Thursday, April 30, 2020

My Final Blog

My COVID-19 look
Yesterday morning I received word that the ministry position that I was honored and privileged to carry out on behalf of LifeWay throughout Georgia and western North Carolina for the last 12 years was being eliminated (along with the entire Church Partner office of @30 wonderful people) due to the devastation the COVID-19 pandemic has caused in people’s lives.

This pandemic has forced churches to face issues never thought of before and they are struggling to find a footing of how to do ministry in the days, weeks, and years ahead. In the midst of the uncertainty, decisions about how to conduct small group Bible study and what materials that are essential are being asked and often left unanswered. That has left LifeWay in a precarious position as the world’s largest provider of Bible study and discipleship materials. So pray for the church and pray for LifeWay.

As for me, I didn’t expect that a virus would be the responsible party for telling me it’s time to retire, but that’s where I find myself. It’s unfortunate that I won’t be able to have a ‘farewell tour’ to tell all the wonderful and gracious people I’ve met over the last 12 years how much it has meant to me to be your friend and partner in ministry. It’s been a pleasure to establish a friendship and watch it grow. I hope those friendships will continue via Facebook, phone, and/or email. So for now on into the future, I will enjoy my home in Franklin looking at God’s handiwork of mountains and listen to my creek babble on and on.

So feel free to stop by if you’re ever on your way to Ridgecrest, oh, wait ….

OK, stop by if you’re on your way to the Cherokee casino, oh, wait ….

Well, just feel free to stop by whenever you’re coming through Franklin. I’ll let you take this retired old man to the Dillard House so I can brag about my grandchildren!


Farewell and God bless!

Monday, April 6, 2020

A Short, Incomplete Compendium of Helps for Church Leaders During the COVID-19 Pandemic


This is just a quick, short compendium of resources that are available to you during this pandemic.  

Feel free to add your own helpful resources in the comment section.


CHURCH LEADERS

Free Training Helps for Church Leader Concerning the COVID-19 - https://ministrygrid.com/coronavirus

Free permission for audio worship tracks from LifeWay Worship - https://us.ccli.com/streaming-license-terms-of-agreement/

Free Digital Giving Platform - https://lifewaygenerosity.com/





ADULTS

Digital Curriculum (free until June)
·         The Gospel Project - https://ministrygrid.com/gospelproject
·         Explore the Bible - https://ministrygrid.com/explorethebible
·         Bible Studies for Life - https://ministrygrid.com/biblestudiesforlife
·         YOU - https://ministrygrid.com/you
(MasterWork cannot be set up as a free item at this time due to copyright infringement laws.)


Free Online Women’s Studies - https://onlinestudy.smallgroup.com/available


Free Two Months of Online Marriage Coaching - https://woomarriage.com/free-trial


STUDENTS

·         The Gospel Project - https://ministrygrid.com/gospelproject
·         Explore the Bible - https://ministrygrid.com/explorethebible
·         Bible Studies for Life - https://ministrygrid.com/biblestudiesforlife

Weekly video chat with Ben Trueblood every Monday at 1:00pm EDT - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCK08osFHcvirc5vy2IcvGnA?view_as=subscriber


KIDS

Digital Curriculum (free until June)
·         The Gospel Project - https://ministrygrid.com/gospelproject
·         Explore the Bible - https://ministrygrid.com/explorethebible
·         Bible Studies for Life - https://ministrygrid.com/biblestudiesforlife


Free sample of The Gospel Project: Home Edition - https://www.lifeway.com/en/shop/the-gospel-project/kids/home-edition.html

Plethora of videos, studies, etc. for kids and families - https://digitalpass.lifeway.com/home/


FAMILIES WITH PRESCHOOLERS & KIDS

LifeWay App (search in any tablet or smartphone app store) provides Bible studies and fun activities from each of our ongoing kids curriculum lines. Plus there are parental helps to equip them further in their role as disciplemakers to their kids.

Dadlab is a website (not LifeWay or church related) that has a host of fun activities to do with kids (click on website tab) – https://linktr/ee/thedadlab



Final Blog, addendum

As one final joke among my teammates, I was somehow selected to give the devotional at our final Zoom meeting.  Among the 30 team members, I...