Kingdom Fellowship Weekend

What are some distractions and temptations the church is facing today? Join these four men along with Nathan Overholt as they wrestle with these four topics relevant to our day.

"Are you infinitely distracted," Trent Eikenberry asks us, "with up to the minute news from the other side of the world?" He suggests that this relatively new phenomenon is keeping us from seeing real needs and lost souls right around us. How much should we be "in the know"?

Next, Elisha Byler introduces what he calls "pop up theology". This is old heresy covered with a skimpy varnish of Christian terminology that spreads quickly through social media platforms. These half truths we are bombarded with can distract us from deep genuine Bible study. How are you combating this distraction?

What about materialism? Philip Showalter tells us that far too often our souls are lean and sickly and we lack the power of God, but our bank accounts are fat and our businesses are flourishing. Hard work and industry are good, but the problem is our accumulation of money. He challenges us to stop justifying materialism and to repent of our love for money. What is first place in your life?

Lastly, Kevin Brechbill calls out the sin of gossip. A gossip is a person who habitually reveals personal and sensational facts about others. Churches are struggling to be united because of this root problem of massive gossip. The most effective way to combat gossip is to talk a good report about others. Ask your brother or your sister to tell you when you are gossiping. Are you building others up or tearing them down with your words?

How much do you want to get done in life?

How can we be useful vessels that God can use to get a lot done in His kingdom? Self-control, one of the fruits of the Spirit, is an essential element in our lives if we want to be fruitful Christians. We make a firm decision, and the Holy Spirit gives us the power to live it out. Spiritual disciplines such as prayer, daily morning devotions, and a pure thought life will make us vessels that God can use. As we find victory from things such as lust, idolatry, grumbling, and addictions, we can be a soldier in God’s Kingdom. In this message Elisha Byler shares from the things he has learned in his journey with the Lord and from his years of experience working among an indigenous group in Mexico.

Spiritual disciplines are basically hidden from the eyes of others, but that which we’ve received from Jesus is going to splash out to bless all the people around us. We will be under pressure what we have rehearsed in our leisure.

A mother can incorporate spiritual disciplines as she goes through her day. Singing and Bible memory is something that you can do with your children. It doesn’t need to be an either-or thing of spending time building your relationship with God or managing the household. That running conversation going on in your head during the day – you can turn it into a conversation with God. There are numerous ways that a child-bearing mother can fast, and thereby nurture an eternal perspective.

Motivated by our highest love to Jesus, we’re willing to diligently pursue priorities that help us thrive spiritually. As we sense our weakness and inadequacy, we lean into Christ’s strength.

In architecture, pillars provide crucial strength and stability to buildings that can last for generations. In the same way, any enduring church needs members who are faithful ‘pillars’ that others can rely on (Galatians 2:9). Brother Philip Showalter shares six simple steps to becoming a pillar in the church.

1. Open transparency in the brotherhood
2. Be un-offendable
3. Learn the heart of your leaders
4. Bending and blending
5. Commitment to the church
6. Vibrant walk with God

Do you want the church to be what Christ intended? Resolve in your heart to become a pillar in the church, for God’s glory. It’s a calling for each one of us!

In this message, Joel Martin challenges us to consider three prophetic keys that are absolutely essential for those of us who hope to overcome the accuser of the brethren. How will the victorious saints overcome the devil? Let’s learn together how we will be able to conquer that great dragon of whom the Scriptures say, “Woe unto you ye inhabitants of the earth for the devil is come down unto you having great wrath!”

How can we be a church not just in name, but in holiness, and in the character of God? Is the church of Jesus Christ prepared to face her battles? Do we know who our enemy is? Are we unified against our enemy? Are we winning our battles?

A soldier for King Jesus must have complete surrender to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. We serve our Captain Jesus. Jesus is the Author and Finisher of our faith. If we want to stand in the time of testing, trials, and temptation we must put on the whole armor of God.

If we want to know how to win the battles ahead of us, we must know whose side we are on, who is on our side, and who our enemy is.

The question is not if temptations will come, the question is, “When temptations come are you prepared to stand?”

We all yearn to witness the realization of heaven on earth, but the question remains: How does this transformation occur? Does God suddenly change us into completely new Christlike people? Will it come with a group of averagely good individuals? Or will heaven truly come to earth only when we as individuals and churches press into intentional growth into mature Christians.

This message presents and emphasizes the importance of Christlike maturity becoming an intentional pursuit of every individual and the core passion of each church. Maturity serves as the gateway to building trust, which is the currency of credibility for both individuals and churches. It creates an avenue for churches to experience sustainability and longevity.

In his call for the church to “lengthen the tent cords and strengthen the stakes,” Raymond Glick points to the need for brotherhoods to identify the gifts individuals have been given, to bless and encourage the use of those gifts, and for leaders to delegate responsibility to gifted members.

Raymond Glick, Kevin Brechbill and Micah Hozen discuss and take audience questions raised by the message on “God’s Equipment for Building His Church.” Panel discussion moderated by Andrew Kurtz.

Elisha Byler emphasizes personal surrender and the practice of spiritual disciplines of prayer, fasting, and Bible reading. These practices fortify us for the experiences in kingdom work that feel like going through a meat grinder.