Church Encourager
Our hope at Church Encourager is to provide practical support to help pastors, churches and leaders have greater confidence, enthusiasm and strength in their lives and walk with God.
We are excited to announce that we are launching the Church Encourager Initiative to enhance leadership effectiveness, improve team dynamics, and reduce burnout among faith leaders. Use the button below to find out more about this exciting opportunity.
For Pastors and CHurch Leaders
Pastors and church leaders often experience high levels of stress and burnout, with limited access to personalized coaching and development tools. Many struggle with team conflicts, leadership challenges, and personal discouragement, leading to ineffective ministry and, in some cases, early resignation. We are launching the Church Encourager Initiative to enhance leadership effectiveness, improve team dynamics, and reduce burnout among faith leaders.
For Churches
Utilizing a process we call Virtual Church Spark we work with you through a series of steps to help pinpoint problems and offer solutions.
Books & Publications
Establishing a daily life of prayer and meditation on the Word of God are vital to the life and health of every believer. My devotional books help to incorporate proven Spiritual disciplines into your daily life.
Discipleship Training
Daily Psalt Intake
From the beginning, the church has used the Book fof Psalms (Psalter) as the center of its daily practice.
Discipleship Training
Daily Sage Intake
The Proverbs help to develop the way that we live our life “in Christ” in a fallen world on a broken planet.
Discipleship Training
Daily Strength Training
Have you prayed today? That is a question of four simple words that can help us to become a people of prayer.
Recent Church Encourager Posts
Kingdom Covenant Part 9 with Discussion Guide
Kingdom Covenant Part 9 Discussion Guide
Title
“From Pit to Palace: The Journey of Joseph’s Integrity”
2 Sermon Summary
In this sermon, we explore the life of Joseph, a key figure in the Bible whose story is marked by adversity, integrity, and God’s providence. Joseph, sold into slavery by his jealous brothers, rises from the depths of a pit to the heights of Egyptian power. Despite the trials he faces, including temptation and false accusations, Joseph remains steadfast in his integrity and trust in God. The sermon highlights how God can use our trials as stepping stones to fulfill His purposes and how our deepest desires are ultimately satisfied in Him. It also touches on the temptations common to us all—power, sex, and despair—and how to confront them with a heart aligned with God’s will.
3 Intro Prayer
Heavenly Father, as we gather to reflect on the message of Joseph’s journey, we ask for Your guidance and wisdom. Open our hearts to the lessons You have for us today, and help us to see beyond our own adversities to the greater purpose You have for each of us. May we be inspired by Joseph’s unwavering integrity and trust in You, even when faced with the deepest challenges. Bless our discussion, that it may be fruitful and draw us closer to You and to one another. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
4 Ice Breaker
If you could have any one skill or talent that you don’t currently have, what would it be and why?
5 Key Verses
- Genesis 37:28 (NIV): “So when the Midianite merchants came by, his brothers pulled Joseph up out of the cistern and sold him for twenty shekels of silver to the Ishmaelites, who took him to Egypt.”
- Genesis 39:9 (NIV): “No one is greater in this house than I am. My master has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. How then could I do such a wicked thing and sin against God?”
6 Questions
- How do you think Joseph felt when he was sold into slavery by his own brothers?
- What does Joseph’s response to Potiphar’s wife tell us about his character?
- Can you share a time when you faced a temptation and how you handled it?
- How can we maintain integrity in situations where it might be easier to compromise?
- What does Joseph’s story teach us about God’s presence in times of adversity?
- How can we trust in God’s plan when our current circumstances seem to contradict His promises?
- In what ways can we use our power or influence to serve others, as opposed to serving ourselves?
- How can we find contentment in God alone, especially when we face the temptation to seek fulfillment elsewhere?
7 Life Application
This week, let’s challenge ourselves to practice integrity in all areas of our lives. Whether at work, at home, or in our relationships, let’s make choices that reflect our commitment to God’s truth. When faced with temptation, let’s remember Joseph’s example and choose to honor God, trusting that He will work all things for our good.
8 Ending Prayer
Lord, thank You for the time we’ve spent together discussing Your word and the life of Joseph. As we go from here, may the lessons of integrity, trust, and Your sovereign plan resonate in our hearts and minds. Help us to apply these truths to our lives, that we may be beacons of Your love and grace in a world that often values compromise over character. Guide us in the week ahead, and may we honor You in all that we do. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
This series may be taken as a course offered by the Online Bible Institute. For more information check out the Keys Vineyard Ministries Courses page.
Steve Lawes is a Church Consultant and also provides coaching for pastors, churches, ministries and church planters.
Kingdom Covenant Part 8 with Discussion Guide
Kingdom Covenant Part 8 Discussion Guide
1 Title
“Embracing the Struggle: Jacob’s Transformation”
2 Sermon Summary
In this sermon, we explore the transformative wrestling match between Jacob and God by the Jabbok River. Jacob, who has been known for his deceptive ways and reliance on his own wits, encounters God alone and is forever changed. This struggle is not just physical but marks a spiritual turning point, leading to a new identity and a new way of walking, both figuratively and literally. The sermon emphasizes the importance of personal encounters with God, meeting Him in our brokenness, and the paradox of overcoming through surrender. It highlights the significance of Jacob’s limp as a reminder of his divine encounter and a symbol of his newfound reliance on God rather than his own strength.
3 Intro Prayer
Heavenly Father, as we gather today to delve into the message of Jacob’s encounter with You, we ask for open hearts and minds. May we be receptive to the lessons You have for us and be willing to wrestle with the truths that challenge us. Help us to embrace our own struggles and to seek You earnestly, trusting that through our vulnerabilities, You are shaping us into Your image. Guide our discussion and lead us into a deeper understanding of Your transformative love. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
4 Ice Breaker
If you could choose one biblical character to have dinner with, who would it be and why?
5 Key Verses
- Genesis 32:24-26 (NIV): “So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. When the man saw that he could not overpower him, he touched the socket of Jacob’s hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man. Then the man said, ‘Let me go, for it is daybreak.’ But Jacob replied, ‘I will not let you go unless you bless me.'”
- Genesis 32:28 (NIV): “Then the man said, ‘Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel, because you have struggled with God and with humans and have overcome.'”
6 Questions
- What does Jacob’s wrestling match with God symbolize in your own spiritual journey?
- How can we recognize when God is calling us to a deeper level of trust and surrender?
- In what ways have you experienced personal transformation through struggles or challenges?
- Why do you think God asked Jacob for his name, and what significance does this have?
- How can we, like Jacob, hold onto God and seek His blessing in our lives?
- Discuss the importance of having a personal relationship with God, separate from communal worship.
- What does Jacob’s limp teach us about the marks of our encounters with God?
- How can we embrace our “limps” or weaknesses as opportunities for God’s strength to be displayed in our lives?
7 Life Application
This week, let’s each identify an area of our life where we may be wrestling with God. Commit to seeking God earnestly in this area, asking Him for a blessing of understanding, transformation, or breakthrough. Let’s also be intentional about spending quiet time alone with God, developing our personal relationship with Him.
8 Ending Prayer
Lord God, as we close our time together, we thank You for the lessons learned from Jacob’s life. May we go forth with the courage to face our struggles, the humility to cling to You for blessing, and the faith to walk in the new identity You give us. Help us to remember that in our weakness, Your strength is made perfect. Bless each person here, that we may carry the truths of today into our daily lives. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
This series may be taken as a course offered by the Online Bible Institute. For more information check out the Keys Vineyard Ministries Courses page.
Steve Lawes is a Church Consultant and also provides coaching for pastors, churches, ministries and church planters.
Church Encourager
Ask a question or schedule a free thirty minute Zoom chat below.
