Dan Jarvis http://danjarvis.us Let's Add Wisdom and Wealth to Life Mon, 21 Jun 2021 15:46:09 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.5.31 6:4 Fellowship Workshop Resources http://danjarvis.us/denver/ http://danjarvis.us/denver/#respond Thu, 29 Sep 2016 16:11:34 +0000 http://danjarvis.us/?p=384 read more]]> Hello friends!

Thanks for attending Life Action’s 6:4 conference workshop(s) in Denver. All the the links I referenced, and some of the materials I offered, are available below.

From the “Mission Momentum” Workshop:

> Powerpoint of mission-momentum-workshop
> Life Action’s mobilization coaching: www.LifeAction.org/v633
> PDF version of “What’s Next” guide to share with your staff/leader team
> Life Action’s church event teams – a “booster shot” for church health: www.LifeAction.org/summit
> Example of  magazine outreach idea (lifechange-love) to target zipcodes, contact me if you’d like to re-purpose this for your zip code and to see other topics available (addictions, money, stress, etc…)
> “Concept” vs. “Concrete” workshop – going a bit deeper on how to turn concepts into concrete

From the “Spiritual Health of Leadership Teams” Workshop:

> Downloadable personalvitalityplan that Life Action uses
> Link to the StrengthsFinder book by Gallup
> Link to Life Action’s spiritual health assessments/worksheets
> Raw data document from the “expert panel” expert-panel-for-church-health-session
> Powerpoint notes leader-team-health-workshop
> Link to Life Action Summit, which is my favorite option for churches that want health checkup/refresh
> Link to videos on leading & revival, and my free Leadership Kit / ebook – at www.lifeaction.org/lead2016

While I Have You:

> Have you signed up for Life Action’s leader emails? I send encouragement out on themes like these every month. You also can sign up for Revive Magazine (free!)

> Life Action has other outreaches you might enjoy getting to know: Revive Our Hearts, OneCry, Pastor’s Lodge, Family Camp

> Free ebook on global strategy – “Commissioned” by me.  Print-edition for small groups if you want to get your church thinking about Great Commission differently/more broadly.

> An order-able book I highly recommend: “The Kairos Moment” by my Indian friend Sam Stephens on how mission movements begin/sustain. Great to hand to your mission committee/team to move past “missions as usual.”

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Video: After Spiritual Renewal, Then What? http://danjarvis.us/after-renewal/ http://danjarvis.us/after-renewal/#respond Tue, 07 Jun 2016 02:44:55 +0000 http://danjarvis.us/?p=376

Service 1-31-16 from FBCElkhart on Vimeo.  // My part in this service starts at about 33:00.

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Death to the Tyrant Pride! http://danjarvis.us/tyrantpride/ http://danjarvis.us/tyrantpride/#respond Wed, 05 Aug 2015 00:24:53 +0000 http://danjarvis.us/?p=369 read more]]> revive-tyrantpridePride may be destroying everything you care about!

This issue of Revive dives deep into what I believe is the #1 indicator of maturity: an attitude of humility.  Yet, most of our world glorifies pride, and even celebrates its ability to make decisions apart from God (or anyone else). But we all know where pride leads – to destruction, as the Proverbs teach so clearly.

Sadly, I haven’t just noticed pride in the world.  I notice pride in the Church.  And I even notice it boiling up in me.  That’s why its so important that we address this topic head-on, that we get honest before God and each other, and look to the Bible for wisdom.  I pray that this issue will help you focus your attention on the “right kind of pride” (yes, there is such a thing, as you’ll discover in this magazine!) while helping you cast off the ugly burden of selfish pride.

As Jon Bloom writes in one of the included articles, “Death to the tyrant pride!”   And then, on to the freedom and blessing of a humble, God-oriented lifestyle.

DOWNLOAD THE FREE PDF here

Let me know what you think of this one, my friends.  And what do you think of the “Making It Personal” test near the end?

 

 

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Great Books on Global Missions http://danjarvis.us/missionbooks/ http://danjarvis.us/missionbooks/#respond Fri, 12 Jun 2015 20:06:58 +0000 http://danjarvis.us/?p=360 read more]]> In my conversations and presentations on global outreach, I often encourage people to build a library of mission-related resources in their home, particularly if they have children or teens. This can help infuse vision and mission into your home over the long run, and also offer you encouragement from across the world (and throughout history) of how God has used ordinary people to do extraordinary things.  Here are some of the books on our shelves at home, that I highly recommend:

Kids & Teens

Window on the World // Build a prayerful understanding of other cultures and unreached groups

Missionary Stories with the Millers // very compelling short stories, great for family read-aloud time

Trailblazers // a series of books for kids that highlight the stories of important figures in Christian history

Christian Heroes: Then & Now // a series of kid-teen friendly biographies of missionaries, Christian leaders (get all of them!)

From Akebu to Zapotec // a book for smaller children on 26 people groups across the world still waiting for Bible translation

Wycliffe Bible Translators // this is not a book, but a series of downloads & activities for kids, to grow mission awareness

 

Adults & Teens

From Jerusalem to Irian Jaya  // a comprehensive history of Christian missions – lots of key characters and movements

Commissioned // this is my own book on mission movements in India & Sri Lanka – contemporary stories of God at work  (PDF for free here)

Perspectives on the World Christian Movement // a textbook style look at the big picture of mission movements everywhere

Tortured for Christ // a disturbing book on the dramatic persecution of Christians under Communism (available free here)

God’s Smuggler // the daring journey of one man who sought to illegally smuggle Bibles into oppressed places

Light Force // an inside look at the growth of the church and the lives of believers hidden in the Middle East

Secret Believers // compelling stories of people who follow Jesus Christ in Muslim-majority nations

Operation World // a detailed prayer & mission informational guide for every nation on earth

Eternity in their Hearts // a captivating book of stories that show how God prepares various people groups to hear the gospel

There are many more books and resources out there that tell the amazing stories of those who have given so much to serve the gospel.  In the comments, feel free to alert us to additional resources we could add to our libraries.  Also, I’d encourage you to get on a few mission-organization mailing lists so that you can start becoming more aware of what is happening currently in missions across the world.  There are hundreds of great organizations.  Four that I follow and participate in personally…

> India Gospel League  // sponsor kids, pastors, churches, meet practical needs, etc. in one of the least-reached areas of the world

> Global Media Outreach  // become an internet missionary from anywhere, to everyone

> Operation Christmas Child   // share gifts & the gospel with needy children across the world

> Cru  // a campus and international outreach ministry that has many ministries across the world

(You can surf the websites of these four organizations and request to be added to their email lists, receive print-welcome kits, etc.  This will help keep you in the loop on exciting developments across the world, and places where help may be needed in the future!)

UPDATE:  Want to sign up for a great org that will bring you to the frontlines of the Great Commission advance?  Check out OpSat – by signing up for their occasional emails here:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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How-To Guide for Dads http://danjarvis.us/fatherhood-revival/ http://danjarvis.us/fatherhood-revival/#respond Mon, 13 Apr 2015 16:39:49 +0000 http://danjarvis.us/?p=354 read more]]> What's a Dad to Do?

Click image for the free PDF

It’s time for a reboot of fatherhood in the West – particularly in my country, the USA.  But how do we get started? The latest issue of Revive magazine from Life Action isn’t about “diagnosis” (we know we need a revival of manhood and fatherhood) but rather, the “prescription” – what you can do about it.  Maybe you’ve wondered:

What does it mean for a dad to “lead” his family?
If my own dad wasn’t a great example, how can I figure out what to do?
What do I need to do to be a successful dad?  (Hint: there are only 5 things!)
How can I really enjoy my dadhood?
What about kids who don’t have their dad in the home? (that’s 43% of U.S. children, by the way)

Download your free copy here, and pass it along to all the dads you know.

You are welcome to…

> attach it to an email to send directly (only 6 MB),
> forward a link to this page to your email list
> share on your social media profile
> print it out/make copies/etc.

We have a lot of work to do. Let’s get started!

(Also, if you’d like to share a specific article from the magazine, rather than the whole thing, Life Action has those listed separately here.)

#HowtoDad  #LifeAction

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Will Your Domino Change the World? http://danjarvis.us/domino-change-the-world/ http://danjarvis.us/domino-change-the-world/#respond Mon, 30 Mar 2015 18:13:04 +0000 http://danjarvis.us/?p=348 read more]]> domino thoeryWhat will it take to change the whole world?

It is easy to believe that big, audacious, overwhelming plans are necessary to make a real impact on a world as complex and populated as ours.  But in this vision presentation for Life Action, I offer another perspective — that one decision in a person’s life not only impacts their own future, but has a multiplying effect that changes more than we can imagine.

It’s like playing with dominoes – if you touch one, you might cause a chain reaction that causes hundreds – or even thousands – to fall.  So, as a Christian who would like to make a positive impact on families, churches, or even whole nations, where should we start?  What is the first domino we should push?

Or, download here: Core Message – Domino Strategy 

Note, this presentation was framed as an introduction to how Life Action’s ministry message helps to change lives. So, there’s a little bit of “insider” speak in this presentation, but I’m sure you’ll get the gist.  Let me know what you think in the comments below!   If you happen to be a pastor or church leader, this talk would give you a good introduction to what Life Action does, and how its team-conference ministry might be of benefit in your church.

 

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Turning Concept into Concrete http://danjarvis.us/turning-concept-into-concrete/ http://danjarvis.us/turning-concept-into-concrete/#respond Wed, 11 Feb 2015 17:46:44 +0000 http://danjarvis.us/?p=341 read more]]> video-image-dan

Christianity is not really about “believing” something.

Jesus did call us to some beliefs that will result in a dramatic change of thinking, lifestyle, direction, and destiny.  But we were never meant to postulate and consider – and then do nothing after that!   The best beliefs, the best-laid business plans, the best political ideas and the best concepts rattling around in your brain are worth NOTHING — unless you can turn those concepts into concrete.

I recently had an opportunity to address the staff of Life Action Ministries on this topic.

There is one part of the video where I allowed for quick small group discussion – so when that happens, skip forward a couple of minutes to continue on to the exciting conclusion.  Also, there was a brief audio snafu during the first 30 secs.  It clears after that.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcjy4Qfcwd4

 

 

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God Loved the World . . . So Much http://danjarvis.us/loved-so-much/ http://danjarvis.us/loved-so-much/#respond Mon, 04 Aug 2014 03:24:12 +0000 http://danjarvis.us/?p=336 read more]]> john-3-16God loved the world, so much. So much that He shared Jesus with us, His one and only Son. So much that He put the offer of eternal life on the table for “whosoever” believes.

We’re talking about agape-level love here—of the most faithful, most patient, most compassionate, most forgiving, most gracious, most unexpected, and most undeserved sort. Everything about God is right, pure, good, holy, and true; everything about me, isn’t.

And that’s really why His love is such a shock. He didn’t love me because I earned it, deserved it, paid for it, or found it. He loved me while I was still a sinner! God in heaven, the Almighty Creator, loved a “wretch like me” enough to extend His amazing, eternal grace!

Whenever I’m speaking about the gospel, I find myself moving into this familiar territory, John 3:16 and Romans 5:7-11. It is here, in these verses, that the essence of the greatest news in history can be found—news about the love of God, offered, extended, made known, revealed to a world so blind that it couldn’t even recognize Jesus when He walked among them.

But there is more we need to reflect on about the love of God than simply receiving it, or understanding it. It’s not enough that we say “yes” to God’s demonstrations of lovingkindness, learn theology textbook definitions about grace, or even thank Him for His mercy.

God wants us to experience His love at such a deep level that we begin to share it with others. It should overflow from our lives as a fruit of His Spirit. God’s design is that His rich, abundant, dramatic, compassionate love would flow to me, and then through me!

Such a pass-forward of divine love is actually important evidence that my faith is authentic. If I’m not overflowing God’s love toward others, I have little more than ritual religion. John wrote this in the most obvious of terms:

This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay our down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? (1 John 3:16-17).

Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love (1 John 4:7-8).

Of course, those verses pertain directly to loving our fellow believers in Christ. But as a next step, I’m going to suggest something radical—something I see in the life of Jesus, and something I read in the biographies of so many Christians who have lived the kind of life He died to provide.

I’m going to suggest that we love the world, like God did, as John 3:16 describes. So much.

Really? Even when it doesn’t love me back? How would we even begin?

The best way to learn is to observe the Master, and imitate Him (Ephesians 5:1-2). He looked people in the eyes and saw their deepest need (John 4). He was patient and direct with those slow to understand (John 3). He befriended the outcasts and sinners (Luke 15). He did not come to be served, but to serve (Matthew 20:28). Then, He went to the cross.

As His representative, His follower, can I love the world like that? The broken and beaten I pass by on the road? Those I find hard to get along with? Those who have hurt me? Those I don’t even know?

God’s love led Him to share Good News with a world in need. It should compel you and me to do the same.

 

>> I originally wrote this piece for Revive Magazine, as a part of a whole issue regarding God’s love.

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Intergalactic Missions Off The Table “For Now” http://danjarvis.us/intergalacticmissions/ http://danjarvis.us/intergalacticmissions/#respond Tue, 01 Apr 2014 21:02:47 +0000 http://danjarvis.us/?p=331 read more]]> church-money-space-615cs082112 (1)Mission enthusiast Niles Buchanan and his para-church group – “GO OUT” have been told by their Board of Directors to, “slow down, just a bit.”  When Buchanan presented his strategic plan for beyond-global missionary endeavors, the Board was pleased.  But inter-galactic planning should be tabled, “until our space-faring civilization extends beyond the reach of our own solar system.”

For Buchanan, the Board’s vision simply isn’t big enough.  “What part of ‘go out’ don’t they understand?  All this talk of redeeming the cosmos, and yet, they still limit their thinking to the Milky Way, which as we know is only a small speck of galactic dust when compared with the larger framework of the universe.”

Mr. Buchanan has been known to boldly carry the Word where no mission group has gone before.  In 2007, GO OUT purchased logo space to emblazon the words of John 3:16 on a European Space Agency probe set to explore the atmosphere of Neptune in 2016.   “The message is clear,” Niles explained to supporters on launch day, “The Gospel of Mark says we must preach the gospel to all of creation, and that is precisely what we plan to do.”

Steve Davenport, a member of GO OUT’s governance board, has a different opinion.  “Of course I love the vision Niles brings to the table, and I agree with him.   We have to go out.  But I also think that our tactics need to be indexed to the availability of space-travel technologies.  By running too far ahead of the curve, we may unrealistically raise expectations among our donors.  For now, we’ve set the goal of spreading the light of the gospel to our own Milky Way galaxy, our own ‘Jerusalem’ if you will.  When the time comes, we are prepared to expand that vision.”

Raised Expectations

Will the Board speed up the timetable?  Buchanan admits candidly, “We’re going to need more success in our own solar system.  At this point, none of our messaging has traveled beyond the orbital region of Jupiter, and I think that is weighing heavily on our board members.  They expected us to be out a lot farther at this point in the game.  But temporary setbacks shouldn’t limit our future vision.”

Buchanan claims that he has worked out a new strategy that his board will approve at the next annual meeting, which he claims to be “self-funding” because it is done is partnership with an asteroid mining operation set to launch in Fall 2014.  The details of the plan are not yet public, but other aspects of GO OUT’s ministry blueprint are about to be released.  “We see no reason to keep these tactics to ourselves.  We’d welcome some company out in the great unknown, as we herald the message.”

Mr. Buchanan will unveil those plans in his upcoming book, Light-Speed Gospel which, in his words, “changes everything you thought you knew about interplanetary church planting movements.”

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5 Qualities I Look for In Child Sponsorship http://danjarvis.us/childsponsorship/ http://danjarvis.us/childsponsorship/#respond Tue, 25 Mar 2014 15:02:06 +0000 http://danjarvis.us/?p=323 read more]]> Child Sponsorship through India Gospel LeagueI recently posted my story of meeting my sponsored kids in India, when traveling with India Gospel League.  It got me thinking – what qualities are important to me when it comes to child sponsorship?  I narrowed my list down to five:

1. I can trust the leadership.

Since sponsoring a child often happens half-a-world away, I have to be able to know and trust the leadership of the organization. Most of my news regarding the program and its success (and also its financial accountability) will be provided to me from afar, so I can’t personally verify the details.  That means I have to trust the people involved in the process.

2. The atmosphere and teaching is Bible-centered.

There are many “do-good” groups out there that really only focus on physical needs, without much more than a nod to Christian values. I see the world differently – that the real, root need of every human being is to have a vibrant, personal relationship with God, through the gospel.  So to me, it is vitally important that I can see the group, the teachers, the houseparents, and the administrators really living out a solid commitment to the Bible.

3. The kids are treated as family.

Many of us have an image of an “orphanage” from days gone by, where kids are herded around and allowed to run wild. Obviously this isn’t the ideal!  To me it is important that whether the child is technically an orphan or not, they receive care that is akin to parental care (some sponsored children are not orphans, but they come from villages that are so destitute that they simply cannot be adequately cared for by their parents). It seems like  the more recent trend is for children to be cared for in family-style living homes, which is a great development.

4. Basic emotional, physical and spiritual needs are provided for.

Child sponsorship is an act of Christian compassion, but it is also an act of parental provision. What children on the the other side of the world need are the same things that my children here in North America need: love, attention, food, sleep, medical care, encouragement, affirmation, approval, discipline, role-models, education, church, prayer time, fun, physical exercise, life lessons – you get the picture!

5. I can communicate with the child personally.

I am willing to accept that some children might be in a scenario where visits or letters are not realistic. But for the most part, as a child sponsor, I want to be a part of that child’s life.  I appreciate being able to write letters back and forth, send gifts, and on rare occasion, arrange for visits. I also love receiving update pictures, if nothing else, to post as reminders to pray for them.

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Since 2009, I’ve been a sponsor of children through India Gospel League, which represents all of the five qualities above with excellence.  Since initially getting involved as a pastor and child-sponsor, I’ve increased my involvement with IGL – last year I actually went to India and collected stories from the region about God’s work there, which were released in the book “Commissioned: How God is Changing Lives, Transforming Nations, and Involving You” (IGL, 2014).  (The topic of the book has to do with the church-planting aspects of the ministry, more than child sponsorship. However, these two are closely related, since IGL’s children’s ministry works directly through local churches and pastors.)

If you are interested in sponsoring a child with India Gospel League, there are many profiles of unsponsored children available here.

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