Equipped Workshop hosted by Lehman Avenue church of Christ

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

For Preachers / For Leaders: ”James: Resolving Conflicts” by Glen Hitchcock

April 22, 2023 - Equipped Workshop Day 3
2:30PM MPR 2 Speaker 
 
Glenn Hitchcock looks at conflict and how the book of James directs us to resolve it. 
 
Slides:
The Book of James: Resolving Conflict
Conflict Defined
Jas. 4:1 Conflict means→ maintain war with; keep up a feud.
 The Lexham Analytical Lexicon of the Septuagint (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012).
Source of Conflict - (James 4:1-3)
Christians Possessing Selfish Desires & Uncontrolled Lust:
Uncontrolled in Storms, Chapter One - Forgetful Hearer
Uncontrolled in Society, Chapter Two – Favoritism
Uncontrolled in Speech, Chapter Three – Factious
Uncontrolled Self, Chapter Four - Feuding
Conflict in Every Chapter
To Christians scattered or dispersed in unfriendly regions of the Roman Empire the inspired writer comforts, challenges and rebukes his brethren who are conflicted mighty.
There is Christian conflict in every chapter of the Book of James that is manifested in the form of the sin of hypocrisy.
Conflict in Chapter One
1-4 To claim to serve God except when trials and troubles come.
5-11 To claim to depend on God, refuses wisdom.
12-16 To claim to depend on God while denying Him because of pleasures!
17-25 To be gifted with INSTRUCTION BOOK and neglect to follow it!
26 To claim to be Christ controlled while your tongue is out of control!
27 To claim pure Christianity without ACTION.
Conflict in Chapter Two
1-13 To claim to be a Christian but does not show proper respect of persons
14-26 To claim to be a Christian but does not present a proper concept of faith.
Conflict in Chapter Three
2-3 Failure to control your desire to say what you shouldn’t.
8-9 To use the tongue to glorify God, and to curse man.
13-18 To claim to be wise but acts foolishly.
Conflict in Chapter Four
1-3 Embracing our sinful desires rather than submitting to God.
4 Attempting to be a friend of God and a friend of the world.
11-12 Speaking evil of your brother while attempting to be a doer of the law.
13-16 To boastfully goal plan without including the Lord.
17 To know to do good and refuses to perform it.
Conflict in Chapter Five
1-12 Claiming spirituality while envying riches.
13-18 Claiming spirituality with an ineffectual insincere prayer life.
19-20 Claiming spirituality but failing to restore your erring brother.
Resolve Conflict Now!
1:1-4, Possess faithful dependence
1: 5-11, Maintain your declaration of dependence to God with:
Perils (without & within)
Pleasures of Sin
Prosperity - Power
People - Partiality
Pain
Politics
1: 17-25 Trust God’s Authority, its in the Book!
1: 19-20 Be swift to hear, slow to speak and slow to anger.
1:21 Always be ready to learn from God’s Word.
1:27; 2: 24-26 Once received, one must Act on God’s Word.
2: 1-13 Honor ALL men.
3:1-9 Always glorify God in speech.
3:13-18 Always seek the peaceable wisdom that is from Above.
4:13-16 Always include God in your plans.
5:13-18 Speak to God often and practice patience.
5:19-20 Give priority to reaching out to your erring brother.
The Need
Go To Work!
2:24, 26 -You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.
You can't live like a goat and die like a sheep!
James 1:12 - Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
James 1: 27 - Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.
James 4:17 - “Therefore to him who knows to do good and doesn’t not to him it is sin.”
An Elder's Plea
1.Before You Assume, Learn The Facts.
2.Before You Judge, Understand Why.
3.Before You Hurt Someone, Learn To Feel.
4.Before You Speak, Think.
 
Duration 40:20
 

For Youth: ”Stand Up!” by Ty Rhymes

April 22, 2023 - Equipped Day 3
2:30 PM MPR 2 Speaker
Ty Rhymes discusses what it means to stand up or take action for what matters to you. He particularly looks at how we can stand up for God.
 
Slides:
Stand Up!
Stand Up and be full of character (James 6:8)
Stand Up and be full of courage (James 6:9-14)
Stand Up and be full of Christ (James 6:15)
Stand up for Jesus... and He will stand up for you (Acts 7:55)
 
Duration 35:42

Study of James: ”Who’s In Charge” by Brandon Rader

April 22, 2023 - Equipped Day 3
10:00AM Auditorium Speaker
 
Brandon Rader looks at James chapter 4 and how God is in charge of our lives.
 
Slide:
Remember who's in charge - (James 4:11-17)
Two Problems
What Saying - (v. 11-12)
"Who are you?" - (v. 12b)
"One lawgiver and judge" - (v. 12a)
What Not saying - (v. 13)
"What is your life?" - (v. 14)
"If the Lord wills" - (v. 15)
Two Paths to Sin
Active Violation - (v. 16)
"Boast in ... arrogance"
Passive Rebellion - (v. 17)
"Knows... and fails to do"
Two Paths to Service
Save Wanderer
James 5:19-20
Give from Wealth
James 2:15-17
Remember Who's in Charge
... of Destinies
Lawgiver and judge (4:12)
... of Prosperity
Gift giver (4:15)
Duration 39:22

Study of James: ”Warning the Worldly Rich” by Adam Faughn

April 22, 2023 - Equipped Day 3
11:00AM Auditorium Speaker
 
Adam Faughn discusses the dangers of being rich / powerful and how the love of money can lead you away from God.
 
Slides:
Warning the Worldly Rich - (James 5:1-6)
Top 1% - $60,000/year
Drawing of
Picture of the book of James
"When wealth is devoid of the Lord's blessing, trouble accompanies it in the form of envy, injustice, oppression, theft, murder, abuse, and misuse" - Kristimacher
A warning to unbelievers
Written as if it as already happened (riches HAVE rotted, etc.)
Fire = judgment
No real call to repentance because these are unbelievers
The crying of the workers
Starts with unfair (unpaid) wages
Defrauding (depriving away from)
They are not rebuked for crying to the Lord about this injustice. God cares about injustice!
The Hearing of the Lord
Lord of Hosts (often a military term)
God had already heard (or seen) the issue
Murder, literal or figurative? Not sure, but shows cold heart
Applications
Stuff is alluring but transient.
Sin follows sin
Speaking out for the oppressed is right.
Stating injustice to God is good
Duration 35:20