Outreach

Pray 4 Every Home

Pray 4 Every Home

Sean Vickers

 

The amount of prayer a church dedicates to it’s community is directly related to the effectiveness of that church to extend the Kingdom of God into that community.

#1 GOD KNOWS WHERE YOU ARE! 1 Peter 2:10-12 (NIV)

#2 DON’T JUST SURVIVE – THRIVE! Jeremiah 29:5 (NIV)

#3 THINK ABOUT FUTURE GENERATIONS Jeremiah 29:6 (NIV)

#4 PRAY FOR YOUR CITY Jeremiah 29:7 (NIV)

www.pray4everyhome.com

www.fbcdalhart.org/prayer

#5 TRUST GOD’S PLAND AND PURPOSE FOR YOUR LIFE

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)

The Foundation

The Foundation

Sean Vickers

The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is the concrete in the foundation of the Christian faith.

Reasons to believe Jesus really did rise from the dead:

#1 JESUS OWN PREDICTIONS OF HIS DEATH AND RESURRECTION Luke 9:22

#2 THE PUBLIC CRUCIFIXION John 19:32-34

#3 THE EYE WITNESS TESTIMONIES 1 Corinthians 15:6

#4 THE EMPTY TOMB Mark 16:1

#5 THE TRANSFORMED LIVES OF THE DISCIPLES  Matthew 26:56, Acts 3:15, Acts 4:1-2

#6 THE BIRTH OF THE CHURCH Acts 2:40-41

#7 THE TRANSFORMED LIVES OF CHRIST FOLLOWERS TODAY

How do these truths effect our lives today?

– WE ARE TRULY LOVED Armand 5:8
– BY FAITH OUR SINS CAN BE FORGIVEN Justified=declared righteous
– DEATH IS NOT THE END In death we fall asleep only be awakened to new life.
– HOW WE LIVE IS IMPORTANT How we live is proof of what we believe
– CHRIST DEMANDS AND DESERVES OUR FULL DEVOTION

Pray for Rain

Pray for Rain

Sean Vickers

Let me state the obvious: We need rain. If you live in Dalhart, Texas you know exactly what I am talking about.

Since moving to Dalhart, I have developed the habit of praying for rain. We desperately need the heavens to open and for rain to fall down on our dry land. Psalm 63:1 says, “You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; 
I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you,
in a dry and parched land
where there is no water. (NIV)” This Psalm shows us the way we can pray for rain.

The first priority in prayer should be to seek God with our whole hearts. God reigning in our lives is our first priority. Notice how passionately David pursues his God. He says, “earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you.” There is a great spiritual principle here. When we passionately pursue God, He will meet our needs and work in our lives in ways only He can. Let me ask you a quick question. How passionately are you pursuing God? This is a heart-probing question that we must ask. There is always room for pursuing Him more and focusing our attention and affection on Him. My church, First Baptist Dalhart, or one of Dalhart’s Bible believing churches can help you along this path.

Once we are pursuing Him earnestly we can approach Him with confidence and ask Him to meet our need for rain. Philippians 4:19 declares, “And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.” Seeking God first and then trusting Him for our spiritual and physical needs leads to transformed lives and a changed community.

In his book, The Circle Maker, Mark Batterson tells the story of Honi, the circle maker. Honi lived in the time between the Old and New Testaments. He followed God passionately and persisted in prayer until the rain came. This is an uplifting book that I would highly recommend.  Click here for more details about the book. It is my prayer that God would raise up many in our community who would seek Him with their whole hearts and pray for the rain we so desperately need. Seek Him and pray for rain!

This article originally appeared in the Dalhart Texan and was written by Sean Vickers.

 

My Hope for America – A Great Plan

Sean Vickers

myhopepicOn November 7, 2013 Billy Graham will turn 95 years old. This incredible man of God has a final message for America. To get the message about Christ out to as many people as possible the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association has provided a power tool for evangelism called My Hope for America. Their plan is great! It is based on Matthew 9:9-13. After he started following Jesus, the Apostle Matthew invited people into his home to meet Jesus. This is the plan for those who will be a part of this historic event and throw a party for Jesus:

  • Look around and identify your friends, neighbors, co-workers, fellow students, and family who do not know Jesus Christ as their Savior.
  • Look up and pray every day for each person you have listed.
  • Look out for opportunities to build your relationship with these people.
  • Look forward to preparing your home and inviting every person on your list to view a program in your home or other comfortable place.
  • Look after those who give their lives to Jesus Christ and help them grow in their faith.

The content of the video messages are evangelistic, inspiring, and compelling. Watch the videos here: VIDEOS

These messages are available in multiple formats to accommodate the variety of locations these meeting will take place in.

May God richly bless My Hope for America with a great harvest.

 

Small Group Ideas for Summer Time

Small Group Ideas for Summer Time

Sean Vickers

Small Group Ideas for Summer Time

As Summer vacations start and kids are out of school, small group ministry can be challenging. Look for ways to stay connected to every member and reach out to those you have not seen in a while. Please don’t take the Summer “off” as you minister to your group. This can be a great time of ministry and connection with your class. Consider these ideas for Summer time ministry:

1. Pray for your group, calling each member by name before the Father.

2. Plan a summer fellowship for the group. Include kids and make it a fun time. Fellowship is a very important part of a small group ministry.

3. Spend some time every week talking about your member’s Summer plans. Let them know you will miss them while they are on vacation and you intend to see them when they come back.

4. Develop a weekly plan to contact absentees to check on them. Including other group members in the process is a great way to share your leadership responsibility with other members.

5. Plan a Summer mission project for the group and encourage each member to participate in the ministry opportunity.

Make a goal to contact every members on your list during the Summer. Summer is a great time to reconnect.

Courgeous Movie

Courgeous Movie

Sean Vickers

Courageous Movie

Our church, Boiling Springs First Baptist, rented out a theater to promote the movie Courageous and encourage our members to support the movie. I had the privilege to attend with my wife. We both were impressed by the quality and content of the movie. Being parents of five amazing children we completely support the message and strive to put a high priority on raising Godly children.

Top Three Ideas from Courageous

1.  The responsibility of fathers for their families is great. This responsibility can only be faithfully fulfilled through the power of God working in father’s lives.

2.  Parents must maximize their time with their children while they can.

3.  There is power in Godly Men standing together and chasing after the heart of God.

 

On November 6, 2011, our church is having a Courageous Resolution Service. On that night, I will stand in front of my family and read the Resolutions from the movie. By God’s grace and through His power at work in my life I will live up to these commitments and honor God as I lead my family. Below is the Courageous Resolution:

THE RESOLUTION

I do solemnly resolve before God to take full responsibility for myself, my wife, and my children.

I WILL love them, protect them, serve them, and teach them the Word of God as the spiritual leader of my home.

I WILL be faithful to my wife, to love and honor her, and be willing to lay down my life for her as Jesus Christ did for me.

I WILL bless my children and teach them to love God with all of their hearts, all of their minds, and all of their strength.

I WILL train them to honor authority and live responsibly.

I WILL confront evil, pursue justice, and love mercy.

I WILL pray for others and treat them with kindness, respect, and compassion.

I WILL work diligently to provide for the needs of my family.

I WILL forgive those who have wronged me and reconcile with those I have wronged.

I WILL learn from my mistakes, repent of my sins, and walk with integrity as a man answerable to God.

I WILL seek to honor God, be faithful to His church, obey His Word, and do His will.

I WILL courageously work with the strength God provides to fulfill this resolution for the rest of my life and for His glory.

As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

—Joshua 24:15