Sunday Extra: Encouragement
We live in a very divided world. I’m not referring to politics, socioeconomic status, or even nations. I’m referring to good and evil, and the line between the two passes through each of our hearts.
Wait, didn’t the subject line read “Encouragement?”
You might be surprised to learn that division and factionalism… along with issues like sexual ethics and the Biblical definition of marriage… were major challenges for the church at Corinth in the first century. Sound familiar? Clarifying these and other issues was a primary purpose of Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians.
Where did he start? Encouragement.
“I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and knowledge – even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you – so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:4-8, ESV).
In Sunday Extra, Pastor Rick Thiemke of Via Church in Mesa, Arizona, shares Paul’s timely first century message for today… because as we struggle well with life, we all need encouragement.
My cousin, Stephan Tchividjian, introduced me to Rick several years ago. Known at the time as Red Mountain Christian Center, I supported them through a visioning process during which they changed their name to Via Church.
Do you need encouragement today? Answer “yes” if you are alive … and join us for Sunday Extra!
Kevin Ford
Chief Catalyst
Leighton Ford Ministries
RESOURCE: Leighton on Mentoring
We all know great speakers. How many great listeners do we know?
I’ve spent the past 30 years mentoring younger evangelists, pastors, and ministry leaders. When folks ask me how to be a successful mentor, I think they are typically focused on mentoring as providing advice, counsel, and coaching.
Those certainly have their place, but in my experience, that’s not the heart of a good mentoring relationship. What is? Listening to God together. I’ve found that a deep, personal time of listening to God together is really at the very core of the type of mentoring we need.
Watch VideoWould you like to go deeper on spiritual, whole-life mentoring? I recently sat down with friends from the Lausanne Movement’s YLGen (Younger Leaders Generation) for an in-depth Conversation with a Mentor. Click here to join us!
Leighton Ford
Founding President
Leighton Ford Ministries
