VBS is over

Our VBS for the Franklin Road church of Christ in Indianapolis is completed.  It was Thursday and Friday nights and then this morning.  Unfortunately there were not as many kids as we had hoped for BUT the ones that were here were really into it and enjoyed it immensely.  The church here did an excellent job of being prepared.  Bruce and Debbie Blanton are the preacher and his wife.  Debbie is quite the organizer.  Even BEFORE we went to South Africa we came down here for 2 Wednesday Nights and Irene came down for a Saturday morning session on the weekend that we packed the house to move.

Since there weren't that many kids, many of the teachers were able to attend the adult class I was having on being a servant, so I had over 20 in class Thursday and Friday nights.  That was pretty nice.  Irene did have some kids show up today that were in the age bracket she was teaching.  So did Della Scott the wife of other sojourning couple here with us.  Larry taught the teens so he had students every night.

Tomorrow morning I'm teaching class and preaching in the morning assembly.  I'm going to use one of the lessons I prepared for the Cape Bible School in Cape Town.  It's entitled Examples of New Covenant Leadership from Philippians.  I'll include it at the end of this post.

We have Monday off.  Typically on a sojourn we have Friday and Saturday off for our "weekend."  With the VBS on both of those days, we are taking Monday as a "make-up" day.  I'm not sure we will do much of anything.

It's been in the 90s with 75%+ humidity since we got here.  Door-knocking in this kind of weather is pretty tough.  I can remember being a teenager and MOCKING the idea of "hot weather."  But as you grow older the internal thermostat seems to get "stuck" more easily.  When it is cold you are REALLY cold and take longer to warm up and when its hot you are REALLY hot and take longer to cool down.

Tuesday we will have a VBS "debriefing" and talk about the content; logistics and attendance and what might be done to improve it in the future.  Wednesday we will have a sojourners team meeting to fill out our "team report" on the sojourn.  We talk about how it went; how did interactions with the church go; do we suggest they have follow up sojourns, etc.

Thursday we will head to Frankfort.  Now that we sold the house we will have to use the RV plug-in that the church in Frankfort (where I preached for 13 years from 2000-2013.  I haven't heard back from the elders yet, but I hope to be able to preach there both in the morning and afternoon next Sunday.  We will be there until Wednesay, July 2nd.  I have another "stick a needle in my eye" appointment with Dr. Kusumi on the 1st and I can't drive the days on which my eyes are hyper-dilated.

On Wednesday, July 2nd we head over to Spencer, WV for another VBS Sojourn.  That one is 5 days long.  Thankfully for us, it is the same material we just had on 3 of these days plus the addition of the first 2 characters (Ruth and Mary).  For our complete Sojourning schedule for the year, CLICK HERE.

Examples of New Covenant Leadership From Philippians

The Book of Philippians gives us excellent examples of how New Covenant Leaders put the NEEDS of OTHERS above their own and themselves:

The Principle:

Philippians 2:1   If there is therefore any exhortation in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any tender mercies and compassions,  2 make full my joy, that ye be of the same mind, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind;  3 doing nothing through faction or through vainglory, but in lowliness of mind each counting other better than himself;  4 not looking each of you to his own things, but each of you also to the things of others.

The Example of Jesus:

Philippians 2:5-8 Have this mind in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:  6 who, existing in the form of God, counted not the being on an equality with God a thing to be grasped,  7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men;  8 and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient even unto death, yea, the death of the cross.

The Example of Christian Leaders:

Paul:

Philippians 1:21-26 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.  22 But if to live in the flesh, — if this shall bring fruit from my work, then what I shall choose I know not. 

23 But I am in a strait betwixt the two, having the desire to depart and be with Christ; for it is very far better:  24 yet to abide in the flesh is more needful for your sake.  25 And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide, yea, and abide with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith;  26 that your glorying may abound in Christ Jesus in me through my presence with you again. 

Timothy:

Philippians 2:19-22   But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy shortly unto you, that I also may be of good comfort, when I know your state.  20 For I have no man likeminded, who will care truly for your state.  21 For they all seek their own, not the things of Jesus Christ.  22 But ye know the proof of him, that, as a child serveth a father, so he served with me in furtherance of the gospel. 

Epaphroditus:

Philippians 2:25 But I counted it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother and fellow-worker and fellow-soldier, and your messenger and minister to my need;  26 since he longed after you all, and was sore troubled, because ye had heard that he was sick: 

27 for indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, that I might not have sorrow upon sorrow.  28 I have sent him therefore the more diligently, that, when ye see him again, ye may rejoice, and that I may be the less sorrowful. 29 Receive him therefore in the Lord with all joy; and hold such in honor:  30 because for the work of Christ he came nigh unto death, hazarding his life to supply that which was lacking in your service toward me.

The Test for THEM:

Philippians 4:2,3   I exhort Euodia, and I exhort Syntyche, to be of the same mind in the Lord.  3 Yea, I beseech thee also, true yokefellow, help these women, for they labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow-workers, whose names are in the book of life.

The Key to Becoming a Christ-like Leader:

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things in him that strengtheneth me.

The Reward for becoming a Christ-like Leader:

Philippians 2:9 Wherefore also God highly exalted him, and gave unto him the name which is above every name;

James 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall exalt you.

1 Peter 5:5,6  Likewise, ye younger, be subject unto the elder. Yea, all of you gird yourselves with humility, to serve one another: for God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble.  6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time;