1. Visualize
Without a vision, we have nothing to strive and reach for. Visualize new people in the pews, altar and bapistry.

2. Analyze
Where are we now? Where do we go from here? Analyze your weaknesses and strengths. Forget past defeats, Reach forth with faith.

3. Utilize
We are the key. If it is to be, it is up to me. Realize that it is our time, talents and gifts that will be used by God.

4. Prioritize
Life is a matter of setting priorities, single minded. What is important to us and the kingdom of God. Jesus went to Calvary for this Cause. We will give ourselves this year as never before. The lateness of the hour demands commitment.

5. Agonize
This is a spiritual cause and battle. Intercession and travail is necessary to bring about revival and spiritual births. Prayer must be paramount. This cannot be accomplished in the flesh. We need God and prayer is our lifeline.

6. Organize
Inspiration without direction equals frustration and eventual stagnation. Develop a plan and straegy for growth. Organize to use each individual’s gifts and talents.

7. Evangelize
Put the transmission lever into drive. Put into action the plans and strategy. Angels don’t witness and preach. We are His mouth, hands and feet. Do it. The Great Commission is our mandate to evangelize.

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“It troubles me when I hear people talk about our doctrine and they are referring only to our belief and convictions on the new birth, the revelation of the oneness of God, and our Acts 2:38 experience. They call that our doctrine. Then they call our lifestyle “standards.” I want you to know the doctrine of seperation is not only a doctrine of the church; it is the purpose of the gospel. It is not an additional doctrine to embrance… …but I tell you (Acts 2:38) that’s only the way out, the path to get us out of sin and out of the world system. To say we believe Acts 2:38 and rejoice in the doctrine of the new birth but do not rejoice in the doctrine of separation is to say we rejoice over the good news about salvation but we don’t rejoice over the purpose of the gospel. The purpose of the gospel is to bring us out of that world, get it off of us, get it out of us, and get us away from it.”

From the January issue of The Pentecostal Herald

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The altar must be planned and prayed for as much or more than the rest of your sermon.
The difference between a good and a great service is knowing how to give, make and keep the altar call.
Pray and ask God when and how to make the call for the individual service.
Throughout the sermon, make references and invitations to the altar to build the hearer’s expectation and confidence to engage in it.
Let visitors know that the altar is not the act of joining the church, but getting more of God!
Lead them with expectation.
Build faith leading up to the invitation
You must get them to the altar!
Make it as easy as possible for them to respond positively.
Ask saints to invite someone next to them to the altar.
Get with the musicians before service and tell them something that would be appropriate for the altar call.

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Ability.  Do you have the ability? Let’s face it: if you have little or no talent or innate ability for music, teaching, leadership or whatever traits are necessary for a given ministry, give it up.  Don’t make yourself and everyone else miserable by pretending to have some ability when you really don’t.  If you are being used and someone comes along who has more ability than you, gladly and graciously surrender your position for the good of the whole church.

Availability.  Do you have the time?  If you have a sporadic work schedule or are faced with some other situation you can’t control, then availability may pose a problem for you.  Anyone who professes to have a ministry must make it a priority.  That means you must sacrifice other activities you would like to do because of a ministry you are called to do.  If ministry is truly a priority for you, then it is up to you to make yourself available.

Reliability.  Do you have the commitment?  “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:2).  Once you make a commitment to do ministry, your faithful execution of the task becomes paramount.  Most leaders will tell you that nothing is more important than faithfulness.  If you are asked to do something two or three times but fail to show up, you probably won’t be asked again.

Other points in his list are Teachability, Accountability, Sociability and Possibility. To view the full list of “usability criteria”, check out Pastor Jordan’s article here: http://jonathanjordan.squarespace.com/journal/2009/12/28/passing-the-usability-test.html

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1. Am I consciously or unconsciously creating the impression that I am better than I really am? In other words, am I a hypocrite?
2. Am I honest in all my acts and words, or do I exaggerate?
3. Do I confidentially pass on to another what was told to me in confidence?
4. Can I be trusted?
5. Am I a slave to dress, friends, work, or habits?
6. Am I self-conscious, self-pitying, or self-justifying?
7. Did the Bible live in me today?
8. Do I give it time to speak to me everyday?
9. Am I enjoying prayer?
10. When did I last speak to someone else about my faith?
11. Do I pray about the money I spend?
12. Do I get to bed on time and get up on time?
13. Do I disobey God in anything?
14. Do I insist upon doing something about which my conscience is uneasy?
15. Am I defeated in any part of my life?
16. Am I jealous, impure, critical, irritable, touchy, or distrustful?
17. How do I spend my spare time?
18. Am I proud?
19. Do I thank God that I am not as other people, especially as the Pharisees who despised the publican?
20. Is there anyone whom I fear, dislike, disown, criticize, hold resentment toward or disregard? If so, what am I doing about it?
21. Do I grumble or complain constantly?
22. Is Christ real to me?

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“If we want to know if we are a holy person, here is the true test of holiness: Jesus Christ. How do we measure up to that Holy One? When we are comparing ourselves to Him, there is a hunger to be more and more holy; to be more and more like Him. As we grow closer to Him, we take on His attributes. His holiness, and the world can see Christ through us.”

From the January issue of the Pentecostal Herald

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Following are some tips to help nurture ethics in dealing with pastors:

• Always refer to them as, “Pastor” of “Brother”.
• Compliment them sincerely about something they have done or said. Attributes of their church, its worship, its ministry, their writings, etc.
• Don’t be presumptuous. Don’t expect or prod them to invite you.
• Always be humble.     Never promote yourself, bragging on your dedication, prayer, fasting, etc. If you are consecrated, everyone will know.
• Always have scheduling items handy: Calendar, ink pen, business card, etc.
• If you are asked by a pastor to call them, CALL!
  • Also, keep record of the first conversation when he invited you. Then, when you call, he will remember you and remember the invitation.
• After talking with a pastor, offer your card and ask him to pray for your family and ministry.
• When other ministers praise you in front of others, be modest and give the glory back to God. Also bless and compliment the minister in front of them.
• If a pastor introduces or refers you to someone, thank them for it!
• After preaching at a church, if the service went well, ask them if they would refer you to area pastors.

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1492
On his first voyage, Christopher Columbus sailed through unknown waters to an unknown destination. Before his voyage, Spain’s standards carried three words in Latin. The same words were written on the left edge of the maps of that day. Even the Straits of Gibraltar carried the same three words, chiselled into stone.
What were the words?

“NE PLUS ULTRA – No More Beyond.”

While the world was convinced there was nothing more beyond, Columbus was not. His ships returned and the discovery of a land of wealth and opportunity “beyond” marked the dawn of a new age.

The world was forever changed. So much so, the king of Spain changed the motto of the land to read as it does today. One word on the famed monument is torn away by the lion making it: ” PLUS ULTRA – More Beyond! ”

With new worlds just over the horizon, the belief that there was nothing more was replaced by the confident claim that there was, indeed more beyond. This belief began the “Age of Discovery!”

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