”  I kneeled down and sobbed and sobbed on her lap.  On top of the humiliation of getting cut, someone stole my new cleats.  I guess I wouldn’t need them anyway. I’ve never been great at any one sport.  I’ve been passable at a large number of sports and activities.  I love to surf, scuba, play frisbee and ultimate.  I’ve run a marathon in Tokyo.  I love to backpack.  I enjoy clubs and activities and served as the president of the International club and Senior Class President in high school.  I like to write and was the editor of my high school newspaper.  I always thought this lack of focused greatness was a weakness until I became a disciple of Jesus.  Then I realized the gift I had been given.  God’s Kingdom is filled with every type of person.  Every race, age, class, language, height, gender, interest, skill and occupation is represented in his church.  When I became a true disciple and joined the fellowship of believers I felt like a fish back in water.  I was able to connect with so many people.  My varied background allowed me to make connections with people from all over the world. Scott Adams talks about the importance of developing a broad array of talents in his book, “How to fail at almost everything and still win big.”  He calls it “Talent Stacking.”  He writes that it’s much better and more achievable to be in the top 25% in two or three or more skill or talent areas than it is to become the top 1% in any one field.  He himself was a cartoonist with a background in computers and added writing, public speaking and hypnotism to his talent stack.  The uniqueness of his talent stack makes him a unique and wealthy individual.  He claims that for every person genetically gifted to master a particular field like LeBron James, there are thousands who can combine reasonably good skills from a variety of fields and excel. Paul talks about this very thing in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23, “ Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.”  Although Paul was a hardcore Jewish Pharisee by birth and training, he realized the necessity of adaptability if he was going to reach the people God had called him to reach in Acts 9:15-16, “But the Lord said to Ananias, ‘Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. 16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.’”  Gentiles, kings and Jews were all part of God’s purpose for Paul.  Paul, who had surpassed all his peers in devotion to his Old Testament training, realized that he would have to add to his skills if he was going to be able to connect with the many who didn’t share his gifts, pedigree or background.  If you want to be a multiplying disciple, build your “talent stack.”  The people God wants you to reach very likely will be different than you.  It’s also important to keep expanding your skills because our economy and world is changing so quickly.  If you want to be able to support yourself while reaching the lost, you will need to stay in a permanent state of learning new skills.  What kind of skills do you need to develop?  Here are a few: Spiritual Skills 1.        Knowledge of the Bible.  Read the entire Bible. 2.       Ability to teach someone else the gospel.  Know how to guide a seeker from initial interest to salvation. 3.       Prayer.  Ability to sit quietly and pray and meditate for thirty minutes straight 4.      Fellowship.  Ability to make new friends, set up Bible studies, encourage others and connect with people unlike yourself. 5.       Speaking.  Learn how to lead a small group discussion, speak in front of a church audience, teach a Bible class and preach a short lesson using scripture, stories and applications. Life Skills 1.        Money.  Learn how to save and invest money.  Refuse to live paycheck to paycheck. 2.       Computer skills.  Keep learning new skills.  Never make the excuse that you’re too old or no good at technical stuff.  Memorize this scripture in Philippians 4:13 (Jerusalem Bible),  “There is nothing I cannot master with the help of the One who gives me strength.” 3.       Entrepreneurship.  Learn how to start a new business or side hustle.  It can be real estate, window washing, dog walking or options.  Keep looking for ways to be a “tent maker” like Paul was.  He always had a way to support himself when church support dried up. 4.      People skills.  This is what I would consider to be the most important skill that often gets overlooked.  Read the book, “How to Win Friends and Influence People.”  Your way with people makes all the difference in your success or failure as a fruitful and effective disciple. This unique gift of having a number of good, not great skills came in handy when I moved to Tokyo, Japan.  I was asked to develop an International Ministry.  This was anyone in Japan who wasn’t native Japanese.  We started with a handful of “Gai-Jin” or foreigners and in a few years we had over 200 disciples from all over the world, Africa, Polynesia, Australia, England, The US, Canada, South America, China, Korea, Asia and Continental Europe.  I think my interest in a broad array of people, things and interests, enabled God to use me to reach people from all over. If you are a “unicorn,” a person gifted with a singular gift like Mozart or Einstein, congratulations and may God continue to bless you.  If you are like the rest of us, having moderate or average gifting, take heart.  You can live an amazing life.  Cobble together your best skills and learn new ones to add to your collection.  This set of talents unique to you only will set you apart and define you as fruitful and multiplying disciple. Application ·         What one new skill, if you learned it in the next six months, would make the biggest difference in your life?  ·         Take a first step toward learning that skill.  Read a book, watch a YouTube video or go to a seminar to learn how to do it.  ·         What are your top three best skills currently?  How can God use that “cocktail” of talents to build his kingdom? 

How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast.  If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here:  https://www.buymeacoffee.com/robskinner In this episode I  talk to Ben and Susan Borland, missionaries to Montevideo, Uruguay.  Listen as they share about their first year on the mission field.  They talk about: ·        Their first impressions after landing in Montevideo ·        What the country is like ·        The challenges they’ve faced ·        Their plans for their second year

How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast.  If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here:  https://www.buymeacoffee.com/robskinner In this episode I  talk to Budi and Listiana Hartono from Jakarta, Indonesia.  They led the church in Jakarta, Indonesia and now they oversea the growth of the 40+ churches in Indonesia outside of Jakarta.  Converted in the early nineties, they have witnessed the church grow from a handful of disciples to over 7,000 disciples all over the country.  Listen as they share about: ·        How they reach out in the country with the largest Muslim population ·        How Listiana fought through cancer and is now five-years cancer free ·        How they planted their first church at the age of 25 ·        Their joy at seeing their daughters Karla and Andrea become Christians ·        The spiritual zeal and growth of the younger generation in Indonesia ·        How they are planting four new churches in Indonesia this year

How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast.  If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here:  https://www.buymeacoffee.com/robskinner In this episode, I continue my series on becoming a multiplying disciple.  I talk about resisting the natural tendency to run from getting help when we need it the most.  I talk about why we do this and how we can seek help instead of run from it.   Transcript I remember listening to a lesson at the 1995 world missions seminar in Johannesburg, South Africa.  The speaker was sharing about good news around the world.  One church was lifted up for baptizing hundreds of people and becoming a church of thousands.  Over the next few years I heard conflicting reports from that same church.  Then I heard the church’s leader had been removed.  It seems the actual membership was hundreds of people short of what had been reported.  When I heard that I thought, what happened?  How could that happen?  How could people not know how many people were in the church?  I’m sure there were a number of reasons for that leadership failure, but I would guess that primary among them would be that the leader or leadership team didn’t seek help early enough and may have run from getting the help it needed before the problem became so severe. “Where are you?” This failure to seek help goes back to the garden.  6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.  8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”  Genesis 3:6-9 When offered that first temptation, centuries of misery could have been avoided by asking for help and advice from God before chomping into the apple.  Once the sin was committed, shame, pride and fear kept them from turning to the one being who could help them.  God had to ask, “Where are you?”  This is why we struggle to get the help we need from God and others so that we can grow and get back on our feet after a set back.  Shame, pride, embarrassment, laziness and the distorted thinking that comes from these problems forces us into isolation.  We delude ourselves into thinking that if we run from the problem, from God and from other people, the problem will disappear.  It rarely does.  In the case of that first sin, it quickly compounded and affects us today, thousands of years later. During finals week of my first semester at UC Berkeley if faced five finals in two days.  On the second day I arrived at my statistics final after little sleep.  The previous day I had rear-ended a car on the way to campus, showed up to the wrong building for my first test, ran out of gas on the way home from campus and spent two hours waiting for the tow truck.  It seems God had designed this two-day gauntlet to humble me and prepare me to become a Christian.  The first half of the statistics final was closed book.  I had difficulty answering the questions.  My only solace was that the second half of the test was open books and open notes.  When the professor said “start!” for the second half, I dug through my backpack for my book and notes.  They weren’t there.  I had forgotten them in my dorm room.  I struggled through that 45 minutes as I watched those around me find the answers they needed in their notes and books.  At the end of the test I went up to the professor and told him I had forgotten my notes.  In his heavily accented, Eastern European English, he said, “Why didn’t you ask me for help?  I would have given you my notes and my book!”  After he said that, I felt even worse.  On top of my massive failure was the knowledge that I could have avoided it by simply asking for help rather than sitting quietly in my shame, embarrassment and self-hatred. Unfortunately, too many of us repeat my mistake in a multitude of situations.  We kick ourselves later for not asking for assistance when it could have made all the difference.  Growing disciples grow because they push past the fear, shame and embarrassment to ask for help.  Here are some simple things you can do to accelerate your spiritual growth. First, laugh at failures.  View them as simply part of the process of growing.  Everyone faces little and big setbacks.  Satan wants you to continue thinking that you shouldn’t be making mistakes and that “you should know better by now.”  That kind of thinking will keep you isolated and cut off from life-giving help. Don’t place others on a pedestal.  In addition to thinking we shouldn’t be making mistakes is the equally mistaken assumption that others don’t struggle with weaknesses like we do.  Have you every talked to an older person in the fellowship, and felt like you couldn’t talk to them about struggles you might be facing like lust, anger or coarse language.  It’s hard to conceive of that kindly older person ever having an impure thought.  And yet, they were young once and faced the exact same trials you are going through. Go to seminars and conferences.  Whatever you want to grow in, there is a conference that will help you get there.  It might be a live conference or an online webinar, but there is a way to learn from others.  One growth expert I read recommends that we spend 3% of our income on personal development and seminars.  Too often I see people staying home, stuck in their rut because they don’t want to spend the money on their growth.  What a waste!  You don’t know what you’re missing.  I started a podcast in 2020 and recorded over 250 podcasts.  Earlier this year, I felt like I needed to take my skills to a new level.  I saw my listenership decline and I didn’t know why?  I went to a podcasting conference in Los Angeles.  What I learned there blew me away.  The first thing I learned was that everyone else had seen their listening downloads decline by as much as 60% and it had nothing to do with the podcaster’s performance.  The decline was due to an algorithm adjustment Apple had made on their podcast platform.  I was so happy and relieved to know that I wasn’t just tanking because of doing a bad job.  Prior to going to the conference I had thoughts of shutting down the podcast.  On top of that, the classes that were taught gave me at least five great ideas for taking my podcast to the next level.  I never would have known those things by sitting at home feeling sorry for myself. Face down your weak areas.  I’ve worked out in a gym since college.  Arnold Schwarzenegger is one of my inspirations.  However, I’m still not much stronger than I was 20 or thirty years ago.  Then I asked for help from a physical trainer.  I shared my faith with him and then asked him to train me.  I’ve seen tons of progress in the past 5 months.  Why?  He is making me do things in the gym that either I didn’t know to do or that I didn’t want to do.  He helps me break mental and physical barriers.  Prior to hiring him, I would follow the same comfortable routine I had followed for decades.  He shattered that cozy pattern.  If you want to grow in any area, take a look at your weak areas and get help on them.  Any area that you have experienced a plateau or lack of progress is an area that could benefit from outside help. Read books.  I’ve said it before and will repeat it till I die.  Learn from others how they overcame the challenges you are facing right now.  Whatever you are facing has most likely been written about, talked about or discussed in detail.  I love the story of how Elon Musk started his rocket company, SpaceX.  With no prior knowledge or rocket science, Musk started reading books on the subject and asked questions of the rocket scientists he hired to start his company.  It only took him two years to become an expert in the field and get his company off the ground.  There is nothing you can’t grow in, become or achieve.  All you need is the willingness to ask for help, suppress Satan’s attempts to shame you into silence, and read, watch or listen to those willing to help you get where you want to be, a multiplying disciple. 

How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast.  If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here:  https://www.buymeacoffee.com/robskinner  In this episode I share from a series on Matthew that I’m going through on Sundays.  Please enjoy this exposition of Matthew 10.   Transcript is below.  Feel free to use as needed.   Matthew 10: 26-42 Matthew Series Sunday, June 9th, 2024 Introduction This section of Jesus’s instructions to his disciples goes beyond practical training into deeper waters.  He starts talking about what drives us, what we will face once we start actively following Jesus.  He talks about two motives that can control or inspire us, fear and love. These forces are incredibly powerful and if left unchecked, fear will keep us living small, meaningless lives.  The only power greater than fear is love.  As the Apostle John says in 1 John 4:17-19, “17 This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. 18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.  19 We love because he first loved us.” There is no fear in love.  Jesus talks about fear and then he talks about a greater motivation, love.  When our love grows, fear shrivels. 1.    Fear 26 “So do not be afraid of them, for there is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 27 What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. 28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. 30 And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. 32 “Whoever acknowledges me before others, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33 But whoever disowns me before others, I will disown before my Father in heaven. Fear is the key word of this section.  When we share Jesus, invite people to listen to his word and face opposition we are going to experience fear.  There is no getting around the mission in order to avoid fear.  Jesus says that everything Jesus whispers, everything you hear in a Bible study or sermon, needs to be shouted from the rooftops.  Jewish homes had flat roofs and were used for sleeping, prayer and were great platforms for preaching to a crowd. We can’t escape fear, but we can choose who to be afraid of.  We can live our lives afraid of what people think about us or say to us or we can live our lives in fear of God.  Fear of man is based on self-interest and self-preservation, it’s just plain cowardice.  Fear of God, however, is something that’s praised throughout the Bible. I have a message from God in my heart     concerning the sinfulness of the wicked:[b There is no fear of God     before their eyes.  Psalm 36:1 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.  Proverbs 1:7 8 Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil.”  Job 1:8 When we don’t fear God, the Bible calls us a fool.  When Jesus says that folly comes from within the hearts of man, in Mark 7:22, he is referring to the sin of not taking God into account.  This person thinks he doesn’t need God, have to deal with God or factor God into his plans. God is highlighting Job as an ideal follower or believer, characterized by the fear of God and avoidance of evil.  He values these characteristics today. Why should we fear God and not people?  People can destroy our bodies, but God has the capacity to destroy our bodies and our soul in hell.  We don’t know what will happen in hell, but each one of us has the opportunity for eternal life with God.  God has power to bring us into his eternal kingdom or destroy our souls.  This brings up an interesting thought, does God destroy non-believing souls once they die or let them live on separated from him?  Does God annihilate the soul or let it go on in regret that they lived their lives rebelling against God.  In any case, you don’t want to fall into the hands of a God who controls your life now and after death.  What does fearing people look like?  Some of us puff up and say, “I don’t care what people think or do!”  Really?  So did Peter at the last supper.  He said, “Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.” (Matthew 26:33)  Fear of man shows up every day.  It’s when we walk through a checkout line and don’t offer an invitation to church because we don’t want to look funny to the people in line behind us.  It’s when someone brings up a spiritual subject and we remain quiet.  It’s when we decide to stay home when there is an opportunity to go sharing in the community.  It’s how busy we suddenly get when there is a Bible study and we just can’t seem to make the time to join.  It’s revealed when years pass without us sharing, meeting, teaching or bringing people nearer to God.  We say, “I don’t care what people think!”  Then why do all the people around you remain unchanged and unconverted? Why else should we not fear people?  Jesus offers a reassuring reason, the same God who has the power to destroy in hell also takes time and attention to care for the smallest sparrow.  They were the cheapest birds sold for food in Jesus’ time.  This is an argument from the lesser to the greater.  “You are worth more than many sparrows.”  In contrast to certain people who claim that the life of an animal is equal to that of a human,  Jesus says you are worth far more.  If he cares for the sparrow, how much more will he take care of you. He even knows how many hairs are on your head.  The average person has between 90,000 to 150,000 hairs on their head.  God knows your exact number.  Jesus knows what you are going through.  Your life and death have his attention.  You are extremely important to God.  You don’t need to fear that God isn’t with you or is forgetting you in times of trial. What’s worse than being ridiculed, gossiped about or excluded by the people around you?  Being disowned by Jesus on the last day.  Here is where our day-to-day behavior connects to our eternal destiny.  When you are unashamed and proud of Jesus, that’s how he will treat you.  When you deny, disown, hide, are embarrassed of Jesus, that’s exactly how you will be treated when you appear before Jesus when you die.  How are you doing at work, at school, with your mom’s group, your club, your old friends?  How you honor or dishonor Jesus in that setting is a mirror of how you will be treated when Jesus presents you to his father.  You choose who you’re going to stand with.  The people around you in this life or Jesus when he presents you to his father.  As a baby Christian, I would have quiet times in the Doe undergraduate library at UC Berkeley and read passages like this from Isaiah 51:7-8, “Hear me, you who know what is right,     you people who have taken my instruction to heart: Do not fear the reproach of mere mortals     or be terrified by their insults. 8 For the moth will eat them up like a garment;     the worm will devour them like wool. But my righteousness will last forever,     my salvation through all generations.” Passages like these would give me the perspective to understand how much greater God is than any person I’d meet on campus.  People are as shortlived and temporary as clothing that a moth can eat holes in.  Scriptures like this taught me to fear God, not the people I’d reach out to. This choice takes up the rest of the chapter. 2.   Love 34 “Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to turn “‘a man against his father,     a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law— 36     a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.’ 37 “Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39 Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it. Jesus clears up a misconception we often have about God and his gospel.  We often think that the gospel will unite, bring peace and harmony between people.  We think Jesus’ purpose was to bring peace.  Jesus contradicts that and says he didn’t come to bring peace but a sword.  A sword is a symbol for conflict and violence.  His message is peace for those who accept it.  Peace with God and peace with others who follow God wholeheartedly.  However, Jesus’ teaching brings division between those who accept it and those who don’t.  He doesn’t compromise.  His teaching will turn people against each other.  Family members will hate each other, stop talking to each other, kill each other over the gospel.  Middle eastern families are extremely close.  Your identity is bound up in your family.  I was talking to a young man, Fadi Alhinn, on my podcast and he talked about how his family in Jordan is incredibly close and how growing up it forms the basis for your identity along with your religion. Jesus says your love for him must be greater than even your closest family members.  In Luke 14:26 he says the same thing using a semitic or Jewish saying,  “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple.” If you don’t love Jesus more than your family, you’re not worthy of him.  We might say, “you don’t have what it takes” to be a disciple of Jesus.  How does that show up today?  When we won’t follow Jesus because our parents or siblings disapprove.  When they try to get us to calm down and we listen to them.  When those we love try to substitute a dead, sterile, fruitless form of religion in place of true discipleship.  When they beg us to return to our old lives, having a form of godliness but denying its power.  Many can’t or won’t make that sacrifice.  They look for a middle ground.  Empty religion, compromise with sin, outward observance covering hidden sin.  Jesus will never accept second place in your affections.  He knows your heart and he knows if you love him first.  He then goes on to mention the cross for the first time.  It’s hard to recreate the fear and gut level reaction the disciples must have had when he drops that bomb into this conversation.  This was the epitome of embarrassment, humiliation, social disgrace, suffering and pain wrapped up into one image.  They had no idea at this point that Jesus would literally carry a cross for their sin and ours.  It points to the fact that Jesus won’t compromise.  If you want to be a disciple, you are signing away your rights to a comfortable, quiet life where everyone thinks you are a nice person.  We are all left with some tough decisions.  Which life are we going to live for?  This one or eternal life.  Who are we going to stand in solidarity with?  The crowd, coworkers, family or Jesus himself?  Jesus offers public disgrace and the possibility of a savage death, he also holds out eternal life with him.  To borrow from a soccer coach, Bill Shankly, Discipleship is “not a matter of life and death, it is much more serious than that.”    3.   Reward 40 “Anyone who welcomes you welcomes me, and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. 41 Whoever welcomes a prophet as a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward, and whoever welcomes a righteous person as a righteous person will receive a righteous person’s reward. 42 And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones who is my disciple, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward.” Jesus closes this section by revealing how closely he identifies with his disciples.  When people treat us well, they are actually treating Jesus well.  They will be rewarded.  They will be honored.    Conclusion: Remember Jesus said in chapter 7:14, “14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”  Here is why that road is so narrow and hard to find and choose.  If you are struggling with your decision to follow Jesus, it shows you understand the level of sacrifice he calls for every disciple.   Next Steps ·       Repent of fear and people-pleasing, share your faith this week, stop living as a secret disciple. ·       Grow your love for Jesus, choose Jesus and his kingdom over friends, family and your own life.

How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast.  If you would like to help support my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, click here:  https://www.buymeacoffee.com/robskinner In this episode I continue my series on how to become a multiplying disciple.  I talk about the need to experiment with new things and to view your life as an experiment. Transcript “We won’t be meeting for live church services for the time being,” I told my church members in March of 2020.  Little did I know it would be well over a year before we started hesitantly meeting back together after Covid.  I thought to myself, how can I help people during this time when I can’t preach to them in a live setting.  I stumbled onto the idea of a podcast.  The only problem was I had no idea how to start one and had little confidence in the area of electronics or computer hardware.  In any case I decided to get started and step by step figured out how to start one.  I read a book on starting a podcast, I listened to books on it, I came up with my target audience and the reason why I was doing it.  There were many times I thought I couldn’t do it, I’m too old, I’m no good at technical stuff and no one would listen.  I chose to ignore those voices in my mind.  Within a month I had cobbled together seven episodes to launch the show with.  Through experimentation, I was a podcaster. The reason we often don’t see the spiritual progress we are looking for is that we are naturally attached to the person we are right now.  Our habits, our thinking, our belief system, our inclinations have a form of inertia to them.  Once set in a certain way, it takes a lot of effort to get them moving in a different direction.  Jesus points this out in Luke 5:37-39, “And no one pours new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise, the new wine will burst the skins; the wine will run out and the wineskins will be ruined. 38 No, new wine must be poured into new wineskins. 39 And no one after drinking old wine wants the new, for they say, ‘The old is better.’”  We get used to certain foods, certain drinks and it keeps us from trying something new that God wants us to try.  This is one of the reasons Jesus ran into so much opposition from the Pharisees and Saducees and even from his allies such as the disciples of his cousin John the Baptist.  Jesus was bringing something new and most people preferred the old and refused to experiment with change.   It is incredibly helpful to maintain a flexible and adaptable mindset when trying to grow as a disciple.  One of the best ways to do that is to view life as a series of experiments.  I love Ralph Waldo Emerson’s quote,  “Do not be too timid and squeamish about your actions. All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better. What if they are a little coarse and you may get your coat soiled or torn? What if you do fail, and get fairly rolled in the dirt once or twice? Up again, you shall never be so afraid of a tumble.” When you experiment with anything, you are accepting up front that some of your experiments are going to fail.  Most may fail.  However, if you keep experimenting enough with new habits, techniques and skills, you will stumble onto breakthroughs in your life.  You will find things that multiply your growth, influence and fruitfulness. Viewing life in this way gives you permission to fail without fear and the shame associated with failure.  No one doing cancer research quits or gets discouraged when one attempt at a cure doesn’t pan out.  In the same way, in order for you to grow and make a difference in this life, you will have to pick up and try many new habits and skills that may or may not take you where you want to go.  In 2004, I decided to plant a new church in my hometown of Ashland, Oregon.  I didn’t have any outside funding.  I didn’t have a team to support me.  I didn’t have an existing church to pay me.  I didn’t have a career I was stepping into.  I had to start a new career in real estate to pay my bills and support my family.  I chose to view this church planting as an experiment.  I remember thinking to myself and telling Pam, my wife, “This may not work.”  We may only be there a short time and then we’ll have to go somewhere else.  I deliberately didn’t ask anyone to go with me, because of the high risk of failure.  I didn’t want to responsibility of taking care of other people when I didn’t have the resources to support myself.  If I had waited to plant the church with full funding, a large team and a clear plan, the church wouldn’t be there today.  People that I love wouldn’t be Christians today.  It was a risky experiment that paid off.  If you are reading this book, you probably have big dreams for your future.  You want your life to count and you want to do big things for God.  You may want to: ·       Go overseas on mission ·       Learn a foreign language ·       Start a new church ·       Work as a pastor or minister ·       Start a new business ·       Learn a new instrument ·       Find a great life partner Whatever you are dreaming of, go ahead and take that first step.  View it as an experiment.  Expect and anticipate setbacks and failures.  Just keep going until you find the right path out of the many start down.  Here are some ideas to develop an experimental mindset: ·       Read a book on an area you are considering growing in. ·       Write down three things you could do immediately to go in the direction of your dreams. ·       Give yourself 90 days to experiment with your venture.  Allow yourself to bail out if after 90 days, you don’t want to keep going. ·       Talk to someone who has done or is doing what you want to do.  Ask them how to start. ·       Give yourself full permission to fail, flop and fall flat on your face. ·       Reduce the risk by not including anyone else in what you are trying to do.  Limit your exposure. ·       Think about and fix in your mind others who have tried and succeeded in what you want. ·       Pretend that you are good at what you are trying to do.  Experiment with seeing yourself as more skilled than you currently are. When I launched the Rob Skinner Podcast, I had no idea what would happen.  I only hoped that I could inspire people to make this life count, live a no-regrets life and multiply disciples, leaders and churches.  I started podcasting into a great big dark empty void.  I wondered at times if anyone was listening.  I started receiving letters from people thanking me for the podcast and sharing how it had helped them.  Two years after the podcast started, Pam and I went to a large Christian conference in Orlando, Florida.  I got approached so many times by listeners thanking me for the podcast and for helping them grow and make this life count.  I’m so glad I chose to experiment with something new. ·       Practical Application o  What is one thing you’ve wanted to do, achieve or grow in that you’ve hesitated to start. o  Give yourself permission to fail and to experiment with your desire. o  Write down three things you can do this week to start your experiment.    

How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast.  Click Here:  https://www.buymeacoffee.com/robskinner In this episode I  talk to Fadi Alhinn, a disciple born in Jordan and now living in San Diego.  He talks about: ·        What it’s like growing up Christian in the Middle East ·        How he moved 20 times before the age of 20 ·        Strengths and weaknesses of both US and Middle Eastern churches ·        How he lost his Dad at the age of 17 ·        What it was like moving to the states and starting over   More about Fadi: Fadi Alhinn, was born, raised and saved in the Jordan. His parents Maher and Samar lead Middle Eastern churches for many years, his uncle was reached out to and baptized at San Diego State University in the 80's and planted a church in Jordan. Fadi was baptized in 2011 and after a tragic car accident his father passed in 2013 during a leadership conference in Lebanon. In 2015 Fadi moved to the US on a student visa, met his wife Miranda in the campus ministry and together they serve in the full-time ministry. Currently Fadi and Miranda are the congregational youth and family ministers in San Diego. How to reach Fadi:  909.344.0409 or [email protected]  

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/robskinner Would you like to be “prosperous and successful?”  God gives clear direction to his people on how to enjoy that very thing.  He tells Joshua the secret to prosperity in Joshua 1:8, “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”  In this episode I’ll be talking about how to: ·        Kindle or rekindle your passion for God’s Word ·        How to meditate on scripture ·        Ways to see old scriptures in new ways and… ·        How to develop “greatest hits” collection of your favorite scriptures How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast.  Click Here:  https://www.buymeacoffee.com/robskinner   Transcript How to Become a Multiplying Disciple:  Meditate on God's Word 8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.  Joshua 1:8 Joshua was handed the unenviable job of following in Moses’ footsteps.  The same Moses who faced down Pharaoh, who raised his staff to part the Red Sea, who kept his nation fed for forty years in a desert and who brought down the tablets of the Law from Mt. Sinai.  Imagine the pressure Joshua must have felt in trying to follow in the footsteps of this man for all generations.  Not only that, but Moses had left Joshua with the massive challenge of crossing the Jordan, taking on the fortress of Jericho and conquering all of the promised land.  God assures Joshua in this chapter that he is with him and that he will give him the land and he hands him the key to success and prosperity, meditate on God’s word, the book of the law.  It’s interesting what God doesn’t give him.  He doesn’t give him a pep talk talking about how great Joshua is or how much God believes in him.  He doesn’t give him a buddy like he gave Aaron to Moses.  He doesn’t give him advice on his time management or speaking skills.  Instead he tells Joshua to devote himself to reading and meditating on the words of God.  That one habit will bring success and prosperity to his leadership.  Joshua must have taken this to heart because unlike most other Old Testament figures, Joshua lives a nearly perfect life.  He parts the Jordan, levels Jericho, divides and conquers the promised land, allots all of the tribal territories and successfully leads his new nation until his death.  The only failure he faces is when he forgets to pray when the Gibeonites scam him into making a treaty with them.  He is truly a worthy predecessor to his descendant who shares his same name, Jesus. Are you looking for success and prosperity in your life?  The formula for success hasn’t changed in three thousand years.  Keep God’s word on your lips, meditate on it and do everything written in it.  Your devotion and application of God’s word will establish the level of fruitfulness, effectiveness and impact of your life.  Many turn toward God in times of difficulty, become followers and then attempt the long period of marching daily toward Zion.  Some fall by the wayside or settle for an unsatisfying and unfruitful existence with little “success and prosperity” to speak of.  They don’t become multiplying disciples, they often settle for spiritual barrenness, emotional distance from God and a sin-compromised existence. That doesn’t have to be your life.  Determine today that you will follow in the footsteps of Joshua.  Here’s how you can do that. Get excited about the Bible I walked into the Christian bookstore in Berkeley, California a few days after my baptism.  I scanned the Bibles for sale and settled on a Zondervan Study Bible.  It had commentary notes below each page.  It was massive with a bonded leather cover.  I put the small paperback Bible my neighbor had given me into my backpack and used my new Bible for Bible study in my dorm room.  I remember opening the box, pulling it out and tearing open the mylar covering around the Bible.  I flipped through the pages and smelled the brand new book smell.  I loved how the gold gilding around the pages stuck together initially and how the pages were shining white without a flaw on any page.  I sensed something awesome and new was happening in my life with the opening of this new Bible.  I wore that Bible out.  If someone handed you a goose that laid a one-ounce golden egg every morning, how would you care for and tend to that animal?  Would you be excited?  Would you take good care of it?  Absolutely!  How much more for a book that will bring you success and prosperity all the days of your life.  Get excited about the Bible.  Look at it with new eyes.  Whether you have it on your phone or have a paper Bible, treasure it.  Here are some things you can do to refresh your excitement about God’s word. Go out and buy a brand new Bible.  Sometimes it helps to buy a new Bible.  There are so many variations on the Bible that can stimulate your approach to God’s word.  Try a study Bible or chronological Bible.  A Bible that offers space in the margins for notes can help.  Figure out what works for you to bring a new passion to God’s word. Buy a new translation every year.  Reading the same translation year after year can bring a comfortable feeling of familiarity to your Bible study.  It can also turn your active mind off and set you into mental cruise control as you read through page after page without remembering what you just read.  A new translation can often force your mind out of a mental rut and cause you to start consciously thinking about what you are actually reading.  New translations are coming out every year.  Try a new one to stimulate your excitement. Read through the Bible every year.  This is one of the best practices that keeps your interest in God’s word burning hot.  Download a PDF file that will guide you through the Bible in one year.  This will keep you from the “flip and find” method of random scripture study.  It will broaden your love and knowledge of God’s word and the background to Jesus’ arrival.  One of the easiest ways to do this is to look up how many pages there are in your Bible, divide it by the number of days in the year, 365 and that will tell you how many pages to read each day.  Keep a post it note or bookmark handy to keep track of your location.  The only downside of this method is that it can be difficult slogging through the entire Old Testament before reaching the New Testament in the last quarter of the year.  One way to fix that is to alternate readings every day or for every two pages of the Old Testament, read one of the New.  This year I’m following the 52 Week Bible Reading Plan by Michael Coley.  Every day I read a passage from a different genre of the Bible such as letters, law, history, Psalms, poetry, prophecy and gospels.  You can find the link below. [1] Carve out time every day God told Joshua, “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night.”  Joshua was commanded forcefully to make the Bible a daily habit of his life.  One of the best and most important ways to do this is to read your Bible first thing in the morning.  Do it before you check your phone or schedule.  Try doing it before you get out of bed.  Satan’s plan is to drown you in trivial details and get you to forget your devotion to God’s word.  You have to KEEP it on your lips.  Read or listen to at least a chapter a day of God’s word.  Those who experience growth in their spiritual lives prioritize the consumption of God’s word.  I force myself to get into God’s word as soon as I sit down to my desk after getting a cup of coffee in the morning.  Keep it on your lips I think God is telling Joshua to use the Bible in his daily conversation and normal activities of life.  Memorization of important passages is powerful in times of trouble, temptation and transition.  I keep a stack of 3x5 cards that are lined and whenever I run into a passage that physically impacts me, I write it out on the card.  I have a stack of cards that I started thirty years ago.  When I travel, I will bring them with me and pull them out.  It’s like having a “greatest hits” album with you at all times.  I know that each scripture I look at will be one of my favorites and deeply impacting.  I’ve also use the Navigator’s memorization system to memorize scriptures.  They print and sell powerful scriptures from the Bible and can really help in keeping God’s word on your lips.  The impact of this practice reveals itself in two ways.  When you are facing challenges, you can call up scriptures from within that can help you with whatever you are facing.  You don’t need to flip through the Bible to find them.  Secondly, when you are talking to others, you can drop in scriptures into your conversation that can counsel and encourage others.  The power of your conversation intensifies based on the power and wisdom of God’s word. Meditate of God’s Word Day and Night Meditating on God’s word is simply ruminating or thinking deeply about God’s word.  Meditation is integral to eastern religions and yet not limited to them.  God was calling his people to use meditation to deepen their walk with him three thousand years ago.  How can we do this?  Take time to think about what you just read.  Read long enough that your mind gets in sync with what you are reading about.  Sometimes it takes 10 minutes or longer before your mind settles down and starts really connecting with a passage.  That’s why as a younger Christian I recommend reading for volume as opposed to isolating single passages for deeper study.  If you are less than a year old as a Christian, your first assignment should be to first read through the entire New Testament and then read through the Old Testament.  A broad view of God’s word and his dealings with men will allow you to think more deeply and give you the context to drill down and understand better any singular passage.  Keeping notes or a journal of what you are reading can help you meditate on the meaning.  I like to read and then meditate on what I just read.  I kneel on my prayer bench and think about what God was trying to communicate to me that morning.  Don’t turn from it to the right or left Reading, knowing, meditating and memorizing God’s word is important but incomplete.  God’s intention is that we are so influenced by his commands that it affects our daily behavior.  This is what made Joshua one of the greatest generals and leaders of all time.  And that is what we will cover in the next chapter. [1] https://www.bible-reading.com/bible-plan.pdf

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/robskinner Listen today as I talk to David Hedrick.  David is forming a team to plant a new church in Rome, Italy in the spring of 2025.  In this episode he talks about: ·        What inspired him to plant a church in Rome ·        What challenges he sees for those on the team ·        How he’s forming the team ·        What it’s like to plant a church at the age of 64 ·        What challenges he’s faced over his life as a Christian ·        What a person needs to know if they want to join the team. You can reach David Hedrick at:  [email protected] or 615-828-1236 For more information about the mission team go to romeexpedition.com Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast with a gift today.  Please click here:  https://www.buymeacoffee.com/robskinner

In this episode I interview a couple in their fifties from southern India.  They had their own business in Bangalore, India and were about to celebrate their son’s wedding when they felt God’s call to go on the mission field to Ballari, a city of 700,000 people six hours north of Bangalore.  They moved in 2019 right before COVID.  They started leading a small church of 30 disciples and then entered the pandemic lockdown.  Listen as they share about how: ·        The church has grown from 30 to 135 disciples. ·        They have sent three young people off to a school for missions. ·        Thirty of their churches members went on a short term missionary trip to the neighboring city of Vijaynagar, reached out and now there is a church there with 18 disciples. ·        They studied with one couple who became disciples and went back to their home town and converted ten of their family members. ·        They are in the process of planting another new church in the city of Davanagere. ·        What motivates them to live a radical Christian life at this stage of their lives.  This episode is translated from Tamil to English.  Amul and Rita live in Ballari, Karnataka, India and can be reached at [email protected] Jeba Premkumar kindly provided Tamil/English interpretation for today's podcast. Christy and Lucy, ministers from Bangalore are also on the call and can be reached at [email protected]

In this episode, I talk to Ryan Painter, who leads a church in Cleveland, Ohio.  Listen as he shares: ·        How he became a disciple at Ohio State ·        His struggles with anxiety and panic attacks and how he manages this while leading a church and preaching ·        How he has seen God bless the church this year with 9 baptisms in four months in a church of 85 disciples.  ·        What he did and would recommend to get a church that has stalled to grow and baptize again. ·        Why he feels like having fun is essential to making this life counts. You can reach Ryan at [email protected]

Join me as I talk to Dr. Sean St. Jean, author of his new book, "Spiritual Trauma."  I recently met Sean and read his book and we talk about his background, his book and why he wrote it. More about Dr. Sean St. Jean: Dr. Sean St. Jean is a full-time professor at King University in Tennessee, teaching therapy at a graduate level. He is also a therapist in private practice, and has worked with hundreds of disciples and ministry staff around the world who are struggling spiritual trauma, workplace stress, and ministry burnout. His new book, Spiritual Trauma: A Guide to Healing Your Heart From Church Hurts was just released this fall and can be found at seanstjean.com. Sean, his wife Erin, and their 3 children currently live in British Columbia, Canada, and are active members of the Vancouver Church of Christ. Dr. Sean St. Jean can be reached at [email protected]

How to Put God's Word into Practice Immediately Has not my hand made all these things, and so they came into being?” declares the Lord. “These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word.  Isaiah 66:2 The multiplying disciple responds and acts on God’s word.  He or she goes beyond mere head-nodding and mumbled assent during a sermon, “Mmmm.”  He takes it and immediately puts it to work.  God compares the different responses of two different kings, Saul and David, in Acts 13:22.  After removing Saul, he made David their king. God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do.’  Saul was called to wait on Samuel to make an offering and to wipe out the Amalekites.  He chose to ignore and modify God’s clear command.  His lack of responsiveness to God’s word disqualified him as king.  Look at how God addresses his refusal to obey, “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices     as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice,     and to heed is better than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is like the sin of divination,     and arrogance like the evil of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the Lord,     he has rejected you as king.”  1 Samuel 15:22-24 David, on the other hand builds an eternal reputation as the “man after God’s own heart.”  Why?  Because, unlike Saul, he was willing to do everything God wanted him to do.  He put things into practice.  David made a ton of mistakes and committed some major sins like adultery, conspiracy to murder and abuse of power.  However, even when he did those things, he repented and turned back toward God.  He never left God or turned away from him like Saul did. It’s easy to disconnect our feelings about God from our obedience to God.  We say things like, “God knows my heart.”  As if God gives us credit for good intentions or having the right feelings toward God.  It’s clear that God does know our heart, but like David and Saul, we reveal the contents of our heart by our humility and responsiveness to God’s word.  I want God to say about me, “Rob is a man after my own heart, he did everything I wanted him to do.”  What does that look like in our current generation?  How can we be people who put things into practice?  Here are some indicators of a person who “trembles at God’s word.” Take notes during sermons, classes and seminars.  Notetaking is a lost art.  As a young Christian, those sitting around me in church often had both a paper Bible, a notepad and a pen.  People scribbled furiously as they listened to the sermon.  Notetaking is not proof of obedience, but it is one way to stay tuned in and to allow the word to penetrate deeper.  I will often write things down and then place a star next to the points that I felt were particularly convicting or challenging.  Immediately write down three things that you can put into practice.  I’ve gotten into the practice of offering “next steps” a the end of my lessons.  I learned this from Nelson Searcy.  I think it’s valuable to know how to apply the lesson of the Bible.  Action is what matters, not simple accumulation of information.  I like to make lists and one thing I will do is start the day by writing down three things I can put into practice from what I read or heard.  When we listen to a sermon or read our Bible without regular application, we resemble those who listened to the words of the prophet Ezekiel:  31 My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to hear your words, but they do not put them into practice. Their mouths speak of love, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain. 32 Indeed, to them you are nothing more than one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words but do not put them into practice.  Ezekiel 22:31-32.  How many times do we hear God’s word without any conscious intention of applying it in our lives?  We are committing the same sin as those in Ezekiel’s day.  Get an accountability partner.  Our sinful nature desires we remain as we are.  Even our best intentions can get blunted by our old habits and routines.  One of the best ways to break out of a rut is to get accountability, coaching or discipling.  This is one of the hardest decisions to make and yet often the most powerful.  I remember listening to a preacher mention that he had accountability software on his computer to help him avoid pornography and visual temptation.  I was convicted that I had nothing in place to monitor my browsing.  I went home that night and downloaded Accountable2You software.  This sends a report of my past week’s computer activity to my spiritual mentor.  The knowledge that someone else will see what I’m looking at is a powerful inhibitor against sinful behavior.  I recently hired a physical trainer twice a week to help me get into and stay in shape.  I have gradually crept up out of my desired weight range over the past five years.  In spite of the fact that I regularly exercise, I haven’t been able to get back into what I consider my “normal” range.  I found him in the gym by looking for the biggest, strongest guy in the gym.  I shared my faith with him, studied the Bible with him and asked him if he would train me.  He not only helps me go beyond my physical limits in training, I also pay him a little extra every month for what I call “professional nagging.”  I log my weight daily on Google Drive and share that link with him so he can keep track of how many calories I’m eating every day, how much I’m exercising and how much I currently weigh.  He does a great job of getting on me when I’m tempted to make excuses.  I’ve lost fifteen pounds since the beginning of the year.   Do you have anyone that is hold you accountable to become the person you want to?  Look for accountability in common areas of difficulty: ·         Confession of sin ·         Personal finances ·         Physical fitness and weight control ·         Evangelism ·         Service to the community All of these areas are incredibly different to change without first building a scaffolding of accountability.  You aren’t weak because you need help.  You are actually showing amazing self-awareness and strength by acknowledging that true change demands a supportive environment.  Use Forcing Mechanisms I’ve played guitar since the age of fourteen.  After a couple years of guitar lessons, I plateaued at the same skill level for about four decades.  I could play a couple of songs partially and that was about it.  It wasn’t until we ran out of songleaders and musicians that I was forced to get involved, dust off my guitar and start learning new worship songs.  I now know far more songs and play better than at any time in the past.  Why?  Sunday shows up about every seven days and if I’m not ready, it can be really embarrassing.  Playing with other people, learning from them and working as a team brings the best out of me and you.  When you are trying to grow in any area, set up forcing mechanisms that will keep you on track.  ·         Schedule a time once a week with someone else to go sharing ·         Join a financial accountability group ·         Join a band ·         Join a club that encourages growth. ·         Schedule a weekly time of accountability ·         Schedule time for church every week and don’t make exceptions   Recognize and embrace the process of change and growth.  Anytime you put something new into practice in your life, you will experience a period of awkwardness, discomfort and even fear.  You are doing something that you haven’t done before.  You are going through a beginner’s stage.  Many people start to make changes, but retreat because they feel embarrassed or stupid because they haven’t mastered the new skill.  This is true in any field, not just spiritual growth.  How many people start piano or guitar lessons and quit soon after.  Why?  They didn’t see immediate progress.  They didn’t like the beginner phase when they weren’t that good.  I like Ben Franklin’s quote, “Genius is nothing but a greater aptitude for patience.”  When growing, developing new skills, learning anything new, patience is the master skill.  You have to be willing to give yourself time, allow for mistakes and be okay with being awkward and embarrassed at times.  One of my biggest regrets is not learning Japanese as fast as I wanted.  I lived in Japan for ten years and learned how to speak and write.  However, I could have sped up the learning process radically had I embraced the embarrassment of not speaking well more directly.  I wanted to be perfect immediately.  My pride wouldn’t allow me to make mistakes, so I avoided so many opportunities to speak imperfectly.  I learned, but I learned slowly.  If I could go back in a time machine, I would set a goal every day to see how many language mistakes I could make.  That would insure that I was in the game learning.  Where do we need more patience and acceptance of the novice stage? ·         Preaching ·         Teaching lessons ·         Teaching the gospel in Bible studies ·         Small group discussion leadership ·         Sharing our faith and inviting people to church ·         Meeting new people ·         Learning languages ·         Dating ·         Being a great husband or wife ·         Being a great parent All of these incredibly important skills have a predictable growth process.  You can’t become a master without going through the novice stage.  Embrace it, accept it and allow each mistake, failure and setback to communicate to you that you are growing in your mastery.

  Every wondered what to do in a tricky dating situation or relationship tangle?  I’m here with Chris Schwartzenber, a close friend who leads the church Spokane, Washington.  We’re going to field questions submitted from you our listeners on the subject of relationships and dating.  Disclaimer, these are our opinions only and ask you to get advice from trusted people within your congregation, family and trustworthy friends. Here are the questions sent in from one of our listeners: Best ways to meet people outside of your home church, other than conferences How can I (not me specific) become a more “marry-able” person? How can I remain hopeful and faithful that someone is out there for you? (Knowing that being single forever does happen for some people) What are Rob’s top 3 red flags for someone you’re interested in? Green flags?   How to let someone down easy if you are not interested in pursuing a relationship with them How to know the line between “I need to persevere through this situation” and “I need to move on to something new”

How to Be a Multiplying Disciple:  Seek pleasing results, not pleasing methods “When do you plan on moving?  How long have you lived at this address?  Where did you move from?  How did you happen to pick this area?  If you were to move, where would you go next?  And when would that be?”  In the middle of the great recession and housing collapse of 2008, I clung to this sales script as if it were straight from the Bible.  I had only been selling real estate for two years when the real estate market collapsed.  In order to survive, I looked around for some way to list and sell houses in one of the worst markets on record.  I had a wife and three kids in elementary and middle school.  I had a mortgage and I had just bought a brand new Chevy Suburban.  I saw an advertisement for a real estate sales conference held in Las Vegas taught by a man named Mike Ferry.  Mike made Donald Trump appear humble, but he guaranteed that anyone who followed his methods would sell in any market. I put the conference on a credit card and listened for three days as he expounded on how to sell homes.  I came back with the confidence that if I just put into practice what he taught, I could keep my head above water and sell homes.  One technique he promoted was direct sales or door knocking.  This is a method that most realtors avoid at all costs.  However, desperation drove me on.  Nearly every morning I would knock on fifty to one hundred doors and recite the script Mike had provided.  Amazingly, it worked.  I started finding people who were thinking about selling their homes.  One lady said, “Yes, I need to sell my house immediately.  I called another realtor, but they never called me back!  Come right in.”  I listed and sold her home.  I found another couple that wanted to sell their home and then called my brother who was looking to buy in that same neighborhood.  He lives there to this day.    It wasn’t easy, but I was able to support my family on straight commission sales (I only earned money if I actually sold a house), build a new house and support the newborn church we had just planted in Ashland, Oregon. Why would I do something so uncomfortable?  I was new, unknown, untested and had few relationships in the community.  I didn’t have time to build a relationship network in time to feed my family.  Desperation drove me to embrace unpleasant methods.  The result, however, was pleasant results. If you desire to multiply disciples for Christ, you have to ask yourself the question, “Do I want pleasant methods or pleasant results?”  I talk to many disciples who sincerely want to save souls, bear fruit and help people to know God.  They’ve been praying for years to find someone open, but they remain barren.  The problem is they are praying for pleasant results while using pleasant methods.  They aren’t running to win.  Look at what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, 24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. All disciples are running the Christian race, but not all are running to win.  They have a false expectation that even if I don’t beat my body and make it my slave, I can still win the race.  Paul understood that only those willing to crucify themselves would see the kind of life-giving results that most disciples pray for.  When we were living in Japan, my wife, Pam, got sick of not saving souls.  She made a decision to start sharing with 100 people a day for seven days.  I was shocked.  Pam is a highly relational disciple.  She had never done anything like that before.  I joined her in the challenge.  During that week, she met a woman who got baptized within a couple of months.  She was the wife of professional baseball player in Japan.  Pam chose to prioritize pleasing results over pleasing methods.  Did she wake up every day, thinking “Yes!  I get to share with 100 people today!”?  No.  I certainly didn’t.  But in one week, she changed her entire situation.  Last year, I decided to help out campus ministry recover from Covid.  It had shrunk from twenty-plus disciples to three.  I decided to simply go out and go sharing along with the few students.  It wasn’t easy inviting people to church who were 35 years younger.  One day I met a man named Hudson on campus.  He was a freshman.  We studied the gospel together and he got baptized.  The campus grew from three to 13 in one school year.  I had to ask myself the question, do I want pleasing methods or pleasing results?  I am pleased with the results.  God blessed the willingness to crucify ego and pride.  If you want to save souls, you will have to decide to run to win, pay the price and practice methods that aren’t pleasant at times.  It starts with: ·         Inviting people you don’t know ·         Sharing your faith every day ·         Keeping invitation cards with you ·         Bringing people to church ·         Following up with people you’ve met  ·         Share with the first person you meet that day ·         Set a goal for how many people you will invite over the next 30 or 90 days Saving souls is not a mystery.  It takes a run to win attitude.  It demands that you desire pleasing results over pleasing methods.  Take a look at your life right now.  If you aren’t multiplying disciples what’s your priority. Practical application: ·         Set a sharing goal for the next seven days ·         Schedule a time to go sharing with another disciple in the next three days ·         Challenge yourself to practice an unpleasant method to accomplish a pleasant outcome

This past weekend I went to Pine Summit Camp in Prescott, Arizona for an All-Arizona Men’s Retreat.  Chris Reed, who leads the church in Salt Lake City was the keynote speaker and preached on what it means to be a man made in the image of Jesus.  I got together with three twenty-somethings after Chris’ lesson and discussed the topic of masculinity in your twenties.  Listen to Johnny Nitafan, a 22-year-old married YouTuber, Brennan Sciascia, a 25-year-old graduate of Brown University and engineer at Intel and 20-year old Nick Kaplan, a junior at the University of Arizona.  They discuss what it means to be a man in 2024. You can reach Rob at [email protected] or go to RobSkinner.Com

f you want to make this life count, you will need to live your life on purpose.  That starts with setting goals and setting up daily systems to achieve your spiritual ambition.  In this episode I talk about how to do just that.  1.     How to Live Your Life on Purpose A 10x disciple is a disciple living with a purpose and goal in mind.  Everything he or she does has Jesus’ interests in mind.  This type of person is extremely rare as Paul states in Philippians 2:20-22, 20 I have no one else like him, who will show genuine concern for your welfare. 21 For everyone looks out for their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ. 22 But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel.  Timothy was clearly a 10x disciple because he was looking out for the interests of Jesus.  Unfortunately, it’s rare to find a person who is living to advance Jesus’ interests in this world.  If you want to be a multiplier, there are a few steps to move in that direction: 1.       Set goals 2.      Write them down daily 3.      Set up your day and week’s activities and schedule to support those goals Set goals for yourself.  Jesus lived with an agenda guiding his life.  Over and over he repeated his goal for his life.  In Luke 19:10 he says out loud, “For the son of man came to seek and save the lost.”  He explicitly describes the goal for his life.  This enabled him to cut through all of the other competing demands on his time.  When his disciples begged him to continue healing the sick in Mark 1:37, he said no without saying “no” by stating his greater goal for his life, “ 38 Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.”  With only three years to accomplish his father’s will for his life, Jesus had to have a clear goal guiding his life.  But because he was clear and often restated his primary purpose he was able to complete his primary mission and say with satisfaction, “It is finished.” (John 19:30)  Clarity about our goals in life is what enables us to enjoy the satisfaction of pleasing God and knowing when we’ve achieved what we are on this earth to accomplish.  Take some time to write your goals down.  I would recommend having a one-year goal for each one of your primary areas of responsibilities or interests.  For example: 1.       Evangelistic Goal 2.      Spiritual Growth Goal 3.      Financial Goal 4.     Relationship/Dating/Marriage Goal 5.      Career Goal 6.     Health and Fitness Goal 7.      Skill Development Goal 8.     Fun and Adventure Goal Write your goals down daily.  Many people write goals down at some point and then forget them.  A fruitful disciple of Jesus never loses track of where they are going.  He refers constantly to his course in life.  Like an explorer discovering uncharted ground, he constantly refers back to his compass to make sure he stays on course.  In the same way, if you want your life to count, write and rewrite your goals down every day.  If you need more help on writing goals I’d recommend any book by Brian Tracy.  However, there is nothing magical about goalsetting.  Just keep doing it every day.  This world is filled with distractions.  Jesus warns of this in Mark 4:19 when he said that “the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful.”  If you don’t keep your eye on your most precious goals, they will soon be lost beneath a thousand competing weeds.  Your job is to tend your precious purposes every single day like a gardener weeding around his plants.  I will write my goals down daily and often will repeat them out loud while I pray.  I spend time imagining them coming true at the time I’ve set for them.    Set up your day’s schedule and activities to support your goals.  Setting goals without a clear connection to your daily and weekly routine leads to frustration and lack of progress.  John Maxwell said this, "You'll never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine."  Scott Adams echoes this same concept in his book, “How to fail at almost everything and still win big.”  He argues for setting up “systems” every day that support your goals.  In fact he claims that goals without daily systems to achieve them are for losers, meaning if you only have goals you will constantly feel like you are failing until you actually reach that goal.  However, if you set up a daily routine that takes small steps toward your goals, you will feel like a winner anytime you are moving in the direction of your deepest wishes.  For example, every morning I write in my journal things that I’m thankful for.  Then I write down my goals for the year.  Once I do that, I write down a few things I can do that day to take small steps toward that goal.  For instance, if one of my goals is to save a soul that year, I would list out the following activities for that day: ·        Share my faith at least once today ·        Call and follow up with my friend who came to church ·        Invite a couple over for dinner this weekend ·        Pray for the people I’m reaching out to The great thing about having a daily routine that supports your goals is that every time you take small steps toward your goals, whether on a daily or weekly basis, you get the sense that you are “winning.” And that feels good.  I like how Earl Nightingale defines success, "Success is the progressive realization of a worthy goal or ideal."  Any time that you are working toward your goal, you are a success.  That’s the power of setting up a daily and weekly routine that points you in the direction of your goals, every day feels like you are succeeding.  Take a look at your daily routine.  If you desire to multiply disciples and yet every night you are going home to spend four hours watching “Squid Game” you have a disconnect between your goals and your daily routine.  You will have to open up your schedule to make yourself available for Jesus’ purpose for your life. A “10x” disciple knows where he is going.  He also has a daily plan to get there.  Remember to: 1.       Set goals 2.      Write and rewrite them daily 3.      Set up your day and week’s activities and schedule to support those goals

With so many books out there, it’s easy to get paralyzed and confused as to what to read.  Today, I’m going to share the top ten books I would take with me if  congress declared a law that said people can only own ten books.  These are the books that have changed my life.  The Top Ten Books for the growing Christian.   Leaders are readers.  Everything you want to become or achieve by definition is something you will have to learn to do or imitate from someone else.  The quickest path to get there is to read and imitate those who have gone before you.  John Wooden, who coached his UCLA team to 10 NCAA basketball championships, was a reader.  On the day of his middle school graduation, his father gave him $2 and a card with the following advice: 1. Be true to yourself. 2. Help others. 3. Make each day your masterpiece. 4. Drink deeply from good books, especially the Bible. 5. Make friendship a fine art. 6. Build a shelter against a rainy day. 7. Pray for guidance and count and give thanks for your blessings every day. This is a great list, but I want to concentrate on item four:  Drink deeply from good books, especially the Bible.  Here are a couple of things to note about this advice.  First, he mentions good books.  There are a ton of books that aren’t worth reading.  You know you are reading a good book if the following criteria are met: ·        You can read and reread it ·        It inspires you to action, change or imitation ·        It moves you ·        It typically focuses on principles that are useful in a variety of situations ·        It’s often been around a while and has a reputation for being good Secondly, Joshua Wooden highlights the Bible as especially unique.  The Bible meets all of the above criteria while adding: ·        A clear path to eternal life ·        How to know who God is, what he is like and what he expects of us ·        Comfort, encouragement and guidance in life Reading won’t necessarily make you a great coach, but it will increase your chances of making this life count.  I’d like to give you my top ten list of good books.  These are books that I’ve read and reread many times.  I’ve read many books and these have impacted me greatly.  I will classify them by genre. ·        The Bible.  This goes without saying, but there is a reason we should be reading, rereading and memorizing this on a daily basis.  If we don’t read anything else, this is the one book that we need to know cover to cover. 1.       Spiritual Book:  “The Imitation of Christ” by Thomas A’Kempis a.      This is my most read book outside of the Bible.  “Spiritual Formation” is a buzzword in Christian circles today.  A’Kempis wrote the book on spiritual formation 500 years ago.  Written by a man living in a monastery, it is filled with scripture and insight into living a godly and holy life.  I can’t read it without getting completely convicted about the state of my interior life, motivations and sinful nature.  Two bits of advice when starting this book:                                                  i.      Read it one chapter a day along with your Bible.  This is a book for meditation and consideration not rapid consumption                                               ii.      Get past the age and religious bias against this book.  Yes, he was a Catholic monk.  Yes, it’s an old book.  However, human nature doesn’t change and the issues he deals with in this book are as relevant as the day it was originally printed. 2.      Time management and priorities, “The One Thing” by Gary Keller a.      Keller is the founder of Keller Williams Real Estate Corporation.  He helps us get out of the weedy third soil by advising his readers to daily ask themselves the question, “What’s the one thing I can do such that by doing it everything else will be easier or unnecessary?” b.     This book will enable you to overcome paralysis caused by too much information, distraction, busyness and other demands that can overwhelm us. 3.      Personal Growth:  “How to fail at almost everything and still win big” by Scott Adams a.      Adams created the Dilbert cartoon series.  In this book he shares about his life, medical challenges, setbacks and successes and offer suggestions on how to find a path for growth that fits how God made you.  Some of the ideas that I go back to over and over again:                                                  i.      Develop your “Talent Stack.”  You may not have legendary talent in one area, but through grit and determination you can become really good at five or more skills.  The combination of five “pretty talented” areas is remarkable.                                               ii.      Use affirmations.  I find this advice an updated and repackaged version of Jesus’ teaching on faith in Mark 11:24, “…Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” 4.     How to build your faith level and become more optimistic.  “The Power of Positive Thinking” by Norman Vincent Peale. a.      Peale wrote this book while working as a church minister.  He borrows scripture from the Bible and creates a “crossover” book that helps non-disciples apply Jesus’ teaching on faith to tackle real world problems like making money, getting promoted or anything else.  As a disciple, this book has incredible value in both the spiritual and secular parts of life.  Since Jesus said, “According to your faith will it be done to you” in Matthew 9:29, we should be constantly looking for methods of increasing our faith in an increasingly cynical world.  Peale offers sound advice on how to build a firm foundation of faith. 5.      Books on Relationship Building.  “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Dale Carnegie.  a.      This is the GOAT (greatest of all time) when it comes to building and developing relationships.  Your Friendships, business relationships, family relationships and relationships with non-believers will start multiplying and deepening when you put Carnegie’s lessons into practice. b.     Carnegie’s advice to be interested in people and ask questions is worth the price of the book alone.  This trait is completely missing in about 90% of the people I meet and leads to dead, one-way relationships.  Assimilate this one tip and you will immediately distinguish yourself as a friend magnet. 6.     Books on money and money management.  “The Millionaire Next Door” by Thomas Stanley.  a.      This was a tough one.  There are a lot of books on money out there.  I’ve never been great at handling or saving money.  In order to compensate for this weakness, I’ve read a ton of books on money management.  This area is an example of how knowing more won’t make you better, it’s all about practicing time-honored principles.  The reason why I like Stanley’s book is that he devoted his life to understand how rich people get rich.  The paradoxical message is that most rich people got that way by not acting “rich.”  They save money from every paycheck, never pay more than $10 for a bottle of wine, and don’t drive fancy cars.  Instead of reading mind-numbing insight on the benefits of hedge-fund investing, it helped me identify and imitate the key traits of people who were better at money management than me.  It’s paid off for me. 7.      Fantasy books.  “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy by JRR Tolkien a.      My mom was an English teacher and she would bring home books from her classes for me to read at home.  I became a fantasy fan by reading from Robert Heinlein and JRR Tolkein.  I remember reading “The Hobbit” and falling in love with fantasy.  Upon rereading Tolkien’s work, I’m struck by how writers have gotten much better over the last 100 years.  Tolkien needed a good editor to cut out entire chapters of his trilogy.  Peter Jackson did a great job reducing the trilogy to its essential content in his movie series.  However, the Lord of the Rings is still the gamechanger when it comes to fantasy.  All other books are measured against his groundbreaking “world-building” novel.  Another side benefit is the messianic theme running throughout the book.  This book honors courage, masculinity, sacrifice and brotherhood in an age where these qualities are often under attack. 8.     Biography.  “The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt” by Edmund Morris. a.      I’ve read so many great biographies that this was hard to choose.  Morris highlights Roosevelt’s journey from sickly, weakling childhood to robust, vigorous, and courageous manhood.  In the past, people learned from biography as the primary source of instruction.  I couldn’t help but be both inspired and called higher by Roosevelt’s conscious labor to become a better man.  Here is his counsel on how to overcome fear:                                                  i.      “at the outset almost every man is frightened when he goes into action, but that the course to follow is for the man to keep such a grip on himself that he can act just as if he was not frightened. After this is kept up long enough it changes from pretense to reality, and the man does in very fact become fearless by sheer dint of practicing fearlessness when he does not feel it.” 9.      Books on mindset.  “As a man thinketh” by James Allen a.      The King James Version of Proverbs 23:7 reads “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.”  This book develops the idea that our outer, physical world is simply a reflection of our inner, mental or spiritual world.  Nothing is more relevant for a strong disciple than this concept.  Paul echoes the importance of taking charge of our thought life in 1 Corinthians 10:5, “…we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”  This book went on to form the foundation for so many other books like “Think and Grow Rich” and “The Secret.”  Each one is built on the idea that if you change your thinking, you will change your life.  If you don’t like to read, you’ll like this one.  It’s a tiny book.  10.   Books on Marriage.  “The Seven Principles for making marriage work”  by John Gottman. a.      This book is the best of all books on marriage.  He studied marriage in his “love lab” and found out how to predict whether a couple would be stay married or divorce with over 90% accuracy.  The principles of strong marriages and the traits of weak marriages offer a pathway to a life of ever-strengthening love.  One of the primary triggers for me to seek God originally was my desire to have a successful marriage.  The combination of God, God’s word and advice from books like Gottman’s have enabled me to exceed my most fanciful wishes. 11.    Other notable mentions a.      Any book by Brian Tracy.  His books repeat over and over, but his best is “Maximum Achievement.”  You will hear echoes from this book in his other books. b.     I would hate to be limited to only ten books.  I read voraciously and don’t want to give the impression you should cap your reading at only a few.  But I’d like to leave you with a few more thoughts:                                                  i.      It’s better to choose a few “good books” and reread them than to simply hope the next book will offer a silver bullet for your problem.                                               ii.      Find a way to take in more reading.  Many people are limited by their reading ability or lack of desire to read.  There are so many ways to take in good reading.  Chief in my mind is audiobooks.  Even if you don’t like reading, you can gain the benefit of books simply by listening to them read to you.  Find a way to love reading.

I interviewed J. Brian Craig nearly four years ago on episode 25.  Last year Brian was diagnosed with Glioblastoma, a fast-growing and aggressive type of brain cancer.  Listen today as I ask him about his diagnosis, how he and his family have learned to cope with a terminal disease and what his plans are for his music, ministry and future. Here are the links to Brian's recordings mentioned in the interview: https://songwhip.com/coracraig/stay-right-here   https://songwhip.com/jbriancraig/heavens-declare   You can reach Brian at:   [email protected]

  Recently, I was searching for a new book to listen to on my Audible account.  I typed in “podcasting” and one of the recommendations that popped up was, “The Podcaster’s Playbook.”  I listened to that and what blew me away was the author, John Stange (“Stahn-Gee”), is a pastor for a Core Creek Community Church community church near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  He started posting YouTube videos and then writing a blog and then a podcast and then books.  One of his podcasts has over a million downloads and he has been contracted to write books by a major book publisher.  He has an interest in spiritual things and business startups.  I thought to myself, “I’m a minister with a podcast and some books and videos.  I need to read this guy’s stuff and contact him.”  I reached out to him, and he got back to me immediately about letting me interview him for my podcast.  Today, I’ll be asking him about what he’s doing and how he’s helping other people build sources of income to support their purpose.  Listen as he talks about: Building a "Content Waterfall" The importance of having a purpose that drives your business The Five "D's" of Building an online platform Saying "Yes!" to God when He opens a door of opportunity More about John Stange: John Stange is an author, podcaster, and pastor. He has written over 30 books, his podcasts have been downloaded over 10 million times, and he has been serving in church leadership for the past 25 years. John also leads a membership community called Platform Launchers which helps members build, grow, and monetize message-based online platforms. John's Podcasts: 1. The Chapter-A-Day Audio Bible 2. Daily Devotions with Pastor John 3. Dwell on These Things 4. Platform Launchers To learn more about John, please visit: PlatformLaunchers.com or DesireJesus.com Or email John at:  [email protected] You can find his books at:  https://www.amazon.com/stores/John-Stange/author/B008FQQT92?ref=ap_rdr&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=true#:~:text=John%20Stange%20is%20an%20author%2C%20podcaster%2C%20and%20pastor.

Today, I’m talking to Chester and Sirikit Umaguing (Ooh-MAH-Ging).  Chester and Sirikit went on the Manila Mission team together, went into the professional ministry, witnessed 400 baptisms in the first year of that planting, got married and returned to the states in 2004.  They started successful careers in real estate and restaurant ownership.  They then returned to the paid ministry in 2016, leading the Colorado Springs church.  Two years ago they took another step forward in faith and returned to the Asian mission field, this time in Bangkok, Thailand.  Bangkok has historically been a difficult mission field for Christian missions.  Nevertheless, Chester and Sirikit, at the age of sixty, are baptizing and bringing revival to the college and young professional ministries in this Buddhist country.  Find out what they are doing to make this life count. More about Chester and Sirikit: Chester and Sirikit Umaguing are church builders known for their love for God, people and missions. They were baptized in San Diego (1986) and New York (1988) respectively. They were part of the mission team planting in Manila, Philippines in 1989 and later helped prepare and plant 5 more churches, including one in the Middle East. While they’ve served for over 25 years in the full time ministry, they felt blessed to work for 10 years out of the ministry as owners in the restaurant and real estate business. They went back into full-time ministry and served as church leaders in Colorado Springs Christian Church for 8 years. They also served as Regional Family Chairs, Global Missions Society Chair and Women’s Service team and HOPE Board of Directors (2020-present). They currently lead the church in Bangkok while overseeing all the churches in Thailand & Laos. They have been married for 32 years and been blessed with two loving children, Joshua and Alexa. They love life and adventure. You can reach Chester and Sirikit at: [email protected] [email protected]  

Today, I’m going to talk about how to become a “10x” disciple.  If you are listening to the program you want to be a man or woman who multiplies whatever God gives you.  You want to appear before God loaded with the fruit of a life well lived.  Like the servant who took one Mina and turned it into 10 more, you want to please God with the work of your hands and content of your hear.  How do you do that?  I’ll be talking about that and how prayer is the first step to becoming a “10x” disciple.  Prayer Bench Mentioned in the Podcast: https://a.co/d/3Iq3KZ9   Transcript The First “10x” Disciple Jesus prepared his disciples for his departure by telling this story in Luke 19:12-17 12 He said: “A man of noble birth went to a distant country to have himself appointed king and then to return. 13 So he called ten of his servants and gave them ten minas. ‘Put this money to work,’ he said, ‘until I come back.’14 “But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We don’t want this man to be our king.’15 “He was made king, however, and returned home. Then he sent for the servants to whom he had given the money, in order to find out what they had gained with it.16 “The first one came and said, ‘Sir, your mina has earned ten more.’17 “‘Well done, my good servant!’ his master replied. ‘Because you have been trustworthy in a very small matter, take charge of ten cities.’  Luke 19:12-17 Jesus revealed that he would go away and return as King.  There would be little if any supervision.  His servants would be left only with one mina, worth about three months wages, and the knowledge that their master would someday return.  Out of the ten who received a mina, one servant came back with ten more minas than when he started.  He multiplied the gift ten times or “10x.”  This man is the original “10x” disciple.     Reading this passage recently, I thought to myself, that’s the kind of disciple I want to be.  I want to be able to multiply his gifts ten times or more.  Whatever he gives me, I want to make more of it.  I would guess that if you are reading or listening to this, you feel the same way.  So, what does it take to be a multiplying disciple or a “10x” disciple?  That’s the subject of this series. First of all,   A 10x Disciple Is A Man Of Prayer Prayer turns ordinary mortals into men of power. It brings power. It brings fire. It brings rain. It brings life. It brings God. Samuel Chadwick   4 In return for my friendship they accuse me,     but I am a man of prayer.  Psalm 109:4 How do you want to be known?  Can you say of yourself, “I am a man of prayer?”  For many men, this is the hardest challenge of all and yet it’s absolutely necessary if we want to multiply the gifts that God has given us.  Prayer Is Necessary For Revival.  They all joined together constantly in prayer,  Acts 1:14 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.  Acts 2:42 Consistent and intentional prayer powered the explosive growth of the early church.  The same will be true today.  Jesus said that “apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5).  In the wake of the pandemic, there is nothing more important than men of prayer both individually and even more importantly together with other men of prayer.  In order for our church to thrive, we have to devote ourselves to prayer like never before.  That’s why we are devoting 30 minutes every midweek to crying out to God for revival. Heartfelt Prayer is Needed 3 They said to me, “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.”  4 When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven.   Nehemiah 1:3-4 Nehemiah was broken when he considered the situation his people were in.  He himself enjoyed comfort and privilege.  However, his heart went out to his own people and the shame and disgrace they were facing.  His first response was not forming a plan or trying out a new technique, it was letting his emotions feel.  He let the hurt in.  He thought about the situation.  He first went to prayer and only later did he come up with a plan to save his people.  Just as Jesus displayed forty days in the desert praying and fasting, prayer precedes all our plans and efforts.   Patient and Persevering Prayer is Needed 10 Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.  Daniel 6:10 Daniel’s enemies had made it against the law to pray to anyone but King Darius.  Daniel ignored the law and maintained his devotion to God in prayer.  What was the result?  He was thrown into a den of lions-and then rescued! “…When Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.”  Daniel 6:23b Daniel had a prayer habit.  He forced himself to pray three times a day.  He persevered when he was busy, tired and overwhelmed.  He never quit praying and God delivered him.  This is the prayer of a multiplying disciple of Jesus. So often, we don’t pray because we get anxious, run out of things to say, feel awkward or our minds run wild.  We aren’t in shape spiritually and so our prayer lives are brief, sporadic and shallow.  Blaise Pascal was right when he wrote, “All of humanity's problems stem from man's inability to sit quietly in a room alone.” There is no shortcut to being a man of prayer without discipling yourself to sit, kneel or stand in the presence of God consistently.  Here are some things that help me: ·       Dedicate time each day for prayer ·       Set a timer ·       Get a kneeling bench ·       Keep in mind Satan doesn’t want you to pray ·       Don’t give in to anxiety and worry, let it be.  Don’t give in to impulses (coffee, phone, checking on things etc.) ·       Take some deep breaths ·       Think about Jesus ·       Remember that the “Great I Am” is with you (Matthew 28:20) ·       Don’t beat yourself up if you aren’t “good” at prayer ·       Ask for what you want, not for what you should want ·       Develop prayer to the point it becomes enjoyable ·       Keep a journal of things to pray for ·       Pray for other people, especially your own family ·       Ask God for revival for the church Just like no one starts out massive the first time in the gym, no one is powerful in prayer initially.  It takes time, effort, patience and perseverance.  Over time you will become a “man of prayer.”  Men and women of prayer are what’s needed in this day and age we live in.  There is nothing more powerful than prayer that moves God, the most powerful being in the universe.  Prayer is the most highly leveraged activity you can do every day. When we lived in Tokyo, I went through a period of barrenness.  I wanted to save more souls, but nothing was happening.  One night at midweek I announced that I was starting a prayer group once a week before work to pray that God would help us to save souls.  About six other disciples joined and we met for an hour every week.  In the next six months that group of six people helped 13 people become Christians and two married couples got baptized on the same day.  A multiplying disciple or a “10x” disciple is a praying disciple.  Devote yourself to growing in your prayer life.  In time you will see the fruit of a powerful life of prayer.

Today, I’m talking to Jordan Wetterlind.  Jordan grew up in Twig, Minnesota, population 60.  He251.   lived in 13 different households in high school after running for his life from his stepfather who threatened to murder him.  He found a way to go to college and lost his mom to a car crash his freshman year.  After graduation, he moved to Boston for graduate school.  That’s where he met disciples who taught him the Gospel.  Listen as he shares how he dealt with his traumatic upbringing, how he made sense of his losses and how he reconciled that with his relationship with God.  You can reach Jordan at [email protected]

oday I’m talking to Daren Overstreet about his new website, BiblicallyResilient.Com.  I asked Daren to speak at the Climb conference last December and he did a great job teaching.  In this episode Daren ·        Talks about why he started his podcast ·        How to avoid extremes when it comes to doctrine ·        How to avoid political traps when it comes to what you believe ·        How to talk about hot topics without getting emotional ·        How to find your way spiritually when there are many teachers pointing in different directions   You can reach Daren at BiblicallyResilient.Com or [email protected]

Happy Valentines Day.  If you’ve ever wanted to up your game with spiritual women, this is the episode to listen to.  I’d like to share with you today how to attract, win and build a lasting relationship with the woman of your dreams.  You may not feel like a Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt or even a Casanova (Defined as “A man considered romantic and gallant”) but luckily relational skills are learnable and you can become incredibly attractive to the right person for you.  You might have failed over and over again to find the perfect woman or you might be flailing in your marriage, but by learning a few simple habits, you can learn to be a modern day Casanova!

Today, I’m talking to John Porter. John and his wife Barbara lead a house church in Clemson, South Carolina.  John was converted on campus at Clemson in 1981 and from there went to Boston, Mexico City, Sao Paulo, Brazil, and South Florida before returning to Clemson in 2015.  John is an advocate for house churches.  In this episode he talks about why he and Barbara left what he calls larger “legacy churches,” his experience as a house church leader and his vision for the future.   You can reach John Porter at  fromhousetohouse.org

Today, I’m talking to Vincent and Jayne Sim, who lead the church in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.  They discuss their 30 years in ministry, their early experiences as young Christians in the Singapore and Kuala Lumpur churches and how those small mission plantings have grown to thousands of disciples and many churches throughout the region.  They talk about all of the family they have been able to reach for Christ and how they’ve been able to get back on their feet after being knocked down.  More about Vincent and Jayne Sim: Vincent & Jayne have been serving in the ministry for over 30 years. Vincent was baptised as a teen in the Singapore church, while Jayne was baptised in her early 20s in the Kuala Lumpur (KL) Church.  They have served in churches in KL, Penang, JB, & Singapore. They moved back from Singapore to KL in 2019 and are currently overseeing the churches in Malaysia. Together, they have 3 children. Sabrina (24), AJ (22) & JD (20) have all been baptised into the Lord.   How to help build and complete the Kuala Lumpur Church: Donation Portals  1) Donation may be done through our official website:  https://fundraising.cccmy.org/    2) Donation may also be done through Wise:  https://im.cccmy.org/internationalwise/    3) Donate through PayPal or Credit/Debit Card via SimplyGiving:  https://www.simplygiving.com/Home/Step1?EventId=bd69c50e-382d-46f3-93ba-aab8748769f5    Donation Receipts  Request for official donation receipt through this link:  https://im.cccmy.org/taxform/     

Today, I’m talking to Willie O’Quinn, who leads the church in Lawrence, Kansas, the home of the University of Kansas.  Willie played football for the University of Kansas, graduated and has led first the campus ministry and now the church in Lawrence.  He has been in Lawrence for 15 years, married to Katie for 12 years and has four daughters (Kaylie, Kylie, Kynlie, and Keelie).  In this episode he shares about: What it takes to be an effective campus minister How he can afford to have two ministry couples on staff in a church of around 100 members How he defines success His “Chick Fil A” small church philosophy How he leads the church while raising four daughters 8 and under. How to Support The Rob Skinner Podcast Your tax-deductible gift will help me advance my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches.  Click the link here:   https://tucsoncoc.breezechms.com/give/online?fund_id=1728794

While at the recent Climb Small Church Leadership Conference in Dallas, Texas I ran into Darcy Smyth from the Gold Coast in Australia.  He's a campus minister there and has led his campus ministry to have nearly 20 baptisms and restorations in 2023.  I was immediately intrigued and invited him on to the program to find out what he was doing.   You can reach Darcy at:  [email protected]

Joel Peed, Joel Nagel, Pam and Rob Skinner recap day three of the 2023 Climb Conference.  

Today, I’m with Pam Skinner and Joel Nagel in Dallas Texas on day two of our Climb Conference.  We are going to recap the second day of the conference and talk to our keynote speaker, Kevin Miller.

Today, I’m with Joel Peed and Joel Nagel at the first day of the 2023 Climb Conference.  We will be recapping the first day and talking to our keynote speaker, Shawn Wooten, missionary to Bucharest Romania and leader of the Revivee Program.

Today, I’m talking to Rob and Chelsea Novack from the New York City Church of Christ.  Rob and Chelsea lead an all-church campus region in the New York Church and chair the North American Campus Committee for churches across the country.  Listen as they talk about: How they grew their campus ministry from 10 disciples to over 80.  How Rob became a Christian through the help of a childhood friend and then turned and converted about ten more of his friends from the past. How he believes fruit grows in “clusters” and what that means for ministry. How Chelsea is working to bridge the gap with Generation Z disciples And what three things Rob looks for in an aspiring campus minister All this and more on the Rob Skinner Podcast!   More about Rob and Chelsea: Rob and Chelsea Novack serve as Evangelist and Women’s Ministry leader for the NYC Campus Ministry. They've been married since 2013 and live outside NYC in New Jersey with their two boys, Bradley (7) and Tyler (6). They led the NJ Campus Ministry from 2010-2019 and in 2021 started the new City Campus Region in Manhattan for the Borough ministries. They also serve as Chair of the Campus Service Team. Rob and Chelsea have a passion for reaching the next generation, raising leaders and building unity.    How to Support The Rob Skinner Podcast Your tax-deductible gift will help me advance my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches.  Click the link here:   https://tucsoncoc.breezechms.com/give/online?fund_id=1728794  

Today, I’m continuing to highlight disciples 30 and under who are making this life count.  I’m talking to Ben and Melina Hutchins, Church leaders & campus ministers at Virginia Tech, located in Blacksburg, Virginia.  They planted a church in Blacksburg in August of 2020 in the middle of the COVID pandemic.  They were both in their twenties at the time.  Listen as they share about: Their getting their masters in theology How they host “Table Church” to build family and make the most of limited resources How they dealt with the tragedy of losing their first born baby, Sophia only a year after planting their church How to Support The Rob Skinner Podcast Your tax-deductible gift will help me advance my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches.  Click the link here:   https://tucsoncoc.breezechms.com/give/online?fund_id=1728794

Today, I’m talking to Armin and Megan Day, Evangelist and Women’s ministry leader in the Albuquerque, New Mexico Church.  They have doubled their campus ministry to 30 disciples in the last two years.  What’s even more interesting is how they have done it.  They’ve developed a ministry philosophy built upon six pillars of conviction.  They devote one day a month on campus on which all the students pray and fast and then break the fast that night with a devotional of worship and prayer.  Listen as they share what’s helped them to build a healthy and thriving campus ministry. More about Armin and Megan: Armin and Megan Day are an evangelist and women's ministry leader in Albuquerque, NM. They have worked with the campus ministry at the University of New Mexico for almost a decade. They have two kids and one on the way. Megan became a disciple in southern California in 2002 and Armin became a disciple in the campus ministry in Albuquerque in 2011. Their dream is to see Albuquerque become a hot spot for training and sending out leaders throughout our fellowship of churches. Feel free to reach us at [email protected].   How to Support The Rob Skinner Podcast Your tax-deductible gift will help me advance my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches.  Click the link here:   https://tucsoncoc.breezechms.com/give/online?fund_id=1728794

Have you ever felt frustrated because you’ve prayed about something over and over again and God just doesn’t seem to answer it?  You are begging him, “God, please throw me a bone!” and he doesn’t seem to care.  Maybe you are asking God to do something for you that he wants to do through you or with you.  I heard this quote recently in an audiobook and it got me thinking about ways that I passively wait on God to do something for me that I should be actively pursuing daily.   How to Support The Rob Skinner Podcast Your tax-deductible gift will help me advance my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches.  Click the link here:   https://tucsoncoc.breezechms.com/give/online?fund_id=1728794

Today, I’m talking to Dave Pocta and Joel Nagel.  Dave and Joel are rolling out a comprehensive podcast, curriculum and spiritual program designed to equip small church leaders and mature disciples everywhere.  They will be making a presentation of this new material at the Climb Conference coming up in Dallas this month.  Listen as they give a preview of why Thread could change your life and help your church grow. Find out more about Thread at ThreadPodcast.Org   How to Support The Rob Skinner Podcast Your tax-deductible gift will help me advance my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches.  Click the link here:   https://tucsoncoc.breezechms.com/give/online?fund_id=1728794

Today, I’m talking to 24-year-old Kenan Mitchell.  Kenan went on the Chance of a Lifetime Program and spent three months in India.  He’s a man of multiple talents and interests.  He’s a snowboarder, skydiver, skater and musician.  He paraglided in the Himalayas and is a professional-level barber.  He currently leads a campus ministry at Bridgewater State University in Massachusetts that saw ten people get baptized in the last 12 months.  Listen as he talks about his experience with Chance of a Lifetime and how he’s seen God at work in his life.   How to Support The Rob Skinner Podcast Your tax-deductible gift will help me advance my mission to multiply disciples, leaders and churches.  Click the link here:   https://tucsoncoc.breezechms.com/give/online?fund_id=1728794

John and Jan Oakes started a church in their living room with three people sixteen months ago.  This month they had 200+ people at their inaugural worship service.  The church of three people that they began with has blossomed into 20 members after John and Jan baptized 10 people over the last eight months.  John and Jan were appointed as an Evangelist and Women's ministry leader at the inaugural service.  They did all of this in their late sixties.  Listen as they talk about the miracles God is working through them and their church planting. How to Support The Rob Skinner Podcast Your tax-deductible gift will help me get my next mission team sent off.  Click the link here:   https://tucsoncoc.breezechms.com/give/online?fund_id=1728794

Today, I’m talking to Josephus Bartuah from Boston Massachusetts.  Josephus leads one of the fastest growing campus ministries in the country.  Over the past two years it has grown from eight to 40+ disciples.  Listen as he talks about how he did  it and what inspires him.  This episode is the first to spotlight disciples 30 and under who are multiplying disciples, leaders and churches.    More about Josephus and Katrina: Josephus Bartuah was born on May 16th 1993. He met his amazing wife Katrina during their freshman year of college. He was invited out to church, studied the Bible and was baptized on May 29th 2013. He graduated Umass Boston in 2016 with a history degree. Katrina and Josephus were married in April 2017 and now have two beautiful boys - Julius and Elliott. After three years of interning in the Campus Ministry, the Bartuahs were asked to go into the ministry in 2018. They served in the professionals ministry initially. In 2021, they were asked to join a team of 8 campus ministers to revive the Boston Campus Ministry in Downtown Boston. They are proud graduates of the New England School of Missions. Making disciples and raising up leaders is their joyful obsession. If you’d like to contact Josephus, his email is [email protected]    How to Support The Rob Skinner Podcast Your tax-deductible gift will help me get my next mission team sent off.  Click the link here:   https://tucsoncoc.breezechms.com/give/online?fund_id=1728794

Today, I’m talking to Glenn Neargarder.  Glenn became a Christian in 1988, spent time in the ministry, administration and went on to work at Bank of America.  In trying to help his home church with their administration he uncovered what is often the weakest part of many churches, having a coherent and complete administrative system.  He started a “passion project” to serve small churches by doing all the administrative functions for them at extremely low cost.  Glenn will be a speaker at the Climb Conference in Dallas this year.  If you’ve ever been frustrated with your church financial situation and are looking for a low-cost, one-stop solution, you need to listen to what Glenn is talking about. More about Glenn: Glenn became a disciple of Jesus in 1988 as part of the University of Cincinnati campus ministry. Immediately after graduation in 1992 he and his wife, Vicki, moved to Chicago to work in the full time ministry. After 3 years in the full time ministry (Chicago and Champaign, IL) they moved to Los Angeles. Glenn worked in church administration for the International Church of Christ at the Los Angeles head quarters for four years. He then went back into the full time ministry for three more years as part of the North region of the Los Angeles Church of Christ. Glenn then spent 14 years working for Bank of America in mortgage servicing operations. During his last 7 years he held an SVP of Operations position with offices across the country and internationally managing over 1,000 employees. Glenn has been working as a business improvement and transformation consultant in the pharmaceutical industry since 2016. Glenn's experience with local and international church administration, full time ministry as well as his experience with managing large operations domestically and internationally in a corporate environment have allowed him to develop skills in Human Resources, financial management, legal, policies and procedures, process improvement, performance management, state and federal employment laws, and technology and systems.  How to Reach Glenn: ChurchAdm.Com General Support  / Main Office [email protected] (919) 229-9315 Ramon (Mon) Eusebio (Manager) [email protected] (919) 229-9315 Glenn Neargarder (CEO/Owner) [email protected] (919) 229-9521 How to Support The Rob Skinner Podcast Your tax-deductible gift will help me get my next mission team sent off.  Click the link here:   https://tucsoncoc.breezechms.com/give/online?fund_id=1728794

Today, I’m talking to Nate Bigbee from Corpus Christi, Texas.  Nate is the leader of a church of 40 disciples and has 5 people on staff.  How does he do it?  He is encouraging young men and women to develop a bi-vocational ministry career.  Three of his interns are building their private businesses while also serving in the ministry.  Nate is also starting a school to help those who are interested in doing self-supported or partially-supported ministry.  He and his wife, Waldina, are also on track to become self-supporting so that he can multiply disciples, leaders and churches.  If you are interested in doing ministry full or part time or if you are a ministry leader looking for ways to make your budget go farther, you’ll want to hear what Nate has to say. How to reach Nate:   [email protected]   210-883-7506 How to Support The Rob Skinner Podcast Your tax-deductible gift will help me get my next mission team sent off.  Click the link here:   https://tucsoncoc.breezechms.com/give/online?fund_id=1728794  

Today, I’m talking to Martin Chairez.  Martin and his wife, Tina, lead a Spanish-speaking ministry in Orange County California.  He’s got a burning passion for growing and expanding Spanish-speaking ministries.  Listen as he talks about: How the US has the second largest population of Spanish-Speakers in the world and yet has only a handful of full-time ministers. Misconceptions about Spanish-ministry Why he doesn’t like the term “Latino Ministry” Immigration, politics and helping people without legal status His vision for Spanish ministry going forward How to reach Martin Chairez:  [email protected]   How to Support The Rob Skinner Podcast Your tax-deductible gift will help me get my next mission team sent off.  Click the link here:   https://tucsoncoc.breezechms.com/give/online?fund_id=1728794

·        Today, I’m talking to Mark and Ruth Kang, who lead the church in Detroit, Michigan.  Listen as they share about: o   Developing a Dating Culture o   The impact one leader can make o   Mark’s unique speaking style o   What they would do if they had to start over from zero o   What they view as the next growth center in their church and many others   How to Support The Rob Skinner Podcast Your tax-deductible gift will help me get my next mission team sent off.  Click the link here:   https://tucsoncoc.breezechms.com/give/online?fund_id=1728794

What would you do if your house burned down?  What would you do if you didn’t have time to go back for even one possession?  What would you do if all you had to start over again was your laptop and two changes of clothes?  Nate and Megan Chatelier can answer those questions because on Friday, August 18th, 2023, a wildfire swept through their neighborhood near Spokane, Washington.  The flames were 150 feet higher than the tree line and 240 homes were destroyed.  Listen as Nate and Megan share what they went through and how they are rebuilding their lives.  Nate was last interviewed on episode #205. You can reach Nate at [email protected]   How to Support The Rob Skinner Podcast Your tax-deductible gift will help me multiply disciples, leaders and churches.  Click the link here:   https://tucsoncoc.breezechms.com/give/online?fund_id=1728794

Today, I interview Robby Angle, author of “The Cure for Groups, How to Lead a Small Group People Will Talk About The Rest of Your Lives.”  Listen as Robby shares: o   About his experience leading 800 small groups in Andy Stanley’s church, North Point Community Church. o   How to create a good culture in small groups o   Why the leader matters so much in making small groups work o   Why trust is so essential in small group relationships as well as our relationship with God o   How to ask good questions o   Why a good schedule and memorable events make such a big difference   How to Reach Robby Angle: Website: http://www.trueface.org LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/robby-angle-a55b1433/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/truefacecommunity Twitter: https://twitter.com/Truefaced Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/truefacelife/ YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/Trueface Robby Angle was booked via The Expert Bookers, www.expertbookers.com.   

In this episode, I read from chapter 11 and the conclusion of my book, "How to Plant and Grow a Church."  I discuss why small churches are incubators for great leaders and how to develop leadership in disciples.     https://www.amazon.com/How-Plant-Grow-Church-Complete/dp/B08DC63SQH/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2SS85DB8RY5WE&keywords=how+to+plant+and+grow+a+church&qid=1691270977&sprefix=how+to+plant+and+grow+a+church%2Caps%2C239&sr=8-1

Today, I’m talking to Jon Sherwood who leads a network of microchurches in Asheville, North Carolina.  Listen as he shares about: o   How he came up with the idea of starting micro churches o   What kinds of results he’s seen o   What kind of vision he has for the church And who would benefit from this model of church structure.     How to reach Jon Sherwood: JonSherwood.Com JesusPeaceCollective.Com

 this episode I talk about how to improve your own personal evangelism as well as how to mobilize your church for outreach.     Where to find Rob's book, "How To Plant and Grow a Church": https://www.amazon.com/How-Plant-Grow-Church-Complete/dp/B08DC63SQH/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2SS85DB8RY5WE&keywords=how+to+plant+and+grow+a+church&qid=1691270977&sprefix=how+to+plant+and+grow+a+church%2Caps%2C239&sr=8-1

In this episode, I read from chapter nine of my book, "How To Plant and Grow a Church."  I discuss the pitfalls and mistakes I've made in past mission plantings so that you can avoid them in the future.     Where to find Rob's book, "How To Plant and Grow a Church": https://www.amazon.com/How-Plant-Grow-Church-Complete/dp/B08DC63SQH/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2SS85DB8RY5WE&keywords=how+to+plant+and+grow+a+church&qid=1691270977&sprefix=how+to+plant+and+grow+a+church%2Caps%2C239&sr=8-1

I’m Rob Skinner and this is the Rob Skinner Podcast.  In this episode, I share what I gained from trying to learn the “Secret of Happiness.”  I spent 30 days trying to imitate Paul’s example of being happy in all circumstances.   I want to let you know how my “Secret of Happiness” campaign went and what I learned.    I have learned to be happy with whatever I have. 12 I know how to get along with little and how to live when I have much. I have learned the secret of being happy at all times. If I am full of food and have all I need, I am happy. If I am hungry and need more, I am happy. 13 I can do all things because Christ gives me the strength.  Philippians 4:11-13, NLV

Today, I talk to Ben and Brooke Mey, two young church planters from Newcastle, Australia.  They talk about what they've done to start a new church since February of this year and how they've baptized 11 people starting with a team of 15.  

Have you ever wanted to learn the “secret of happiness?”  Many people talk about it, but I know of only one person who has said that he has learned the secret of happiness, the Apostle Paul.  Look at what he shares in Philippians 4:11-13 in the NLV:  I have learned to be happy with whatever I have. 12 I know how to get along with little and how to live when I have much. I have learned the secret of being happy at all times. If I am full of food and have all I need, I am happy. If I am hungry and need more, I am happy. 13 I can do all things because Christ gives me the strength.  Philippians 4:11-13, NLV I decided to learn that secret of happiness as well by going on a 30-day spiritual campaign to imitate Paul’s example.  Find out what I’ve learned so far on this episode of the Rob Skinner Podcast! How to Support The Rob Skinner Podcast Your tax-deductible gift will help me get my next mission team sent off.  Click the link here:   https://tucsoncoc.breezechms.com/give/online?fund_id=1728794

Today, I read the second half of chapter eight of my book, How to Plant and Grow a Church.  The chapter subject is how to stay fired up as a church builder.  I’ll be sharing what I’ve learned to keep your fire burning at all times and all places. Specifically: o   How to use personal campaigns to get fired up o   How to create church campaigns to develop momentum o   The importance of staying connected o   Going to conferences and meetings o   Hosting guest speakers o   And the importance of getting discipled How to Support The Rob Skinner Podcast Your tax-deductible gift will help me get my next mission team sent off.  Click the link here:   https://tucsoncoc.breezechms.com/give/online?fund_id=1728794

 Today, I read the first half of chapter eight of my book, How to Plant and Grow a Church.  The chapter subject is how to stay fired up as a church builder.  I’ll be sharing what I’ve learned to keep your fire burning at all times and all places. How to Support The Rob Skinner Podcast I want to say thank you for supporting the Rob Skinner Podcast.  I started this podcast at the beginning of the COVID pandemic in an effort to inspire people to multiply disciples, leaders and churches.  I wanted to learn from others and share what I’ve learned over the years.  God has enabled me and my wife Pam to plant churches in 1.     Portland, Oregon 2.   Anchorage, Alaska 3.   Ashland, Oregon 4.   Tucson, Arizona 5.    and Flagstaff, Arizona.  My dream is to plant at least five more churches by the year 2030.  Your tax-deductible gift will help me get my next mission planting off the ground.  Please give today at: https://tucsoncoc.breezechms.com/give/online   Please look for and select the “Missions Fund” when you give.  Thank you!

Listen today as I talk to Matt Newburg from Fort Meyers, Florida.  Matt leads a church in Southwest Florida that has grown from a small group of 30 to over 140.  He talks about the things that have led to consistent growth: ·        Focusing on the “One Thing.” ·        Radical transparency and vulnerability ·        Surrendering control quicker and allowing God to work in all situations. More about Matt: ·        49 years old ·        Married to Deanna since 2001 ·        Baptized in 1992 ·        Father of two girls, 13 and 18 ·        He works as a minister and his wife works as an engineer   How to Support The Rob Skinner Podcast Thanks for listening today.  Pam and I have been able to plant 5 churches and my dream is to plant at least five more churches by the year 2030.  My next planting target is Green Valley and Sahuarita, Arizona.  This area is one of the fastest growing in Arizona.  Your support will help me to turn that dream into reality.  Your tax-deductible gift will help get this church off the ground.  Please give today at: https://tucsoncoc.breezechms.com/give/online   Please look for and select the “General Fund” when you give.  Thank you!

Today, I interview Steve and Charley Stevenson from Orange County, California.  Steve and Charley led a campus ministry in Long Beach California that grew from 25 disciples to 135.  Their leadership training helped put 17 graduates go into the professional ministry.  Find out their secret to spirit-led growth in this episode. How to Support The Rob Skinner Podcast I want to say thank you for supporting the Rob Skinner Podcast.  I started this podcast at the beginning of the COVID pandemic in an effort to inspire people to multiply disciples, leaders and churches.  I wanted to learn from others and share what I’ve learned over the years.  God has enabled me and my wife Pam to plant churches in 1.     Portland, Oregon 2.   Anchorage, Alaska 3.   Ashland, Oregon 4.   Tucson, Arizona 5.    and Flagstaff, Arizona.  My dream is to plant at least five more churches by the year 2030.  Your support will help me to turn that dream into reality.  Your tax-deductible gift will be given to get those churches off the ground.  Please give today at: https://tucsoncoc.breezechms.com/give/online   Please look for and select the “General Fund” when you give.  Thank you!

Join me today as I talk with Nick Galang from Oahu, Hawaii.  Nick and his wife, Shelley, are the interim leaders of the Oahu Church of Christ.  They have stepped in for Nick’s parents, Saun and Anthony Galang.  Listen as Nick shares: ·        What it was like growing up in the Galang household ·        How he met and married his high school sweetheart ·        How he got started as a songleader ·        How he started and runs his own marketing firm in Hawaii ·        What it’s like to work in his business along with his brother, Chris. ·        How his Dad’s advice to “Be Who You Are” has guided his choices in life ·        What gets him up in the morning ·        The importance of “Saying Yes!” to God ·        And a secret surprise in his family   Nick's Company: "Founded in the heart of Honolulu, The Creative Co. is a full-service marketing agency that blends traditional marketing expertise with forward-thinking digital strategies. With 9 years in the industry, we specialize in delivering a broad range of services, from web development and graphic design to branding and search engine optimization. Our mission is to drive success for our clients by crafting unique, creative solutions that harness the power of innovation and ensure their brand's visibility in the digital age." How to Support The Rob Skinner Podcast I want to say thank you for supporting the Rob Skinner Podcast.  I started this podcast at the beginning of the COVID pandemic in an effort to inspire people to multiply disciples, leaders and churches.  I wanted to learn from others and share what I’ve learned over the years.  God has enabled me and my wife Pam to plant churches in 1.     Portland, Oregon 2.   Anchorage, Alaska 3.   Ashland, Oregon 4.   Tucson, Arizona 5.    Flagstaff, Arizona.   My dream is to plant at least five more churches by the year 2030.  Your support will help me to turn that dream into reality.  Your tax-deductible gift will be given to get those churches off the ground.  Please give today at: https://tucsoncoc.breezechms.com/give/online   Please look for and select the “General Fund” when you give.  Thank you!

oday, I read chapter seven of my book, How to Plant and Grow a Church.  The chapter subject is how to raise money.  I’ll be sharing the tips and tools to raise money personally or for your church planting from friends, family and those you don’t know. How to Support The Rob Skinner Podcast I want to say thank you for supporting the Rob Skinner Podcast.  I started this podcast at the beginning of the COVID pandemic in an effort to inspire people to multiply disciples, leaders and churches.  I wanted to learn from others and share what I’ve learned over the years.  God has enabled me and my wife Pam to plant churches in 1.     Portland, Oregon 2.   Anchorage, Alaska 3.   Ashland, Oregon 4.   Tucson, Arizona 5.    and Flagstaff, Arizona.  My dream is to plant at least five more churches by the year 2030.  Your support will help me to turn that dream into reality.  Your tax-deductible gift will be given to get those churches off the ground.  Please give today at: https://tucsoncoc.breezechms.com/give/online   Please look for and select the “General Fund” when you give.  Thank you!

Today, I’m talking to Travis Albritton, founder and host of Honest Podcasts and the Practical Christian Podcast.  Travis worked for a time as a campus minister at Georgia Southern and then worked as a mechanical engineer for Lockheed Martin.  Now he runs his own company helping businesses with strategic content marketing.  His podcast has over 360 episodes.  He lives in Ponte Vedra, Florida. Listen today as I talk to him about: Why he started a podcast How to start a podcast What are the pitfalls of podcast production What microphone to start with if you're on a budget What he thinks about F.I.R.E (Financial Independence Retire Early) What was his favorite episode of nearly four-hundred podcast episodes How to Support The Rob Skinner Podcast I want to say thank you for supporting the Rob Skinner Podcast.  I started this podcast at the beginning of the COVID pandemic in an effort to inspire people to multiply disciples, leaders and churches.  I wanted to learn from others and share what I’ve learned over the years.  God has enabled me and my wife Pam to plant churches in 1.     Portland, Oregon 2.   Anchorage, Alaska 3.   Ashland, Oregon 4.   Tucson, Arizona 5.    Flagstaff, Arizona.  My dream is to plant at least five more churches by the year 2030.  Your support will help me to turn that dream into reality.  Your tax-deductible gift will be given to get those churches off the ground.  Please give today at: https://tucsoncoc.breezechms.com/give/online   Please look for and select the “General Fund” when you give.  Thank you!

Today, I talk to Guillermo Adame.  Guillermo and his wife Terry were converted in the Boston Church of Christ and then went on a mission team to Bombay, India in the 1980’s.  Listen to Guillermo share about: ·        What it was like studying the Bible with Kip Mckean ·        Going to Bombay, India as a single man and taking the “One Suitcase Challenge.” ·        The early days of the mission to India in Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai. ·        How he has juggled the demands of leading the San Diego Church, running his own financial consulting business and taking care of his critically ill wife. ·        How he handled the loss of his wife, Terry, in 2021. ·        How he reconnected with his first Christian girlfriend from 40 years ago and had found new love.   How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast: Make your tax-deductible gift here and look for the "General Funds" option.  https://tucsoncoc.breezechms.com/give/online How to Reach Rob: [email protected]  

Today, I’m talking to Kevin and Noelle Broyles from Atlanta, Georgia.  Kevin left his lucrative medical profession at the peak of his career to spend eight years directing a HOPE medical clinic in La Paz, Bolivia.  Noelle shares about how she lost her leg to cancer as a teen after growing up as an orphan.  Listen as she talks about: Planting SEEDS or “SEE something and Do Something” Practicing “Justice” or “Just Imitate Christ’s Example.” The Bible’s 7-11 store that she goes to pick up the basics of her faith. How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast: Make your tax-deductible gift here and look for the "General Funds" option.  https://tucsoncoc.breezechms.com/give/online How to Reach Rob: [email protected]  

Today I continue reading from my book, “How to Plant and Grow a Church, A Complete Guide for Small Church Growth.”  The chapter deals with the church planter’s marriage and family.  Listen as I discuss: ·        The power of building a “family feel” in your church ·        How to find joy in your marriage ·        The secret ingredient of a happy marriage ·        How to not freak out when your wife says, “We need to talk.” ·        How to balance your passion for the mission with parenting ·        What one thing 5,000 successful families all have in common ·        How to have great family dinners How to Support the Rob Skinner Podcast: Make your tax-deductible gift here and look for the "General Funds" option.  https://tucsoncoc.breezechms.com/give/online How to Reach Rob: [email protected]  

Today, I’m talking with Douglas Arthur from Boston, Massachusetts.  I spoke with Doug in 2021 and at that time, he was just starting a new program called “Chance of a Lifetime.”  This program gives people a 15-month paid internship to explore three facets of ministry in a HOPE youth camp, the Boston campus ministry and finally a foreign missionary adventure.  I thought it would be good to check back in with Doug and see how that program as well as the 15 missionary schools that he’s helping to develop globally are doing.   How to Support The Rob Skinner Podcast My dream is to plant at least five more churches by the year 2030.  Your support will help me to turn that dream into reality.  Your tax-deductible gift will be given to get those churches off the ground.  Please give today at: https://tucsoncoc.breezechms.com/give/online   Please look for and select the “General Fund” when you give.  Thank you!  

Today I talk to Ben and Susan Borland, from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.  I interviewed them on episode 140 in February of 2022.  They are planting a new church in Montevideo, Uruguay in South America.  Listen as they share how they made the decision to go on the foreign mission field in their thirties with three young kids.  They talk about their timeline, finances, team-gathering and how they are preparing for learning a new language.  You can reach Ben at [email protected] or 940-390-7592   ·        The Climb Conference is coming up November 30th-December 3rd in Dallas, Texas.  We already have a ton of people going.  I’m getting emails from Denmark, India, and other places around the world.  You can register at RobSkinner.com if you haven’t already.   ·        If you are looking to find old episodes on the Rob Skinner podcast, just google Rob Skinner Podcast along with the name or subject of the episode.  It’ll take you right to where you want to go.   ·        I’m looking for an assistant to help me with my podcast and website.  If you or someone you know might be interested, email me at RobSkinner.Com   ·        I just went on a scouting trip last week to my next mission target in Sahuarita/Green Valley in Southeastern, Arizona.  Sahuarita is one of the top five fastest growing cities in Arizona.  I’m looking for team members and a church leader to plant that church in September of 2023.  We are looking for families with kids, empty nesters and retirees to plant this beautiful area of Arizona.  If you are looking to preach the word while raising your family, or you want to retire with a purpose, contact me at [email protected] How to Support The Rob Skinner Podcast I want to say thank you for supporting the Rob Skinner Podcast.  I started this podcast at the beginning of the COVID pandemic in an effort to inspire people to multiply disciples, leaders and churches.  I wanted to learn from others and share what I’ve learned over the years.  God has enabled me and my wife Pam to plant churches in 1.     Portland, Oregon 2.   Anchorage, Alaska 3.   Ashland, Oregon 4.   Tucson, Arizona 5.    and Flagstaff, Arizona.  My dream is to plant at least five more churches by the year 2030.  Your support will help me to turn that dream into reality.  Your tax-deductible gift will be given to get those churches off the ground.  Please give today at: https://tucsoncoc.breezechms.com/give/online   Please look for and select the “General Fund” when you give.  Thank you!

The Boston Church of Christ recently had an Easter Worship service in which 1,000 guests visited.  This is impressive for a church of 2,200 members.  What makes it remarkable is that an estimated 600 of those were not invited directly by disciples, they found out about it from a social media outreach effort spearheaded by Stuart Mains.  He and his wife, Ashley, lead the downtown ministry of the Boston Church.  Listen today as he talks about how over the past few years, he’s tinkered, experimented and built an online platform to bring seekers into God’s church.  He shares practically and specifically how you can be effective reaching the lost through social media.  I hope you’re doing well.  There are two things I want to let you know about: ·        First of all, thanks for signing up for the Climb Conference, November 30th – December 3rd 2023 in Dallas, Texas.  We already have nearly 100 people registered.  That’s nearly as many as came to the first conference we hosted.  We are praying that this year, we will have over 300 people in attendance.  You can register at RobSkinner.com if you haven’t already. ·        Secondly, My dream is to plant 10 or more churches by 2030.  My next mission target is Sahuarita/Green Valley in Southeastern, Arizona.  Sahuarita is one of the top five fastest growing cities in Arizona.  I’m looking for team members and a church leader to plant that church in the fall of 2030.  We are looking for families with kids, empty nesters and retirees to plant this beautiful area of Arizona.  If you are looking to preach the word while raising your family, or you want to retire with a purpose, contact me at [email protected] How to Support The Rob Skinner Podcast Pam and I have been able to plant 5 churches and my dream is to plant at least five more churches by the year 2030.  My next planting target is Green Valley Arizona.  This area is one of the fastest growing in Arizona.  Your support will help me to turn that dream into reality.  Your tax-deductible gift will help get this church off the ground.  Please give today at: https://tucsoncoc.breezechms.com/give/online  

Today, my wife, Pam, and I interview Jeanie Shaw, author of 17 books.  She shares about her life and ministry and writing career and how she’s coped with losing her husband, Wyndham.  More about Jeanie Shaw: After graduating from the University of Florida, Jeanie Shaw went into the ministry, helping women learn how to apply the Bible to real life. Over forty-five years later, she is a New Englander continuing to minister. She has taught classes and workshops worldwide on issues such as marriage, parenting, leadership, adoption, and loss. For eight years of those years, she served as a vice-president of HOPE worldwide, working with orphans and the elderly in New England and Europe. She holds a master's degree in Christian Spirituality and Formation and is pursuing her doctorate in the same field. She has four grown children, eight grandchildren, and a tennis-ball-obsessed golden retriever.  You can reach Jeanie at [email protected]   How to Support The Rob Skinner Podcast I want to say thank you for supporting the Rob Skinner Podcast.    I started this podcast at the beginning of the COVID pandemic in an effort to inspire people to multiply disciples, leaders and churches.  I wanted to learn from others and share what I’ve learned over the years.  God has enabled me and my wife Pam to plant churches in 1.      Portland, Oregon 2.     Anchorage, Alaska 3.     Ashland, Oregon 4.    Tucson, Arizona 5.     and Flagstaff, Arizona.    Thanks for listening today.  Pam and I have been able to plant 5 churches and myy dream is to plant at least five more churches by the year 2030.  My next planting target is Green Valley Arizona.  This area is one of the fastest growing in Arizona.  Your support will help me to turn that dream into reality.  Your tax-deductible gift will help get this church off the ground.  Please give today at: https://tucsoncoc.breezechms.com/give/online   Please look for and select the “General Fund” when you give.  Thank you!

Have you ever: ·        Felt like there was a gap between what you are experiencing spiritually and what the New Testament describes? ·        Wanted God to speak more directly with you? ·        Wondered if your relationship with God is as deep as it should or can be? ·        Wondered what Jesus was talking about when he describes “springs of living water” flowing from those who believe in God? If so, David Takle in his book: “Forming:  A Work of Grace” talks about how to take your relationship with God to a deeper and more meaningful level.  In this interview he talks about his book and how a person can work with God to build a more interactive and satisfying connection with God.  You can reach David Takle at [email protected]. His course can be found at Forming-Course.Com His books can be found at Amazon.com or humbleshack.net Find out more information at KingdomFormation.org   It’s April 11th, 2023 and I hope you had a fantastic Easter weekend.  Here in Tucson, we were praying to have over 200 in attendance.  Prior to Covid, we had several Easter services of over 300 and yet we haven’t broken 200 in over three years.  God blessed our Sunday service with over 220 in attendance.  We also had our first Spanish-speaking service after our English service.  Angel Armenta is doing a great job leading our Spanish work. ·       We hired a great couple to lead our campus ministry, Coleman and Alexa Gordon.  They moved to Tucson at the end of March. ·       I read a book called “Backpacking with the Saints” and in the book, the author talks about backpacking Aravaipa Canyon in Arizona.  I’ve been wanting to do that since I read about it 6 or seven years ago.  So last week I took my two ministry interns, Kevin Lu and Coleman Gordan and we spent three days and two nights backpacking through 23 miles of Aravaipa creek.  It’s a combination of trail and hiking in the stream.  Our feet were constantly wet and the scenery was staggering.  You have to make reservations because only 10 people per day are allowed to be in the canyon.  It was super bonding, tiring and we made a great memory, walking, talking and praying together. ·       I’m looking forward to the Climb Conference November 3oth in Dallas Texas.  I want to ask you to please register to go.  This Friday, April 15th is the last day to register for the early bird discount of $125 per person.  After that, it will go up to $150 per person.  If you are listening to this podcast, you need to come.  You are the type person who will be inspired and motivated by the fellowship and preaching.  Just go to RobSkinner.Com and look for the Climb Tab.   How to Support The Rob Skinner Podcast I want to say thank you for supporting the Rob Skinner Podcast.    I started this podcast at the beginning of the COVID pandemic in an effort to inspire people to multiply disciples, leaders and churches.  I wanted to learn from others and share what I’ve learned over the years.  God has enabled me and my wife Pam to plant churches in 1.     Portland, Oregon 2.   Anchorage, Alaska 3.   Ashland, Oregon 4.   Tucson, Arizona 5.    and Flagstaff, Arizona.    My dream is to plant at least five more churches by the year 2030.  Your support will help me to turn that dream into reality.  Your tax-deductible gift will be given to get those churches off the ground.  Please give today at: https://tucsoncoc.breezechms.com/give/online   Please look for and select the “General Fund” when you give. 

Today I interview a 65-year-old semi-retired Chiropractor named Karen Kolarik.  She retired with a purpose to Green Valley Arizona and has converted her Dad, Stepmother and is studying the Bible with a large number of her neighbors currently.  She joined our church during COVID and has been on fire since she arrived.  She reminds me of this scripture in Psalm 92 The righteous will flourish like a palm tree,     they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; 13 planted in the house of the Lord,     they will flourish in the courts of our God. 14 They will still bear fruit in old age,     they will stay fresh and green, 15 proclaiming, “The Lord is upright;     he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.”  Karen is still bearing fruit and like Caleb, hasn’t lost her passion in maturity.  If you’ve ever wondered how to be effective as a senior disciple, you need to listen to Karen’s story! Climb Conference Please register today for the Climb Conference!  Now more than ever, you need the practical training, warm encouragement and powerful inspiration that this conference will provide you with.  Whether you are a small church leader, planter, ministry leader or campus leader, you are going to thank yourself for showing up in Dallas, Texas, November 30th through December 3rd.  We have people coming from India, Europe and New Zealand and more are signing up every week.  Sign up today by going to RobSkinner.com and looking for the Climb Conference tab.  How to Support The Rob Skinner Podcast Thank you for listening to the Rob Skinner Podcast.  I started this podcast at the beginning of the COVID pandemic to inspire you to multiply disciples, leaders and churches.  I wanted to learn from others and share what I’ve learned over the years.  God has enabled me and my wife Pam to plant churches in: 1.     Portland, Oregon 2.   Anchorage, Alaska 3.   Ashland, Oregon 4.   Tucson, Arizona 5.    and Flagstaff, Arizona.   My dream is to plant at least five more churches by the year 2030.  Your support will help me to turn that dream into reality.  Your tax-deductible gift will be given to get those churches off the ground.  Please give today at: https://tucsoncoc.breezechms.com/give/online   Please look for and select the “General Fund” when you give.  Thank you!

In this episode I talk with Joel Peed and Joel Nagel, co-planners of the 2023 Climb Conference.  Listen as we talk about what to look forward to at this year’s conference!  We talk about: Who's speaking What the theme is Why you need to be there! How to Support The Rob Skinner Podcast I started this podcast at the beginning of the COVID pandemic to inspire people to multiply disciples, leaders, and churches.  I wanted to learn from others and share what I’ve learned over the years.  God has enabled me and my wife Pam to plant churches in 1.     Portland, Oregon 2.   Anchorage, Alaska 3.   Ashland, Oregon 4.   Tucson, Arizona 5.    and Flagstaff, Arizona.  My dream is to plant at least five more churches by the year 2030.  Your support will help me to turn that dream into reality.  Your tax-deductible gift will be given to get those churches off the ground.  Please give today at: https://tucsoncoc.breezechms.com/give/online    Please look for and select the “General Fund” when you give.  Thank you!

In this episode, I read from chapter five of my book on How to Plant and Grow a Church.  I’ll be talking about how to plant a church with financial backing as opposed to a self-supporting model.  I’ll cover: ·        How to form a team ·        What to do in the 90 days prior to the planting ·        How to have a massive first service ·        How to make your church services “Guy Friendly” ·        And how to schedule your time as a church planter and leader   I just personally registered today for the Climb Conference!  I didn’t want to miss the early bird discount being offered right now.  Joel Peed and Joel Nagel, my co-planners, are meeting in Dallas this next week to mastermind a great conference.  We already have Shawn Wooten, Dave Bliley and Daren Overstreet committed and we are looking forward to having a full slate of great speakers.  I’ll let you know more about the conference once I meet with Joel and Joel.  I want to ask you to register now for this conference.  Do yourself a favor and sign up.  I haven’t met a single participant who regretted coming and learning at the past two conferences.  Now more than ever, you need the practical training, warm encouragement and powerful inspiration that this conference will provide you with.  Whether you are a small church leader, planter, ministry leader or campus leader, you are going to thank yourself for showing up in Dallas, Texas, November 30th through December 3rd.  We have people coming from India, Europe and New Zealand and more are signing up every week.  Sign up today by going to RobSkinner.com and looking for the Climb Conference tab. 

In this episode I talk to Rubik and Fiona Ghalustians.  They are disciples baptized in the eighties in London.  They both worked secular jobs until 2020 when they were asked for the first time to go into the ministry and go on mission to Glasgow, Scotland.  They moved there at the beginning of the pandemic to strengthen the church and raise up native leaders to replace those who had left. In a little over two years, they doubled the 20-year-old church to nearly forty members and raised up a full-time local couple to lead the church.  Listen as they share:     Their “One Person a Day” motto     The importance of finishing like you start     Three proverbs that have guided them to raise three kids to follow Christ     The secret of doing ministry after working secular jobs Please register for the Climb Conference!  Go to RobSkinner.Com and register today!

In this episode, I talk to Preston and Sandie Shepherd.  In 1989, they planted a church in Manila, Philippines that experienced 400 baptisms in its first year.  The Manila church is now one of the larger churches in our fellowship of churches and continues to expand and multiply churches throughout that country.  Preston and Sandie share: How they formed the team What they did the first 30 days What they'd do differently What shocked and surprised them What helped them see strong growth Please register for the Climb Conference at RobSkinner.com!  Dallas Texas, November 30th through December 3rd, 2023.  See you there!

In this episode, I read from my book, How to Plant and Grow a Church, and finish Chapter 4:  How to plant a church Bi-Vocationally or Self-Supporting. You can find this book on Amazon.  Please read it and review it!

This week I interview Kyle Plum from San Diego, California.  I hired Kyle to come to Tucson and “tune up” our campus ministry and preach to the church.  Listen as Kyle shares about the state of campus ministries in our movement and what they need to grow.   If you are enjoying this podcast, I’d like to ask your help and support through one of the following: ·        Hit the subscribe button ·        Post the episode and its link on your favorite social media site ·        Read my books: o   How to plant and grow a church o   Courage:  How to make this life count ·        If you’ve read one of my books please leave a review on Amazon!  

Today I’m talking to Anthony and Saun Galang from Honolulu, Hawaii.  They met in the Bay Area and went on the mission team to Manila, Philippines and later led ministries in Thailand, Los Angeles and most recently Hawaii.  Listen as they share: How they met What it was like giving up medical careers for the ministry And what their secret is to raising a spiritual family   More about Saun and Anthony: Anthony and Saun Galang bring over 36 years of ministry experience having served the Lord and His church since the mid-1980s. They became Christians in the Berkeley Church of Christ, Saun being converted as a nursing student from the University of San Francisco and Anthony as a senior from U.C. Berkeley. God has used them to serve around the world in ministries, which include San Francisco, the Philippines, Thailand, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Los Angeles and currently in Hawaii, where they serve as an elder/evangelist/women’s ministry leader. Along with finishing his Masters in Ministry Leadership from Rockbridge Seminary in 2018, Anthony serves on the Board for Disciples Today and Saun is the Board President for the Asia Pacific Missions Foundation (APMF), which serves and supports the mission work in the Philippines and Myanmar. They have two wonderful, adult boys, who are both disciples and married. Nick and his wife, Shelley, serve as Youth Ministers in Oahu and Chris and his wife, Christiane, serve in the Teen and Young Professionals ministry.

In this episode, I read the first half of chapter four of my book, “How to Plant and Grow a Church.”  This chapter explains how to plant a church Bi-vocationally or self-supported.  If you’ve ever considered leading a church while still working a secular job or if Covid has led you to a more remote part of the world, you need to listen to this chapter.  As more disciples live the life of a digital nomad, the opportunity to spread the gospel only grows.  God might be calling you to plant a church where you are at right now.  Find out how to do it!

In this episode, I interview Austen and Sarah Bolves, who are leaving soon to do missionary work in Germany.  They share how they determined God's calling to go overseas, how they prepared for the mission and what motivates them to leave the comfort of their current situation for the foreign mission field. I hope you are planning on going to the Climb Small Church Leadership Conference in Dallas Texas, November 30th through December 3rd, 2023.     

In this episode I interview Shawn Wooten, leader of the Revive Eastern Europe (ReviveEE) Program and find out what’s been happening with the ReviveEE program and his relief work for Ukraine.  Listen as Shawn talks about: Creating the "Merry Berry" Church of Christ in a coffee shop during Covid How they had weekly baptisms during the height of the refugee flood escaping the Ukraine Their plans to continue strengthening churches in Eastern Europe and specifically, Bucharest, Romania How you can participate in a 10-month mission to Eastern Europe You can reach Shawn at [email protected]  

In this episode, I interview Elizabeth Laing Thompson.  Elizabeth is the author of five non-fiction books and has a sixth soon to be published.  Her books have broken out into the mainstream Christian market and are selling in the tens of thousands.  You may have heard of: All the Feels for Teens All the Feels When God Says, “Wait” When God Says, “No" When God Says, “Go” Listen as she shares: How she got started writing What it was like growing up the oldest daughter of Sam and Geri Laing How to get started as an author How to build a platform through social media How to handle rejection How she has broken into the mainstream Christian market. Books: All the Feels for Teens All the Feels When God Says, “Wait” When God Says, “No" Author site:   ElizabethLaingThompson.com Facebook: Facebook.com/alizzylifeInstagram: @elizabethlaingthompson

Listen today as I read chapter three of my book “How to Plant and Grow a Church:  A Complete Manual for Small Church Growth”  Do you have what it takes to plant a church or go on a mission team?  This chapter describes the personal qualities necessary to be become a church planter or missionary. 

In this episode, I interview Brian and Abby Mackie, who lead the church in Flagstaff, Arizona.  I traveled up to Flagstaff in early December to appoint them or ordain them as an evangelist and women’s ministry leader.  I look forward to discussing their path to leadership in God’s Kingdom. I hope you are planning on going to the Climb Small Church Leadership Conference in Dallas Texas, November 30th through December 3rd, 2023.  Also, if you have a desire to lead, plant or lead a church or become an evangelist or women’s ministry leader I have something you should consider: I’m looking to hire for the following positions: If you want to become a church leader in the future but need more experience in the basics of ministry and want someone to walk with you, I’m looking for male and female interns who will start on campus and graduate to church planting or leadership. If you are ready to lead a campus ministry right now, I’m looking for a couple to lead the University of Arizona campus ministry. We’d like you to join us immediately and then in the fall, you will assume the leadership of the campus. Finally, if you already have ministry or church leadership experience and you’re just waiting your shot to lead your own church, we are looking for an experienced couple of any age to lead a church planting in the Tucson Metropolitan area. Please let me know if you or someone you know are interested in this opportunity.  Email me at [email protected] Questions: You recently got appointed as evangelist and women's ministry leader, how'd it feel? Abby, you started with the one year challenge, were you planning on becoming a WML? Brian, your Mom said she raised you to serve, not to lead a church.  Are you surprised to be leading a church? Who has helped you along the way and how? What has helped you? What are the pitfalls to avoid? You weren't considering yourself for the leadership of flagstaff, why not? What advice would you give for a younger person who wants a shot?

Listen today as I read from chapter two of my book, “How to Plant and Grow a Church:  A Complete Manual for Small Church Growth.”  I will talk about the power of church planting and why it’s more important than ever.

In this episode I talk with Kevin Lu, Felipe Moraes and Ed Mejia about their experience in the "ministry incubator."

Listen today as I talk to Jeff and Amanda Henderson, missionaries to Sao Paolo, Brazil.  They share: How Jeff overcame a major setback in his ministry career Why and how they made the decision to move onto the mission field in their thirties How they’ve stepped into leading the church in Sao Paolo How God is working to bring revival to the church in Sao Paolo More about Jeff and Amanda: Jeff and Amanda Henderson currently serve as the lead evangelist and women's minister with our congregation in São Paulo, Brazil.  They also serve as the Directors of the Brasil School of Missions.   Before moving to Brasil, Jeff and Amanda served for 15 and 10 years respectively in San Antonio, TX in campus, singles, youth and regional ministry.  They have been married 11 years and have 3 kids - Millicent (6), Juniper (5) and Trey (3).  When not wrangling kiddos or drinking good coffee, Jeff and Amanda love to travel and occasionally sleep.

Today, I interview Shane and Victoria McDowell from Stockholm, Sweden.  Listen as they share: How they made their decision to go on the foreign mission field. How they didn’t really like each other for five years and then ended up getting married. How Shane has type one diabetes and still went overseas to preach the word. What has been most challenging and rewarding for them in Stockholm. What it’s like to enjoy only six hours of sunlight a day during the winter

If you’ve ever considered planting a church, leading in the ministry full or part-time, then you need to read my book, “How to Plant and Grow a Church.”  This book is a complete manual for small church growth.  In this episode I read the introduction and chapter one and talk about the motivation to plant or lead a church. It’s mid-December, 2022 and I hope you are enjoying all the banquets, parties and events that characterize Christmas.  Here’s what’s been going on with me: Pam and I went up and appointed Brian and Abby Mackie as an evangelist and women’s ministry leader in Flagstaff, Arizona. They’ve done a great job getting that church off the ground and have grown it from a eight disciples to around 45 in a little over a year. I hope to interview them and talk about their journey on an upcoming episode. I’m looking forward to the Climb Conference November 30th, 2023. Please make plans to go. I’m looking for a replacement couple for Kevin and Erica Lu on campus at the University of Arizona. They leave in September 2023 to go to Revive EE.  If you are interested in becoming a church planter, Evangelist or women’s leader, I’d like to ask you to email me and let’s talk about our ministry incubator program.  I’m looking for someone who wants to start on campus and then in time lead their own church.  The unique aspect of this program is that you’ll have someone to walk with.  I spent four days a week on campus this last fall with Kevin and Erica, Felipe and Ed and walked with them.  I met someone personally, studied with them and baptized them.  If you are looking for spiritual training or know someone who is, please email me at [email protected].  This is a paid position. I’m also looking for adults who would like to lead a small church in a suburban setting. I’m praying to plant churches around the Tucson Metropolitan area and am looking for a married couple with kids, empty nesters or retirees who’d be interested in doing mission work in the Tucson metro area.  Email me at [email protected]

Today, I interview Leslie McCall and Jeff Hernandez.  Leslie helps women who are dealing with a husband, fiancé or boyfriend who is wrestling with pornography or sexual addiction.  Listen as Leslie and Jeff talk about: How to confront a person who’s is trapped in sexual addiction How to overcome the fear of change How to deal with gaslighters, anger and counterattackers How you can’t forgive unless you know what you’re forgiving How to deal with self-blame Questions: How’d you and Jeff meet? How’d you become a Christian? Jeff shared his story in a previous episode, why’d you get involved in coaching women whose husbands struggle with addiction? How do you know when your husband has an issue? What do you do when you find something? How do you confront the situation? What if your husband’s a gaslighter, defensive or angry? What are seeing in people’s lives? What are women dealing with? In the past, women in church were told either: Be more sexually available or: Leave your husband What are a woman’s options? How do you deal with self-blame? Jeff, you’ve said that “Men set better boundaries.” Can you explain? What do you do if your husband is in a high profile position and you are afraid he may lose his job or status? What services do you provide? What does the program look like? Is there hope after recovery? Can a marriage be repaired? Are there any good news stories or examples? You can contact Leslie here:  [email protected]

I watched a recent Keydogo video in which a couple from the Gold Coast of Australia, Rob and Katie Mulhearn, shared that both their church and the entire South Pacific and Australian churches had doubled in size.  I was fired up to hear that good news but I wanted to find out how they did it.  So I asked Rob and Katie to share what has helped them to take their church from 37 to 75 members over the past five years.  What’s amazing is that the church had plateaued at around 37 for 16 years prior to their arriving in Gold Coast.  Listen as they share: What’s helped them to grow What their weekly schedule looks like How they stay connected relationally in vast area of the world How they manage the ministry with two toddlers and one on the way How imitation and friendly accountability helps them stay focused If you are enjoying this podcast, I’d like to ask your help and support through one of the following: Hit the subscribe button Post the episode and its link on your favorite social media site Read my books: How to plant and grow a church Courage: How to make this life count If you’ve read one of my books please leave a review on Amazon! Come to the Climb Conference in Dallas at the end of 2023!

Come to the 2023 Climb Small Church Leadership Conference in Dallas, Texas! I hope you'll be able to make it and will set aside money in your budget for you and as many as possible from your staff and church to go. What? Climb Small Church Leadership Conference When? Thursday, November 30 through Sunday, December 3, 2023 How much? $129 per night for lodging and $100 per person registration. Registration will open soon. Who is it for? Full-time or bi-vocational ministers, missionaries, self-supporting leaders and those who aspire to leadership in the future. The 2019 conference had a little over 100 guests, 2021 had over 200 guests and we are anticipating around 400 in attendance in 2023. You don't want to miss this! Why? The Climb Conference is designed to help you and your ministry grow. We want to work together with you to multiply disciples, leaders and churches. Where? Dallas, Texas, USA. Same hotel and conference center as the 2021 conference. Please save the date in your ministry calendar and set aside the funds to make the trip to Dallas in 2023. Please try to stay from Thursday through Sunday. Need more information? Have questions? Please contact Rob Skinner at [email protected] In this episode I talk about the secrets to making the holiday season memorable, fun and spiritual. I love the holidays and I hope and pray this is your best holiday season so far.  I wanted to share with 20+ tips I’ve learned to prepare for a great holiday season. Create, Print and Post a plan Resolve any relational tension prior to the holidays Fast in preparation for the holidays Make shopping for yourself easy, give people a list of ideas Give yourself full permission to enjoy yourself: Declare a feasting and celebration period Plan activities that bring people together Plan out a nativity play for young kids Write thank you notes and have your kids participate Talk about and set a spending cap on Christmas Develop shopping traditions Use a gift drawing Solicit everyone’s input Getaway if no one is coming home Plan a vacation after your “vacation” Do something to help people Have a spiritual vacation, but don’t take a vacation spiritually Bring out the Bible Go to church wherever you are Plan your viewing in advance Keep your computer public   Skinner Family Thanksgiving Plan 2022 Wednesday, November 23rd, 2022 5:00 pm, Meet at 3505 E Calle Alarcon Scripture, reflection and prayer: Rob and Pam Dinner at In-N-Out Movie: The Fellowship of the Ring Thursday, November 24th, 2022 Golf at 7:30 am Football Viewing at 12:00 Thanksgiving Dinner at 3:00 pm Scripture, Gratitude Sharing with Felipe and Anne Walk Discussion: Christmas Gift Giving Movie: The Two Towers Friday, November 25th, 2022 Breakfast out at a bakery Scripture and prayer, James Day trip, shopping, etc. Dinner at Home with leftovers Scripture and Prayer, David Movie: The Return of the King Thanksgiving officially ends You can reach me at [email protected]

On this episode I answer the question: “How Can Our Family of Churches Grow to 1,000,000+ by the year 2050?”  Listen as I offer ten ideas for seeing our churches grow and flourish in the coming decades.    Transcript: How can the Kingdom grow to 1,000,000+ by 2050? One of my dreams is to help the Kingdom grow to 1,000,000+ by 2050.  I’ll be 85 in 2050.  According to the life expectancy calculator provided by Social Security, I’ve got 25 more years.  That’ll take me to 82.  However, my Mom just died this year at the age of 97, so I might just make it to 85.  Here’s what I’d like to see when I’m 85: I want to see churches all over the world in every large city, every mid-sized city and every small town.  I want to go to conferences that number in the 100’s of thousands.  I look forward to the day when meeting a new disciple, it takes more than a few degrees of separation to find someone we both know.  I look forward to the day when young disciples, in their early and mid-twenties are leading mission teams to new locations and seeing their churches grow.  I look forward to the day when every large metropolitan area has kingdom churches in every city within that metropolis.  I want to see a fired-up, growing family of churches that no matter where you go to visit, you’ll find a warm welcome and common culture of passion for Jesus, love for each other and a drive to grow spiritually.  That’s the church I was baptized into and that’s the church I want to die in.  How can we do this?  Here’s some ideas: Revive the pillar church planting strategy. In the early days of our movement, the idea was to plant a church in the major metropolitan centers of our world and then from there plant churches to that region.  That is why Paul could say in Romans 15:19, “So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.” And in 15:17, “23 But now that there is no more place for me to work in these regions, and since I have been longing for many years to visit you, 24 I plan to do so when I go to Spain.”  He hadn’t reached every person in the Mediterranean coastal area he had traveled.  Far from it.  However, he had planted churches in key regional cities; places like Ephesus and Philippi and Corinth.  He wanted to use Rome as a jumping off point to reach a new area in Spain.  Our family of churches has done an amazing job in getting churches to the metropolitan centers of the world.  The year 2000 plan was nearly accomplished in getting a church to every city of at least 1,000 in every country.  However, we need to fulfill that original plan.  The goal was from those metropolitan cities each smaller city and town would be reached.  We have so far to go in reaching small and mid-sized cities cities and towns in the areas we’ve already planted churches in.  The first stage might be completed, but in order to evangelize the world, we need move on to regional saturation. We need to redefine the goal to get one church in every city in every metropolitan area. The creed guiding our planting philosophy is one church in one city.  However, the way that has come to be interpreted is one church in one metropolitan area.  If we actually held to the idea of once church in one city, we would open the door to so much more growth.  For instance, according to Wikipedia, there are 88 cities in Los Angeles County each with a mayor and a city council.  That’s only in Los Angeles County.  The Greater Los Angeles Metropolitan Area is composed of five counties with a multitude of distinct cities within them.  What if we had a kingdom church in each one of those cities?  I’m reminded of Paul’s command to Archippus in Col 4:17,  “See to it that you complete the ministry you have received in the Lord.”  I feel the burden to complete the ministry God gave me when he brought me to Tucson.  To reach the city and metropolitan area of 1.3 million souls.  I’m working on a plan to get churches to all the nearby cities and areas in this metropolitan area.  I want to see 10 or more churches planted by the year 2030.  My plan is to form a team of disciples and find a leader or leadership couple who wants to plant a new church.  I would move to that neighboring city or area with the leader and team and walk with him for a year or two.  I would still be leading the church here in Tucson but would live in that mission area and disciple that leader as he gets it off the ground.  After that I would move to another city or area not more than a 30 minute drive from the main Tucson church.  The church planting would not be a region or zone or house church but an independent church connected by a common love for God and his church.  We would work together to help get the entire metropolitan area reached.  I dream of the day when there are ten or more churches around this area of 1,000,000+ metro area.  We could have a church for each 100,000 people.  That would be awesome! We need to emphasize small church planting. Large churches grow slower.  They are amazing resource centers for wisdom, experience, money and manpower, but as a church grows larger, it becomes dramatically more difficult to grow a larger church.  More manpower and money is needed to simply maintain the membership that exists.  Leaders who lead large 500 member plus churches are going full-tilt to help their church grow.  But friction develops once a church grows past a certain size.  A positive example of this is the Flagstaff, Arizona church planting.  That church was planted last year in the summer of 2021.  It was composed of eight faithful disciples who had kept the torch burning dimly for several decades.  When Brian and Abby Mackie led the team and started the church it grew from that eight member kingdom frontier outpost to a thriving current membership of nearly 50 members in a little over a year.  It’s just easier to grow a small church than a larger church.  Raise up and send younger church leaders. Many of our existing churches were planted in the eighties and nineties by disciples who were in their mid-twenties, often just graduated from college.  I remember meeting evangelists who were in their mid-thirties and thinking, that guy’s old!  Today, a new leader is lucky if he can be appointed an evangelist by forty.  One of the reasons is many young leaders haven’t been given the opportunity to go out and plant a church or lead a small church on their own.  The rate of learning in a planting or small church is dramatically faster than leading in a region of an existing church.  Why?  The missionary has to do everything, every facet of church leadership.  He’ll make a ton of mistakes, but he’ll learn campus, singles and married leadership.  He’ll figure out children’s ministry, administration, location finding, contracts and event planning.  There is nothing he won’t face during the time he’s in that small church.  I was appointed an evangelist at the age of twenty five and I didn’t consider it unusual or premature.  Why?  I’d already planted a church in Portland, Oregon and had learned the exciting way what it takes to run a congregation. Promote the missionary gap year in our churches. The Mormon church is one of the fastest growing churches in the world.  Despite a doctrine that I would more closely associate with science fiction or fantasy novel, it has mastered a number of very effective practices that outweigh any doctrinal deficiencies.  For example they emphasize family building and expect every member to tithe.  However, the one I find the most worthy of imitation is their practice of sending off missionaries immediately after high school.  In 2019, the LDS church sent out 67,000 eighteen and nineteen year olds on mission around the world.  This has so many benefits including: It creates strong convictions in young disciples The years after high school are often the most tumultuous and tempting for many young disciples. Those who come back from a mission at 20 have matured and changed in those two years. We offer adventure and travel to our kids. You don’t need to be 30 to teach the gospel. The first principles series can be absorbed and taught by teens. It creates a youth culture that shares a common foundation of sacrifice for Christ. When my son James graduated high school in 2013, I helped him arrange a missionary year spent in Tokyo, Japan.  We went back to where he was born, refreshed his Japanese, climbed Mount Fuji, made friends, made disciples and came back a transformed young man.  What if we had a core of high-school graduates going on mission for one or two years?  We’d see the churches grow where they went, they themselves would grow and they’d come back firmly convinced in their faith. Examine and change our biases against smaller cities, towns and areas. One mindset that keeps us from taking the next step to a million or more disciples is the prejudice against small and medium sized cities and towns.  For many disciples, anything less than three million people in population is considered a “hick town” or the backwoods.  By that yardstick ancient Rome, with an estimated population of 1,000,000 in 100 AD,  would be considered a “flyover” city or a backwater.  I remember talking with a leader about my desire to save my homestate of Oregon.  He laughed and said, “Why would you want to go there?  There are more trees than people in Oregon!”  I’m glad I didn’t adopt his mindset.  Shortly after that I moved back to my hometown of 20,000 people and started a church without any financial backing.  I wasn’t thinking about how large or small the area was, I was thinking, I have to save my family at any cost to myself.  Current technology enables us to work remotely, stay connected and live anywhere we choose to.  There has never been a better time to reach every area for Jesus. Tap into our deep well of experienced leadership. There are so many former and current leaders sitting in the audience of churches around the world on any given Sunday.  Many of those could lead a church starting tomorrow.  Many disciples converted in the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s are now at the peak of their careers or planning for retirement.  While it’s wise to plan for financial retirement, it’s foolish to retire spiritually.  If you are 50 or sixty, you will probably live another 20 to 40 years.  That’s like a second career.  What if you used that to go on a mission team, strengthen a small church or lead a planting or small church.  There are churches all over who would love to have your level of experience benefit their congregation.  This could be the most effective and fruitful period of your life.  I love this scripture from Psalm 92:12-15:  The righteous will flourish like a palm tree,     they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; 13 planted in the house of the Lord,     they will flourish in the courts of our God. 14 They will still bear fruit in old age,     they will stay fresh and green, 15 proclaiming, “The Lord is upright;     he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.” You can be fruitful at whatever age you are right now.  I have been going on campus four days a week this entire fall semester.  I’m studying the Bible with young men I’ve personally met.  Not one has indicated that 57 is too old for them learn from.  Ken and Debby Burford retired from his law practice and led the Flagstaff mission outpost for seven years before the mission team was sent there.  They were the indispensable couple to lead and maintain that group of disciples until reinforcements came. Gary Roberson is leading a church in Hilo, Hawaii with his wife, Christy.  He graduated from Harding University fifty years ago and he’s still preaching the Word and raising up a younger man in Brad Tamashiro. You could do the same.  Don’t head to the gated community, the fenced in compound, go to the mission field and make your life count. Create a spring of mission funding. When I was a baby Christian, every Sunday I would look around to a young Congregation.  Tom Brown, my church leader was “old” at 35 years old.  Now when I visit other churches, it’s like going to a Journey concert, the people I see have graying or gray hair.  What we may lack in youthfulness, we make up for in money.  Most of those who form the backbone of our churches are in their prime earning years.  We have the money for missions.  We’ve never had more financial ability than we have right now to expand our churches to 1,000,000 and more.  What it will take is an intentional focus on funding new leaders training and new churches.  This is where money multiplies in souls saved.  When we planted the church in Flagstaff we held a special thank you dinner for mission supporters, those who had given exceptionally large gifts to get the church off the ground.  Though some couldn’t make it to the dinner, one did whom I’ll never forget.  It was Andrew Shay from Dallas, Texas.  He and his wife Leia had listened to this podcast, heard about the team and without solicitation sent a large gift.  His money has multiplied five times over the last year in the form of souls saved and growth in disciples.  What makes Andrew unique is that he’s not yet 30 years old.  What if every disciple who mature and well-employed had that same intentionality to advance the Kingdom.  We could get to 1,000,000+ or more disciples by 2050. Take a year off to advance the mission. Todd and Karen Schulz took a sabbatical year from teaching to serve in the mainland China churches.  They shared about their experience in my book, “Courage:  How To Make This Life Count.”  They spent time with Kelcy and JaLaine Hahn and it refreshed their walk with Christ.  You could do the same.  If you’re considering a break or if you’re in between jobs, why not go on mission domestically or overseas?   Go overseas to do mission work. It’s no secret that the fastest growing churches are not located in Europe or the United States.  The areas that are responding to the gospel most readily are generally located south of the equator, places like Central and South America, Africa, Indonesia and other developing areas.  If you’re frustrated in your outreach, why not go overseas to save souls.  You can learn the language and share the gospel as you do.  You’ll be in a region that is experiencing more ready acceptance of the gospel.  The spiritul soil is better in many of these areas.  I’ve never regretted going to Japan for ten years with my family.  I feel for those who haven’t had the opportunity to experience a different culture and serve overseas.  If you’re thinking about it, I want to offer you some advice:  There is never going to be an opportune time.  If you’ve been thinking about Shawn Wooten’s ReviveEE, sign up and go.  If you’ve considered going to help the churches in South Asia or Southeast Asia, just go.  If you’ve wanted to go to China, make it happen.  It will never be easy, it will never be convenient.  You will have to uproot and go and you will never regret doing it.    We can grow to 1,000,000+ disciples.  I have many more ideas on how to accomplish it and I look forward to sharing more in future episodes,  but it starts with you, with this group of listeners.  You’re listening because you want to multiply disciples, leaders and churches, you want to make this life count, you want to live a no-regrets life.  Together we can do this.  It always starts with a few people determined to make a difference.  Why couldn’t we see our family of churches grow from 100,000+ disciples to 1,000,000+ disciples over the next 30 years.  That would be something to live and die for. I’d like to hear from you about this topic.  Email me at [email protected] and let me know what your ideas are, how we can get to 1,000,000+ disciples and I’ll share your thoughts on a later episode.   If you are enjoying this podcast, I’d like to ask your help and support through one of the following: Hit the subscribe button Post the episode and its link on your favorite social media site Read my books: How to plant and grow a church Courage: How to make this life count If you’ve read one of my books please leave a review on Amazon! Pray for me and for the church here in Tucson. My goal is to inspire you to Make this life count. Live a “no-regrets” life Multiply disciples, leaders and churches; Have a great day and Make This Life Count!

In this episode, I talk to Daren Overstreet, former leader of the Seattle Church of Christ and now leader of the church in Tampa, Florida.  He’s written a book entitled, “Wildfire:  How Progressive Theology is Impacting the Church.”  Listen as he shares: What Progressive Theology is and how to spot it How it's creeping into and changing our churches What is the church's role in creating social justice? What is Critical Theory? How to guard the gospel amid a changing culture How to discuss "Hot Topics" in church  Buy Daren's book "Wildfire" at IPI Books or Amazon.com   More About Daren and Karla Overstreet: Daren and Karla have been in the ministry for 26 years, having served most of them in the Pacific Northwest.  They have been married for 30 years and have 3 adult children.  Daren holds a master's degree in Missional Theology.  They enjoy long walks, spending time with their kids, playing golf and eating lots of sushi.   Interview Questions: Questions: How'd you become a Christian? How'd you meet Carla? Why'd you write your book? How have you seen progressive theology impact our family of churches? You mentioned that progressive theology uses a lot of words that are difficult to keep up with, what did you mean? You said, "We are being trained to speak the language of the world within the context of the church.  And it's intentional."  What did you mean? You talked about Social A justice and Social B Justice.  What's the difference and why does it matter? There seems to be the idea that unless churches follow progressive theology and "get up to date." the church will suffer.  You make the claim that the only way a church will grow is to resist that tendency to conform. Why? Why is it so hard to stand up to progressive theology? Where can a person find your book, "Wildfire?"

Listen today as I talk to Kevin and Erica Lu, currently living in Tucson, Arizona.  They discuss: How they met on the Asian mission field How Kevin overcame his shyness to become a bold preacher  What they experienced getting persecuted and kicked out of the country they were reaching out in What they are doing on campus at the University of Arizona to revive that ministry in the wake of COVID The changes they've had to make returning from the foreign mission field  There advice for those who want to do missionary work overseas

Today I talk to Chris and Amy Schwartzenberger who lead the church in Spokane, Washington.  Chris and Amy share about: Losing Amy’s Dad to suicide her senior year of college How Amy has faced mental health crises and lives and works with an ongoing mental health condition Amy’s near-death experience delivering her third child How Chris started a thriving campus ministry in a town of 20,000 people What it took for Chris to become an evangelist  How they’ve managed to adjust and grow through their challenges together while serving God in the ministry

Thanks for listening!  If you are enjoying the content, please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner Listen today as I talk to Andy and Staci Yeatman from Northern Virginia, USA.  After working together in the full-time ministry, Andy spent two decades working for the government in a position that took him to some of the most dangerous war zones on the planet.  Andy and Staci talk about: “War Zone Discipleship” How to make your relationship with God, spouse and kids flourish while you are away from them for months at a time Habits they’ve developed to make sure their relationships grow Staci shares what she learned from her parents, Al and Gloria Baird How to maintain connection and bonds of love with adult children All this and more on the Rob Skinner Podcast!

Thanks for listening!  If you are enjoying the content, Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner Join me today as I talk to Chris and Megan Zillman from Denver, Colorado.  Listen as they share: How they were converted as a dating couple out of the world Their view of dating “guidelines” How they build healthy campus ministries in the 2020’s What their objectives are for a 30+ year old church in Denver How to raise a family of five and enjoy the ministry at the same time What Chris was talking about in his lesson at the ILC in Orlando   All this and more on the Rob Skinner Podcast!

In this episode, I talk to Leke and Marielos Lewu, from Miami, Florida.  They lead an 80-student campus ministry focused on Florida International University and the University of Miami.  Listen as they talk about: How they consistently have 25 baptisms every year Their ministry philosophy and their “Five-‘F’s” How to reach student athletes How to integrate a ministry of kingdom kids and those without a church background How they stay inspired after years of campus ministry What Marielos learned from getting her Masters degree Their dreams to send out 50 missionaries in 10 years and using athletics to impact underserved kids Their “Today List” to make each day count

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner On this episode I talk to Kip and Bethany Harms from San Luis Obispo, California.  Kip and Bethany have planted many churches and have served in churches all over the US.  Most recently they took over a church that hadn’t had professional leadership in fifteen years and helped it grow by 50% since they took over.  Listen as they talk about how to: Overcome setbacks and disappointment in the ministry How to keep the passion burning for Christ at all ages What they’ve learned after planting many new churches How to approach, lead and make grow a church that has experienced division and lack of professional leadership for years More about Kip and Bethany: Kip and Bethany were married in Boston, and sent out on the Honolulu mission planting in 1989 as interns. In 1991 they planted the Hilo church on the Big Island of Hawaii. In 1993 they were asked to move to Los Angeles to plant a Church in Santa Barbara. They also planted churches in San Luis Obispo and helped lead in the East Region until 2003. Kip and Bethany moved to Harrisburg Pa in 2003 and worked secular jobs until 2007. At that time they were asked to return to the ministry and lead a Church planting to Penn State Univ. In 2011 they were asked to lead the Church in Salt Lake City. In 2016 They moved to help the work in Los Angeles. Then in 2018 They were asked to lead the church in San Luis Obispo. Kip and Bethany have two sons and one daughter, all are married. They are expecting their first grand baby girls in December.

Today I’m talking to AT and Marci Arneson.  They lead the church in Chicago, Illinois and also chair the Catalyst Committee of the International Churches of Christ.  In this episode they talk about: Their conversion and ministry career How they converted 14 people in the first year of their faith What the Catalyst Committee does What it decided at the World Discipleship Summit What it means that Jesus is Lord-period versus Jesus is Lord…if… How to stay idealistic in an increasingly cynical world How to tackle high tension situations The future and challenges of the International Churches of Christ More about AT and Marci: AT and Marci Arneson are currently in their 15th year serving as Evangelist and Women's Ministry Leader for the Chicago Church of Christ. Converted in the Milwaukee Church of Christ in 1992, AT and Marci just recently celebrated 30 years as Christians. AT and Marci went on their first date at 15 years old. In June of this year they celebrated 31 years of marriage. The Arnesons have two adult children; Jessica (age 30) and Stephen (age 28).    Prior to entering the full-time ministry, Marci began her professional career as an elementary school teacher. Marci has been theologically trained through the Midwest Institute of Ministry and the Harding Graduate School of Religion. She also holds certifications as a volunteer for victims of human trafficking in the city of Chicago. AT holds a master's degree in Rhetoric from Marquette University as well as a theological master's degree from the Harding Graduate School of Religion.  Overall the Arnesons have served 29 years in the full-time ministry.    AT and Marci have a deep passion for all of the adventures that come with serving God and His people. The Arnesons led the church planting to Columbus, Ohio in 1996, have been deeply involved in European missions nearly all of their Christian lives and have led on many different levels in Chicago and across the Midwest. Additionally, they have helped train and appoint many elders and elders wives, evangelists, women's ministry leaders and teachers. In recent years their focus has more and more turned to the raising up of the next generations of leaders under their purview. 

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner Today, I’m talking to Kyle Plum.  Kyle leads a campus ministry in San Diego, California.  He started his campus ministry in 2018 with five disciples on a commuter campus and grew it to fifty within a few years.  He had sixteen baptisms in his first semester on campus.  In this episode he talks about: What led him into the ministry What he learned playing division one college football The influence of going on a mission team to Corpus Christi, Texas His views on the “cancel culture” inside and outside of the church Three ways to get your campus ministry revived and growing All this and more on the Rob Skinner Podcast! More about Kyle Plum: Kyle Plum was born in 1994 and grew up in San Diego, CA. His mom and dad are an elder and elder's wife there in the San Diego Church. He has 2 brothers and a sister who are all faithful to the LORD. Kyle became a Christian on January 19, 2014 after his first semester at Colorado State University. He studied the bible over winter break and was baptized the day before he flew back for the spring semester. He played college football at Colorado State and studied Kinesiology. After 2 years in Fort Collins, he transferred to Texas A&M-Kingsville and was a part of the 25 person mission team to plant the church in Corpus Christi, TX. It was also during this time that he began to date his wife, Monique. He finished playing football there and graduated in 2017. During that final semester in school, Kyle felt called to go into the full time ministry and was hired in 2018. Later that year he married Monique. They have two beautiful daughters, Kaliah (2) and Alina (4 months). Currently, Kyle leads the Northside College Ministry in the North Region of the San Diego Church and helps oversee the congregational campus in San Diego. He has dreams someday of going overseas to plant a church on foregin soil.   You can reach Kyle at [email protected]

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner. Join me today as I talk to Gordon Ferguson.  Gordon has served as an Evangelist, Elder, Teacher and Author.  He talks about: His journey to Christ The secret to his happy marriage with his wife, Theresa How he got connected with the discipling movement What went through his mind as he lay close to death from cancer What he’d do differently if he had his life to do over again What he sees as essential for future growth in our family of churches More About Gordon: Education 1961-1965 Northwestern State University BME (Bachelor of Music Education) 1966-1968 Northwestern State University Graduate Studies (Edu. Admin.) 1970-1972 Preston Road School of Preaching Diploma 1974-1979 Harding School of Theology M.A. (New Testament Studies) Professional Ministry Summary  Over 50 years experience as a ministry staff member.  Served on ministry staff in five different states.  Preached and taught in many states of the US and many foreign countries, including most countries in Continental Europe, a number of countries in Asia and Latin America, Ukraine, and Great Britain.  Instructor in the Preston Road School of Preaching − Dallas, Texas.  Director of the New England/Continental Europe School of Ministry  Dean and teacher in the Ukraine Institute of Ministry and in the Asia-Pacific Leadership Academy.  Director of the Pacific School of Ministry in Los Angeles.  Part-time staff as teacher in the Dallas/Fort Worth Church.  Writing: seventeen books, numerous audio and video materials, plus articles and chapters in a number of additional books.  Roles: evangelist, elder and teacher in various locales. Family Wife: Theresa, married 57 years – January 30, 2022 Children: Bryan and Renee (five grandchildren – four grandsons and one granddaughter, ages 16-23) Age: 79 as of October 27, 2021

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner. In this episode, Takeshi Yamazaki, leader of the Tokyo Church of Christ, and Shohei Miyoshi, leader of the Osaka Church of Christ, share: What they took away from the World Discipleship Summit Good news from their churches in Japan What keeps them going as they face the challenge of reaching some of the largest cities in the world Prayer requests for the work in Japan My co-host for this episode is James Skinner.  I interviewed Takeshi in episode 17 and Shohei in episode 105.  

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner. In this episode, my wife, Pam, and I recap days three and four of the World Discipleship Summit, Tuesday and Wednesday, August 2nd and 3rd, 2022.

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner. Join us as we review the highlights of the World Discipleship Summit in Orlando, Florida.  Featured on today's program are  Cassandra Campagna, Fayetteville, NC Clara Escudero, Quito, Ecuador Richard Marveldoss, Boston, MA James Skinner, Tucson, AZ Pam Skinner, Tucson, AZ  

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner. In this episode, my wife, Pam, and son, James, review the first day of the World Discipleship Summit held in Orlando, Florida on July 31st, 2022.

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner. In this episode, Pam and I talk about two areas of building a Rock-Solid Marriage: Family Matters Focus Class #3:   Rock Solid Family and Focus Become the “family man” Your wife needs to feel that you are leading the family and the kids. Deuteronomy 6:4-9 4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.[a]5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. You are there to train and raise your family. Your wife will respect you as you take care of the family. Time: Family Devotionals Quiet Times with the kids Camping: Read quote from Gary Smalley. Several years ago, we interviewed healthy families across the country and asked them each the same question: "What do you believe is the main reason you are all so close and happy as a family?" What we found amazed us. Each family gave basically the same answer: "We do a lot of activities together." Upon further study, we discovered these families also had one particular activity in common - camping. Instead, we believe the secret to being a close-knit family almost always can be found in camping because two very important things happen. Close-knit relationships result from people sharing numerous experiences. 2. Close relationships form after dealing with difficulties in a positive manner.  There is no substitute for solid time together Plan a camping trip this Winter   Wives Becoming the suitable helper (Pam) Husbands need to feel like their house is their sanctuary. Husbands need to help, but will never do as much as wives around the home. Does your husband feel warm and welcomed when he comes home? Share: When your husband is late, how do you respond when he arrives? “Honey, it is so good to have you back home!” Or… “Where have you been?” Focus The 80/20 rule Know what to start 20% of the things you are doing will be useful to build up your marriage. The other 80% adds little or works against you Write down 3 things that are currently working.  “Keep Doing” Write down 2 things that you would like to start or implement in your life from what we’ve gone over.  “Start Doing” Show your partner. Know what to stop You are busy, swamped. It is hard, if not impossible to add more to your life… Unless you stop doing things you are currently doing. What are some things that you could stop doing that would open up space for love, communication, sex? Netflix binging Too much media Late night computer browsing Porn Golf Video games Big box shopping Drinking too much Overtime Multi-level marketing Day trading You have a routine in place. That will have to change if you want to improve and grow spiritually. Make a stop doing list Write down one thing you could cut to make time for your marriage Pam said: “You’re so busy” Successful marriages have certain habits They are intentional The opportunity you have this weekend is to make a change and build your marriage daily until it becomes habitual. You already do this in other areas, both good and bad: Gym Diet Church Quiet time Date night Sinful habits   Are you ready for a great marriage?   It takes maintenance and attention. You can’t keep expecting more out of your relationship without taking care of it.   Blowing truck engine Let me leave you with a tool that will help you to make each day of your marriage together a masterpiece. If you will work on this over the next 90 days, you will see a huge improvement over time. Next Steps Read The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work by John Gottman and Practice his “5 Magic Hours:” Partings/Departures – 2 Minutes per day Spend two minutes per day warmly and intentionally departing from your spouse for work, the gym, or social activity. This can include a brief description about the forthcoming appointments or activities that you will encounter during your day. Two minutes per weekday, 10 minutes per week. Six Second Kiss Greetings/Arrivals – 20 Minutes per day At some point shortly after your return home from work or daily activity, spend twenty minutes debriefing about the events of the day. Spending 20 minutes per weekday is 1 hour and 40 minutes per week. Physical Affection – 5 Minutes per day Admiration, Affirmation, & Compliments – 5 Minutes per day Weekly Dates – 2 Hours per week

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner. Today my wife, Pam, and I continue our series on “How to Build a Rock-Solid Marriage.”  Last week we talked about building a rock-solid foundation and this week we are sharing how to build a rock-solid friendship.  Pam and I talk about what we’ve learned and what’s worked for us in 32 happy years of marriage.  Listen as we talk about: Listening rather than fixing How lap talks can take your marriage to a new level How to avoid fights How to get the feelings back or keep them burning strong All this and more on the Rob Skinner Podcast! How to Build a Rock-Solid Marriage Class #2:  Rock Solid Friendship   Friendship First Flowers and Affection Friendship first Husbands Listen, don’t Fix Share Portland Take time to talk and listen I used to answer Pam: “What do you want to talk about?” That is like her saying: “What do you want to have sex for?  Do you want to have another kid?” Lap talks   Find your way out of a fight See it coming and hit the pause button San Jose Throw up the white flag early ?Who is going to win, Jesus or Satan? I don’t want to fight “I bet I can make you laugh.” “Let’s start over” Practice together throwing up the “white flag” Wives Become an “Active Wife” Your husbands may not feel comfortable sitting and talking. Rob can’t sit down and recount my appointment or phone call. Get out and do something with your husband. What did you used to do when you were dating? Keep it up. You will get it out of your husband on the go. Flowers Husbands What to do when the feeling is gone One of the traps of longer-term marriages is a lack of affection and feeling. “I just don’t feel anything anymore.” We are like roommates We are just holding on for the kids You can get the feeling back: Revelation 2:4-5 4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. 5 Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. Remember what you once had Repent, change your attitude Do what you once did Feelings follow action This should be encouraging to guys, start changing our behavior, feelings will change. It takes WORK. This is where we need to repent of sloth:  Being lazy in love   Our wives need signs of affection Share things you did for your wife before you got married. VW Bus Newspaper Easter Egg Hunt Somehow that trails off after marriage. “I show my affection in bed!”  Share:  “You don’t bring me flowers anymore”  in Fukuoka What can we do. Words of affection Praise the small things, make it habitual, not exceptional Sticky notes Gifts Touch Making a set date each week Encouragement “Mom, you did it again” Wives Our husbands don’t need flowers, but they do need praise Men need to feel respected and admired. No matter the circumstances, find something to build your husband up in. Share:  Ed Townsend, “I’m impressed that you didn’t cry.” Share:  You may not be perfect, “But your perfect for me”

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner. In this series, my wife, Pam, and I share what we've learned about how to have a happy marriage.  In this first episode, Building a Marriage on the Rock,  we lay the foundation for successful marriages.  Join us as we talk about: Building on Christ and his teachings Spotting the signs of a marriage headed for divorce Spiritual Stepping Stones How Growth, not Happiness Should be Your Goal All this and more on the Rob Skinner Podcast! Transcript: One of the questions you’ve asked me is how to make marriage work. I’ve asked Pam to join me for a three-part series on marriage. Pam, welcome to the program!   How Pam and I got together Rob: Parents married 53 years 5 siblings with 11 divorces I was looking for a rock-solid foundation for marriage God helped me to become a Christian and build on the Rock We’ve been married 30 years, 10 lived overseas. Pam: Build on the Rock Build on Christ: 1 Corinthians 10:4 For they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. He is who meets our needs, gives us the water of life and refreshment. Build on Christ’s teachings Matthew 7:24-27 24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” Those who build rock-solid marriages: Look to Christ as their source of life and refreshment Build on Christ’s teaching as their foundation Signs of a Rocky Marriage Tension Yelling Lack of patience Constant, close proximity issues Pam The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse John Gottman’s study of divorces He was 91% accurate in predicting a divorce Contempt Sarcasm, rolling the eyeballs, sneering, laughing at the person Criticism Addressing the issue not the person. The difference between a complaint and a criticism. Flooding Going past the “reasoning” side to the primitive side of our brain Stonewalling The silent treatment How are you doing? Pam You might have gotten into a fight this week. It happens! Share Spiritual Stepping Stones: Marriage is temporary Matthew 22:30 At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. For some this is good news, for others bad! You choose how you live your life and marriage Let’s focus on helping one another get to heaven. Goddard List Give each other a hug knowing that it’s not going to last forever. Marriage is a gift from God in a dark world Ecclesiastes 9:9 9 Enjoy life with your wife, whom you love, all the days of this meaningless life that God has given you under the sun—all your meaningless days. For this is your lot in life and in your toilsome labor under the sun. Pam Smile at your wife or husband Marriage takes humility. John 8:7-9 7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground. 9 At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Build with stones, don’t throw them. Remember, you are a sinner too We can’t directly change our partner The only thing we can change is ourselves We can get caught in “Knots” “I’ll change when they do this, but they won’t do this, so I’m not going to change.” Pam shares: Make growth, not happiness, your goal 3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. Matthew 7:3 Happiness is a bad goal and very elusive. Happiness and satisfaction is a product of personal growth What makes a great friendship is a common purpose or goal for the marriage. Francis Chan book Pam shares: We see through the same window. It is our relationship with God and the purpose he gives our lives that enables the love and deepens our relationship. Personal growth Are you growing as a person and as a disciple? That is the only thing you can really control. Some of us have spouses that don’t seem to be interested in changing or growing. We get so upset with our partners about: Their spirituality Their weaknesses, quirks Their weight Their problems with money What not to do: Share: Financial mistake:  Pam forgiving and cooperating Pam shares Mission growth Saving souls puts your problems in their proper perspective It gives your marriage a larger purpose rather than simply living for the pleasure of this world. Don’t neglect your gift. Take risks for God, get back into the battle. Runners speed up in the second half, not slow down. Roger Bannister Share: Japan, Ashland, Tucson   Discussion with your spouse: How are you doing? What warning signs are you seeing? Is there anything that needs to be apologized for? How are you trying to grow? Join us next time as we talk about building a Rock-Solid Friendship.

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner. In this episode, my wife, Pam, and I go through a set of suggestions so that you leave the World Discipleship Summit a stronger disciple.  We will cover a number of topics that will help make the summit or any conference you go to a memorable, life-changing event. How to Make the Most of a Conference Beforehand Pray beforehand that God gives you what you need: Learn what you need to grow in Make friends Develop partnerships in the ministry Contact people beforehand that you’d like to spend time with Don’t worry about people you see normally Try to find housing as close to the conference as possible If you are a speaker, get all your work done by July 15th. Don’t allow yourself to go into the conference focused on your material Rehearse it 4 or 5 times and get it critiqued for excellence (John Lusk) Look your best Wear your best clothes or buy some new clothes Get your haircut Confess any sin prior to the conference so you are free in your spirit and confident. Have a quiet time the morning of. Make sure you are in a happy, positive mindset.  Have some good news to share At the Conference: Be loving to every person in front of you Acts 17: “God has determined the times and places…” „You only have to have two loves in your life: for God, and for the person in front of you at any particular time.“ Smile! Be as warm and as loving as you can to everyone you meet. Sit in the front three rows toward the middle. Engage with the speaker, smile, nod and lean forward. Take notes of the lessons. Immediately after a lesson: Approach the speaker and thank him/her for the lesson Give your name and where you are from Share what you learned and want to apply Share what you are trying to grow in and ask if they have any advice. Try to meet all the leaders organizing the conference and thank them for putting it together. Use meal times to go out and meet other people. Don’t get hung up on the cuisine, go where it’s easy and fast Don’t spend 30 minutes on your choice, know what you want Try to make friends: Remember peoples names Repeat it in the conversation Write it down immediately Ask questions Don’t dominate the discussion Encourage, praise or thank freely Exchange numbers Go on dates if you are single. Dom Munson met Tabby Gully at conference and now they are married Take recommendations and be open Write a thank you card Ask good questions and don’t only talk about yourself    

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner. Today I’m talking to Jimmy Black (31) from Bowling Green Kentucky.  He and his wife, Katherine, planted a church in Bowling Green, Kentucky that started with 12 people and more than doubled in 14 months.  In this episode Jimmy talks about: How he left his engineering job with Hitachi to plant a new church How he tackled a mountain of school loans to be able to pursue his ministry dreams One question he uses to strengthen disciples weakened by the pandemic How one member’s challenge to “Stop waiting and start being faithful” spurred growth in his church this year His goal that everyone in his church is in a Bible study and how he managed to get a church of 25 members to have 26 active Bible studies with seekers How being faithful is more important than being successful One secret he learned from Phil Knight, the founder of Nike Interview Questions: How did you become a Christian? How did you meet? What were you doing prior to living in Bowling Green? Why a mission team to Bowling Green? I heard you started with 12 members and doubled the first year.  How'd you do that? What have you done during COVID to keep the church growing? What are your plans moving forward? Why should someone consider either going on or leading a mission team? Any advice for someone who wants to make this life count?

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner. Today I’m talking to Cody and Brittany Dowdy from Lynchburg, Virginia.  They were working secular jobs when they got the call to plant a new church in Lynchburg.  What’s amazing about their story is the obstacles they faced and overcame to plant the church: They planted the church at the beginning of the COVID pandemic in the summer of 2020. Lynchburg is one of the most religious areas in the US. It’s called the “Belt Buckle of the Bible Belt.” Lynchburg is a racially segregated city and the church was planted in the wake of the George Floyd racial unrest. Cody and Brittany have three kids five years or younger. Cody had gotten fired previously from the full-time ministry and Brittany had never been in the professional ministry before. In spite of all these challenges, they have grown the church from a team of eighteen disciples to thirty-one.  They’ve found ways to save students on private colleges, study the Bible with people through the phone and Zoom and developed a “blank-slate” approach to reaching the lost that is proving effective.  Find out more on the Rob Skinner Podcast!   Interview Questions: How'd you become Christians? How'd you meet? Where have you been prior to Lynchburg? Why'd you choose Lynchburg? What was it like during COVID? How do you reach out in such a religious setting? What has inspired you? What has been challenging? Any advice for those who want to multiply churches?

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner. Today, I’m talking to Doug and Jennifer Lambert from Williamsburg, Virginia.  Doug and Jennifer were missionaries in Argentina, and Mexico and then returned to the US to lead churches in Tallahassee, Florida, Nashville Tennessee, Baltimore, Maryland, and Cincinnati, Ohio.  They talk about: The secrets to making a career out of ministry How to raise solid kids who love God How to tackle pride and lead with humility How Doug fasted for forty days and saw four men become Christians as a result How they faced Jennifer’s diagnosis of pancreatic cancer

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner. In this episode, I talk to Chris and Kim Reed from Salt Lake City, Utah.  Chris and Kim spent years planting and leading churches in Sweden and Denmark.  They talk about: Why you should find your purpose first before finding your partner How to keep your faith in a world going away from God The value of saving a single soul How to avoid wasting matches on “wet wood,” and instead finding the “Inflammable Few.” How prayer saved their daughter’s life from liver cancer How they’ve managed to have 13 people baptized during COVID in the first year of their time in Salt Lake City

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner. Today, I’m talking with Tom and Kelly Brown.  They lead a church in Marietta, Georgia which is in the Atlanta area.  Tom and Kelly were converted in the Crossroads Campus Ministry in Gainesville, Florida, and have led churches and campus ministries in Boulder, Colorado, Berkeley, California, Boston, Massachusetts, Los Angeles and more recently, Atlanta, Georgia.  They share their ministry journey and how they’ve grown their church in Atlanta from 177 to over 1,100 disciples and their campus ministry from less than 20 to 220 disciples. 

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner. In this episode, I talk to Rayola Osanya from New Jersey.  Rayola went on the mission team to Nairobi, Kenya in the late eighties and from there he went on to plant churches in Eldoret, Kenya, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and Kigali, Rwanda.  He just finished a memoir of his missionary and charity work in Africa entitled: “Go in the Strength You Have:  Looking Beyond Your Weaknesses To See the Difference Your Life Can Make.”  I read the book and talk with Rayola about his experiences in Africa.     Interview     How'd you become a Christian? What prompted you to write a book? What was it like for you to leave New York to return to Kenya? You mention being afraid a lot, having weaknesses, but it seems every time you were called to do something bold, you did it.  Where did that come from?  Talk a little about "Bible Algebra" You planted a church in Eldoret at 22, living in a tin-roofed shed.  Please talk about that What was it like going into Rwanda in the aftermath of the genocide there? What are you excited about as you look forward now? What advice would you give to those who want to make this life count?

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner. In this episode, I interview Kendall and McKenzie Albert, campus ministers from Saint Louis, Missouri.  They spoke the first night of the Campus Training Program in Atlanta, Georgia.  This program is sponsored by the North River Church of Christ, led by Tom Brown, and is held yearly to train and equip campus students and leaders for effective discipleship on college campuses.  Kendall and McKenzie spoke on John 14:6, Jesus the Way.  Join me and my wife, Pam, as we talk about the first day of the program, the Albert's story, and the lesson they preached.  

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner. At a recent church leadership conference, I sat down with Kai Foster to find out what he’s doing to grow his church in Reno, Nevada.  The church there has doubled in the last three years and that has happened through a surprising spiritual practice.  Find out Kai’s secret to growing his church on the Rob Skinner Podcast!

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner. I recently sat down with John and Jan Oakes to talk about their planting a new church in Merced, California.  Merced is the home of a new University of California that is predicted to become the largest of the UC campuses.  Find out more about this new planting on the Rob Skinner Podcast!

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner. Today, I’m talking with Mike and Anne-Brigitte Taliaferro.  They serve as the lead evangelist and Senior Women’s Minister at Mission Point Church in San Antonio Texas.  They have planted and led churches in the US, Brazil, and several African churches.  They planted churches in over 40 nations in Africa over the course of fourteen years.  They have appointed 25 evangelists and women’s ministry leaders and raised up many other leaders.  They have been married for over 40 years and have three sons and three daughters-in-law.  We talk about how they planted so many churches, what drove them and some of the many miracles they’ve seen over the course of their ministry career.  All this and more on the Rob Skinner Podcast!

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner. It takes guts to step out on faith.  It takes guts to make a risky, late-career move for Christ.  Rusty and Kim Snell left a successful and comfortable career path in product design in their late fifties and stepped in as the leaders of the Toledo, Ohio church.  In this episode you’ll find out: What inspired them to do it How Christ can multiply whatever talents or gifts you offer Him Why they find themselves happiest experiencing Christ’s victories and suffering Their plans to build a “healthy spiritual garden” All this and more on the Rob Skinner Podcast

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner. Today I go to Flagstaff, Arizona and talk to Brian and Abby Mackie.  Brian and Abby planted a church there in September of 2021.  They give us an update on: The growth of the church The ways they’ve seen God work The challenges that have forced them to their kness And their dreams for the church going forward. You can reach Brian at [email protected]

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner. Today, I talk to Javier and Kelly Amaya.  They became disciples in 1983 while in college. Javier graduated from Brown University with a degree in Biomedical Engineering and Kelly from Boston College with a degree in Psychology and a concentration in Spanish. (Javier later obtained his master’s degree in Christian Ministries from Harding University.)  Javier and Kelly were high school sweethearts and married in 1986. They are parents of 3 adult children and 3 grandchildren. The Amaya’s have served in the full-time ministry for 31 years. Their journey has taken them from Boston, to Florida, Mexico, Guatemala, and Los Angeles. They returned to Boston in 2011 to lead the Boston Spanish Ministry. Their passion is to see lives transformed by the power of God and to be used by God to raise up leaders for service in his Kingdom. In this episode they share: How they met in high school Their toughest times spiritually When they saw God work most clearly Their ministry of 400+ Spanish-speaking disciples in Boston Advice for raising healthy kids on the mission field Things they'd do differently All this and more on the Rob Skinner Podcast!

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner. Statistics reveal that 68% of church-going men and over 50% of pastors view porn on a regular basis. Of young Christian adults 18-24 years old, 76% actively search for porn.  In this episode I interview Jeff Hernandez, a disciple I've known for over 30 years.  He shares about his: Descent into sexual addiction Divorce from his wife of 22 years. Remarriage outside of the church Recovery from his sexual addiction Conversion of his second wife Return to the church What he learned along the way How to overcome sexual temptation and addiction. All this and more on the Rob Skinner Podcast. You can reach Jeff Hernandez at https://www.lovingwingsrecovery.com/ (https://www.missionfrontiers.org/issue/article/15-mind-blowing-statistics-about-pornography-and-the-church)  

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner. Today I’m talking to Jamison and Lauren Malcolm.  They led a large and thriving campus ministry in the Philadelphia church.  Now they lead a church and campus ministry in State College, Pennsylvania, the home of Penn State University. Jamison and Lauren talk about: The development of the campus ministry after 2003 The current state of the campus ministry and What successful campus ministries are doing to grow   All this and more on the Rob Skinner Podcast!

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner. On this episode, I talk to Matt and Adriana Brown.  They lead a church in Nashville, Tennessee.  Prior to that, they led a church in Texas that grew 8 from 50 disciples to 150.  During their time there, the church grew every year, one of only four other churches in the ICOC to experience yearly growth during the same time period.  They share the secrets they discovered to building a steadily growing ministry: Humility Getting help Training trainers Starting on campus Using a simple and repetive scriptural theme to build culture Using savings wisely And engaging members in foreign missions All this and more on the Rob Skinner Podcast!         

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner. Today, I’m talking to Steve Saindon, from Eau Claire, Wisconsin.  Steve and his wife, Kelli, have planted and led churches all over the Midwest.  What makes Steve so remarkable is that in spite of following Christ and leading in six different decades, he is continuing to grow and bear fruit for God.  He recently taught a class at the Climb Small Church Leadership Conference about the Leader’s View of God.  It impacted me deeply.  He reveals in this episode why we tend toward duty and obligation as disciples and how we can reignite grace and love in our relationship with God by a very counterintuitive method.  Find out the secret to reigniting your passion for God in this episode of the Rob Skinner Podcast!

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner. In this episode, I interview Kevin and Melissa Miller, who lead the Boston Church of Christ.  They have been leading this fabled church for a little over a year and they talk about: How they became Christians How they have built a culture of spiritual ambition How they maintain high standards for both relationships and performance on their staff What it was like learning from and losing Melissa’s father, Wyndham Shaw How did they develop so many high volume preachers in Boston Three steps to reigniting your campus ministry How they’ve managed to attract powerful talent to their church staff

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner. This episode is the third of a three-part series called “Go Get It.”  I’m going to be talking about how to make 2022 your best year so far spiritually.  I know that if you are listening to this podcast that you are ambitious for Christ.  You are hungry to make this life count and to do whatever it takes to grow spiritually and make a difference for God.  I want to share with you three things that will help you make 2022 your best year so far.  I talked about: Get happy Get Help This final episode the title is Get Focused. All this and more on the Rob Skinner Podcast!  Get Focused Luke 10:39-42 39 She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” 41 “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” Martha was a loving, caring person and was worried and upset, distracted by many things. Mary focused on only one thing: Being with Jesus, focusing on him and listening to him. By nature, small church leaders have to do many things. You have to be good at many different things: Setting a good example Preaching Raising a good family Being kind and encouraging Meeting needs Bringing visitors Organizing events, Sundays and midweeks Building your career if you are self-supporting This is why ministers burn-out and quit: A 2013 study from the Schaeffer Institute reports that 1,700 pastors leave the ministry each month, citing depression, burnout, or being overworked as the primary reasons. According to the study, 90% of pastors report working 55 to 70 hours a week, and 50% of them feel unable to meet the demands of the job. You start in ministry doing what you love the most: Preaching Teaching the gospel in Bible studies Staying close to God When you grow your church, the number of problems only increases. Personal sharing Discipling too many people Trying to meet all the needs Taking on too many extra projects Not doing what really brought me joy Becoming an administrator rather than what I loved. Look at how the Apostles got focused in Acts 6:1 In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. 2 So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. 3 Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word…” 7 So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith. The church was growing, the needs were growing. How did the apostles respond?  They met the needs through others and refocused on their primary calling. What’s the solution for us? Figure out your “One Thing” Share about the book: “The One Thing” by Gary Keller He says we should ask ourselves: “What's the One Thing I can do such that by doing it everything else will be easier or unnecessary?” Practical application: List all the areas that matter to you: (Show Worksheet) Relationship with God Ministry and leadership Personal evangelism and outreach Marriage and family Finances Friends Fun and adventure New Skills or Learning What can you do to improve in those areas? List out five ideas Circle the “one thing” that will make the biggest difference. Personal example 2022 Decisions: Spirituality: Weekly Sabbath Church and Family: Consistent, weekly discipling times with Pam & my primary leaders Health Walk 10,000 steps a day Conclusion Get happy Delight yourself in the Lord Get help Pray and ask for outside attention and “eyes” to help you see what you might be missing Get focused Put the work in to narrow your focus on what makes the biggest difference in the areas that matter the most to you and God.

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner. Today, I’m talking to Kurt and Christina Flinchbaugh from the Lehigh Valley Church.  They share: How Kurt shared his faith on the way to the hospital after getting involved in a nearly fatal bicycling accident How Christina dealt with a secret eating disorder How they have doubled their mission planting over the last three years How Kurt’s life “Flipped upside down” when a power lifter met and shared the Bible with him in a gym in 2010 How Christina quotes “Lone Survivor” to help people stop living in the past How they keep “multiple lines in the water” to reach the lost All this and more on the Rob Skinner Podcast! For information about the Associate Minister Position in Tucson click on this link: https://www.disciplestoday.org/tuscon-church-seeks-associate-ministers More about Kurt and Christina   Kurt and Christina serve as Evangelist and Women's Ministry Leader for the Lehigh Valley Church. Growing up in the suburbs of Philadelphia, they both became Christians in 2010 while attending Gwynedd-Mercy University. After getting married in 2012, they worked as registered nurses while serving the Greater Philadelphia Church of Christ in a self-funded "One Year Challenge," a year-long ministry staff internship. With training under their belt, they began working full time leading the campus ministry and later started a region in the University City area of Philadelphia focusing on young marrieds and professionals. They are excited to now be heading the mission team in the Lehigh Valley. Kurt and Christina have two children, Ian and Ava.

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner. This episode is the second of a three-part series called “Go Get It.”  I’m going to be talking about how to make 2022 your best year so far spiritually.  I know that if you are listening to this podcast that you are a grower.  You are hungry to make this life count and to do whatever it takes to grow spiritually and make a difference for God.  I want to share with you three things that will help you make 2022 your best year so far.  Last time I talked about “Get Happy.” Today, the second episode in this series is “Get Help” All this and more on the Rob Skinner Podcast!  

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner. This episode is the first of a three-part series called “Go Get It.”  I’m going to be talking about how to make 2022 your best year so far spiritually.  I hope you are having a great start to 2022.  I’m seeing some very encouraging signs in my life and ministry that point to a great year.  I know that if you are listening to this podcast, you are a grower.  You are hungry to make this life count and to do whatever it takes to grow spiritually and make a difference for God.  I want to share with you three things that will help you make 2022 your best year so far.  I’m going to do a three-part series entitled “Go Get It”  The first episode I’m calling “Get happy”  I've included the transcript below. What will make 2022 your best year yet? Get Happy Delight yourself in the Lord: Psalm 37:4 Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. ESV Can you remember a time when you felt super happy to be close to God? When you felt that God was your delight and joy? I bet people noticed and it overflowed. It’s probably why you ended up leading a ministry. How about now? Ministry, career, family, financial pressures, middle age can all combine to steal your joy and dim your fire. We can get Business-like Worried about people or our performance Serious Cranky People aren’t inspired, avoid us or wonder “what’s wrong?” Personal sharing Nehemiah 8:9-10 9 Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and teacher of the Law, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is holy to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law. 10 Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” This was a renewal of the covenant similar to Joshua 24 and 2 Chronicles 15 The people had drifted There were many problems Yet, Nehemiah and Ezra told them, “Don’t mourn, weep or grieve.” Instead, go and enjoy yourself, because “The joy of the Lord is your strength” Why? Because God wants us to delight ourselves in him Because being joyful in God is our “superpower” It’s what fired us up when we became Christians Experience, technique and performance aren’t as pleasing to God as simply loving to be near him. It’s what will set us apart during: Covid Difficult times Uncertainty Practical application: Your number one job is delight yourself in God Don’t leave your home until you are rejoicing in God Make a decision you will be at least as happy as you have been in the past. “Only let us live up to what we have already attained.” Philippians 3:16 Procrastinate on other things so that you have enough time to rejoice in God. Trust that God will give us what we desire or need when we delight in him Develop your praise power Psalm 89:15 Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, Lord. NIV How happy are those who have learned how to praise You; those who journey through lifeby the light of Your face.  Voice

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner. Jacob Galligan leads his campus ministry while he studies full-time as a 23-year-old graduate student at Kent State University in Akron, Ohio.  He joined the mission team to Akron in 2016 as a freshman and stepped into the campus minister's role his senior year.  In this episode he shares: How he has baptized a large number of men on campus. How he believes John 15 holds the key to growing a campus ministry  His five steps for campus growth How he worked through his parent's divorce to become a Christian His motivation to go "All-In" for God in his life  All this and more on the Rob Skinner Podcast!

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner. Ben and Susan Borland led their nearly 30-year-old church to grow again after decades of decline and stagnation.  They started as the campus ministers at the University of Oklahoma and then took over leading the entire church.  In this episode they talk about how they did it.  They talk about: How Susan got into running clubs to make friends and reach out and now she runs 1,000 miles yearly. How Ben and Susan have converted freshmen, football players and national merit scholars on campus What has helped their church grow to over 100 disciples. All this and more on the Rob Skinner Podcast! More about Ben and Susan: Ben and Susan serve as Evangelist and Women’s Ministry Leader for the OKC Church. They have served in full-time ministry for over a decade, first in Denton, Texas and then Norman, Oklahoma before making their home in OKC with their three children. Ben and Susan both earned their undergraduate degrees from the University of Texas at Austin, Ben in creative advertising and Susan in Spanish.  The Borlands love living in Oklahoma and when they aren’t working Susan can be found training for her next marathon. Ben just finished his master's degree from Rochester University and is filling up his newfound free time with everything football.    

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner. In this episode, I interview Gary Mayer, author of the book, “Imitate Paul:  Five Keys From the Apostle for Every Church Planter, Leader and Believer.”  I stumbled onto this book earlier this year and it impacted me deeply.  Gary grew up in the same area of Southern Oregon that I did.  He graduated from Oregon State and then worked for IBM for 21 years.  After a dramatic encounter with God in Paris, he resigned from IBM and entered Bible college in England.  He then planted a church in London and led it for nearly 20 years.  He retired to Northern Mexico and continues to teach, preach and write.  He has four kids, thirteen grandchildren and two great grandchildren on the way.  I ask Gary about how to close the gap between what Paul experienced and described  and what the average minister or member experiences spiritually.  All this and more on the Rob Skinner Podcast!   You can reach Gary at [email protected] You can find his book on Amazon at this link: https://www.amazon.com/Imitate-Paul-Apostle-Planter-Believer/dp/1537242997/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1TLEIP9LLPRQP&keywords=gary+mayer&qid=1643307963&sprefix=gary+mayer%2Caps%2C129&sr=8-1   I want to invite you to a men’s retreat we are organizing here in Tucson on the weekend of April 1-3, 2022.  This is something I look forward to every year and I hope you can join me.  It’s located at a beautiful campsite about an hour from Tucson.  It’s a great time to get away, listen to some powerful lessons, hike, cave, eat six delicious hot meals, sleep in comfortable and warm bunks, enjoy warm showers.  If you want to grow and enjoy a powerful spiritual opportunity, I want you to come join us.  Delano Stewart, who leads the church in Las Vegas, will be our guest speaker.  We will have more information and registration available soon.  Please save the date, Friday through Sunday, April 1-3, 2022.

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner. In September of 2021, I asked Dr. Al Baird to move to Tucson for a two-month evaluation and consultation of the church.  He stayed until Thanksgiving, met with 60 or more members of the church, helped mediate difficult situations, critiqued my leadership and offered ideas for refining the leadership structure of my church.  Having Al help us was one of the best decisions I’ve made recently.  In this episode, I’ve asked Kelcy Hahn, my associate minister to guest-host and talk to Al and me about Al’s visit to Tucson. You can reach Dr. Al Baird at 310-403-8127 or [email protected] Special thanks to Brian Kling for allowing Al Baird to stay at his home.

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner. Today, I’m going to talk to Marshall Mead, who along with his wife, Shawn, leads the church in Orlando Florida. Marshall talks about how he got to Orlando, his ministry career and missionary work in Lebanon and the World Discipleship Summit he’s organizing in the summer of 2022.  He shares how God put a vision for the conference on his heart, the challenges of organizing, cancelling and replanning the conference during Covid.  And finally, what makes this a “Can’t miss” event for disciples everywhere.

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner. Today, My wife Pam and I talk to Pat Gempel, a pioneer of women’s ministry and one of the "30 would-be disciples" who gathered in a living room in Boston and propelled the church to 60% annual growth for 10 straight years.  She shares: How she came to Boston What it was like at the beginning of the Boston Movement How she found her daughter that she had put up for adoption 23 years earlier How she lost her husband, Bob Her view on women’s ministry and the current discussion of women's role in the church

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner Sam and Michelle Cameron lead a church in Perth, Australia.  In this episode they talk about: What it's like leading in a city as remotely located as Perth How the church got started What they did to help a long-established church grow again after years of little growth All this and more on the Rob Skinner Podcast!

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner This episode recaps the lessons and activities of day three of the Climb Small Church Leadership Conference in Dallas, Texas, in December of 2021.

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner In this episode, we talk about the lessons and impact of day two of the Climb Small Church Leadership Conference.

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner This episode covers the first day and first lesson of The Climb Small Church Leadership Conference held in Dallas, Texas, December 2-5, 2021.  I interview the Thursday night speaker, Todd Asaad, along with the conference organizers, Joel Peed and Joel Nagel.  In this episode: Todd talks about his lesson on relationships entitled "Climb Together" We discuss our reaction to Todd's lesson and to the opening of the conference Joel Peed discusses the Friday program on spiritual renewal

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner Today I talk with Felix and Ashley Tokwepota from Papua New Guinea.  They lead a church in Port Moresby, the largest city in the country.  Felix and Ashley were both raised in the church and were baptized in 2002.  Felix was born and raise in Papua New Guinea and Ashley in the US.  In this episode they share: How they become Christians How they met Some of the miracles they’ve seen What it’s like leading in one of the world’s most dangerous countries Their plans for reaching one of the world's most diverse countries with over 800 languages spoken among a population of over 8,000,000 people.

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner Today, I’m going to talk to Ron and Lavonia Drabot.  In this episode, Ron and Lavonia talk about: How they baptized hundreds of students at Ohio State University How they took a demoralized campus ministry that had only baptized three in the past 6 months and baptized 80 in the next 10 months How they moved to South Africa and in only a few years grew from 70 to an attendance of 1100 How a doctor told them that only God’s intervention would help them have kids.  Through their faith and God's intervention, they had twins When they moved to Chicago, they had 3,500 baptisms Ron and Lavonia walk through their relationship with God and what has helped them develop amazing faith

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner Today I talk to Dr. Gregg Martutzky.  Gregg has served in the ministry for forty years, he’s earned many, many degrees and is now working on a Ph.D.  He’s one of the most connected disciples I know of.  He’s also a person whom I’ve seen transform and grow over the past 30 years.  Just as Paul shared about his past that he was a violent man, Gregg had a rough past and character.  However, he, like Paul, has transformed into a man who deeply loves people and the Word of God.   In this episode he shares: About his conversion His path in the ministry Why he has so many degrees Advice to those who want to study theology

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner Today, I’m going to talk to Tarik and Jackie Burton from Santa Barbara, California. They’ve been serving as campus ministers at UC Santa Barbara for the past four years. They were recently hired to lead the entire church. They are a young couple and have a nearly two-year-old daughter, Kya. Tarik will also be a main speaker at the Climb Small Church Leadership Conference in Dallas. In this episode they talk about: • How they felt when asked to lead an entire church. • What’s the difference between leading in a church and leading the church? • What are the advantages and challenges of leading an established church while relatively young? • What Tarik plans on preaching on at the Climb Small Church Leadership Conference in Dallas in December of 2021. All this and more on the Rob Skinner Podcast!

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner Today I’m going to talk to Kyle Spears.  Kyle Spears is a Licensed Independent Mental Health Practitioner and Certified Marriage and Family Therapist in Omaha, Nebraska. He specializes in helping men with trauma, masculinity, and depression. Last year he started a YouTube channel and a podcast and has a website where people can go to get resources for issues that relate to trauma and theology.  Kyle will also be a speaker at the Climb Small Church Leadership Conference in Dallas in December of 2021.  Listen today as Kyle talks about: How his background and calling led him into the field of trauma therapy. Stubborn hearts and stubborn wounds Turning your misery into ministry All this and more on this episode of the Rob Skinner Podcast!   More about Kyle Spears: Kyle Spears is a Licensed Independent Mental Health Practitioner and Certified Marriage and Family Therapist in the state of Nebraska. He works in private practice at the Attachment and Trauma Center of Nebraska utilizing EMDR in working with Complex Trauma, PTSD, and DID. As a Marriage and Family Therapist, he works to help heal marriages and complex family issues. He also specializes in helping men with trauma, masculinity, and depression. Last year he started a YouTube channel and a podcast and has a website where people can go to get resources for issues that relate to trauma and theology. Kyle is currently working on his first book that will provide a basic understanding of trauma to equip both ministers and members. He is also working on a book with Michael Burns called the “The Big Lie” that will address the aspect of racial and intergenerational trauma.  Kyle was baptized as a senior in high school and has been a disciple for almost 20 years. His wife Kristi works as a Physician Assistant specializing in Cardiothoracic Surgery. Together, they are raising their son Shea Christopher who is 2 years old and Kristi is due to give birth to their second child Amya Renee in December.  

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner I have met few people that have experienced as much childhood trauma as Doug and Angella Wens.  In spite of that, they have found a way to turn that troubled background into a triumphant life.  They are impacting people all over the world and have done so for over thirty years.  Find out their story and how they've learned to rise above tragedy and build a powerful life together for God. More about Doug and Angella: Doug and Angella Wens have been in the full time ministry for 31 years. They met in 1989, and have been married for 30 years.They have two beautiful daughters, Dakotah 28 and Savannah 25. Dakotah is a high school teacher, and Savannah is married and living in Phoenix. Doug and Angella met at a campus devotional in Colorado, where they attended college.  They have served full-time in ministries in Colorado, Texas, and California.  They currently lead the Greater Houston Church of Christ in Houston Texas, where they have served for the last ten years. They have traveled all over the globe as ambassadors for Christ, but Africa has stolen their hearts and is their home away from home!

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner Today I’m going to talk to Justin Renton, who leads the church in Johannesburg, South Africa.  Justin talks about: What it was like becoming a Christian under the system of Apartheid His early life racing go-karts and dreaming of Formula One The book he and his wife wrote: “The Healing of a Wounded Idealist” Some of the near death experiences he’s faced And how he handles the pressure of leading a church, helping other churches and running Disciples Today

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner Nathan Triepke moved from Boston to Flagstaff, Arizona to join the mission team that began September 12th.  He works remotely and in his off-hours preaches the Word.  Find out how this mobile missionary is making the most of remote work capability.

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner In this episode of the Rob Skinner Podcast, Ed Anton talks about his conversion, his first marriage and divorce and how he left his job at Coca-Cola for the ministry.  He also talks about his book, Repentance, and how the concepts in it can help during the Covid pandemic. Who is Ed Anton? Ed Anton currently serves as leader of the Hampton Roads Church and chair of the American Commonwealth Region (25 churches in the Mid Atlantic region of the US). He is also a teacher on the ICOC Teachers Service Team, and directs the Anchor Academy which has trained over 100 ministers for full time ministry. He and his wife Deb have four children: Zach (30), Chase (28), Caleb (20), and Lindsay (18). Ed authored the book Repentance, A Cosmic Shift of Mind and Heart and developed the DiscipleMakers, eMANcipators, TentMakers, MeatEaters, NetMenders, and BodyBuilders programs for equipping disciples. Both Ed and Deb left successful careers to follow God’s calling into ministry. Ed was a Marketing Director for Coca-Cola, and Deb was a Family Practice Physician.  

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner James Skinner is a 26-year-old employee at Raytheon Missile Corporation by day.  By night, he serves the Hilo, Hawaii, mission planting.  Find out how he does it in this episode of the Rob Skinner Podcast. More about James Skinner: James Skinner was born on the mission field in Tokyo, Japan and has been part of two church plantings. He graduated from the University of Arizona in 2018 majoring in Finance. James currently works as a business analyst for Raytheon Technologies in Tucson, Arizona. He loves serving God and enjoying time with his family, friends and watching the New England Patriots.

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner Today, I’m going to talk to David Jung from Winnepeg, Canada.  David is a church leader and conflict resolution specialist.  He has two master's degrees and travels around the world to help businesses and churches work through high-tension conflict.  Today David is going to offer ideas on: How to stay calm and curious when people are going after you. How to find solutions when relationships are under tension. What to do and what not to do when dealing with conflict. All this and more on the Rob Skinner Podcast

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner Ever wonder if you are ready for a challenge God has placed in your path?  Paul and Amy Jacobs never intended to lead a church, and yet through circumstance and God’s guiding hand, they are leading a small church in Okinaway, Japan.  They are fluent in both English and Japanese.  They both grew up in Japan and North America.  They each have secular jobs.  Finally, they have a passion for reaching the native Japanese population of Okinawa. In this episode, you’ll find out how they ended up leading a church in spite of: Learning disabilities Health challenges and Having to come back after hitting rock-bottom spiritually All this and more on this episode of the Rob Skinner Podcast

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner Today on episode 118,  I’m going to talk to Bruce and Rachel Erickson from Flagstaff, Arizona.  With retirement looming and severe health challenges to deal with, Bruce and Rachel let go of the American Dream and chose to follow God’s dream to build a church in Flagstaff.  In this episode they share: Why they chose to go on the mission team What were the challenges they faced How God blessed their decision with miracles All this and more on the Rob Skinner Podcast

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner In this episode, Brian and Abbie Mackie share about the inaugural service of their new church, the Flagstaff Church of Christ.  Find out how: They had 325 people at their first service They baptized an engaged couple on the first day of the church Their vision for the church

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner Dr. Glenn Geeting and his wife, Heather, started a church in 2009 in Hershey Pennsylvania with no outside support.  Using his salary as an emergency room doctor, he planted a church with a first service of twenty people.  From there the church has grown to 100 members.  At the same time, his marriage and family have flourished.  All three of his kids are disciples and are growing.  Find out how he did it on this episode of the Rob Skinner Podcast.

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner Today on episode 115,  I’m going to talk to JD and Claudette Lusan from Huntsville, Alabama.  After working secular jobs for 15 years, they went back into the professional ministry in their forties and replanted the church in Huntsville.  The church had plateaued at 11 disciples for 10 years.  From the time they arrived four years ago, it has grown to over 50 members.  In this episode they talk about: Having a baby who weighed less than two pounds at birth How they grew up on the same street in Jamaica How they had 170 people at their first service What their “Super Power” is How they created a prayer circuit to inspire growth All this and more on this episode of the Rob Skinner Podcast!

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner Kit Cummings became a Christian in 1989.  He quickly became a minister in the church.  He then went through a crisis in midlife that led him to bankruptcy, divorce, and rehab.  He made a promise to God during those dark days that shaped the future of his life.  Find out what he told God and how that has led to him becoming the author of six books and a preacher to the prisoners.

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner  

Thanks for listening!  Please support the Rob Skinner Podcast on Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/robskinner Today on episode 112 I talk To Dave Mitchell (https://www.davemitchellcoaching.com/) Dave is a devoted Husband, Father of three, Christian, and a Certified High-Performance Professional Coach. He has spent the last 20 plus years studying personal growth and leadership development.  His mission is to coach disciples & help them break through whatever it is that is keeping them from experiencing the "life to the full" God intends for them. You’ll learn: 4 things that block you from becoming the person you want to be The three “E’s” of coaching that help people grow The power of getting 1% better All this and more on the Rob Skinner Podcast! More about Dave Mitchell: Some of his current coaching programs include: The Ironmen Team (for men disciples who own or run a business), The Magdalene Team (for women disciples who own or run a business), Lunch and Learns, Keynote speeches, and Church Leadership Workshops.   The Joyful Life & High Performance are two of Dave’s latest coaching programs. They are a culmination of his professional training that changed not only his life, but the lives of those who he has been privileged to work with.  Dave enjoys volunteering with his family both locally and in Central America.  A great joy in his life was serving as the Director for HOPE worldwide in the NY Metro Area and his time as the Chair of the National Chapter Advisory Board. After a degree in Business from University of Massachusetts, Dave spent many years in the full time ministry followed by fifteen plus years in Corporate America in sales in which he worked his way up to VP of Sales.  He is certified in DISC and Energy Leadership personality and attitudinal assessments and serves as an Executive Director for the John Maxwell Team.  He is also certified in High Performance Coaching under Brendon Burchard.   Dave has enjoyed coaching his kids sports, participating in triathlons, and serving in the Garden State Church.

In this episode, I talk about my July 2021 cross-country motorcycle ride from San Diego, California to Boston, Massachusetts.  I share about what I saw, who I met and what I learned.

Shannon Van Zee and his wife, Janella, lead the Great Plains Church of Christ in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.  They moved there in 2017 and planted the church.  The church has grown from two members to 20+ people in four years.  In this episode, Shannon shares: How he overcame Leukemia in his twenties What motivated him to plant a church without a team or financial support What it takes to start a church in a remote location How to reach Shannon: Greatplainschurchofchrist.org

Mike and Jody May lead a church in Fort Collins, Colorado, USA.  They have led ministries across the USA and in this episode they talk about: How to preach the unchanging gospel in a constantly changing world How to raise believing kids How to come back from setbacks in life This the third in my series recorded while on the road in July of 2021.  I'm on a coast-to-coast motorcycle tour to promote the Climb Small Church Leadership Conference in Dallas, Texas in December of 2021.  Please register today at RobSkinner.Com!

Josh and Stacy Peterson lead a church in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  They have done an amazing job raising up leaders while raising their own physical family.  In this episode we talk about what they have done to: Build a "guy friendly" ministry Raise believing kids Raise up young leaders Please register for the Climb Small Church Leadership Conference in Dallas, Texas, December 2-5, 2021 at RobSkinner.Com!

Marc and Hannah Persing are disciples in the New York City Church of Christ.  They will be leading a new campus sector in Manhattan in the fall of 2021.  Hannah is in the National Guard and is stationed near Tucson, Arizona during the summer of 2021.  They reconditioned an old tire delivery van into a comfortable RV and crossed the country with it.  Find out how they did it in this episode.  Please register for the Climb Small Church Leadership Conference at RobSkinner.Com This was recorded on Independence Day, 2021, July 4th, in La Jolla, California. Follow Rob's trip on Instagram. 

Today on episode 106, I’m going to talk to Douglas Arthur.  Doug planted the London Church of Christ, started HOPE Worldwide Charity Organization and has until recently led the Boston Church of Christ.  Listen today as he shares about the early days of Boston, how he started the London Church and HOPE Worldwide and what makes him one of the funniest preachers to listen to.

Today on episode 105,  I’m going to talk to Shohei and Minori Miyoshi.  They lead a church in Osaka, Japan.  In this episode they talk about: How Shohei found God in a hospital bed while recovering from a skin disease How He became a Christian and then grew up in a church that didn’t see a baptism for over ten years. How he moved to Tokyo to learn how to lead a ministry and then returned to the same church in Osaka and led the church to it’s first baptism in 12 years. What they’ve done to help the church grow 50% All this and more on the Rob Skinner Podcast!

 Today on episode 104,  I’m going to talk to Brad and Alisha Tamashiro.  They were both born and raised in Hawaii and then went to school on the mainland at Southern Oregon University in Ashland, Oregon.  They became Christians there and then returned to their home state.  They have been in the full-time ministry since 2012 and now are leading a replanting effort in Hilo, Hawaii.

Today I’m going to talk to Chris and Rolayo Ogbonnaya, who lead the church in Lagos, Nigeria.  They share about: What was it like as a disciple when the church first started What were some of the difficult times they faced early in their ministry. How they’ve helped the church grow from one church to over 29 in West Africa. Their handing the leadership to another couple and helping churches outside of Lagos.   More about Chris and Rolayo: Chris and Rolayo were both baptized in Lagos almost 32 years ago in 1989, which was the same year the Lagos Church was planted by the London Church.  They started serving in the full-time ministry in 1991. They got married in 1993, and have two children – Stephanie (26) and Daniel (22), who are both disciples. Since then, they have served as Evangelist and Womens Ministry Leader in various Regions and ministries in Lagos. They led the Church in Accra, Ghana from 2001-2003. Before joining the full-time ministry Rolayo was running her private legal practice and Chris an aspiring Law student. Both gave up their secular ambitions to pursue the call to serve as missionaries in the Kingdom.  Chris and Rolayo have led the Lagos Church, the Nigeria, and West African Churches from 2004 till a few weeks ago when they handed the Lagos Church leadership to Jide and Biola Ojo. They now oversee the Churches across Nigeria and English-speaking West Africa (29 Churches in all) as Regional Family Chairs and also direct the School of Mission in Lagos. Chris has been serving in the Catalyst Team of the ICOC since 2018 and Rolayo in the Women’s Service Team.

Today on episode 102,  I’m in Flagstaff, Arizona talking to Ryan and Natalie Winkler.  Ryan was baptized in Flagstaff in 1999 in Flagstaff and has come back to help the church restart.  He and his wife Natalie share about: Their battle to overcome addiction Their 17 year relationship and the drama they’ve faced together How they’ve converted so many of their family members Why they decided to go on a mission team with a toddler and another baby on the way. All this and more on episode 102 of the Rob Skinner Podcast

Brian and Abby Mackie share about life on a mission team as they plant a church in Flagstaff, Arizona in June of 2021.

This is the second and final lesson I did for the UK, Ireland and Nordic staff.  I talk about Jesus’ master plan to win the world and how you can follow that plan.  I also talk about what I’ve started doing to imitate Jesus and Paul by building my “Magnificent 7” Today is the 100th episode of the Rob Skinner Podcast!  It’s been a little over a year since I started my podcast and I’m so grateful for you taking the time to listen.  Your support has meant so much to me.  I want to do something special to thank you for your support. I’m going to give a free book to the first 100 people who contact me in June of 2021.  Go to RobSkinner.com and go to the Contact tab. Send me an email with “Make This Life Count” in the subject line Type in your name and mailing address Let me know which book you’d like: "How to plant and grow a church" or "Courage:  How to make this life count." Let me know two things: What you’d like to hear in the next 100 episodes Who you’d like me to interview in the next 100 episodes I will mail them out in August. For those outside of the US, I won’t be able to send you a book, but if you email me with the same information in the month of June, 2021, I’ll give you a shout out in coming episodes.   Introduction:  To get what you want, you will have to change who you are   I have a lot of goals and dreams:  10 churches planted 10 evangelists and womens ministry leaders appointed 10 people converted 10 books written 100 sold out disciples on campus Church and plantings over 1,000 solid disciples 10,000 person gathering See the Kingdom grow from 100,000 to 1,000,000 But the more I pray about it, the more I realize that won’t happen unless I change as a person. I will need to think and act differently, I will need to think and act like Paul. He said:  “Imitate me as I imitate Christ” In fact, my top affirmation is “I imitate Paul and multiply disciples, leaders and churches.” This is my top goal and aspiration:  If I can change to think and act like Paul, have his faith and peace of mind, I have a chance to see miracles happen It’s been a dream of mine since conversion and has led to the following decisions: Overseas missionary work Planting churches Self-supporting and professional ministry work Writing books Helping other leaders Appointing evangelists I realize that if I want to plant 10 churches I will need to train a lot of people That led me to the question:  “How did Jesus and Paul do it?” Jesus’ Method and Process Mark 3:13-15 13 Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. 14 He appointed twelve[a] that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach  Jesus had a method or “Master Plan of Evangelism” Men were his method He had a process and trusted that if he followed that, the job would get done It’s hard to trust that process:  It’s not glitzy and not fast It’s easier to look for the latest ministry technique, digital tool etc.   “Concentrate on what will produce results rather than on the results, focus on the process not the prize.”  Bill Walsh, SF 49’rs American Football Coach   I want to be come a process-driven leader. But to be honest, being with people is hard. People take time People are messy People get mad at times People let you down I’d prefer to give direction, operating people by “remote control.” I decided that I will need to start doing what is hard, not what is expedient. What did Jesus do? Chose young men Spent time with them Gave them feedback Helped them to recover from failure Built a friendship with them Gave them a vision for their lives Built a crew of friends around them   That is the genesis of what I now call “The Magnificent 7” I committed to sharing freely what I had learned in planting and leading small churches I wrote a book I started a podcast I looked around and tried to spend time with people A year ago our singles ministry was in shambles Now we have a group of 7 strong young men who are with me and my purpose is to send them out for missionary work and to plant and lead churches. I’ll be having some of these men share as well as a couple of men I’ve trained in the past. Here is what has helped: Choose young men and women My group is between 24 and 33 They are free, available and ready for adventure Picture of Magnificent 7 Pray with people Dom: Hour of prayer for four months straight Here’s David Molina: He helped me plant Tucson and then got hired by LA and now leads there Give people the pulpit Chris preached every other week when I was working full time Give people feedback Brian: Immediate preaching feedback Here’s Brian Build a united friend group I’m friends with them, but they are friends with each other Young men and women are looking for connection and training Saturday pancake breakfast Sharing Schedule a men’s retreat Men need concentrated time More can be done in one weekend than you can imagine Honor the culture of men Games Prayer Preaching Food Laughter Take your disciples away on retreats Jesus walked and took them up to the mountain to be with him That made memories I schedule a retreat at least once a quarter for bonding and prayer Sharing Make your time spiritual Devotionals led by each person Introductions Prayer together Theme word Sharing Share your passion with your disciples Surfing Diving Riding motorcycles Backpacking and camping We’ve gone surfing and baptizing Camping Hiking Look for the heart of a good disciple Available Fun Serving Encouraging Charming and delightful Transparent Recognize the path to mastery: Must go through apprenticeship Willing to imitate: Chris   Give them a team challenge 60 studies in 60 days Daily check in Group chats   Train them What do they need to know? Give them a reading list Give them feedback Good point, growth point People want practicals   Work with what you have Sometimes you don’t have a lot to choose from Jesus used “fall aways” to change the world. “You will all fall away…” Do the best with what you have   It comes down to a question: “Do you trust Jesus’ method or not?”   You are a great person, a skilled person. What if there were two of you in your same ministry? Wouldn’t that make a difference? Share:  Chris Schwartzenberger Look around for a motivated and focused young man Pull them into your life and be with them and then send them out to preach   Thanks for listening to and supporting the Rob Skinner Podcast!   I want to invite you the 2021 Small Church Leadership Conference:  The Theme is “Climb” When: December 2-5, 2021 Where: Dallas, Texas Hotel Accommodations: Marriot Las Colinas: $109/night Address: 223 Las Colinas, Irving, Texas 75039 *Early Registration: May 15th - June 30th: $125 *Registration: July 1st - August 31st: $150 *Late Registration: September 1st - December 2nd: $175 Please register today at RobSkinner.Com and look for the Climb Conference Tab www.robskinner.com/climb-conference  

Today on episode 99, I will share a lesson Pam and I did for the UK, Ireland, Nordic churches.  I will talk about How to get fired up in the wake of Covid How to get Focused How to start moving forward spiritually I want to invite you the 2021 Small Church Leadership Conference:  The Theme is “Climb” When: December 2-5, 2021 Where: Dallas, Texas Hotel Accommodations: Marriot Las Colinas: $109/night Address: 223 Las Colinas, Irving, Texas 75039 *Early Registration: May 15th - June 30th: $125 *Registration: July 1st - August 31st: $150 *Late Registration: September 1st - December 2nd: $175 Please register today at RobSkinner.Com and look for the Climb Conference Tab www.robskinner.com/climb-conference   Class #1:  The Harvest is Plentiful, but the Workers are Few Introduction: Thanks to Mohan and Helen How can we get our churches growing in 2021? Recognize the hit COVID has taken on us: We are struggling in our faith Struggling with sin Limited time Working multiple jobs Ministry has stopped growing We are discouraged Pulled so many different ways Not easy to evangelize Dealing with lock downs and COVID Evangelism is different   You can grow and you will grow, here’s how: Get Fired Up Progress in our ministry depends on progress in our thinking about who God is and what he is capable of. Example: Martin Luther and the power of hammering home one powerful thought:  “For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”  Romans 1:17 That change in thinking changed Germany, Europe and the world At a subconscious level, we have thoughts that are holding us back from being the great disciples and leaders God knows we can become. Here are some areas to examine: Does God really love/forgive me? I don’t really feel saved so I’m going to earn God’s love by growing his church. I should quit I’m a fake, an imposter, people can see through me I can’t be happy unless the ministry is performing this way God can’t/won’t help me with this situation I’m less than others I’m not respected/appreciated I’m not good with technology/computers etc. I don’t have time to be with God because of money, my family and the pressure of the church We can’t do it with our limited resources, people etc. People are just not open here:   37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”  Matthew 9:35-38 If Jesus or Paul were here, they would find a way to find the open people. How would you feel, How would your life change How would your ministry change if: You replaced those default thoughts with the way Paul thought about God: God is for us I’m at peace with God Nothing can separate me from Jesus’ love for me We are more than conquerors I can do everything God asks me to with the help of Christ who gives me the strength and power. Philippians 4:13 "There is nothing I cannot master with the help of Christ who gives me strength."   How can you get fired up? Take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.  2 Cor 10:3-5   The first step is becoming aware of your thinking. The next step is replacing those thoughts with Godly thoughts.   Build your Trust in God: 2 Kings 18:5-7 5 Hezekiah trusted in the Lord, the God of Israel. There was no one like him among all the kings of Judah, either before him or after him. 6 He held fast to the Lord and did not stop following him; he kept the commands the Lord had given Moses. 7 And the Lord was with him; he was successful in whatever he undertook. Hezekiah had a boatload of troubles, but he met them with trust Trust is my personal and church theme for 2021 We need faith and trust in a time of fear and uncertainty Flagstaff leader Renew your appreciation of God’s Grace: Psalm 51:12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Dig into your “treasure chest” Give yourself permission and time to enjoy Christ Focus on what you have in Christ already Realize, you are already a success because you are a child of God Remember the “Great I Am” is with you: Matthew 28:20 The same Jesus who spoke to Moses from the Bush Bowles Hall   Don’t be afraid to acknowledge your weaknesses, be honest and get help We are jars of clay Learn from others and gain faith from others Sean Wooten Podcast Prayer and Fasting Chain learned from Henry and Arunima Gomes Spend 90% of your time thinking how you can improve your situation The difference between “facts” and “situations” You can’t change facts, but you can improve situations Don’t dwell on troubled situations, concentrate on how you can build a healthier, stronger church Campus situation Get your motives right: 1 Peter 5:2 Be shepherds of God’s flock, the believers under your care. Watch over them, though not because you have to. Instead, do it because you want to. That’s what God wants you to do. Don’t do it because you want to get money in dishonest ways. Do it because you really want to serve. Non-paid or part-time Motivation:  Obligation Paid Motivation:  Money Do things because you want to, not because you have to Don’t worry about what “they” think I can’t take a break, time off, vacation, rest or relax. You can’t solve everyone’s problems, let it go, be happy From time to time, think, “What if I got fired?” That would be okay! Share Ashland   Create a “Miracle Morning” What works for you, what gets you going? Coffee Goals and affirmations Walk while listening to the Bible Read a good book Journal Prayer and Meditation   Get Focused Priority:  If something is a priority, it is the most important thing you have to do or deal with or must be done or dealt with before everything else you have to do.  Collins Dictionary Don’t worry about multiple goals. “The word priority came into the English language in the 1400s. It was singular. It meant the very first or prior thing. It stayed singular for the next five hundred years. Only in the 1900s did we pluralize the term and start talking about priorities. Illogically, we reasoned that by changing the word we could bend reality. Somehow, we would now be able to have multiple “first” things. –Greg McKeown, Essentialism Jesus’ priority: 37 and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!”  38 Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.”  Mark 1:37-38 Jesus was crystal clear on his priority:  He had come to preach and seek and save the lost. Jesus faced life-long resistance to his mission. His leadership style was non-reactive and self-directed. He set his agenda.  He did not allow others to hijack his agenda, time or mission. We get confused and overwhelmed by the multitude of people and tasks crying out to us. We lose track of our priority, seeking and saving the lost:   Resistance Why don’t we do these things?  Resistance. We face resistance from outside and from within ourselves. You already know what you should be doing but you don’t do it consistently. You are caught up in the pressure of the moment, the urgency of other’s demands and the internal pressure to avoid what matters the most. This capacity to overcome external and internal resistance is the single most important lesson for a ministry leader. You don’t have time for everything, but you do have enough time for the most important things. When your church is stagnant or stuck, you have one priority:  Grow. Everything you do must support your priority or it must be abandoned. Everything else depends on the healthy growth of your church. Why?  It feels right, it’s encouraging and it offers inspiration to discouraged Christians. Reset your Schedule and Follow the 75% rule 75% of your time should be involved in reaching out, studying with the lost or discipling those who have the desire to grow and advance the gospel. For part time and self-supporting leaders, look at your mornings, evenings and weekends What is your current Covid Schedule? Do you have time to bear fruit? Make a “Stop Doing” list of things that don’t contribute toward your priority. Drinking every day Watching hours of TV daily Sleeping in Browsing Freedom Accountable2U Set up systems and routines that make you feel like a winner Scott Adams Goals versus systems Goal: I want to meet and baptize a person this year System: I’m going to share with one person a day Goal: I want to be enjoy peace of mind and peace with God System: I’m going to dedicate the first hour of waking to reading, prayer and meditation Sytems help you to feel like you are winning daily Target those you want to reach Online professional Bible Discussion: “How to succeed Professionally and Spiritually” Golfing Start an online Bible Talk How to Succeed Professionally and Spiritually Book of Daniel 1-6 30 minutes I’ll send you the PowerPoint Make the mission fun for you Get a group around you that you like Do it with friends We developed our own BT Don’t let those who are fearful or faithless stop you “Noah preached and no one became a Christian” I thought something seemed flawed with that statement. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” Matthew 9:35-38 If Jesus or Paul were here, they would find a way to find the open people. Set up a short-term campaign 60 Bible study appointments in 60 days

Today on episode 96,  I’m going to talk to Gary and Chris Simmons in Fresno, California.  Gary and Chris have served as bi-vocational leaders of the Central Valley Church of Christ since 2000.  In this episode they share: How they’ve been able to serve as “tentmakers” for nearly 14 years. How they bought a massive church campus for $1 The power of staying in one place for a long time Their plans to start a new church planting next year All this and more on the Rob Skinner Podcast!   More about Gary and Chris: Gary and Chris Simmons have served as the lead ministry couple of the Central Valley Church of Christ in Fresno since 2000 (with a short break from ministry in 2004-2007).  They were both baptized in the Denver church in 1989 and 1990, while Chris was at CU and Gary was getting his graduate degree, and they met each other through church. Both are from New England, and after becoming disciples they have gotten to serve many places including Nebraska and Alaska! In California, they have served in the LA Church, the Bay Area Christian Church, and Fresno.   For the past 14 years Gary has served as a part-time paid minister while holding down a teaching job, and Chris does the ministry as an unpaid part-time position.  This has afforded the small congregation a chance to hire interns and to not have to pay insurance, allowing the church to do much more than if Gary and Chris were paid full time.    Chris recently got a part time job at a publishing company designing book covers, and the whole Simmons family fosters animals for the CCSPCA.  Chris also does social media and sings with the Fresno Master Chorale.   Chris' parents and brother are disciples in the Bay Area church.  Gary and Chris consider the Central Valley Church of Christ a key piece, geographically and relationally, with the BACC, LA Church, Bakersfield, AV and Sacramento.   Their daughter Audrey is a freshman at Azusa Pacific and recently became a disciple.  Their son Wyatt is 16 and going to an early college HS, hoping to study abroad after graduation.  They live with 5 dogs (plus fosters), 1.5 cats, 2 ducks and a chicken.  

Today on episode 95,  I’m going to talk to Brock and Anne Roby.  Brock and Anne graduated from Princeton University in 1984.  Brock was number two in his class and Anne was number one.  They both become Christians there and then went on to plant the church in Oahu, Hawaii in 1989.  Brock and Anne share about: How they got selected to lead the team How they prepared for the planting How the church grew from a team of 20 to an average Sunday attendance 9 years later of 1,000 people The first 6 months of their planting when they saw 45 people get baptized Their experience as parents of a child with Down Syndrome All this and more on episode 95 of the Rob Skinner Podcast!   More about Brock and Anne Roby:  Brock and Anne both graduated from Princeton University with bachelor's degrees in Civil Engineering and Brock with a master's degree from Stanford University. It was at Princeton where they studied the bible and became Christians and where they began to date. They were married two years after graduation and then went into the full-time ministry. They trained for the ministry in San Francisco and Boston where they were involved in campus, single, and family ministries. In 1989 they were then asked to lead the mission team to Honolulu, Hawaii, where they lived for almost ten years. During those ten years they planted churches in Hilo, Maui and Guam as well as discipled the church in Anchorage, Alaska. It was in Hawaii where their two children were born. In 1998 they were asked to return to the mainland to serve with the Bay Area Christian Church but were asked to step down from the ministry in 2005. They decided to stay in the Bay Area where both their boys were involved in the teen ministry and where they hoped their boys would become disciples - and they did. Barrett, who has Down syndrome, is now 29, and Nick, who also received a graduate degree in Civil Engineering at Stanford University, is now 28 and married to their wonderful daughter-in-law, Christina. Nick and Christina currently both serve in the full-time ministry in San Francisco.  Brock and Anne served in the full-time ministry for 19 years and Brock has been working as a civil engineer for the past 16 years. They currently live in Pleasanton, CA, where they continue to work for God but on a volunteer basis serving as directors for Pleasanton E-Soccer, a soccer program for children with special needs, and serving on other city and non-profit commissions and boards. In 2013 Brock and Anne were named "Couple of the Year" for the City of Pleasanton largely due to their work in the community and, in particular, the special needs community.  

I’m Rob Skinner and this is the Rob Skinner Podcast. Today on episode 94,  I’m going to talk to Noah Mata.  Noah and his wife, Patty, lead the campus ministry at the University of Maryland.  Noah shares about: Visiting his Dad in prison while Noah was going to college at Temple University. Discovering he has a form of diabetes Three keys to making campus ministry work in 2021 What he does to create a one another discipling culture in his campus ministry How his ministry has managed to baptize nine souls during the pandemic Working with other churches and college ministries on “Freedom Fridays.” His new podcast: “The Messy Middle” All this and more on episode 94 of the Rob Skinner Podcast!   Noah and Patty Mata currently reside in College Park, MD right outside of DC and serve as ministers in the Capital Rivers Church.  Patty is from Halifax Nova Scotia Canada, became a Christian in the Teen Ministry and holds a Masters in Social Work.  Noah became a Christian in 2007 in Hartford, CT. Studied at Temple University - and has been serving in the Full-Time Ministry for almost 7 years in Philadelphia and in the Capital Rivers Church.  Both Patty and Noah are passionate about connecting the Gospel message to both the dignitary and the disprivileged. Noah hosts a Podcast called "The Messy Middle" surveying stories on race and ageism and how to find Jesus in the center of it all. Patty began a page called Jesus Ate Too about bringing a holy, healthy, and Godly mindset to body image and diet practices.  The Mata’s have been married for 3 years and have a dog son named Landon.

Join me on episode 93 as I talk about developing self-discipline and more specifically how to create a morning routine that powers you through the day.  

Join me on episode 92 as I talk about what it takes to become an Evangelist.  I will look at the spirit of Caleb, a man who had a different spirit.

Today on episode 91,  I talk about How Small Improvements can Lead to Big Growth.  You’ll learn: How great leaders share a philosophy of making small improvements How to improve your devotional life How to improve your daily schedule How to be the best you can be Transcript Please save the date for the Climb, Small Church Leadership Conference December 2-5 in Dallas Texas. I hope to have registration set up before the end of the month. There will be an Asian Small Church Leadership Conference the following week. That will be held virtually and we will get more information to you about that.   How Small Improvements can Lead to Big Growth   Since 1908, British riders had won just a single gold medal at the Olympic Games, and they had fared even worse in cycling’s biggest race, the Tour de France. In 110 years, no British cyclist had ever won the event. In fact, the performance of British riders had been so underwhelming that one of the top bike manufacturers in Europe refused to sell bikes to the team because they were afraid that it would hurt sales if other professionals saw the Brits using their gear. Dave Brailsford had been hired to put British Cycling on a new trajectory. What made him different from previous coaches was his relentless commitment to a strategy that he referred to as “the aggregation of marginal gains,” which was the philosophy of searching for a tiny margin of improvement in everything you do. Brailsford said, “The whole principle came from the idea that if you broke down everything you could think of that goes into riding a bike, and then improve it by 1 percent, you will get a significant increase when you put them all together.” During the ten-year span from 2007 to 2017, British cyclists won 178 world championships and 66 Olympic or Paralympic gold medals and captured 5 Tour de France victories in what is widely regarded as the most successful run in cycling history.[1] This story reminds me that little improvements lead to big change over time.  I’d like to ask you: What if you got 1% better every day? What if your marriage got 1% better every day? What if your church or ministry got 1% better every day? James Clear, who wrote “Atomic Habits,” explains that initially your improvement will hardly be noticeable, but if you were to make a small 1% improvement every day, you would be thirty-seven times better than when you started. Start Small to Go Big When you study leaders who are making a difference, business leaders, coaches, ministers or even good parents, you’ll find a pattern of attention to small improvements.  Read what the ten-time NCAA basketball championship winning coach, John Wooden, counsels: “You have to apply yourself each day to become a little better. By applying yourself to the task of becoming a little better each and every day over a period of time, you will become a lot better. Only then will you be able to approach being the best you can be.”  Paul shares the same principle in Ephesians 5:15-16: 15 Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Paul tells us to be very careful about the small details of our lives.  We need to examine the easy to overlook behaviors and routines that guide 90% of our lives.  We need to pay attention to the small opportunities that pop up and that we often leave unexploited.  We cannot be careless about the boring and seemingly insignificant details of our lives.  What areas in our lives do we need to start being “very careful” with? Be Very Careful With Your Devotional Life How can you energize your walk with God?  What can you do to find power and inspiration every morning that you spend with God?  Do you miss days without connecting with God?  Do you find yourself anxious to get started with your “real work” during your devotional time?  Does your spiritual routine leave you at peace and motivated to do the work of God?  If not, it’s time to make a small daily improvement in the quality of your time with God. Recently, I made a few decisions to improve my time with God in the following ways: I give myself permission to take as long as I need to be close and feel close to God. I give myself permission to enjoy my relationship with God every day. I don’t have to do something or accomplish something first to “earn” a satisfying relationship with God.  I have decided to allow myself to be happy every day in my connection to Christ.  I refuse to wait until at some undetermined time in the future my accomplishments will somehow allow me the freedom to enjoy peace in my relationship with God. These are small “tweaks” in my spiritual life, but they are powerful enough to put me into an entirely different mindset as my work day gets going. Be Very Careful With Your Daily Schedule We need to be very careful about how we spend our time.  In our hyper-connected world, we can spend our days responding to the needs of other people by text, email, or social media.  You cannot make your own unique contribution to this world if you only serve the requests of others.  Carve out dedicated time to do the most important work that you want to do.  That will mean making small improvements in limiting access to you at certain times of the day.  Here are a few things that have worked for me: Use the “Freedom” app that prevents you from checking email or distracting websites for a period of time that you designate. Don’t check your phone or email before your “workday” starts at 8:00 or 9:00 am. I have decided that the first thing I will do once I finish my devotional time is to write 1,000 words. I recommit to this frequently and give myself permission to put my agenda ahead of ministry problems, crises and requests for information.  If I do not do this, I end up at the end of the week late on my sermon preparation, mad at myself for not doing what I considered most important and wondering where my time went and what I had to show for it. What are some other areas to examine that might be ripe for improvement? Do you have any evenings that are reserved for reaching out those who don’t know God? How consistent are you in meeting with people you are mentoring? Are you making the most of daily opportunities to share your faith? Do you have new invitation cards that you can start using? Is your week scheduled in such a way to reach the lost, fellowship with disciples, build your marriage and family and have a little fun? Be the best you can be We have an opportunity as we come out into the new world of life after COVID-19.  We can bemoan the condition our lives, ministries and relationships may be in or we can go to work making small improvements every day.  By doing that we will in time find ourselves stronger than we ever were before the pandemic and more fruitful, happy and creative than we have ever been before. Don’t compare yourself to other people, ministries or churches.  You can learn from the good ideas of others, but if you obsess about how you don’t have this, lacks that or can’t do this, you will be a miserable, discouraged leader.  Instead, focus on being the best you can be.  How can you compare yourself to how you led yesterday?  How can you be better than your old self?  Each day, with each new improvement you will be able to enjoy the satisfaction of making a small but significant change for the better. Over time, your small changes will compound and not only will your ministry grow, but you will change as a person and as a leader.  You will become a Christian who is able to bounce back from setbacks and crises because you know that small changes lead to big progress.       Application Write down three small things that you could change this week that would improve your life? [1] James Clear, “This Coach Improved Every Tiny Thing by 1 Percent and Here’s What Happened,” https://jamesclear.com/marginal-gains.

Today on episode 90,  I talk to Brian and Abby Mackie, mission team leaders to Flagstaff, Arizona.  Brian and Abby are 28 and 26 and are graduating from campus to church leadership. They are gathering and leading a team this summer and will have their first official service in September.  They share: Their background and how God guided them to Flagstaff Their vision for the future of the church The plan for getting the church off the ground Advice for those interested in joining the team

Today on episode _89,  I talk to John and Carol McGuirk of Paris, France.  They were missionaries to Paris and then Brussels, Belgium in the ’80s and ’90s.  They returned to the US for 17 years and then in their fifties returned to the foreign mission field.  Since that time the church has seen remarkable growth and strengthening.  In this episode they share: How they rebuilt trust in a church that had declined from 600 to 75 members How over the past nine years they’ve seen over 120 baptisms with only 75 members.  They've also seen 60 former members return to the fellowship. How they’ve concentrated on helping the children of their members become disciples. 45 children of members have become Christians. Their powerful ministry philosophy of bringing your “entourage” to heaven with you. All this and more on the Rob Skinner Podcast

I’m Rob Skinner and this is the Rob Skinner Podcast. Today on episode 88,  I talk to James Thomas from London, England.  James is a disciple, architect, and ultra-marathon athlete.  He has built opera houses, towers and buildings all over the world while serving as a leader in the London Church.  He has run races of over 200 miles and has helped his kids follow Christ.  Last year his small group helped three couples become Christians.  Listen as he shares: How to keep your passion for Christ and life going and growing your entire life. How to stay close to your kids and inspire them to follow Christ How to excel in your work and not lose your family or your faith How to live no-regrets life and make this life count. All this and more on the Rob Skinner Podcast!

Today on episode 84,  I’m going to talk Will and Kristen Lambert.  They were missionaries to Spain and now they have edited and published a new book called the mission.  We’ll find out about their missionary experiences and the purpose of this new book on this episode of the Rob Skinner Podcast.

Today in episode 86,  I’m going to talk to Jon (33) and Rachel Buchholz (32) from Milan, Italy.  They share about: Rachel's near-death experience during the delivery of her son Ben How Jon and Rachel met in Kid’s kingdom at the age of 5 How their family’s faith inspired them to seek the mission field How their decision to “just say yes” to God has guided them onto the mission field What it takes to go on the mission field How to prepare for any mission field How they fight and overcome mission fatigue and how their love for the people in their church keeps them fighting for God All this and more on the episode 86 of the Rob Skinner Podcast More about Jon and Rachel: Jon and Rachel serve as missionaries in Italy and as the evangelist and women’s ministry leader of the Chiesa di Cristo di Milano. They grew up in the suburbs of Boston, met as children in the Boston Church of Christ, and were baptized as teenagers before entering the Boston Campus Ministry. After graduating and getting married in 2010, they worked in campus and youth and family ministry for the Boston Church until 2014, when they moved to Italy as missionaries. During their years in Milan, the Buchholzs have been blessed with two beautiful children, Benjamin and Aurora, and continue to dream of making the gospel known in Italy and all of Europe.

Today on episode 85,  I’m going to talk about how to inspire people to trust you and your leadership.  How being too optimistic may backfire How a clear call to action is mandatory right now Why people need to know the reason why you are calling them to grow How to encourage people to believe in God and your leadership Transcript Below:   The pandemic is passing.  People are getting vaccinated.  Disciples are resurfacing and wondering, “Where do we go from here?”  Your job as a leader is to offer vision and direction to strengthen and rebuild your church.  Many, if not most, of our churches are weak, lethargic and out of shape spiritually.  Disciples have grown used to “TV church.”  No travel, no trouble, no time spent setting up or breaking down the worship service.  For many of us, we don’t know how badly the pandemic has affected the spiritual health and condition of our churches.  We don’t know exactly how things will be different going forward.  All we know is it will be different, and we are in charge of helping people get back on their feet spiritually.  I’d like to offer some ideas from Nehemiah on how to inspire your members to trust you and your leadership during the cleanup and recovery phase of COVID. 17 Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.” 18 I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me.  Nehemiah 2:17-18 Nehemiah faced an overwhelming task:  Rebuild the fallen walls of Jerusalem.  The people were demoralized, dispirited, and beaten down.  He not only had to get them to do the physical work involved, but he also had to get them to trust him that things could change for the better.  Let’s find out how he did it. Don’t be too optimistic, tell the truth 17 Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in: Jerusalem lies in ruins, and its gates have been burned with fire.  Nehemiah 2:17 Nehemiah could have arrived with a big smile and big talk that things weren’t as bad as they seemed.  Instead, he started with a sobering assessment of the situation: We are in trouble Jerusalem is in ruins The gates are burned with fire He knew that pretending that things were better than they were would cause people to distrust him.  Instead, he connected with people by acknowledging what everyone knew.  They were all in big trouble. It’s tempting during this time to inflate our progress, cover over our weaknesses, disappearing disciples and lack of evangelism.  Your people know that this pandemic has taken a toll on the church and by trying to paint too rosy of a picture, it will cause people to distrust your leadership.  Instead, acknowledge your current situation.  That helps your members know that you are seeing what they are seeing.  Without being pessimistic or “gloom and doom,” tell the truth about the state of your church. My church will be returning to live meetings this month.  However, before we do that, I will be having a family talk at midweek with the entire church.  I will be laying out the true condition of the church.  I will be sharing that some people will not be coming back.  A number may not return to live meetings for a long time.  I will be talking about the drop in Bible studies.  I will talk about how difficult it will be for people to overcome inertia to start leaving their homes.  I will compare it to going back to the gym after not working out for one year.  It’s not easy and it’s not fun.  There will be a lot of grumbling and griping.  Nevertheless, once we push through the pain, we will feel better and stronger about ourselves as disciples and as a church body. Call people to rebuild Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, and we will no longer be in disgrace.” Nehemiah 2:17 Nehemiah called people to act.  He offered them a massive task and a motivation to do it; we will no longer be in disgrace. Your members need you to call them to rebuild your church.  You are the voice they will listen to.  Here’s what people need now: A clear, limited goal. What are you trying to do?  What do people need to do?  What will it look like when it’s done? A big reason to sacrifice. People need to know “Why?”  Nehemiah told his people that their sacrifice would restore their self-respect and would remove their shame.  They would feel better about themselves because of this wall being built.  Set up a clear plan to revive your church.  Make it simple and not too complicated.  Set a low bar that most can achieve with a little effort.  For example, in Tucson, I’ve started with the following: Rob’s March Plan Daily prayer meeting:  A Zoom prayer meeting from 7:00-7:15 Monday-Friday. (Thank you Tony and Melanie Singh!) One Saturday “ManChurch”:  A park service to reactivate the men in the church Men’s retreat at a YMCA camp in April My private prayer Goal:  31 studies by the end of the month Promote prayer and fasting chain (This was started January 1st, thank you Henry and Arunima Gomes!) Find and meet in a live location:  (Our old location is closed) Ask the church to share with one person per day going forward   Encourage, Encourage, Encourage 18 I also told them about the gracious hand of my God on me and what the king had said to me.  Nehemiah 2:18 After bringing the “bad news” and calling people to action, Nehemiah encouraged his people with how God had already answered his prayers and was clearly supporting Nehemiah’s efforts. Your people need to know that you: Understand the gravity of the situation Have a clear, yet modest goal for rebuilding Have a strong and motivating reason to rebuild Once this has been laid out, you must inspire people to trust in God and you by sharing how God has already been moving in your life.  Encourage people and share about God’s power.  Let them know about times in the past when he has brought you through challenging times. Every time we meet together, I pull up stories of how God has moved in my life and heard my prayers in difficult times.  People need to know that they can trust my leadership. Your people are looking to you.  They want to trust you.  They want to trust that God is working through you.  Imitate Nehemiah’s example to inspire trust: Don’t be too optimistic, tell the truth Call people to action and let people know why Encourage people with stories of how God is and has worked through you before

Today on episode 84,  I’m going to talk to Helen and Mohan Nanjudan.  Mohan and Helen Nanjundan were baptized as students in London in the 80’s. They’ve led churches in India, Singapore and the UK. They have two children, Priya and Rahul, who are active members of our family of churches in Birmingham and Glasgow, respectively.  In this episode you’ll learn: How they went from student converts in London to leading the church How Mohan arrived at is wedding riding on a white horse How they led HOPE Worldwide charity in India in the early 2,000’s. How’ve they’ve each met and led two people to Christ last year during Covid The advice they’d give to their younger selves: Be open, vulnerable and never stop being bold. How they’ve made ministry a life-long passion and not a passing phase. All this and more on episode 84 of the Rob Skinner Podcast

Today on episode _83,  I’m going to talk about how to put the passion back into your relationship with God.  When you became a Christian, you made a decision to make Jesus the Lord of your life and go anywhere, do anything and give up everything.  Sometimes though we end up wondering where our fire went, where our fruitfulness went, where the fun went.  If you would like to reignite the passion you once felt, you should consider going on a mission team.  I’ll talk about why God may be calling you to step out on faith and GO and make disciples this year.  It’ll be the best decision you ever made.  Here's why God may be calling you to the mission field: Fourth Soil Fruitfulness First String Living Leadership Training A chance to make lifetime friends and memories A chance to sacrifice and put your faith into practice for Jesus A chance to start over An opportunity to inspire the Kingdom of God Transcript Below: 0:00  I'm Rob Skinner. And this is the Rob Skinner podcast. Today on episode 83, I'm going to talk about how to put the passion back into your relationship with God. When you became a Christian, you made a decision to make Jesus the Lord of your life and go anywhere, do anything and give up everything. Sometimes though, we end up wondering where our fire went, where our fruitfulness went, where the fun went. If you'd like to reignite the passion you once felt, you should consider going on a mission team. I'll talk about why God may be calling you to step out on faith and go and make disciples this year. It'll be the best decision you ever made. All this and more on this episode of the Rob Skinner podcast.   1:20  Welcome back to the Rob Skinner podcast. My goal is to inspire you to live a no regrets life, make this life count, and multiply disciples, leaders and churches. Just a day or two ago, I got the book mailed to me the mission. And it's an updated version of a book that was published back in 1994. William and Kristen Lambert are the editors of it. And essentially, they've interviewed different church leaders from all over the world and what they're doing, and about their passion for the mission. Now, nothing gets me more fired up than talking about the mission and mission teams. I mean, I started reading it immediately. And I was just like, that's awesome. And I hope to interview some of the people in the book and the editors themselves. If you're listening, give me a call. I want to talk to you about your book. But it's got a great introduction by Randy McKean. And it's a great book. But it made me think about mission teams. And I'm, I'm just passionate about it. I want to plan as many more churches as I can before I die.   2:22  One of the churches that I'm working with right now is trying to get a mission team to Flagstaff, Arizona. And it's exciting because we had over 20 people on the last mission team meeting, who are excited about going there. I'm interviewing leaders right now I've got some people in mind. It's really awesome. I'd be just meeting together the people and talking about it gets my blood pumping. And I'm also excited about a mission plant and going out to Hilo Hawaii that Gary Roberson is organizing. So, there's a lot of work. And that's just the domestic work that doesn't even include foreign missions and other stuff that's going on. But I want to talk to you today about 10 reasons why you should consider going on a mission team. Now you might be thinking, Oh no, I'm not good at that. Or I might be part of a big church or whatever. But I want to I want to persuade you; I want to give you 10 reasons why God may be calling you to go on a mission team. Now I'm talking to you whether you're in your 20s or 30s, or 40s, you got six kids. Mission teams are for everybody. And, boy, you need every type of person to go on a mission team. So, if you're thinking about it, just listen to this. And we're going to we're gonna talk more about it. First of all, what makes the mission team so special? Why should you go What's the benefit for you? That's what I want to cover today.   3:45  My first reason why you should consider it is fourth soil living fourth soil living.   3:52  In Mark chapter four in verse seven through nine. Jesus said Other seed fell among thorns which grew up and choked the plants so that they did not bear grain. Still Other seed fell on good soil, it came up grew and produced a crop, some multiplying 30, some 60, some 100 times Then Jesus said, whoever has ears to hear, let them hear. Still others like seeds sown among thorns hear the word, but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth, and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. Others like seeds sown on good soil, hear the word accepted, and produce a crop some 30, some 60, some 100 times what was sown.  Now this is an awesome passage, and Jesus is just talking about our different responses to the Word of God. And we often use this for non-Christians and talk about how people are hard hearted, or they're choked out. But the third soil, if we're really honest with ourselves is where many of us end up living a majority of our Christian life and not intentionally, but it's kind of the default setting for the Christian life, especially if you're in a first world country where most of my listeners are, are living. We get choked out by worries, desires, deceitfulness of wealth. And the result is we're barren and unfruitful. Now, I'm not saying that you're barren and unfruitful, but I'm saying that it does create a tendency to be more barren and unfruitful than if let's say, we have less of those things. So as a disciple, which soil Do you want to live in? Do you want to be in the third soil, which is the soil that gets choked out by things, or the fourth soil now the fourth soil, hears the word accepts it, produces a crop 3060 100 times what was sown?   5:53  Now, I would guess that if you're listening to this podcast, you're like, I want to be in the forest soil. Absolutely. That's exactly where I want to be. But I gotta tell you, there's been times in my life where I've totally been choked out by weeds, all sorts of desires for other things. And I have, I've gone for long stretches, have not been fruitful.  And that's just a fact I and I just had to go, Whoa, I am totally in the third soil. So, I'm not trying to shame anybody. I've been there. And I know what it's like. And it takes picking up your roots and getting into a good soil. That's why a mission team is so powerful. The benefit of a mission team is its singular focus, saving souls. In large churches, that can be so many different ministries, you've got the I just don't even want to go through the long list. But you know, you've got all sorts of different meetings and all sorts of different stuff. There's administration and let's do this. And let's focus on this. When you go on a mission team, it gets stripped down. All it is, is let's baptize people, let's save souls. And if you're like me, you got I like that kind of a focus. I like knowing what I'm there for and making disciples.   7:13  There was a couple that we invited to come on the Tucson mission team, and I did this lesson for them when we were recruiting people back in 2012.  And they were from a large church, and they called me after I did the devotional. And they said, Listen, Rob, we'd really like to go, we think it'd be great. But we got to be honest with you and tell you a little bit about ourselves. We haven't studied the Bible and baptize somebody in 17 years. Not since we were singles.  And at that point, I was looking for anyone who is willing to go and had a pulse, and I'm like, Listen, it's okay. If you go, God's gonna bless you. You're gonna be really, really fruitful. And luckily, they believe me. Because they went and they helped. Working along, you know, side of us, they helped like eight couples become Christians. It was awesome. And in just a two- or three-year period, it was amazing. I mean, they just helped us to build the church so powerfully. And this couple had not literally had confessed, had not been fruitful for like 17 years. Now. Listen, you might be listening. Go man, I can't even remember the last time I baptize somebody.  Don't, don't judge yourself. Don't get hard on yourself. Maybe that's God saying, Hey, listen, it's time to pull up the roots of those weeds and move to a different place where you can focus just on that. It’s worth thinking about.   8:46  Second reason you should consider going on a mission team. First string living, first string living.   8:56  I like to watch you know basketball football a little bit. I'm not a huge I'm not a fanatic. When it comes to sports. I like to watch I mean, when the playoffs come along the Super Bowl, I really get into it but regular season. I'm not really into it. I'm not a huge soccer fan either. I'm just, you know, kind of a fair-weather fan. But one thing I noticed when I watch teams is you look at these guys on the bench.  And you think about it, man.  Growing up in primary school, and then high school, college, they were the best of the best. They always play they everyone else is on the bench. But now many pros never get to see any time in the game. There was a guy that I knew from Oregon, where we lived before we moved to Tucson and he was a superstar. He was like Oregon player of the decade. I mean, just an amazing player won the championship in the state. He went to Duke and then he went into the pros. And I saw him one day, you know, years at pass, and I just see him playing, sitting on the bench not getting any minutes at all. And I go, how does that happen? Well, those people are still awesome. But they just aren't quite good enough to be on the first string.   10:17  And taking that to a spiritual focus many times in, in many times in established churches, we don't get time because there are a lot of other great disciples around us. And we can feel like we're on the bench.  But we still have the skills, we've still got game. We can still baptize people. But other people are preaching other people are active and leading, but you're still awesome. And what's great about mission teams is everyone gets to go into the game.  In fact, he joined a mission team, you'll be begging for time on the bench just to take a breather.   10:57  When we planted the church in Tucson, Arizona, I forgot to look for a song leader. I was like, Oh my gosh, major oversight. Did not did not forget to think about it. Okay, just a little note to yourself, if you're planning a mission to make sure you get a good song leader. But anyway, there we were first service, no one knows how to lead songs. But then a brother comes up to me and goes, Hey, I'd like to try it.  And he'd let a couple songs in the past. And so, he started doing it. And guess what, he became our primary song leader. And over the course of the time, his time in Tucson, which was like five or six years, he became a great song, song leader, his name is Matt Mike. And he started with very little background. But because he was forced to get into the game, he became great at it. He just did it every single week. And guess what, he became great. And he was an excellent song leader.  But that's another reason. So, if you're kind of sitting around going, Hey, I could do something I other people are doing it. But I'm kind of just sitting around, think about a mission team. Because I'll tell you, there's a lot of small churches where they would love to have your talent. And there's a lot of disciples that are 20 3040 years old, his disciples, and even on the bench long time. But if you went to a smaller church, you'd be a starter you would be you'd be the LeBron James of that small church, you would be just like, Whoa, you're amazing. So, think about that.   12:30  Third reason to consider going on a mission team: leadership training.   12:35  Some of us are young and hoping to lead in the future. And I if that's you, I go, Man, that's I'm talking to you. You want to make a difference with your life you want this life to count? Well, there's no better way than going on a mission team. And this always puzzles me why young people don't want to go on a mission team, I go, man, if you really want to make a difference. If you want to grow mission teams are like the place because it forces you to do everything. It's like it will train you to be the very best disciple you can be. Now I'm not I'm not saying that you can't be a strong disciple in large church. But what I am saying is that the environment of a small mission team where you have to be engaged in some dimension, really provides great opportunities. I want to share a couple examples. One, when we planted the church in Ashland, Oregon, that was a self-supporting ministry. And so, we had like, I remember we had about eight people in the church, you know, a year into it or something. I was happy because we started with to just Pam and me. And then we got to a and I was like, all right, man, we've, we've quadrupled, we're cranking. This is incredible growth. But I thought we need a campus minister. And so, I told everybody said, Listen, we're gonna raise $15,000 I calculated it out. I said, Okay, we're gonna get part time salary, you know, 20 hours a week, times minimum wage, and we're gonna hire somebody. So, I thought, I think is about 15,000 US dollars. At that, that price. And we hired a guy named Chris Schwartz and Berger. And Chris came down and he became our campus minister. And I mean, it was really rough. Like, at one point in preparation, he ended up getting married, but he was trying to save money. We had him stay in the church. We were renting a church building and he slept in one of the children's ministry rooms. This guy was so dedicated. He was hardcore, heavy people. This is a very lonely and desolate church building and people would come around and do drugs around the corner and Chris would hear all this at night. There was no shower. There was a kitchen but no shower.  And but he was willing to do it. And he became just an amazing, amazing leader and a preacher. He's already really good at it.  Somebody just became better ended up marrying his wife, Amy there, she was one of the first conversions on campus. And then he became a church leader. And he leads a church now in Spokane, Washington.  But because I was working full time, he got a lot of reps, he got a lot of chances to preach the word and he became awesome. And he built that campus ministry at Southern Oregon University. Another person who's like that is a man named Brad Thomas Shira, Brad was converted on campus. Right when Chris was leaving, and he was a wrestler, and there was a lot of Hawaiians that were being converted at the time. And he was a wrestler, and he became a Christian just had an incredible and still does has an incredible heart for God. Well, when I saw all these Hawaiians became becoming Christians, I talked to risky, I know who is leaving the church in a wahoo at the time, and I had them come out and visit I said, Listen, you gotta you got to get these guys to come out to Hawaii when they graduate, because they're just awesome. And so, Brad ended up going back with his girlfriend and fiancé, and then his wife, eventually, Alicia, they got married, went back and went into the ministry in a wahoo. And now they lead the campus ministry at the University of Hawaii. And he's just, they're just an amazing couple, but they are both converted in a very small church and small churches. Because they have so few resources, those early conversions, just, I don't know what it is about them, they just have more faith, they just really do because that's all that that's all it's the only thing that they have is the vision. Because there's the early churches can be just so rough. And so those early disciples big take on a lot of responsibility quickly, and they rise up quickly. And so, if you want leadership training, man, small churches are the way to go. He got the training; both those guys an opportunity that they needed in the small church environment.  And so just amazing in a Chris I appointed Chris as an evangelist because he got so much so many reps, and then he got hired away by a large church and just did amazing.   17:12  Why else would you consider going on a mission team? Number four: a chance to sacrifice for Christ.   17:18  In Mark chapter 10, in verse 17, through 31, we know the story, as Jesus started on his way a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. good teacher, he asked what must I do to inherit eternal life? And then just Jesus goes on and he says, no one's good except God alone. You know the commandments You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery shall not steal, you should not give false testimony shall not defraud, honor your father and mother teacher declared all these I've kept since I was a boy, Jesus looked at him and loved him. One thing you like he said, go sell everything you have and give to the poor. And you'll have treasure in heaven, then come follow me. At this, the man's face fell. He went away sad because he had great wealth.  Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, how hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God. The disciples were amazed. I'm going to just read down in verse 31. He says, Truly, I tell you, verse 29, no one who has left home or brothers or sisters, or mother, children or fields for me in the Gospel will fail to receive 100 times as much in this present age, homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and fields along with persecutions and in the age to come eternal life. The many who are first will be last and the last first. Now, again, we use this for non-Christians, we talk about people that are not willing to sacrifice for Christ. But we need to also apply to ourselves and ask how would we do in that situation?  Jesus just lays down a gut-wrenching challenge to this guy. He says, Hey, just give up everything and follow me. Now, not everyone is called to do that. But again, Jesus said, unless you give up everything you have, you can't be My disciple. In in theory, yes, we decided to give up everything and make Jesus the owner of everything we own.  The mission team allows us the chance to step up and put our faith on the line.   19:21  Now fear just can start to really get our hearts pumping at this point, go oh my gosh, what's going to happen though, if I really do that, well, Jesus promises says, Listen, you won't fail to receive 100 times as much. If you sacrifice anything for him, you're going to get it back. Okay. And he says, not only in the end ties, but also right here in this world. And that's an incredible opportunity. Are you ready for that chance? I think about planting the church in Ashland, Oregon. My wife and I just resigned from our full-time position in in Idaho. We packed up our kids and jumped in Hop in u haul trucks and move to Ashland. It was scary. But now there's a church there. And I think about all the people that have been saved as a result, it was worth it. I mean, it was scary. I gave up my position. I didn't have any financial support. But I go, man, I do that again in a heartbeat. In my channel, I gave my family a chance to hear the gospel. Like it was awesome. You know that. But then I got called again to leave there and plant another church in Tucson, Arizona. That was tough. That was tough, too, for different reasons. Because at that point is like, oh my gosh, this really cost me financially to plant this church and Ashland. But if I stay here, I'm probably going to make quite a bit more money once the real estate economy starts to turn around. And I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. But I decided to leave that and I'm glad I did, because it worked out perfectly for my kids going to college here in Arizona, for so many different reasons. And more than anything, just to see more and more people being saved. Now, there's two churches where there were none, and I go, it's, I go, that's 100 times as much when I see those souls saved. I got man. So glad I did it. I hope. I'm doing fine. I'm doing great. But I go now there's a light burning in every city and I go, that's what I love to do. And when I think about the church that I planted, whether it's Portland or Ashland, or Tucson, or I think about the church we organized in Anchorage, Alaska, I go, man, yeah, it was a sacrifice. It was scary. I remember being asked to go overseas to Japan. It was scary. I'd never been there before. I don't look very Japanese. But I go, Man, I'm glad I said yes. It's so good for your faith, to make a sacrifice. So, if you're, if you're wavering on it, just go for it. It's okay. God will take care of you and they'll give you 100 times as much. What else?   Number Five a chance to make memories and best friends for life.   Time seems to stand still on a mission team. Every day is amazing. It's new, it's fresh. It just, it's incredible how every day just seems like five days. We were in Portland, our first church planting back in 1991 30 years ago, we were only there for a little over six months. And yet, it seems like almost every day I can remember it seems more like I was there for six years. And I still have relationships with so many people from that time member one day, six people are baptized in a single day. And I've still got friends from those days. I think about john and Lynn O'Hara, who were baptized in that pool on the top of our apartment building. It was awesome. And they're just faithful disciples in the San Francisco church, that house church there. So, it's awesome. I've still got group many, many great friends from that time. And you get so tight on a mission team. I mean, you need each other and it's just like, you get bonded, hit like right away. And you'll always have those friendships for life. It's amazing.   Number six, a chance to put your faith into practice and follow Jesus.   In Mark chapter one and verse 16, through 18, we know that passage, Jesus said, Come follow me and I'll make you fishers of men. And they left at all they dropped their nets, and I followed them. They had the privilege of walking with Jesus. What was Jesus doing, he was living out the mission. Now you already made this decision when you became a Christian. But remember, sometimes Jesus calls us twice. In john chapter one and verse 35, through 42. Jesus had already called these guys okay, before Mark chapter one, it's pretty clear that Jesus had already built a relationship with these guys. Now, when we read Mark chapter one, it seems like this is the first time Jesus is running into these guys, and just kind of like all out of the blue, he says, Hey, come on, guys. I don't know you, but just follow me. And I'm gonna make you fishers of men. But we read in john chapter one, verse 35, that those disciples were following john at the time. And they said, Hey, Rabbi, where are you staying? It says, we'll come follow me. And they spent the rest of the day with him. So that was their first call. Mark, chapter one was their second call to actually leave permanently and follow Him. And so, when you think about your calling to become a Christian, that's like your first call, and you listen, and I go, awesome, good for you. But sometimes Jesus calls again and said, Listen, I still need you. I still need you to come on out. We've got to, we've got to get the word out here, overseas and domestically. And you have to be receptive to when Jesus calls again. You know, maybe you're thinking I'd like to go overseas, or I want to go to a province. Or I'd like to go where my family is at and you know, maybe a small place that I don't know I don't know your situation. Maybe you're in a, in a country where you go, man, I really want to reach my family. I felt that way. But that maybe that's your second call and you go, okay, gotta listen to that voice and of course get advice. But you know what I told the Flagstaff members who are interested in plaques, I said, this is your second call. Make sure you take it. And I remember when Frank Kim called us to go to Tokyo, Japan. It was scary. You know, I didn't. I my only interaction with Frank prior to that was he came to one of my campus devotionals, the first one of the first times I ever preached in front of the students. And I was talking to my campus minister afterwards, and I said, Hey, what did Frank think about my, my, you know, my devotional, it's like, a five-minute devotional. And the campus minister said, Frank says, you need to learn how to preach. And, you know, I go, Okay, I got it. I gotta learn. So, you know, my, my prior experience with Frank was is kind of a bumbling intern, you know, ministry want to be, but then he's calling me to says, Hey, I'd like you to come out here and help support us and do the work of ministry here in Tokyo, Japan. And I'm like, does he remember who I am? Does Remember, you know, all the mistakes I made and how I struggled and nearly fell away.   26:25  But Pam, and I had made a decision. We're not going to say no, when God calls us. And we didn't, other people had been asked by him prior to that. And they said, No, now I'm sure they had good reasons for it. But I'm just glad that we didn't say no, because we had the some of the best 10 years of our life, learning from him and reaching that country. It's just an amazing, amazing place.   Number seven, a chance to start over and have a fresh start.   I love that passage in Isaiah, when he says, forget the former things don't dwell on the past, see, I'm doing a new thing. And sometimes we just need to forget the former things. We've all made mistakes. And we've all gotten ourselves into situations where we go, I just wish I could fly away and have a fresh start. Everyone deserves a fresh start at times, we've all made mistakes, I've made so many mistakes, I just times I've just wished I just want to be somewhere else. The mission field is a chance to get around people who do not know you. They don't know your backstory. And in fact, those people who become Christians, those baby Christians will that you study the Bible, they'll think you're a spiritual superstar, even though you may be a complete, you know, you feel like I've just really failed in the past. But when those people start getting baptized, they're gonna look at you and go, man, I want to be like you. And I think that's really a powerful thing about a mission team is, you know, of course, you got to deal with your baggage and stuff like that. But you can start over. And I've seen so many people that had really tough situations and their backgrounds, they've fallen away in the past, they just gotten into major sin. But being in a different environment, totally raised their game spiritually. You can start over.   Number eight, it's a chance to inspire the kingdom of God.   I love this church; this family of churches were a part of I love the kingdom of God. I love God's kingdom. I want to see it grow. Man. I just think about I dream of I pray about it in the morning is good Lord, I want to see our churches. Just go to a million disciples just 10 times before I don't let me let me be a part of the solution. I just God, please, please, please, please use me Help me to make a little difference. Let me encourage people let me let me help. Because I love our churches. I love our doctrine I love I love the attitude. I just go Yeah, we've made mistakes by God, man. I love these churches. And our churches need inspiration. Let's show people what God is able to do. You know, when we planted the church in Tucson, it was so awesome. And I just decided, Okay, well, we want to start big. And we had a team of 22. But we had almost 500 people at our first worship service. That was encouraging. It was encouraging for me, but I think it encouraged the kingdom. And that's what the kingdom needs is it needs fresh inspiration. And that's what you can provide.   Number nine, a chance to witness God doing amazing things.   Habakkuk one, five. So, say I'm going to do something that you wouldn't believe even if someone told you. I go, okay. It's so cool what small churches can do because they can start to double and triple. When we planted the church in Tucson, it started with 22. In just two years, it grew to over 100 disciples. That's amazing to me. I just go I was inspired by that. And I've seen that happen over and over again. I remember when I was in Japan, I heard about a church and in a place called Surabaya, we were so inspired because they grew to like 100 in like a year, something like that it was just awesome. But the church can grow so rapidly. And it's so faith building, when you are a part of that and you go, Wow, I'm witnessing the footprints of God. I'm seeing his work in in changing lives. And that is so refreshing. Because if you've been around a situation that's been kind of stagnant, or it hasn't really grown much, you wonder, okay, I want to see God's power. Well, you see it very clearly. When God starts baptizing people, and he starts calling people and people's lives changed, and you hear their testimony you go, that's God, that's only God.   Number 10. The chance to express our love for Christ   In john chapter 21, in verse 17, it says this, the third time you said to him, Simon, son of john,  do you love me? Peter is hurt, because Jesus asked him a third time, he loved me. He said, Lord, you know all things, you know that I love you. Jesus said, Feed my sheep. Do you love Jesus than feed his sheep, there's no better way to express your love for God than laying it all on the line and just going for it. I want to encourage you, if you are even a little bit like man that I'm thinking about that thought about that a long time, but I don't know. Just go for it. That's such an incredible way for you to say, Jesus, I am so grateful for you saving my life. I want to take a risk view, I want to lay it all on the line, and feed your sheep, take care of the last save people and build up an amazing family for God. Now, there are two golden opportunities domestically here in the US for mission work this year. There's a planting in Hilo, Hawaii, there are already about 22 disciples there in Hawaii. And they're looking to replant that church and build it. And so, if you're a retiree or a younger person, they're looking for a campus minister to lead they're looking to hire there. And think about that. I mean, that's like planning a church in paradise. Or Flagstaff, Arizona. I've mentioned that before. If you're thinking about that, man, just go on the team. You know, give me a call, text me, email me, you know, message me. And it's gonna be an amazing, amazing time. If you're interested in leading it, call me. Okay, just call me get a hold of me. I'm looking for a good leader. I want to make sure that this is totally successful and really saves a lot of souls. But there are also so many opportunities overseas. And I just got a message from Sean Wooten. And he's, he's like, hey, Rob, there are 10 churches in Eastern Europe that have no church and are looking for leadership. I'm just like 1010 countries. He said, there's 10 countries with no church in it. I'm still What? And so, he said, do you want to? You want to go there? I'm like to think about that. I mean, we need to get that gospel out there. There's so much room for expansion. We are a drop in the bucket. We can grow so much. I look forward to the day in our family of churches when you just don't know people because our family churches are so big. So, if you're thinking about it, just go for it. If you're feeling called by God, just please listen to his call. Pray about it, get advice, and go for it.   If you're enjoying this podcast, let me just ask you a favor. Hit the subscribe button. Make sure that they keep coming to you and then let your friends know about it and how to find it. Tell your church friends, your family and please spread the word because my goal is to inspire you to make this life count. Living no regrets life and multiply disciples, leaders and churches. Have a great day and make this life count.  

On August 4th, 2020 a 1.1 kiloton bomb went off five minutes away from the home of Moufid and Jessy Tohme.  This is one of the most powerful non-nuclear blasts in history.  They and the church they lead in Beirut spent the rest of the year helping the 5,000 injured and nearly 300,000 homeless.  On top of that, they have been in near-total lockdown because of COVID-19.  In spite of these horrific circumstances, they have been saving more souls than ever in the history of the 27-year old church they lead.  Find out how they have managed to rise above their challenges and do God's will in extreme circumstances.  In this episode they will share: The history of the church in Lebanon Jessy's childhood living in shelters during a civil war Their "Deep Roots" program that has enabled them to save more souls during COVID than at any time previously How they currently have 230 people studying the Bible with only 100 disciples in the church Their plans to plant more churches in Lebanon Their Arab ministries in the US, Europe, the Gulf and Australia How Jessy started her TV and Radio Career as a means to advertise a ministry event All this and more on this episode of the Rob Skinner Podcast.

You think you’re busy?  Today on episode 81,   I’m going to talk to a man who, along with his wife, lead a church of over 300 hundred disciples. He is also a hydroelectrical engineer who has overseen a massive hydroelectric powerplant.  He now serves as an adviser and cabinet secretary to the president of his country as head of state in charge of water and electricity issues.  In this episode he'll share his secrets to leading in the Kingdom and in a secular career.  He shares: How he dreamed of living a life like Nehemiah, who served both the king and the kingdom of God. What has made the difference for him in balancing his responsibilities How he avoided the temptations that come with his high-powered role in his country How he deals with the pressure of "keeping the lights on" for his entire country How he makes the time for God and his family More about Geoffroy and Florence Gankoue-Dzon: Church city : Brazzaville, main city Country : Republic of Congo Population of the city : 1.8 million Florence is originally from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where she was converted to Kinshasa in May 1996, when she was single and working in a logistics company as a senior cashier. Geoffroy comes is from the Republic of Congo. He knew the Lord in January 1997 in Brazzaville, a few months after his recruitment into the workforce of the national electricity company, immediately after obtaining his electromechanical engineering degree. They got married in October 2001 and God blessed their union with 3 children, including Sarah (18 years old, business law student), Geoffroy-Junior (16 years old, year 12 pupil class) and Angélica (14 years old, year 10 pupil class). Since October 2003, the couple has been leading the Brazzaville Church of Christ on a voluntary basis, which currently has 311 disciples (191 brothers and 120 sisters). Geoffroy was recognized as a self-supporting Evangelist in May 2016. Furthermore, by the grace of God, Geoffroy has enjoyed an exceptional professional career by occupying, in particular, the positions of hydroelectric power plant manager, project manager, minister's advisor (2012-2016), member of board of directors of water and electricity companies as well as advisor to the President of the Republic, Head of State, in charge of water and electricity issues from September 2016.  

Covid got you down?  Today on episode _80,  I’m going to talk about how regain your passion when you feel: Downcast Depressed Dicouraged Lethargic Not yourself I’ll be sharing some of the techniques I’ve used that have helped me recharge my passion when I get knocked down.  

Today on episode 79_,  I’m talking to Chip and Ruby Mitchell, who lead the church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  Leading a large, multi-racial church during racial unrest, political tension and a world-wide pandemic, they share: Three practices that have helped them grow How they ended up in Philadelphia What is their "super power" How to live a godly life during racial and political tension How to have an “Exit Strategy” How they blow off steam Three secrets that will help you be a better preacher More about Chip and Ruby: Chip Became a Christian at the University of Massachusetts in 1986. While in college Chip competed as a 2 sport varsity athletics while attaining a BS in Sport Management.  While attending the Univ. of Mass he had the privilege and honor of being part of the Campus ministry of the then Springfield Church of Christ.  After graduation he worked as a Major Accounts District Manager for a fortune 500 company out of Hartford Connecticut. He specialized in payroll, HR, tax filing and unemployment management services. In 1993 he began his pursuit of his dream to become a minister.  In 1996 he was married to the love of his life Ruby Mitchell in Springfield Ma.  Ruby was converted as a professional single woman in the NYC Church of Christ in 1986. She graduated from Ithaca College with a communications degree. Ruby came to Philadelphia in 1989 on the mission team to start the GPCC. They currently have 2 amazing children Alonzo who is 23 and Camri who is 18yrs old.  They have served in many capacities throughout New England for over 2 decades. They currently serve as Evangelist and Women’s ministry leader for The Greater Philadelphia Church of Christ.

Today on episode 78,  I interview Todd and Patty Asaad from Dallas, Texas.  Todd and Patty lead a church of nearly 1,300 disciples.  The Dallas church has been a bright spot of health and growth over the last fifteen years.  Here’s what you’ll learn: How they faced failure, getting fired and then went on to lead a consistently growing healthy church. How a loving ministry philosophy can help change and grow stuck and stagnant disciples and ministries. How to become a kingdom connector and build better friendships How Patty has been able to lead while coping with a chronic illness. All this and more on the Rob Skinner Podcast

Today on episode 77,  I’m going to talk to Kiky and Maya Suherlan from Jakarta, Indonesia.  Kiky and Maya are disciples and business owners in the Jakarta church.  Their corporation encompasses 40 different companies employing over 5,000 people.  Reached out to by Harliem and Vania Salim, the church leaders, they started with a ministry of five couples and now have over 300 business and bank owners, architects, resort developers, former mafia leaders and nationally known celebrities and performers .  If you’ve ever wanted to know how to reach high net worth individuals and influencers, find out how they did this in this episode of the Rob Skinner Podcast.

Today on episode 75,  I’m going to talk about how to help your small church, ministry or small group grow.  I’ll share from a lesson I did at the Look Up small church leaders conference.  You’ll learn how to: Live an inspired and inspiring life. How to do more with less stress How to develop personal systems How to bear more fruit You can reach Rob at https://robskinner.com/ All that and more on this episode of the Rob Skinner Podcast   Music   Welcome Back to the Rob Skinner Podcast! My goal is to inspire you to: Live a no-regrets life Make this life count Multiply disciples, leaders and churches   Personal comments   How to Live an Inspired and Inspiring Life   35 Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. 36 Simon and his companions went to look for him, 37 and when they found him, they exclaimed: “Everyone is looking for you!”  38 Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” 39 So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.  Mark 1:35-39 Spiritually powered Self-directed Jesus had a morning routine He chose what to do and what not to do He took action when no one was calling him to do it   “Some had spoken as well as he or better.  Gandhi’s greatness lay in doing what others might do but don’t” Louis Fischer “Successful people make a habit of doing what failures don’t like to do.” Earl Nightingale   How to do more with less stress Anyone in here not busy?  Whether 20 or 600, we are all busy 80/20 rule:  20% of your actions are creating 80% of your performance. Distinguish the 20% of effective work from the 80% of marginal and ineffective work Focus on developing the 20% Inspired preaching and teaching Evangelism Followup Bible studies Training young leaders Pastor factory Communication and encouragement Make a stop doing list Discipling mature disciples Traditional activities Unfruitful events   How to Develop Personal Systems The goal problem Share:  100 member plateau I love to set goals and go after them The problem is if you aren’t hitting them it leads back to the negativity we talked about above. Goals are for losers and systems are for winners:  Scott Adams As long as you haven’t hit your goal, you are technically a “loser.” Goal-oriented people exist in a state of continuous pre-success failure at best, and permanent failure at worst if things never work out. Systems people succeed every time they apply their systems, in the sense that they did what they intended to do.  Scott Adams That is no way to live. Set it up so you feel like you are winning on a regular basis. Examples: Losing weight: Weight watchers rather than set a target weight. Get in shape: Commit to 3-5 times in the gym weekly. Spirituality: 15 minutes meditating on Jesus Bearing fruit: I’m going to share with 3 people a day until I meet someone open Every goal you have needs to have a system that you can work on daily to achieve it. Share:  Personal goal sheet   How to bear more fruit than at any time in your Christian life 38 Jesus replied, “Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come.” 39 So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.  Mark 1:38-39 If your church is under 100 members, you have to lead the way. Show slides of people I personally met It energizes you, gives you confidence and inspires others. Create a system of regular evangelism You are the most attractive, persuasive member of your church, use your super-power. 100-200 people a month 3x5 cards Follow fundamentals: Share Follow-up Set up studies Teach Baptize Create Accountability: Habit Tracker Tokyo prayer group

Today on episode _74,  I’m going to talk about how to help your small church, ministry or small group grow.  I’ll share from a lesson I did at the Look Up small church leaders conference.  I’ll be talking about: How to win the mental battle Dealing with negativity, shame and fear Five habits that growing church leaders practice How to break out of a losing mindset You can reach Rob at https://robskinner.com/   How to Win the Mental Battle   Dealing with self-pity, negativity, shame and fear I’ve quit the ministry at least ten times.  Four people at 7:00 midweek led to “overnight resignation”   Three things that keep us trapped spiritually Fear When your church is in the tank, it’s hard not to think about what “they” are thinking about how bad you are doing.  Who are “they?”  It can be the people you respect, your friends, people in the church or even non-existent people “out there.”  We are conditioned to measure ourselves based on the approval or disapproval of others.  Often the people who most loudly say, “I don’t care what people think,” are the ones most carefully monitoring the body language of those around us.  In spite of the fact that most people aren’t even thinking about us and even the ones who are assigned to look out for us are thinking about their own situation, we still worry about others’ opinions.  This fear keeps us from calling to get help, keeps us isolated and keeps us from pursuing normal relationships.  Ministry offers great independence and freedom of action, the downside is that when your growth is going south, it’s easy to cut off communications and relationships with people that can help us. I can think of many times I thought I should call for help, advice or fellowship.  I kept putting it off because I “didn’t have anything encouraging to share.” Another reason is that “I knew what ‘they’ would say.” My pride prevented me from staying connected relationally.   Self-pity Self-pity is an insidious growth killer.  Symptoms of self-pity include blaming others for your sorry situation, comparing your lack of funding to larger, better-resourced churches and using phrases like, “my situation or field is unique, harder or not like anyone else’s.”  The result of self-pity is that we excuse ourselves and let ourselves off the hook for our poor performance.  We become the victim, not the victor and stop trying because unconsciously we feel like people, other churches, or our situation is “keeping us down.”   Shame Shame is a toxic vine that grows well in the lonely, isolated private life of the average small church leader.  Few people know what is going on in the life of a church leader.  He seems cheerful, upbeat to all appearances and endorses a healthy, wholesome lifestyle in his sermons and teaching.  This is a perfect cover for pornography and alcohol addiction, marriage and family conflicts and other private battles.  The primary problem is not the particular sin, but the resulting secrecy, shame and eventual damage done on a personal and church-wide level.  The average church leader has few to compare himself to and so thinks, “I’ve got this handled,” or “no one would understand.”  This self-justification keeps the sin and shame growing.  The church leader is sapped of vitality and slowly bleeds out spiritually.  The church stops growing and often explodes when the sin is finally exposed by God.    Five habits that growing church leaders are doing regularly   The common denominator of fear, self-pity, shame and other related growth killers is the isolation and lack of connection in a minister’s life.  If you want to win the internal battle, it starts with not tolerating isolation in your life any longer.  Church leaders who are leading growing churches not only cultivate a healthy social environment and structure within their church, they also demand and pursue a healthy personal environment in their mind and relationships.   The phone habit The best leaders I know are good with the phone.  They use it and rely on it.  If you want to break out of the plateau you are in, you will need to reject the mantra, “I’m not a ‘phone’ person.” Share: Todd Asaad Share: Randy McKean Make the hard call Leave a detailed message   The friendship habit Strong leaders have friendships that they are building and maintaining.  It’s too easy to have superficial relationships in the fellowship and then only periodic conference relationships with other leaders. Share:  List of 12 friends Work on adding to your friendship base. Birthday card and gift every year for birthdays “Just because” calls and texts to build the relationship   The accountability habit Share:  Marriage DVD The turning point for me was realizing that my sinful nature was rebelling against placing any type of harness or yoke on it.  When I understood that my flesh was driving my reluctance, things changed quickly. I would ask you, “what is holding you back from absolute purity?”  Do you have a system in place that is keeping you away from sin and holding you accountable?  If you want to grow your church, you will need to remove spiritual roadblocks that are keeping you from being the man you want to be. Internal: Habit Tracker External: Accountable2U     The reading and learning habit You don’t know what you don’t know.  When you are in a rut spiritually, one of the best things you can do is get around a high-energy, high-faith environment.  Strong leaders are constantly scouring for new ideas to improve the church and keep their spiritual “mojo” growing. Conferences Books (See Appendix) Com   The healthy systems and routines habit A growing leader has systems and routines in place that guide his behavior. They lead to consistent results.  He doesn’t wake up wondering what is going on that day.  He has routines that start his day and regular activities that over time lead to good results.           How to break out of a losing mindset   Change your mindset from employee to self-employed Share about planting Ashland alone and unsupported Don’t let yourself get trapped by a job or paycheck, keep the fire burning. God has given you meaningful work Do it for the joy of the work “You have to find something that you love enough to be able to take risks, jump over the hurdles and break through the brick walls that are always going to be placed in front of you. “If you don’t have that kind of feeling for what it is you are doing, you’ll stop at the first giant hurdle.”  George Lucas Small church leaders enjoy the control and autonomy of leading their own church Are you an entrepreneur or a mid-level manager? Identify the person you are:  Manager or MacGyver?   Cross The God Gap Reference Matrix Roof Scene Experiment and get creative Keith Avery:  Songleading Small church leadership is all problem solving You will never have enough money, talent or resources. That gap will never go away, get used to it If you want security, safety and management look at a larger church.   Mentally accept getting fired Everyone feels like quitting at times. Small church leadership is the toughest job there is The skill is to know when to quit and when not to quit When not to quit: Setbacks, lack of growth, negative growth, etc. Don’t blame, don’t explain, don’t give yourself a pass No one is thinking of you. Trust God is working on your behalf Let God do his work on you: Don’t ring the bell David Goggins: 40% rule “Retreat! Hell, we’re just attacking in a different direction.” Chesty Puller   When to consider quitting or moving on: When you’ve lost control of the church When you can’t change the culture When you’ve been discredited or moved aside “Team” leadership situations When you and your wife are at odds about the work you are doing When you aren’t in a position to overcome the challenge Before relationships have been destroyed

Today on episode 73_,  I’m going to talk about how to help your small church, ministry or small group grow.  I’ll share from a lesson I did at the Look Up small church leaders conference.  I’ll be talking about: Facing the problem Understanding why churches stop growing Dealing with growth plateaus Overcoming sticking points at different sizes You can reach Rob at https://robskinner.com/   Introduction   “Some had spoken as well as he or better.  Gandhi’s greatness lay in doing what others might do but don’t.”  Louis Fischer   There is good news and bad news about growing your church.  The good news is that you can absolutely do it.  No matter the obstacles you face the location you find yourself in or the people God has called you to lead, you can make it grow.  The bad news is that it will demand that you do “what others might do but don’t.”  My goal is to give you the tools to grow your church from where it is currently at to over 100 members.     Facing the Problem Understanding why churches stop growing Visiting the church in Ashland in 1986 and 2004:  “24” This church, led by a well-meaning and well-intended minister was stuck for decades on a long growth plateau.  Growth plateau, barrier or sticking points are different names for an affliction that affects every church at one point or another.  The church is a body and just like a physical body it exhibits homeostasis. Homeostasis is the tendency to resist change in order to maintain a stable, relatively constant internal environment.  Examples:  Weight loss, muscle gain, personal habits. Your ministry is perfectly designed to stay at your current size. Your schedule, membership, leadership, culture and expectations preserve your current size. The good side is that churches rarely decline rapidly or disappear. The bad side is that it takes all-out effort and skill to get to the next level. Research supports that there are predictable sizes that a church will level out at.  The most common growth ceilings are fifteen, fifty and one hundred.  When my wife and I planted a self-supporting church in Ashland, Oregon I remember a conversation I had with our campus leader, Chris. I told him, “We have to break out of the teens!”  You might be around 15, 50 or some other number, but you aren’t alone facing this challenge.  Many leaders experience the frustration of “three steps forward, two steps back.”    Dealing with a growth plateau   Denial, avoidance or a lack of acknowledgment. When I visit church conferences, I talk to many church leaders and reconnect.  One thing I have noticed is that few if any will want to talk about how their church is doing.  They speak in generalities.  They are unwilling to face squarely that their church is stuck.  This is a recipe for maintaining the current size.    This happens when the church leader stops believing his church will grow and attributes the lack of growth to environmental factors such as the size of the surrounding population, lack of money, age of membership, or lack of leaders.  All of these certainly contribute to a church’s growth potential, but there are enough exceptions to the rule that it comes across as excuse-making to simply surrender to a lack of growth.  When the leader no longer believes his church can grow, the game is over. Face the problem A better and yet more difficult way of dealing with growth barriers is to take a hard look at yourself and figure out what God is demanding of you in order to reignite growth in your church.  Growing churches are led by growing leaders.  You may not be the reason why your church has stopped growing, but you certainly will be a large part of the reason it starts growing again. Share:  Tucson’s growth history Statistics are a casualty of 2003 Practical challenge: Know, face and talk about your numbers   Overcoming sticking points at different sizes There are two primary areas to evaluate when you are trying to figure out what it will take to kick-start growth in your church. The leader’s mindset and habits The leader of a church under one hundred serves as the model and motivation of the church.  “You paid careful attention to the way we lived among you, and determined to live that way yourselves. In imitating us, you imitated the Master. ”  1 Thessalonians 1:5 MSG Paul reveals his simple method of planting and leading a small church.  He set an example or pattern that young Christians were explicitly called to follow.  He knew that his own living example was the “DNA” of the future church.  His attitudes and behavior would be mirrored in the growing church body.  In the same way, if a church has leveled out in its growth, the leader has to examine his attitudes, words and actions.    Today, we are going to dig in to the leader’s thought life and example in an effort to remove roadblocks to church growth.   The church’s culture, structure and schedule. If a leader is growing but the church itself remains stuck, it could be that the calendar, structure or culture of the church is inhibiting growth.  Sometimes, churches can be held back by one person or small group of people who are holding on to the past or afraid of repeating past mistakes.  We will spend the second half of the class looking at church structures that promote growth.     Leading a church is challenging, leading it to consistent growth is the hardest job in the world. However, you and your church can be the exception. You are the golden child in your congregation: “You are just like cream, you always rise to the top.” You wouldn’t be where you are unless someone thought you had exceptional promise and talent. You can grow your church, but it will take everything you have and more.   Next episode:  How to win the mental battle

Nate and Waldina Bigbee lead a small church in Corpus Christi and share how Covid has forced them to “throw their nets on the other side of the boat.”  They talk about: Starting a Saturday morning church for men How tennis may be a way to reach people Parking lot worship services What three steps to make to grow in your technical skills What to do if you sense God calling you to a mission planting or small church. More about Nate and Waldina: Nate and Waldina Bigbee have led Middle School, Teen, Campus, YoPro, Singles, and a region in San Antonio. Most recently God has called them to take a leap of faith and move to Corpus Christi, Texas during the Pandemic to start leading the small church of 30. They have been married since 2012 and have two wonderful children, Scarlett and Xavier.   Resources mentioned in the podcast: Invite to Corpus Video: https://youtu.be/qs2nCX4eNlw Our Website: www.gc3.church Brady Shearer:  https://prochurchtools.com/ Travis Albritton Digital Missionary: https://www.digitalmissionaryacademy.com/ Practical Christian Podcast: https://practicalchristian.buzzsprout.com/ How to reach Nate: Nate Bigbee Gulf Coast Christian Church [email protected] 210-883-7506

I’m going to talk about what to do when you don’t know what to do.  With all the craziness going on in the world, it is difficult if not impossible to know the best possible path forward for your life and ministry.  This is where an old word takes on new meaning.  Join me today as we look at what God wants us to do when we face extreme uncertainty. We'll look at: Common misconceptions about trust Why it's one of the fuzziest commands and yet one of the most difficult to follow Why trust allows us the freedom to tackle our sins and weaknesses How to develop a process-oriented and not performance-oriented life and ministry

In this episode of the Rob Skinner Podcast you will learn how to set goals to make this year your best so far. Rob's five-step process for setting goals How to make sure that you make progress toward your goals daily How to keep from getting discouraged by goals unattained Notes given below: How to Make 2021 Your Best Year Ever I know of no more encouraging fact than the unquestionable ability of man to elevate his life by conscious endeavor. Henry David Thoreau Thoreau understood the power God gave us to choose how we spend the short time we have on this earth.  You can be different, you can achieve things that you’ve dreamt of.  The New Year is an encouraging period because we can select at what level we want to live, how we will live and what kind of people we will strive for.  I love December and January for this reason.  I spend days scribbling my dreams for the new year and what I’d like to accomplish.  Here’s how I do it: Review your goals from last year One of the most important steps is to look back on last year and ask yourself how did you do?  Did you hit any of your goals?  Where did you fall short?  Do your best to review the past without judgment.  Don’t be too hard on yourself.  Simply ask yourself, “What is getting in the way of hitting my goals?”  What can you do better this year?  I thank God for the good that happened in the previ0us year.  I look at what I didn’t get done and then I set up a plan to live my best year so far.  Ask yourself, “What would get me excited this year?” I agree with Tim Ferris, author of the Four Hour Work Week, who wrote that happiness is a vague target when making goals.  Instead, he counsels his readers to ask themselves, “What would get you excited?”  As you dream about the future, what one goal, if you achieved it, would get you the most fired up.  You can usually sense it in your body.  You want to pay attention to this sense of excitement.  Unless a goal triggers something deeply motivating, there is little hope in accomplishing it.  Set balanced goals What I mean by balanced goals is goals that support your complete life.  We all have a multitude of roles and responsibilities.  I want to succeed in my career and family and finances.  I won’t sacrifice my family at the altar of money.  I set goals that help me move forward in all the areas that I consider important.  Here are the categories I set goals for in 2021: Spiritual Who do I want to become? What do I need to start or stop doing to grow? What can help my inner world develop? Family How can I be a better husband? How can I be a better father? Money What are my savings goals? How can I make more money? How much do I want to give to God? Health How will I eat? How will I keep my body fit? Mission How can I make a difference making friends and reaching people for the gospel Career How can I excel in my job? What do I need to learn, what skills do I need to gain? Fun and Adventure What bucket-list items will I check off this year? Where and when and for how long will I go on vacation?   For every goal set a system to support the goal One of the best books I’ve read recently is Scott Adam’s, How to Fail at Almost Everything and still Win Big.  One idea he shared revolutionized my goal-setting.  He shared that goals without a system to accomplish them makes you feel like a loser.  If you’ve ever set goals only to stare at them all year long as you make no progress accomplishing them, you know what he is talking about.  By definition, a goal is something yet to be accomplished.  Until it is done, you can feel like a loser.  Some of us have solved this problem by not using goals at all.  That isn’t the best solution.  Instead, you need a daily system that will carry closer to your goal every day.  Let me share with you some of my own goals so that you know what I’m talking about: Spiritual: Imitate Paul and multiply disciples, leaders and churches Wake up at 6:00 am daily and have a “Miracle morning” Family Meet each of my kids weekly for breakfast or lunch Money Pay off personal loan and then create three-month emergency fund Health Record Weight Watchers daily until I get to my target weight Exercise five times or more per week for one hour Mission Start a weekly online Bible Talk Create a close small group to reach professionals in their prime Career: Become an expert in small church planting, growth and leadership development  Program and follow church calendar and plan Write 1,000 words a day, 1 video a day, 2 podcasts per week Daily and monthly time with my disciples Fun and Adventure Schedule a two-week National Parks Vacation Cross the Country on a motorcycle Hang Glide   Post your goals in a place where you will read them daily Have you ever written down goals and then lost them or discovered them years later hiding at the bottom of your drawer?  Don’t let that happen to you this year.  Type up your goals and then post them where you can see them and pray over them every day.  If something unprecedented happens, like a global pandemic, you have the option to change them.  However, don’t lose track of your desires.  God is able to do more than you can ask or imagine.  Don’t let faithlessness get the best of you and allow you to settle for low expectations.  Set goals and systems up, post them, pray over them and prepare for your best year so far.  

Henry and Arunima Gomes have helped their church grow in spite of: A Super Cyclone Being in the hospital for nearly three weeks Covid Strong persecution They share about the rocky start to their Christian life in which they hid a secret no one in their church knew about.  Find out how they've found a way to glorify God in the face of all challenges.

In this episode of the Rob Skinner Podcast you will find out all the areas you need to look at and diagnose in your area of ministry before you go into 2021.  You'll learn Why it's dangerous to leave your ministry on "remote control" What areas need to be "tuned up" in your ministry or church What is the single best thing you can do to make sure that you and your wife or husband are ready for your best year yet.  

Dinesh George spent 26 days in a Bangalore, India COVID ICU fighting for his life.  As he witnessed people dying in beds to his right and left, his life and perspective was changed.  In this episode he shares: What he prayed about during his hospitilization How his view of Jesus has transformed His gratitude for people around the world praying for him.

Kai and BJ Foster doubled the membership of the Reno Church in the last two years.  A church that had once been 85 members and then had sunk to below 30 disciples for fifteen years has experienced a renewal of faith and family.  Here's what you'll gain from this episode: How "meditative prayer" can spark growth How to motivate middle-aged Christians What you can give your members so that they will read the Bible a minimum of 20 days per month What simple gift can move an "average" disciple into the strong category How to avoid losing your faith and idealism as a leader What's the first thing to do when you walk into a weak spiritual situation  

Progress in our life and ministry depends on the quality of our meditation and thought life.  This episode discusses the content of our internal dialog and methods to improve the quality of our thoughts.

Justin Wood and Seth Buchanon earned Air Force Rescue of the Year honors from the US Air Force for rescuing four injured Green Beret Soldiers.  Since then Justin rescued a downed pilot whose plane had crash landed.  Both are "PJs" or Pararescuemen, some of the most highly trained special forces in the military.  Their original mission was to rescue pilots shot down while in battle. That mission has expanded over the years to include both military and civilian rescue in any and every environment:  Mountains, deserts, oceans, forest.  Find out how these two disciples are saving lives and saving souls on the Rob Skinner Podcast.

Tony and Melanie Singh got back into the ministry in their mid-fifties and took over a small church in Ottawa, Canada.  The church is 25 years old and had stopped growing years ago.  They didn't even know exactly members were there when they moved in.  After determining they had 55 members, they helped the church grow to 110 disciples in only two years.  Find out how they did it in this episode of the Rob Skinner Podcast. Tony(53) and Melanie(52)  Singh have been disciples for over 30 years. They were baptized in Toronto. God blessed them with  3 children all of whom are now married and 1 grandchild. Their journey led them to serve in Toronto, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston and San Antonio. The last 2 years their faith has led then to serve in Ottawa, Canada the nation’s capital.  They firmly believe that their best days are ahead. 

Marty Wilkinson lost 100 pounds from 315 to his current 215 pounds.  Minister to a church in College Station, Texas, which is home to Texas A & M University, Marty shares in this episode how anyone can get into the best physical, emotional and spiritual shape of their lives. Marty's Keto Diet tips: 1. It's hard at first but when you get in a good routine and habit. The first three weeks are head. It gets better.  2. You just have to be very deliberate about logging all your food and keeping the fats high, protein moderate and carbs super low. I use the looseit app. I log all my food. Buy a scale and weigh your portions. Don’t lie to the app. If you eat it- log it accurately. Your only lying to yourself. The loose it app will give you a healthy caloric goal based on your weight loss goal.  Then you can calculate your own goals or limits on macronutrients (carbs, fats, protein). 70-75% fat; 20-25% protein and 5-10% carbs. The body body metabolizes fats 1gram = 9 calories. Proteins and carbs metabolize at 1 gram = 4 Calories.    2000 caloric example is: - fats- 1400/ 156grams - 1500/167 grams - proteins 400/100 - 500/125 - carbs 100/25 - 200/50)    So I log all my food and pay close attention to my macronutrients. Goal is high fat moderate protein and low to no carbs   3. The science behind it, is that your body switches it's main energy source from carbs to fat and in order to do that you have to have nearly no carbs in your system and keep it that way.    4. I do a version of the diet where I stick to it hard Monday- Friday and eat whatever Saturday and Sunday. I lost the first 45lbs this way and then switched to staying on for weeks on end until I lost the additional 15.    5. Add fiber supplement to your diet. Sugar is a laxative and no carbs will cause constipation.  Typical meals - 8am Breakfast- 3 eggs, 3-4 pieces of bacon - 10:30am Morning snack- protein bar (find one with low carbs- Quest bars are my favorite) - 12:30pm - lunch salad and chicken thighs - 6:30pm- dinner- chicken or sausage, non starch veggies  9:30pm- snack-1/4 cup peanuts and 2tb peanut butter    Snacks that I like: Nuts, beef jerky, sugar free jello cups  BE SURE TO NOT DRINK ANY THINGS WITH CARBS- no soda, juice etc    Metabolism is greatly affected by lean muscle mass. My goal has been to get as strong as possible.    Workout  **all weights moderately heavy (50-60% 1 rep max)- finish all reps- decrease weight in order to complete reps  Day 1- Chest/Shoulders/Triceps - Row machine 250 meters (start at a slow pace- don’t sprint- goal is steady movement that increases your heart rate)  - Warm rotator cuff with resistance band  Dumbbell Bench Press- flat- 3x8  Row machine 250 meters  Dumbbell bench press- 30-40 degree incline- 3x8  Dumbbell Fly- incline- 3x8 Row machine 250 meters Dumbbell shoulder press- 90 degree incline- 3x8 Standing Dumbbell shoulder combo raises- front and side- 3x8 (one rep is two movements- go light) Row machine 250 meters Tricep push down- Rope attachment on cable- 3x8 Row machine 250 meters  One arm tricep extension- Dumbbell, bench at 90- 3x8 (Hold the weight straight above head, bend at elbow, lowering to opposite ear, then extend to lock out, keep elbow close to ear of working side) Row machine 250 meters   Day 2- Back/Biceps If possible alternate the paired lifts (ex. 1 set pull up followed by 1 set of preacher curl) Row machine 250 meters Pull ups- 3x8 (use machine that assists)  Preacher curl- 3x8 Row machine 250 meters Seated rows- wide grip - 3x8 Standing barbell or curl bar curls- palms up- 3x8 Row machine 250 meters Seated rows- NARROW grip - 3x8 Standing barbell or curl bar REVERSE curls- palms down- 3x8 Row machine 250 meters Lat pull down- 3x8 Standing curls 3 sets of 21’s (7 full curls, 7 half curl top half, 7 half curls bottom half) go light Row machine 250 meters   Days 3- Legs/Core  ** Leg lifts- go light, focus on form, low and slow Warm up- step up’s 2x10 each leg on plyo box or bench Squats- 3x8 Crunches- 3x20 Cardio- 3 minutes  Leg press- 3x8 Bicycles crunches- 5, 30 second intervals  Cardio- 3 minutes Kettle Bell swings- 3x8 Oblique crunch- 3x15 on each side Cardio- 3 minutes   Cardio options: Rowing machine Stair stepper  elliptical machine Or upper body cardio- ski erg Here’s is the link to the home workouts I wrote for the quarantine:   https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ADv25XB7GPXG1-3CnwCCiPraENWn1m93LoEW0mQPuus/edit?usp=sharing I’m using bands. Here the link to some on amazon. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07F1GS47B/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_ZucEEbYYKQ15N   I also use a tabata timer app called seconds. I program my workouts into the timer and it announces the next exercise and counts down the allotted time for each station. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/seconds-interval-timer-for/id363978811    If your buy the app for $4.99. you can import the workouts as I create them. The app is super helpful, it’s like having a trainer with you. The app allows to run with music or other audio running simultaneously, the music turns down when instructions are announced. Here’s the instructions on how to import the timers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGYlv2ndVU0  

Robert Carillo has spent his ministry career turning around one troubled ministry situation after another.   From Puerto Rico, to New York and New Jersey to San Diego, HOPE Worldwide and now the Metro LA region of the Los Angeles church, Robert and his wife Michelle have consistently restored faith and fruit to every ministry they've worked with.  Find out how in this episode of the Rob Skinner Podcast.

Dr. Al Baird and his wife, Gloria, served as an eldership couple in the Boston Church of Christ.  They saw the church grow from 30 to 3,000.  In this episode, Al shares about what he witnessed in those explosive early days of what became the International Churches of Christ.  He also shares about his marriage, parenting and the loss of his wife of 56 years in 2018.

Don’t listen to the voice of cowardice and fear.  During the battle of Bull Run at the beginning of the Civil war, Southern General Thomas Jackson rode his horse up and down the front lines of the fight encouraging his men.  When the Union soldiers attacked, he waited, fully exposed, as the soldiers drew near.  His men looked up and shouted to one another, “There he is!  Standing like a stone wall!”  His courage in the face of withering fire and a bayonet charge gave his men the courage to stand and win that early battle.  From that moment to the present, he has been known as “Stonewall Jackson.”

Braxton Kieft gave up his safe, secure and lucrative position in finance to go on mission to the tiny island of Guam.  They took their kids and faced an uncertain situation in the far east.  Find out how they chose pursue the mission over security.  

Each one of us has dreams that we would love to make reality.  However, only courage has the power to transform wishes into dreams fulfilled.  Find out how to make your long-cherished and perhaps long-buried intentions see the light of day.

Joel and Christy Peed planted a church in Wisconsin in 2006 with five people and now the church is 115 and has planted another church.  They have three kids who are disciples and are attempting to adopt a four-year-old girl.  Their church has grown steadily and Joel and Christy have founded the Small Church Leaders Conference, "Look Up", in 2019.  Not only that, they are working on a new ministry called "Waters of Rest" that provides resources for ministry leaders who are looking to develop long-term habits of rest, recuperation and spiritual renewal.  

One of the primary regrets the aged have is that they didn't express their feelings.  Don't let that happen to you.  Those who have made a difference in this life spoke up and spoke out.  Find out how in this episode of the Rob Skinner Podcast.  You can find Rob's book on Amazon.  Go to Amazon and type Rob Skinner in the search bar an you'll find Rob's two books.  Here's the link:  https://www.amazon.com/Courage-Make-This-Life-Count/dp/B08DC5VTR6/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1604460855&sr=8-1

Alcides Morais was the sixteenth person to be baptized in the 1987 church planting to Sao Paulo, Brazil.  Leslie moved to Brazil on the mission team from New York City.  They have served in the paid and unpaid ministry in Brazil, Kenya, Zimbabwe and Ethiopia.  They now are bi-vocational ministers in Goiania, Brazil, near Brasilia.  After ten years of living in Seattle, Washington, they felt called back to the mission field they met on.  Find out how they are choosing to live a no-regrets life.

Frank and Erica Kim gathered a team of disciples and flew to Tokyo, Japan in the late eighties.  In a country where less than one percent of the population is Christian of any denomination, they built a church of 1,000 disciples in ten years.  This podcast discusses how they did it.

Dave & Megan Bliley have been married for 12 years and have 3 children: Leelice, Sophie, and Luke. They trained in the ministry in Hampton Roads, Virginia before moving to New Zealand in 2013 to lead the church in Auckland. The church in Auckland has tripled in size over the past 7 years and looking forward to planting another church in New Zealand next year. 

Randy McKean was baptized into Christ in 1973 as a student at the University of Florida. He graduated with high honors with a degree in English, Religion and Education. He served in the full- time ministry for 40 years in such diverse locations as Columbia, South Carolina; Tokyo, Japan; Munich, Germany; Paris, France and Boston, Massachusetts. While leading in Boston from 1990 to 2003, he simultaneously prepared and led mission teams to Europe. Randy last served for 12 years with the Northern Virginia Church of Christ in both the role of lead evangelist and as an elder. Randy has been married for 43 years to his college sweetheart, Kay, who has served by his side in the full time ministry. He has two children, Kent and Summer. Kent is the lead evangelist for the Maui Church. They have four grandchildren. Randy and Kay retired in 2020 and presently lives in Maui.

This is chapter 10 or Rob's recent book, Courage:  How to Make this LIfe Count.  

Hung and Hong were popular actors on television and in the theater when they were met by disciples.  They both became Christians and then in less than six years, they became the leaders of the church in Vietnam.  Since then they have helped the church multiply from one location in Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon, to a total of four different cities all over Vietnam.  They share the challenges, miracles and ministry philosophy that has helped guide their work.

Sam and Geri Laing were converted in the Crossroads Church of Christ while attending the University of Florida at Gainesville.  They went into the professional ministry and then became authors, speakers and spiritual consultants.  They have written a number of books, including:   "How to Raise Awesome Kids in Troubled Times and "Warrior."  Sam and Geri have four adult children who are walking with Christ and twelve grandchildren.  In this episode they share about what they have learned over the past fifty years.

Bong and his wife Tess lead four hundred disciples in Cavites, a large province adjacent to Metro Manila Philippines.  Bong was converted while a college basketball player in the mid-90's.  He went into the ministry, married Tess and went on a mission team.  He went through a period of intense struggle and could have simply quit and went to live with his family who are living in the United States.  Bong chose to push through the pain and grow through the time of testing.  He has come out stronger than ever.  Two years ago he finished an Iron Man Competition that took 16 hours to complete.  Find out how this spiritual and physical athlete has learned to "run to win."

Roger and Marcia Lamb grew up in the Church of Christ and have served in the ministry since the 1960's.  Roger has spent his career bringing people together through Discipleship Magazine, KNN and Disciples Today.  Marcia wrote the book "This Doesn't Feel Like Love" about her son's experience contracting Leukemia.  She also has won numerous awards as a playwright.  Along with a life of spiritual fruitfulness and productivity, Roger and Marcia lost two of their three children to illness.  Find out how they've found meaning and purpose in the midst of staggering losses.

Nick Shoff watched a TV commercial about another thirteen-year-old in Africa who supported and parented his impoverished brothers and sisters.  Nick got off his couch that day and hasn't stopped giving since.  He organized a basketball fundraiser, JamQuest, that raised $2,700.  Twelve years later, he is still giving and has helped over 60 African kids to achieve a high school diploma.  Not only has he raised money, he has inspired others to use their talents and gifts to make this life count for God and others.

Colonel Sanders, Sam Walton and Moses all have this in common; they were late starters.  If you have ever felt like your glory days were in the past, this episode will encourage you to look forward to the best part of your life so far.  

Wayne Kishbaugh became a Christian in 1994 and six months later received orders from the Air Force to move to Misawa, Japan.  With only his Bible and a determination to stay connected to God and disciples back home, Wayne built a church of nearly thirty people.  When he returned to the US, Wayne left behind a thriving congregation that had its own building, gave generously to the poor and had converted a number of Japanese nationals.  Find out how he did it on this episode of the Rob Skinner Podcast.

How do you keep your head in all situations (2 Timothy 4:5).  This program will give you tools to keep your cool and grow during turbulent times.  You will learn how to have: A Learning Mind A Focused Mind A Loving Mind An Expansive Mind A Spiritual Mind If you can keep your head in the middle of crisis, this could be the greatest time of growth in your personal life and your leadership.  Find out how to become a "Ten Times" thinker.

Angel Martinez never wanted to go to the Dominican Republic.  He went to the mission planning meeting only because of the food.  When asked by his minister to pray about going to the Dominican Republic, he couldn't sleep for three days.  He wasn't in the ministry and he'd never led a church.  Nevertheless, ten days after being asked to go on staff with the church, he boarded a plane with 17 others to lead a planting in the Dominican Republic.  26 years later, he's still there and the church is still growing.  Find out how this reluctant man of God found the courage to say yes to God's will.

How do you live out the mission and purpose Jesus called you to when you are too busy, too tired or feel too old?  This chapter offers inspiration and ideas to help you save more people and serve more people than at any point in your life up until now.  Even if you feel like your "glory days" are in the past, you can live a life that is constantly bearing fruit in souls saved and good deeds. You can buy Rob's books on Amazon.  You an also reach him at [email protected]

Kelly and Cheryl Boyd moved to Eugene, Oregon, home of the University of Oregon in 2015.  Kelly works full time as an Evangelist and only receives a salary of $1,000 per month from the church while his wife, Cheryl works full time as a doctor of internal medicine.  They spend nearly an hour every morning praying together and through their ministry partnership have helped churches get off the ground in Corvallis, home of Oregon State, Salem and Bend, Oregon.  Their dream is to retire and use their time to plant a new church every year in another town in Oregon.  Find out how this couple is creatively multiplying disciples, leaders, and churches.

At some point in a person's spiritual life, the ability to say "no" becomes more important than saying "yes" to one more activity, event or pleasure.  This chapter offers tools to help you open up more time and energy to enjoy the spiritual life you've always dreamed of.  Some of the topics covered: The Vision Quest Zero-Based Thinking The "Stop Doing" List You can find this book on Amazon by clicking this link: https://www.amazon.com/Courage-Make-This-Life-Count/dp/B08DC5VTR6/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=courage+rob+skinner&qid=1596319542&sr=8-1

Lynne Greene and her husband, Scott, planted a church in Hong Kong in 1987 that grew to 2,000 disciples in only ten years.  They returned to the US to lead the church in Seattle, Washington.  The Greens then decided to return to the mission field by moving to Berlin, Germany.  That's where she found out Scott had brain cancer.  After beating breast cancer, Lynne lost the love of her life in 2018.  Lynne reflects on what God has done in her life, how she made sense of her enormous loss, and her plans for the future.

Gilbert Kimeng was diagnosed with Burkitt Lymphoma, a type of cancer, at the age of 20 while studying at a German University.  A doctor shared his faith with him and Gilbert became a Christian.  He returned to Africa where he became an evangelist and teacher.  He considers himself a traveling teacher who visits 15 different churches in 10 different countries every year.  Find out how this man found Christ, beat cancer, and builds the Kingdom in Africa.

  I am writing this book to inspire you to kindle or recapture your idealism, passion, faith, and hope.  My prayer is that by the end of this book, you will reject fear, procrastination, and the delusion of security and live a life of courageous action.  Many people of all spiritual backgrounds and denominations are living lives that are safe, and small.  Worry, fear and desire for security dominate and choke out the opportunity to live an exciting and meaningful life.  I hope that each person who reads this book will look back on their life and say, “I have no regrets.  Sure, I’ve made plenty of mistakes.  But the dreams I had when I was young, I got around to doing.  My life was an adventure.” You can find the book in print or digital formats on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08DC5VTR6/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1595456090&sr=8-2

Brian is an evangelist, teacher, songwriter and worship leader, known for some of the songs he's written that are sung in ICOC churches around the world -- songs like "Be with Me, Lord," "I Need Your Love," "Great Among the Nations," and “Anchor for the Soul.”  Brian and his wife Dessa have served in full-time ministry for the last twenty years in the LA Church of Christ. They have two sons in college and a daughter in high school who all love God as well. Brian recently completed a Master's program in ministry at Pepperdine University.

Tony Fernandez leads a church in Broward County, Florida.  While talking with his wife one day, they felt like they needed more friends their age.  That conversation ignited an explosion of growth of millenials in their church.  They grew from 40 to over 200 millenials in about five years.  Find out how they did it on this episode of the Rob Skinner Podcast.

Shiva and Ketou (Kay-Too) Murthy are planting a church in one of the most remote and beautiful areas in the world.  Their state of Sikkim is bordered by Nepal, Bangladesh, China and Bhutan.  Find out how this bold young couple has already doubled their church in less than a year on a budget of around $15,000.

Jordan Massey and his wife LaToya lead the campus ministry of the North River Church of Christ in Atlanta, Georgia.  The campus ministry has grown to as many as 230 college disciples during Jordan's leadership.  Find out what Jordan is doing to build one of the most vibrant campus ministries in the world.

Jewel and Ameer Burton are building a campus ministry in the high desert north of Los Angeles.  They have removed all excuses that would keep them from building a flourishing ministry in their non-traditional campus setting.  Families, friends and the entire church are benefitting from their determination to build a spiritual garden in the desert of Southern California.  Find out how to build a healthy ministry in every situation on this episode of the Rob Skinner Podcast.

Matt Ruppert is barely 25 and yet has a dream to take the gospel to the campuses under his care in New Jersey and then to "Reach Every Beach" in the Caribbean Islands.  Find out how this young man is making this life count in this episode of the Rob Skinner Podcast.    

Bruce Williams has served in the professional ministry for nearly fifty years.  He just retired this year.  He became a Christian at the University of Florida, Gainesville in the late sixties and saw the rise of a campus ministry that not only converted hundreds of students each year, but trained and sent off countless campus ministers to churches all over the US.  These campus ministers would drive the Boston Movement and in time would become the International Churches of Christ.  Bruce and his wife Robin saw it all happen and were the first couple trained in Gainesville to be sent out.  

Shawn Wooten became a Christian, helped fourteen of his friends and family members become Christians, and then joined a mission team to Moscow, Russia as a baby Christian.  He planted a church in Kiev, Ukraine with his future wife, Elena, a Russian national.  Shawn has remained on the foreign mission field to this day.  Shawn dreams of the Kingdom of God growing exponentially and has come up with an experimental plan to spark growth in older, slow-growing churches.  He is forming a mission team with disciples from around the world and going back to a smaller existing church in Budapest, Hungary with the goal to double the church in nine months.  If successful, he plans on replicating that missionary surge pattern in many other small churches throughout Eastern Europe and beyond.  

Takeshi Yamazaki was studying at the University of California, Berkeley when he heard the call to move to Tokyo, Japan and plant a church.  He listened to that call in the mid-eighties and has remained true to that vision for over thirty years.  He now has a wife, Manami, and three children and lives in downtown Tokyo.  In this episode of the Rob Skinner Podcast, Takeshi reflects on how he did it and the sacrifices necessary to grow a large church on one of the most difficult mission fields in the world.

Dinesh was the first baptism of the Delhi mission team. Dinesh and Caroline got married in 1991. In 1996, they took on the responsibility of leading the South Asia churches. Presently they are leading the church in Bangalore which has close to 1450 disciples. They also serve as Regional Family chairman for the South Asia family of churches which includes the churches in Srilanka, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and India. Presently in this region they shepherd 6982 disciples in 66 cities.

Growing a church is difficult.  Stepping in as a new leader and growing a church that has been stagnant for years is nearly impossible.  Rekindling growth in a church and being the same leader from beginning to end is borderline miraculous.  Find out how to bring "dry bones" to life again in this episode of the Rob Skinner Podcast Joel and Beth Nagel lead the Lansing Area Church of Christ. Joel planted the church in 2004 as a satellite ministry from the Detroit Church of Christ with about 30 members. For the first 5 years the church stayed stagnant overall and couldn't grow above 40 members. In 2009, with the same people and the same leadership, things started to change. Over the last decade the church in Lansing has doubled, tripled, and quadrupled with growth every year to over 125 members. They have been able to hire full time campus ministers, buy a church building, get extra funding from outside sources, and create numerous resources that have helped many other churches small and large.  Joel loves to talk to Christian leaders about how conviction and creativity can overcome any bottleneck to growth that we may face. When he’s not behind the pulpit you might find him praying in the woods, trail running, or jumping off of waterfalls in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.

Few people have I met as gifted with people and language skills as Herve' Fleurant. Herve' is truly a "man of the world."  Everywhere he has gone he has impacted people with the Gospel.  Find out why in this episode of the Rob Skinner Podcast. Herve' Fleurant was born in Boston, Massachussetts in July of 1965.  His parents emigrated from Haiti and his father earned a PhD in Music and taught at various universities in the Boston area for over forty years.  His mother went to medical school in France and Spain.  Herve' speaks English, French, Spanish and Haitian Creole.  He started university in Cadiz, Spain and finished at the University of Massachussetts, Boston.  He became a Christian in 1986 and started his ministry career in 1988.  His missionary journey started in Paris, France in the summer of 1988 and then he went on the Cairo, Egypt Mission Team in 1988-1989.  On his way to Sub-Saharan Africa, Herve' stopped off and planted two churches in Port-au-Prince and St. Raphael, Haiti.  He continued on to join the mission planting in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, Africa with Mike and Anne-Brigitte Taliaferro.  He took over leadership of that church in the summer of 1990.  He then married Janet Veasey in August of 1991.  He spent a year in Johannesburg South Africa in 1993 receiving additional training.  He returned to Abidjan in 1994 and led the church to grow from 300-1,250 in four years.  During this period, he planted fourteen churches across French-speaking Africa.  In January, 1999, Herve' and Janet moved to Nairobi, Kenya and planted five churches in East Africa.  He returned to the US in 2003 and served first in Denver as Point Evangelist and then in 2007 moved to San Antonio, Texas, where he continues to serve as an evangelist alongside long-time friends Mike and Anne-Brigitte Taliaferro in the Mission Point Christian Church.

Andy and Tammy Fleming have served as full-time Evangelist and Women’s Minister for over thirty years in the International Churches of Christ (ICOC). Andy is a Canadian and Tammy an American, who met in the Boston church of Christ in 1985, and later married on the Stockholm mission planting in early 1987. Career missionaries, they have invested their lives in the churches in Scandinavia, the UK, Los Angeles, and the former Soviet Union. From 1991-1999 they lived in Moscow, Russia, during which time they oversaw the planting of 24 new congregations, the largest of which are currently Moscow and Kiev, each with over 1000 members. They have also worked with the ICOC’s administration, have overseen mission efforts in the Middle East, and currently serve on the ICOC Teachers’ Service Team and Catalyst Team. They are fluent in several languages and are published authors. Their daughter, Britain, (30) and her husband Max lead the campus ministry in Kiev, Ukraine, and their son Justin (21) is a disciple in in Seattle, Washington, USA. Andy is pursuing a Doctor of Ministry degree in Missional Leadership from Abilene Christian University (Texas) and Tammy is a certified Advanced Grief Recovery Method® Specialist. From their home in Kiev, they work in cooperation with the Greater Eurasian Mission Society and Eurasian churches’ leadership to strengthen the disciples in the churches they helped to plant and encourage them to remain true to the faith. (Acts 14:21-22)  

Josue and Veronica Ortega have led and planted churches all over Central and South America.  During a ten-year period, 1996-2006, they planted all the ICOC churches in Central America and then planted 26 churches in nearly every state in Mexico.  They live now in San Salvador, El Salvador, which has a homicide rate of 106 murders per 100,000 people, one of the highest rates in the world.  In spite of their circumstances, they are training, equipping and sending out missionaries all over Latin America.   Josue can be reached at:  503-70699444.  Facebook Josue Ortega and Twitter joss1710.  

Who are Vince and Ro Pierce? Vince and Ro Pierce serve as the Evangelist and Women's Ministry Leader for the Tulsa International Church.  They have served in campus, singles, youth and family, and marrieds ministry for over 20 years in various leadership roles. They have served in large, medium, and small size congregations.  They met and graduated from Texas A&M University and moved to Tulsa in 2017 to lead the church. They have big faith and big dreams of God changing lives in Tulsa. They are passionate about discipleship, evangelism, and building family in the church.

Who is Christian Ray Flores? Christian Ray Flores is an entrepreneur, leader, and artist. Co-founder of ATXTribe.org, ThirdDrive.co, AnimateConference.com, Renew.org, and AscendMission.Fund, Christian has a Master's degree in Economics, speaks four languages, and has lived on four continents. Christian has inspired audiences as an international recording artist, award-winning producer, and speaker. He has led churches in Russia, Ukraine, and the US and has dedicated much effort to serve the poor in Eurasia, Latin America, and Africa. Christian is married to Deb de Flores and has three daughters - Diana, Violetta, and Isabella.    You can find Christian Ray on Instagram or at ThirdDrive     Program Outline How did you become a Christian? You have an amazingly diverse background, can you tell a little bit about it? From what I understand, you were a pop star in Russia. What is one of your best memories from your time in the former USSR? You seem to have a strong Entrepreneurial tendency. What advice would you give to a leader trying to adjust to life under the Coronavirus? What innovations are you seeing arise during this pandemic? How do you envision life as a Christian after life returns to “normal?” Where should a person start if he wants to impact people in this current online environment? What advice would you give a person, man or woman, who wants to make a difference and live "no regrets" life? Tell me about a time when you came back from a setback or failure. What advice would you give to people who are dealing with failure or discouragement? Tell me about something that keeps your spiritual fire and ambition burning brightly. If someone wanted to contact you, where would they go?

Who are Harliem and Vania Salim? Harliem and Vania Salim started with a church of around 1,000 members and multiplied it to 35 churches in Indonesia with over 5,000 members.  Along the way, they have started three schools, built their own building, and converted a large number of influential and wealthy individuals and celebrities.  They have done this by insisting on each small group "doing life" together.  They emphasize building a healthy community in each small group and church.  They have two beautiful daughters and offer help and guidance to many other churches in Southeast Asia and around the world.  Program Outline   How did you become Christians? What brought you back to Asia? Please tell me about the size and growth of the Indonesian churches over the past twenty years. Coronavirus, what’s changed for you and the church?   You are a couple that is making a difference, what drives you? Why did you start your schools and how? You've reached some influential people in society, how did that happen? What was it like raising a family on the mission field? What advice would you give a person, man or woman, who wants to make a difference and live "no regrets" life? Do you have any regrets, anything you wish you could do over or differently? Tell me about a time when you came back from a setback or failure. What advice would you give to people who are dealing with failure or discouragement? Tell me about something that keeps your spiritual fire and ambition burning brightly.

Here are four things that will help you come out of quarantine stronger than before: Let’s learn from the past: Israelites had escaped from slavery They’d gone through 10 plagues, diseases They had to go to a place they’d never been before   We are coming through and out of a quarantine We are going through a plague on the world-Coronavirus We are going to a new place- a new “normal” that we’ve never been to before: How will church be? What will it look like? How will I reach out? How do I lead my people?   Know when it’s time to advance: Dt 1:6-8 6 The Lord our God said to us at Horeb, “You have stayed long enough at this mountain. 7 Break camp and advance into the hill country of the Amorites; go to all the neighboring peoples in the Arabah, in the mountains, in the western foothills, in the Negev and along the coast, to the land of the Canaanites and to Lebanon, as far as the great river, the Euphrates. 8 See, I have given you this land. Go in and take possession of the land the Lord swore he would give to your fathers—to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob—and to their descendants after them.” They’d received the law They had time to rest and recuperate They had to go back to the original mission, the conquest and settling of the promised land’   We’ve had time to rest, take a break We need to return to our original mission Perhaps you’ve felt the restlessness Understand the power of inertia It’s normal to feel sluggish That’s your sinful nature   Look to God’s guidance during times of uncertainty: Exodus 40:36-38 36 In all the travels of the Israelites, whenever the cloud lifted from above the tabernacle, they would set out; 37 but if the cloud did not lift, they did not set out—until the day it lifted. 38 So the cloud of the Lord was over the tabernacle by day, and fire was in the cloud by night, in the sight of all the Israelites during all their travels. They were in the desert, uncharted territory for them They longed for the familiar, even if it wasn’t what God wanted for them. God had something better in mind He was guiding them forward through his presence in the cloud or pillar. We have to set our minds forward by faith, not looking back. Some things will remain, but many things will change for good and for the better. We have to have faith that God’s Kingdom will grow and expand in ever greater ways in days ahead. Look to God and his presence in your life. Let the Word and his Spirit guide you through this time. Be a “Can Do” Disciple and leader Numbers 13:30-31 30 Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.” 31 But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.” 10 of the 12 spies said we “can’t” do it They saw the obstacles and said no, let’s go back to the old way Caleb and Joshua said, “We certainly can do it”  because God is with us. You are going to hear a lot of “I can’t” I can’t share I can’t serve I can’t go out I can’t meet I can’t participate You are going to have to decide what kind of a disciple and leader you are going to be: I can do it I cannot do it Because you are listening to this, I think you are a Caleb or Joshua type disciple. Here’s what you can do practically to revive yourself and your ministry in the wake of the Coronavirus:   Create a campaign for yourself and your ministry Whenever, I’m facing a situation where I’ve lost momentum personally or in the ministry I lead, I create a simple, short-term campaign to inspire and prod me. Here’s the benefit of a campaign: It’s short term It’s a forcing mechanism It demands that my best self responds It enlists others so that I’m surrounded by other people moving in the same direction Here is what Tucson is doing at the end of May: Goal:  31 Bible Study Appointments by May 31st Encourage one another: Call, encourage and pray with another disciple every day. Fast and pray together: Please set aside one day to pray and fast for God’s guidance and blessing on the mission. Read the Bible together: Please read through Exodus 1-21 in in 21 days Serve together: Help make PPE masks and ask friends to help us.  If you can’t because of health reasons, find another way to serve. Reach out together: Invite friends and family to a special Neighbor Day on May 24th. Goal:  31 Bible Study Appointments by May 31st You can create a campaign to help you break camp and advance spiritually. Here are four things that will help you come out of quarantine stronger than before: Know when it’s time to advance: Dt 1:6-8 Look to God’s guidance during times of uncertainty: Exodus 40:36-38 Be a “Can Do” Disciple and leader Numbers 13:30-31 Create a campaign for yourself and your ministry

Who is Mike Fontenot? Mike Fontenot became a Christian in 1969.  After graduating from Louisiana State University, he went to Fuller Seminary for his Master's Degree.  He and his wife, Tess, planted a church in Sydney, Australia in the early eighties.  That church has grown to three hundred members and they have planted churches all over Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji.  At an age that many have long retired, Mike is still passionately working to advance the gospel "Down Under."  In this interview, Mike shares about his journey as a Christian, church planter and church multiplier.  He shares how he has kept his spiritual fire burning brightly for over fifty years.  Program Outline   How did you become Christians? Tell me about the growth of the churches in Australia:  How many, how big, rate of growth etc. You just celebrated 50 years in Christ, how have you managed to keep your love growing? You are a couple that is making a difference, what drives you? What was it like raising a family on the mission field? What advice would you give a person, man or woman, who wants to make a difference and live "no regrets" life? What would you tell a younger man or woman who has leadership ambitions? Do you have any regrets, anything you wish you could do over or differently? You returned to Australia at the age most people retire, why? Facing a situation of little or declining growth, what was your plan, how did you execute it? What does "High Faith & High Expectations" mean? If someone is in a situation that has been stagnant or plateaued for a while, what advice would you give them? What is transferable from your situation? Tell me about a time when you came back from a setback or failure. What advice would you give to people who are dealing with failure or discouragement? Who else do you know that is really standing out and growing?  Multiplying disciples, leaders and churches? What advice would you give me to plant ten churches in the next ten years? Tell me about something that keeps your spiritual fire and ambition burning brightly.

Who is John Lusk? John became a Christian in 1983 while attending Louisiana State University. After receiving a BS in Civil Engineering, he married his beautiful wife Barri. John then went to Harding University Graduate School of Religion where he received a Master’s in Religion. Together, John and Barri have led thriving ministries in Memphis, Baton Rouge, San Francisco, Sacramento, St Louis, Bangkok, Manila, and Denver and have spoken to hundreds of thousands of people all over the world. They now lead the Des Moines Church of Christ in Des Moines, Iowa. They have two wonderful daughters and a son in law, all of whom live in Colorado. In his free time, John enjoys archery, bowhunting, and being a YouTube creator for his channel Lusk Archery Adventures.  Interview Outline How did you become a Christian? Who were some of your early models or inspiration in preaching?  Why? How did you develop the tools to preach, what was your foundation? What are the three most common errors or mistakes you see preachers/speakers making? If a person wants to preach "big" and authority and impact, what do they need to know? What are the steps or template you follow to writing a great sermon. What does a beginner need to know or avoid? Tell me about your "pre-game" ritual.  What do you do before you speak? How long does it take you to prepare a conference-level message?  Why? What about your speaking sets it apart?  What can people take away if they want to improve? Tell me about your biggest embarrassment or setback in the pulpit. What do you consider a "golden moment" in your preaching? What advice would you give to people who are shy by nature or terrified of public speaking? Is speaking something your born with or can you learn to be a good speaker? Your wife, Barri, is an excellent speaker.  Did you help her or did she pick that up on her own?  How has Barri developed her skills? Tell me about something that keeps your spiritual fire and ambition burning brightly.  What gets you up in the morning?  What advice would you give a person, man or woman, who wants to make a difference and live "no regrets" life? What would you tell a younger man or woman who has leadership ambitions? Do you have any regrets, anything you wish you could do over or differently? Tell me about a time when you came back from a setback or failure. What advice would you give to people who are dealing with failure or discouragement? You are an expert in archery and bowhunting, how did that happen? Tell me how you balance your passion for hunting with your preaching and ministry?

Humility is one of the soft skills necessary to be a leader in any organization, spiritual or secular.  Today we will take a look at the attitude that will take you from where you are to where you dream to be.

Many excel in technical and professional areas and yet struggle to make significant progress in their work, family, or relationships.  Often the missing ingredient is a lack of "soft skills."  Many hard driving, ambitious people end up thwarted and frustrated because they have unseen or undealt with personality quirks and behavior.  This episode will focus on how grow in this area.

Part two in a series on "How to Make This Life Count."  We will be looking at the bias toward action that the best leaders exhibit.

This begins a four-part series on how to become a leader who makes this life count. 

The Rob Skinner Podcast will inspire you to make this life count, live a "no-regrets" life, and multiply disciples, leaders and churches.   Rob Skinner graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in Business Adminstration.  He chose to pursue Christian ministry and has spent his working life planting and leading churches all over the Pacific Northwest and Japan.  He currently serves as the evangelist for the Tucson Church of Christ, part of the International Churches of Christ.