Mentoring That Makes a Difference

Encouragement can help people discern God's will for their lives.

Earl Palmer states that "in our prophetic role, pastors need to challenge people to keep the faith, fight the good fight. And often that means giving a forceful word to the congregation.

"The other side of being prophetic, the side that the mentor highlights, is being an encourager. The goal is the same—living faithfully a Christian lifestyle—but the means are different: encouragement, affirmation, praise."

As a mentor I don't want to tell people what God's will is for them; I want them to discover it for themselves. And that happens best, I've noticed, when I affirm what's going right with a person. Read the rest of the article here.

When Is a Broken Person Ready to Lead?

5 questions to determine whether the hurting are ready for responsibility.

A man who joined our fellowship came out of the Jehovah's Witnesses. Three months after his conversion, his daughter died. Then the woman he had been dating broke off their relationship.

If that weren't enough, his business collapsed; it's now half of what it used to be.

Today, this man comes to three weekend services. He can't seem to get enough of God. He's not ready for significant leadership right now. But he's on the way toward the healing that could one day make him a powerful servant leader.

When will that be? Finish this article by Daniel Brown with Bob Moeller.

The New Members Class: Moving Attenders Into Membership And Ministry

How to use the new members class in your church to make disciples. Author and researcher Chuck Lawless shares the latest national research from his book, Membership Matters, about assimilating church attenders into the life and ministry of the body. Requiring participation in a group intended to acquaint people with the opportunities to be discipled and to serve in your church may be essential to turn spectators into players.

On any given Sunday, uninvolved churchgoers sit in almost every congregation in America. In some cases, they are ready and willing to serve, just waiting for leaders to direct them and give them an opportunity. Others are faithful to attend on Sunday morning, but they never join. Some do join, but they never get involved. Order the book.

TroubledWith.com: Help For Hurting People

TroubledWith.com, a ministry of Focus on the Family, is a collection of articles, resources and referrals organized by topic around family issues and concerns.

There goal is to help families by providing complete coverage of issues including a brief introduction to each topic, an overview of the issue at hand, Q&A with experts and tips for making things better.

They web site says, "Sometimes, life and its troubles seem overwhelming. Maybe you think no one cares. Maybe your life feels out of control. Maybe you had a bad day … or a bad year. Maybe what should be a small problem seems huge.

We care about you. You're not just a face in the crowd. You've found a safe place and someone you can trust. And though we can't offer "quick fixes," you'll find credible advice, practical solutions for today's problems … and hope for tomorrow."

Hurrican Katrina Prayer Focus

*Pray for the victims of Hurricane Katrina –- that they would find the peace of God in the midst of this present trial and that they would be led to food, shelter, and clothing.

*Praise God for those who have graciously excepted whole families of Katrina victims into their homes.

*Ask God to grant leaders such as President Bush, New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin, and Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco unity as they work together to aid victims.

*Petition God to help the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Department of Homeland Security to work together in order to provide the necessary aid and security the victims of this storm need.

*Several thousand victims of the hurricane have been brought to D.C. Pray that they will find God's peace here in our nation's capital.

*Finally, ask God how you can help – whether through your prayers or your gifts of financial support.

'And let the peace of God rule in your hearts…'(Colossians 3:15).

The Tradedy, Why Does God Allow Things Like This To Take Place?

So often when tragedy hits, people ask the question, 'Why does God allow things like this to take place?' This seems to be the question many people are asking following the horrific effects of Hurricane Katrina.

One verse that helps put disasters such as Katrina in their proper perspective is John 16:33, 'I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.' This is a comforting verse.

None of us like to see disaster hit our fellow man. But we can trust that God knew from the foundation of the earth these days would come and have peace in knowing that He is in control. Look closely and you will see His glory shine through in the end.

So what do we do now? Pray! We need to pray for those affected by Hurricane Katrina. We need to ask God to guide the leaders who are overseeing the cleanup and organizational efforts in the hardest-hit regions of the Gulf Coast. We also need to seek God's peace for these troubled areas.

Yes, there is something positive we can pull out of this terrible tragedy – God is in control. His Word is being fulfilled, and one day Jesus will return and provide an escape from this present world.That is something we can count on!