Equipped Workshop hosted by Lehman Avenue church of Christ

Study of James: ”Godward Guidance” by Bud Woodall

April 22, 2023 - Equipped Day 3
2:30PM Auditorium Speaker
 
Bud Woodall continues the study of James. 
Notes:
God hears our prayers.
Psalm 4:1; 17:1; 61:1; 88:13; 102:1; 143:1
James 5:13-16 - We need to pray
It is vital to us
James 1:1-11, 12-18, 19-27 - Faith works at all times!
James 5:13 - James tells us of the need for prayer.
Pray when suffering and also when we are cheerful.
My life is in the hands of God - He is in control
Psalm 61:1; Matt 7:7; Philippians 4:6; 1 Peter 5:7
James 5:13-16 - There is power in prayer.
2 Cor 12:7; Psalm 46:1
Prayer brings us to the reality that we rely on God - Psalm 46:1
 
Duration 34:35

Study of James: ”The War Within” by Dale Pollard

April 22, 2023 - Equipped Day 3
9:00AM Keynote Auditorium Speaker
 
Dale Pollard kicks of first Study of James section for day 3.
 
Notes:
"The War Within" - James 4:1-10
Their misery was from selfishness.
As often ours is.
It's tempting to point to someone else as the problem.
Verse 2 - Murder and envy are side by side here. Acts 17:5
If we left feeling empty maybe our cravings aren't healthy - (verse 2)
What you fill your heart with will eventually come out.
What do I want and why do I want it?
Ex 20:5 - What does God want? He wants US.
How do we overcome our misery? - James 2:7-10
6 Step Fight to Greatness
1. Give yourself to God. Voluntarily submission to God.
2. Stand against the devil. - Romans 13:2
3. Draw yourself near to God.
Remove sinful habits.
God forgives.
4. Cleanse. Flee from defilement.
5. Lament; Mourn; Weep. - Matt 26:75
See things the way God sees them.
6. Humble yourself. Modest view of self.
Lose within; Lose without.
Win within; Win without.
Slides:
The War Within
Where is this coming from?
Why is this happening?
What can we do?
Five step fight to greatness
Lose within, lose without. Win within, win without.
 
Duration 26:54

Study of Works: ”Living for Jesus Until the End” by Jerry Carmichael

April 22, 2023 - Equipped Workshop Day 3
8:00AM Keynote Auditorium Speaker 
 
Jerry Carmichael kicks off day 3 of the Equipped.
 
Notes:
"Living for Jesus Until the End"
Phil 3:12; 2 Peter 2:2; John 15:1-6
Rev 2:10 - "Be faithful even when faced with death." (often misquoted)
From the book of James
Be a persevering Christian - James 1:2
enduring, continuing - no matter what.
We don't learn perseverance without trials and temptations.
Be a practicing Christian - James 2:17
Not bragging. But James says- watch what I do and I'll show you my faith. "True faith is a working faith"
Talk to people about Jesus!
Be polite Christians - James 3:5-6
Great hindrance of Christians - misuse of the tongue.
Conflicts rarely arise if we bride our tongues.
Be praying Christians - James 4:1-2.
You must have a healthy prayer life with the Creator of all the earth.
What an incredible privilege to be able to pray to Him and He hears.
Pray you way through the church directory
Pray with your family.
Pray for elders, elderly members, government, young families, youth, military....
Be prioritized Christians - James 5:1-6
Serving and loving God should be our priority.
James 5:9 - Have compassion for the and the erring, and those with physical illness.
Confess sins and pray for one another.
The first and the last words Jesus said to Peter - "Follow Me" - John 20:30
Serve Jesus while you can because a time will come when you aren't able to do as much, but keep serving until the end.
The Christian walk is a
Walk
Fight
War
other action words.
Follow while you have time.
 
Duration 39:58
 

For Parents: ”Preparing Our Kids for Adulthood” by Mike Vestal

April 22, 2023 - Equipped Workshop Day 3
11:00 AM MPR 2 Speaker 
 
Mike Vestal provides a great lesson for parents on raising children.
 
Notes:
Preparing Our Children For AdulthoodIntroduction:Psalm 127: 1, 3-5Deut 6: 4-12 - Good parents hear the Lord, love the Lord and let their children see this. Teachyour children diligently. Remember the Lord faithfully. Don’t forget to see and point out Hisblessings.Prov 24:3-4Prov 22:6Prov 13:222Kings 20:15-18You can’t be perfect but you can be faithful. Here are 14 characteristics from James that Godlyparents will stress with their kids:1. James 1:1 - Remember who they are and whose they are. Remember who God is. Have aloving view of the church.2. James 1: 2-12 Help them when they go thru trials to trust God, to rejoice and learn toendure.3. James 1: 13-18 - Help your children know how to properly respond to temptation. God’s willis good, ALWAYS good and is light – follow it.4. James 1:19 -21 - Help them to realize there’s a time to be quick and to be slow and to putaway and to receive. Be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger, put away sin andreceive grace.5. James 1:22-27 Help your children to love and learn to the apply God’s Word6. James 2:1-13 Help them not to quickly and wrongly judge others7. James 2:14-26 Help them to see that show-n-tell is more than just a game. Some peoplewho tell little show a lot. Faith that loves God and expresses itself in a wide variety ofways.8. James 3:1-12 Help your children to understand the weight of their words.9. James 3:13-18 Help them to be more than “bright”, help them to be wise. See the wisdomof God.10. James 4:1-12 Help them to know that pride and selfishness always leads to quarrels andwars. Humility and trustworthiness will lead to righteousness.11. James 4:13-17 Error of presumption — making plans must never leave God out of thepicture.12. James 5: 1-12 Teach them that God WILL judge the wicked.13. James 5:9 Teach them not to grumble or complain (Phil 2:14)14. James 5:13-20 Teach them the value and place of the community of believers, God’speople should be known for prayer, praise, concern for one another, for their confessionof sin, and for bringing back the wanderer.
 
Duration 40:43

For Ladies: ”Launching Out Into The Deep” by Cherie Vestal

April 22, 2023 - Equipped Workshop Day 3
10:00AM MPR 4 Speaker 
 
Cherie Vestal kicks off the ladies sessions for Equipped Workshop on day 3.
 
Notes:
Launching Out Into The Deep - Diving Into the Word
James mentions the Word in several places
James 1:18, 19, 21, 22, 23-25 
2:12 - blessed by hearing 
1: 18 - 27 holistic
:8-9 royal law 
2:1-13, 3:1-12 consistent
Seven ways to grow in your Bible Knowledge – Taking a Voyage
 Motivation - Why do you want Bible Knowledge
Heart check - sometimes we study as if there will be a Heavenly test someday. Beware of knowledge for the sake of knowledge. 1 Cor 8:1, 1 Cor 13:1
Paul - to know Christ - Phil 3:10
Jesus - Matt 7:21, Matt 11:28-30 - a relationship with Him
Holy Spirit - renewing of your mind, transformation - Rom 12:2 - Don’t just accumulate knowledge/facts, but change.
Jesus will judge by how we live not by what we can quote
Peter - be ready to give an answer. 1 Pet 3:15 
Does your motive for study line up
A Vessel - A venue for uninterrupted time with God
You need the right vessel
Acts 6 - devote yourself to the Word and to prayer
Create a plan for consistency, snatches of time here and there are not enough. 
What does your venue look like? It can change with what season of life you are in. Young mothers for example will have a very different “venue” than older empty nesters.
Equipment
The Bible - there are several translations available
BibleHub is an electronic resource
Other tools to consider include notebook, pencils, pens, consulting tools such as a Bible dictionary and commentaries (Remember MEN created these so read with discernment and use them last — find your own discoveries first)
Itinerary - Your study plan can be varied, above all pace yourself
What book/books will you study? 
Will you read Gen - Rev? Or some other reading plan? 
How much time will you spend daily?
Will you do devotional study, word study, character study, read chronologically?
Journaling 
Bible Marking Study (Come Fill Your Cup has many Bible Marking lessons from Kathy Pollard)
Filter study - you can go through a book of the Bible with a “word filter”. For example a filtered study of the word Jesus in the book of Acts. 
Interaction - Sailing out on your voyage (Consider Philippians 4:4)
Context - in Ch 3 Paul’s been encouraging the Philippians to stay focused on their Eternal focus. 
Write out the passage leaving space above and between for notes
What does the passage say to you? 
Where is God in the passage? Look for what God “is” “has” or “does” - you might have to look a verse before or after the one you are focusing on. 
Underline what people are doing positively or should be doing. (You could mark negatives with a caution sign triangle)
Mark absolutes in a special way (words like “all”, “any”, “never”, etc) 
Examination - What does it mean 
Utilize other translations and cross references to help you understand the passage.
Your Experience - Evaluate and journal your thoughts as you meditate on what you’ve studied and journal how you can apply it.
Write out a prayer on what you found/discovered in the passage you studied and ask for wisdom.
You might also sing a song or hymn that is applicable to your study.
 
Duration 41:10

For Ladies: ”The Life and Lessons from Elijah’s Nemesis: Jezebel” - Carla Moore

April 21, 2023 - Equipped Day 2
3:30PM MPR 4 Speaker
Carla Moore continues the ladies sessions with a great lesson from Jezebel.
 
Notes:
The Life and Lessons of Elijah’s Nemesis - JezebelMost memorable lessons come from women we DON’T want to be like. Jezebel is one of those women.What can we learn from Jezebel? Her story is found in 1st and 2nd Kings(1st Kings 16, 18, 19, and 21 and 2nd Kings)1. Jezebel had a heart full of idolatry. She brought Baal worship to Israel2. Self worship - she got what she wanted and got rid of what she didn’t3. Her heart was full of deceit - she concealed and misrepresented the truth4. Her heart was proud and unrepentant. She had no remorse for the evil things she did.Jezebel’s legacy was nothing but tragedy and wreckage full of strife and poison. Her family was a mess.Proverbs 6:16-19 describes a person like JezebelWhat about me?Hopefully you don’t see any resemblance between yourself and Jezebel.1.You, like Jezebel, have influence. Use it for GOOD.2. Negative thinking can be contagious. If you are negative all the time you can change.3. Think about any misplaced priorities - what do people see you spending your time doing.4. Lack of spirituality can influence others and can be contagious in your family.5. Your influence has a long shelf life extending for many generations.Jezebel’s traits can all potentially be present in our lives. We may not kill someone but we can assassinate a person’s character with gossip for example.What kind of legacy will you leave?What kind of spiritual impression do you leave?If the answer to these questions is negative YOU CAN CHANGEMake a list of the “things” you want to leave behind - spiritual blessing for your family forexample
 
Duration 42:15

For Ladies: ”Doing What You Can Without Doing It All” - Kathy Pollard

April 21, 2023 - Equipped Day 2
2:30PM MPR 4 Speaker
Kathy Pollard kicks off the afternoon ladies sessions of Equipped Workshop. 
 
Notes:
Doing What You Can Without Doing It All
5 Things
Remember your purpose
You cannot get back time
James 4:14 your time is brief
Get back to the basics - how are you ACTUALLY spending your time? Leisure vs expectations
Remind yourself what your priorities are. List 3 of your essential priorities.
There are good things and there are essential things.
“Keep It In Mind” - thoughts lead to feelings which lead to action.
Proverbs 23:7 God has said over and over again in His word that ourthoughts can and do control us.
Philippians 4:8
Nothing becomes first place in your life by accident. Prayer for clarity andpriority. Pick a theme verse and dwell on it to support your “3 essentials”list.
Find your balance
Don’t focus on one thing to the neglect of other things.
Share the Lord
The second key word in James is “Brethren”
Rejoice in the body of Christ
Rom 12:4-8
1 Cor 12:14
1Pet 4:7-10
1Pet 4: 11 - by the strength of God
Involve other women in one on one study, visiting the sick, inviting others.
Think Smaller
We’re connected to everything. Think smaller, not globally or it willoverwhelm you, but think about your community and neighborhoods
Delight in the Lord
Do you take time to do this? Or do you more often than not feeloverwhelmed or frazzled?
Isa 61:40 Delight in the Lord
The Lord Delights in Us
Duet 30:9
Jer 9:24
Mic 7:18
Zeph 3:17
Other key verses
Phil 4:13
1Cor 10
Ecc 9:10
 
Duration 39:49

For Leaders: ”Leadership Lessons from the Book of James” by Kirk Brothers

April 22, 2023 - Equipped Workshop Day 3
10:00AM Upstairs Speaker 
 
Kirk Brothers opens the leadership lessons for day 3 off the Equipped Workshop. 
 
Slides:
Picture of a man standing on top of a mountain looking at a landscape of more mountains
Fox News: Examining the Changing presence of U.S. Religion
The Great Decline: Average of Five Gallup Measures
Fewer than half of U.S. adults pray daily
Four in ten U.S. adults consider religion 'very important' in their lives
% of Americans with no religious affiliation
WSJ Poll: 39% say religion is "Very Important"
Leadership Lessons in James
Normal Leadership Lessons from the Bible
Moses (Exodus)
Joshua (Joshua)
David (1-2 Samuel)
Nehemiah (Nehemiah)
Barnabas (Acts)
Paul (Acts, Romans-Philemon)
Jesus (Matthew-John)
The Maxwell Leadership Bible
Leaders in James
James, Job, Abraham, Prophets
Teachers, Elders, Wealthy Landowners
Features
It is called the Christian book of Proverbs. It has a number of short pithy sayings on various topics like the book of Proverbs.
It has a Jewish flavor: “12 tribes” (1.1), “the synagogue” (2.2) and “the law” (2.11), “Lord of Sabboath” - Hebrew title for God (5.4).
It emphasizes an active faith shown by works (1.22-26). There is an emphasis on prayer and proper use of the tongue. Faith is especially shown in one’s treatment of others.
Purpose
1. To comfort and encourage them in trials and temptations (1.2ff).
2. To correct disorders in early Jewish Christian assemblies (2.1ff, favoritism)
3. To deal with the tendency to divorce “faith and   works” (2.14ff).
Key verse: James 2:26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead. NAS
Outline
The Testing of Faith (1:1-18).
The Traits of Faith (1:19-5.6).
The Triumph of Faith (5:7-20).
(adapted from Nelson’s Bible Dict.)
“James is the kind of book you ought to read standing up. It contains a ringing call for action, a plea for vital Christianity and a faith that demonstrates itself not in mere words, but in lifestyle” (Maxwell, 1541).
“James models a leadership weary of sterile mission statements framed on a wall. He cares nothing for the set of core values the subcommittee wrote down last year if they were only words on paper that got filed away” (Maxwell, 1541).
“He is an activist who labels as ‘self-deceived’ those who say they are committed to do something, but never do” (Maxwell, 1541).
For James, Christianity and Leadership are Action Words
Leadership Lessons in James -
What does godly leadership in action look like?
James 2:1 My brethren, do not hold your faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ with an attitude of personal favoritism. 2 For if a man comes into your assembly with a gold ring and dressed in fine clothes, and there also comes in a poor man in dirty clothes, 3 and you pay special attention to the one who is wearing the fine clothes, and say, “You sit here in a good place,” and you say to the poor man, “You stand over there, or sit down by my footstool,”
James 2:4 have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil motives?       5 Listen, my beloved brethren: did not God choose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?    6 But you have dishonored the poor man. Is it not the rich who oppress you and personally drag you into court? 7 Do they not blaspheme the fair name by which you have been called?
James 5:1 Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you. 2 Your riches have rotted and your garments have become moth-eaten. 3 Your gold and your silver have rusted; and their rust will be a witness against you and will consume your flesh like fire. It is in the last days that you have stored up your treasure! 4 Behold, the pay of the laborers who mowed your fields, and which has been withheld by you, cries out against you; and the outcry of those who did the harvesting has reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. 5 You have lived luxuriously on the earth and led a life of wanton pleasure; you have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. 6 You have condemned and put to death the righteous man; he does not resist you.
Picture of poor child and some coins.
The Problems of Power – James 2, 5
Playing Favorites – James 2:1-13
Playing with People – James 5:1-11
Picture of a man floating above a beach
Picture of a four women holding their hands in the shape of hearts
Picture of a chess board
Godly Leadership in action.... Lowers the leader & lifts the follower
Illustration of the donkey dressed in the lion skin
James 3:13 Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom.
Why?
James 3:1 Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment.
James 3:6 And the tongue is a fire, the very world of iniquity; the tongue is set among our members as that which defiles the entire body, and sets on fire the course of our life, and is set on fire by hell.
James 3:8 But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison.
9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; NAS
James 3:10 from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way. 11 Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water?  12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs? Nor can salt water produce fresh.
James 4:1 What is the source of quarrels and conflicts among you? Is not the source your pleasures that wage war in your members? 2 You lust and do not have; so you commit murder. You are envious and cannot obtain; so you fight and quarrel. You do not have because you do not ask.
James 4:11 Do not speak against one another, brethren. He who speaks against a brother or judges his brother, speaks against the law and judges the law; but if you judge the law, you are not a doer of the law but a judge of it. 12 There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the One who is able to save and to destroy; but who are you who judge your neighbor?
Picture feathers floating in the wind
 
Duration 42:39
 

Study of Works: ”Finding Your Place in Evangelism” by Hiram Kemp

April 23, 2023 - Equipped Day 4
8:30AM Auditorium Speaker
 
Hiram Kemp looks at the 10 different types of Christian roles. He discusses their key qualities and provides biblical examples.
 
Slides:
Slide from Disney's Utopia
Finding Your Place in Evangelism
Bringer - (John 1:40-42, 1:46-47)
Encourager - (Acts 2:40; Romans 12:8)
Teacher - (Romans 12:7; 1 Cor. 12:29)
Restoring your zeal for teaching
Remember it's a privilege not a pain - (Luke 1:47)
You bring Christ to them - (John 6:44-45)
You don't have to know everything - (1 Cor. 2:2)
You improve by teaching - (Romans 12:6)
Jesus didn't win everybody - (John 6:63-66)
Prayer - (Colossians 4:2-4)
Keeper - (Acts 14:22; Col. 1:23)
Restorer - (Acts 8:22-24)
Example - (Matthew 5:16; Col. 4:5-6)
Sender / supporter - (Phil. 4:15-16)
Missionary - (Acts 13:1-3)
Hospitality - (Hebrews 13:2)
Photo of loading a VCR with a VHS tape
Duration 39:27

For Young Adults: ”What the Church Needs from You” by Dean Miller

April 22, 2023 - Equipped Day 3
3:30 PM Upstairs Speaker
Dean Miller discusses looks at the challenges of being a young adult and how to be an active member of the church at that season in life.
 
Slides:
What the Church Needs from You (Young Adults)
1 Corinthians 12:12-27
Every Member Matters!
Functional Faithfulness
 
Duration 42:34