Visionlife365

We hope this episode will be found by those who consider themselves "retired." So many times, when Christians reach a certain age or start to suffer from their health, they feel that they have nothing more to give. Listen as Gary and Jason hope to dispel the myth of uselessness. We need more seasoned believers to pour into the lives of us young "whippersnappers". Maybe you cannot stand behind a pulpit or travel the world, but you can pour into lives from the comfort of your living room. Some of the strongest spiritual lessons are not learned from the professional setting, but from casual coffee talks. Don't give up on yourself if your health is not what it used to be! There are plenty of us "younger" guys who are looking for someone to pour into our lives as we continue in the process of making disciples!  

Revival is an often misunderstood word in evangelical circles. Recently we invited a special speaker to come to the Dominican Republic and encourage our hearts to return to the deeply committed living. Listen as Gary and Jason talk about the various aspects of revival. One of the most important aspects of revival is seeing our own personal need for a renewed daily walk. We hope this episode will be a practical encouragement.

It's incredible how small incremental changes can affect an outcome. Gary and Jason talk about a recent sermon that Gary preached regarding small changes that yield significant results in this episode. As believers, we often go to such extremes of change that we cannot maintain our set trajectory because it is beyond our ability to attain. An applicable analogy of this would be in the area of exercise. Rather than consistently deciding to do ten situps a day, we start with 100 the first day and never remain consistent because the outcome is not practical or attainable. Apply Gary's practical spiritual advice and begin to up your intimacy with God with small changes that yield significant results. You will enjoy this episode!

COVID restrictions have really affected ministry in the Dominican Republic. One of the ministry areas that has been hit hard by the pandemic is the seminary. Thankfully, restrictions are reducing and we have been able to return to a consistent teaching schedule. In this episode, Gary and Jason talk about the new Romans class and how things are moving along in the seminary.  The seminary is a tremendous opportunity to combine academic excellence with practical daily living. God is doing some really awesome things here in the Dominican Republic, especially in our seminary!

The Bible is the best source of practical daily living advice. Our life is about one thing...God. Walk with Gary and Jason as they walk through James chapter 5 and apply it to practical Christian living!

James is such a practical yet convicting book. Today Gary and Jason dive into chapter 4 which deals with the real source of wars and fighting. This powerful yet convicting chapter quickly helps us understand that it is our own sin that is the cause of wars and arguing. Dissension and arguments divide families and churches and ultimately do harm to the gospel. Listen in on this very important conversation about the necessity of an intimate walk with God which ultimately translates into subduing our sinfulness and divisiveness.

As we continue to walk through the book of James, Gary and Jason talk about the power of the tongue as laid out in chapter 3. The tongue is an influential body member and can do tremendous damage. What does the book of James say about the tongue? How can we tame our tongues? Join in on this powerful yet practical conversation about the power of the tongue and ultimately how to bring it under subjection!

Gary and Jason venture into the second of their series on the book of James. James chapter 2 gives some applicable advice in not being partial towards people in the church and the equal importance of faith and works. It is often easy to treat people within the church with partiality without trying. Sometimes we do it without thinking. Equally convicting within chapter 2 is the correlation between faith and works. If your faith is genuine, it will produce works! Jump into this practical discussion with Gary and Jason, applying scripture practically to everyday life. 

Gary and Jason venture into a new direction by taking a walk through the book of James. They take a practical approach to the book and apply it to everyday life. This series will be an encouragement to ministry individuals and the layperson.  What are the purposes of trials, and how can we benefit spiritually from them!

An undeniable part of ministering to others is that you will be the recipient of an attack at one time or another. As we all journey through the process of sanctification, often the Holy Spirit reveals some areas of our character that are tender spots. This is true as we engage in the discipleship process of others. Even when we are most well-intentioned, our help will not be received as help at all. Our help will provoke a sharp emotional response from those to whom we are ministering.  This is why it is essential that our focus and strength come from the Lord and not man. It is easy to get discouraged when you intend to help someone, and their reaction is to attack. 

The opposite side to this scenario can be equally dark as believers can elevate ministers to a "deity" status, which can be harmful to anyone who does not have strong accountability in their life. We have all seen the unfortunate demise of many in ministry because they grew in popularity, and the messenger became more important than the message. Ultimately they were vulnerable and succumbed to temptation.

Listen in as Gary and Jason talk about their ministry journey. They both open their hearts and talk about different situations where they were intentionally investing in others. The unfortunate outcome was an attack from those to whom they were ministering. We must never forget that God is watching. God knows our motives and our shortcomings. Part of the price we will pay for investing in the lives of others is occasional attacks because we have dealt with a sensitive spiritual area in their life. To be clear, this does not always mean confrontation is present; at times, it can simply be our presence that frustrates someone because deep in their heart, they know they are doing wrong.

This episode is a definite tool aimed at helping those who are investing in others not be discouraged and maintain a solid Biblical valuation of themselves!