Look at the similarity of the following passages. I wonder what the impact of those similarities really reveals. Abraham's servant addresses Rebekah in Genesis 24:17, "Please let me drink a little water water from your jar." He then reveals the intended plan of offering Isaac in marraige... Elijah and the Widow from Zarephath in 1 Kings 17:10, "please give me a little water in a jar, that I may drink." He then reveals a miraculous provision from God during a time of drought. Jesus and the woman at the well in John 4:7, "Give me a drink." He then reveals His plan of salvation, leading many to beleive. What an incredible use of an ordinary situation, turning it into a life changing moment. I suppose every person that walked to the well, in each instance, wasn't expecting their life to be completely turned upside down. There can be power in the ordinary. There can be life change in an instant. The important thing is to see beyond the routine of ordinary situations, and look for the moment when God can use you to change a life. Simple Application: What are you doing at the well?

I was interested to see what everyone is reading. I find that when I'm pouring into my life through consistent devotions, prayer, scripture, and good books-I'm usually functioning at a higher rate than if I am not intentionally pouring in! What recommendations can anyone make? Let me know!

I am being challenged daily by my Basic Evangelism class at the seminary. I had taken evangelism classes in my undergrad at Central Bible College, so I figured I had a fairly easy grasp of the subject matter. The problem doesn't lie with knowing about evangelism, the problem, I'm realizing, is that actually doing the work of evangelism is something that is seriously missing from most Christian people's experience. For a long time I have bought in to the model of "be a witness and speak if you have to," which I'm realizing has more to do with character than evangelism. The Great Commission is lacking the phrase, "Go into all the world and live rightly before men," or, "Go into all the world and slowly build relationships in order to share the Gospel." There is a time for "lifestyle evangelism" and "friendship evangelism", but there is also a time to proclaim! It seems to me that too many people have forsaken the proclamation of the wonders of who God is and His plan for salvation for the easier "lifestyle" versions of evangelism. What have we done to evangelism that we make it a mute, cowardly, and neglected mandate! We have taken the power out of winning disciples because we have taken the proclamation out of evangelism, and until we put it back we will continue to see decline in our churches because the work of evangelism was meant to be a staple of every believer's life, not simply a thing the church does as an organization through bi-annual events. I've often wondered why people in our churches struggle so much to find the depth of experience with God that they so desperately seek after: I think it is in direct connection with a lack of personal evangelism-telling people about Jesus and offering them hope. I think I can trace my own lack of personal evangelism over the years to one event while I was at Bible College learning the ways to become a Pastor and what it meant to be in "full-time" ministry. I was involved in various ministries throughout my time in Springfield and for the most part felt like I was doing my best to serve God, mostly through those ministries and most always in a "church" environment. I remember one night walking through the neighborhoods close to the campus and distinctly hearing God's voice to knock on a door and share Christ. I had never before heard God speak so clearly. I knew without a doubt that God was leading me to that door, but I said no. I fought against it and just kept walking. I think back to that night often and wonder what might have happened had I listened, had I not justified my "ministry" inolvement in the local church and on ministry teams as a reason why I was excluded from evangelism. I think that night was the beginning of me throwing myself into the "work of the church" as a way to justify my own lack of "proclaiming" to lost people, in season and out. I am so thankful that God is stirring my heart again to snap out of the rut of justifying a lack of personal evangelism! Simple Application: Be sensitive to God's leading and proclaim the Good News! Don't fall into the trap of simply living for God in front of others and think that it's enough....it's only a beginning. Be a witness and speak if you have to...well...at some point...you'll have to!

I am getting really excited about our first Break Stuff Night! It's an elaborate sermon illustration where I've asked the students to bring anything they want to destroy: computer monitors, stereos, old Nintendos, TV's-anything that will be completely awesome to watch get destroyed. Don't be alarmed...there is a point...Matthew 21:44, "He who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces, but he on whom it falls will be crushed." I'll have to post the video!