On the Harmony Perspective, we discuss some of the issues and struggles that churches go through especially small rural churches. Then we talk about plans, steps, and actions that need to happen to continue to move forward through those issues.
Nehemiah 5:14-19A Life That Is A Godly Example1)Serve One Another2)Focus on the Gospel3)Consider Each Other's Weaknesses4)Live for The Father's PleasureCheck us out online @ harmony.church and watch the full service here on YouTube.
Nehemiah 4:13-23Check out our online bulletin for this service here.Watch the full service on YouTube here, and find us online at www.harmony.church
An Answer to Brokenness:Romans 1:16Check out the full service on YouTube hereAlso, check us out online at https://www.harmony.church
The Arrival:Matthew 21: 1-11Has Jesus arrived as the Lord of your life?Jesus arrived in Jerusalem as a peace bringing King but he was greeted on arrival in 4 ways:Earthly KingSocial TrendThreatLordCheck out the full service on YouTube HERE.Have any questions or comments? Email us at theharmonyperspective@gmail.com
Nehemiah 3: 1-32God's Way unites diversity.Every believer is a minister.Are you ministering?Check out the full service on YouTube here.If you have any questions or would like to contact The Harmony Perspective email us at theharmonyperspective@gmail.com
Nehemiah 2: 11-20Working God's way begins with rest. God's way is the way of cooperation and community.When God makes a way it will always succeed.Are you ready to build God's church?Two things to make it happen:1) You need to see the need for yourself.2) Ask God what your role is in building His church.Checkout the full service on YouTube here and check us out online at Harmony Baptist.
Sermon Series, "Out of the Rubble":Faith to go God's WayNehemiah 2: 1-10Always wait for God's way.When God makes a way, don't delay.Faithfully going God's way gives us humble boldness.Exhortation: Seek God's way every day.Check out the full service on YouTube here, and check out Harmony online here.
Out of the Rubble:Positioned and PrayerfulNehemiah 1: 1-11God positions us for purpose.Don't forward God's callAlways pray for God to make a wayWho is God calling you to help?Check out the full service on YouTube here or check Harmony out online here.
What does it mean to love your neighbor as yourself? Who is your neighbor? Listen in to Pastor TJ as he digs in to the "Good Samaritan" from Luke 10:25-37.Sermon Notes:To be the neighbor that God has called you to be, you must first understand God's law of love.To be the nighbor that God has called you to be, you must know who are your neighbors.To be the neighbor. you must show mercy.Watch the full service on YouTube here, or check out online here.
How are wives supposed to submit to their husbands and husbands love their wives? Understanding these principles and living them our in our marriage will glorify God and allow others to see Christ through our marriages. Message Notes: Love, God's Way: MarriageEphesians 5: 22-33Your marriage is meant to point others to Jesus.When we value Christ rightly, we will love our spouse rightly.The pieces of you that the Spirit has you lay down for the good of your marriage will reveal a man or woman that looks more like Jesus. Check us out online at harmony.church and on Facebook or watch the full service from this sermon on YouTube here.
Walking through how to love your family, Biblically with pastor Patrick. Scriptures used:1 John 4:7; 11-12, Ephesians 6:1-4, Deuteronomy 6:4-9Sermon Points:1) The first "one another" of love is the family.2) A family centered on God's love will transform every member.3) An authentic daily walk with Jesus is the best way to love your family God's way.Here are 6 ways to walk authentically with Jesus before your family:1) Daily prayer2) Daily devotions3) Daily confessions4) Regular worship5) Church engagement6) EvangelismCheck us out online here, or watch this service on YouTube here.
Walking through 1 John 4:7-12 with pastor Ben. Click here for scripture reference.Sermon Notes:God is the source of love.God-like love is the mark of true faith.Jesus was love in flesh and blood.you may be the only Jesus that the world sees.Check us out online here, or watch the full service on YouTube here.
In our last episode we discussed what it means to be a part of a cooperatve program. The South Carolina Baptist Convention (SCBC) is one of these programs. The SCBC exists to "to see every life saturated and transformed by the hope of the Gospel." There are many avenues they use to complete this mission. Listen in as our guest, SCBC's Chief Strategic Officer, Lee Clamp, joins us to talk about the history and current state of the SCBC, the local church's role in the SCBC, and Lee's own heart for relational discipleship. Lee is a man of God that desires to see people transformed by Jesus as he leads 5 teams in the SCBC to see this vision come to a reality. Enjoy today's discussion about the South Carolina Baptist Convention.
Some churches are terrified of cooperative programs, other churches reap large benefits from cooperative programs, and some churches invest well into cooperative programs so that the kingdom might grow as like-minded churches come together to share in the time, talents, and treasures that God gives to each of us. So, what's the up, the downs, and the sideways of the programs? What should a church look for, or lookout for if interested in joining a cooperative program? What does the investment look like? Listen in as we talk about which programs we are connected to and why.
In pastoral ministry, it is easy to find oneself in a silo of sorts. Pastors often are not just serving in every area of ministry but leading every area too. Pastors often end up being the one person everyone thinks should be doing everything. God did NOT intend the church to operate this way. His Word declares in Ephesians 4 "11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,". The pastor should be the overseer of the church and one that provides substantial spiritual support as the folks that make up the church body learn and grow and become leaders themselves. All the various ministries that a church could be involved with is intended to have leaders from within that body driving them, not the pastor himself. That said, how do we raise up leaders? What does that mean in terms of who is in control? Is it okay if a volunteer leader fails in that particular area? Listen in and hear our perspective at Harmony Baptist on how we bring people alongside us, raise them up as leaders, and launch them into leadership roles at our church.
Any area of ministry has its ups and downs. Listen in as we talk about how we have seen God move in big ways during our times in student ministry. The take-a-way here is that we would be reminded to not give up in those "down" times and how God wants to use each of use to reach His people. That means you too. What are some "wins" you have seen in your area of ministry. Let us know at The Harmony Perspective.
There has been a lot of talk in just the past few years about small groups. Whether you call them small groups, life groups, or D-groups these things take time, energy, and sometimes money. Why should we invest into these groups? And what even is the purpose of them. At Harmony Baptist, discipleship is at the core of our groups - leading, teaching, growing to become more and more like Christ. This isn't you average "Sunday school, pretend like you have it all together" kind of group. This is the "real deal, you get what you see, and I need you to help me" kind of group. Groups, that do life together. It's a lot. Is it worth it?Have any questions, or would like to leave a comment or suggestion? Email us at theharmonyperspective@gmail.com or click this link: The Harmony Perspective ContactCheck us out online at Harmony Baptist Church
A lot churches shy away from social media platforms for the reason of the corruption within each platform. While there is plenty of ungodly content on each platform, there is just as much opportunity to reach the lost there too. Jesus crossed many different culture barriers, He dined with sinners, He healed people from pagan lands, He called out the heretical religious leaders of His day - He went where people needed Him. Social media is where people are now-a-days. Christ followers can meet them there. We have to be careful not to become keyboard warriors, bashing others and ridiculing them, but to use social media as an opportunity to show love, share Christ and the Gospel, and to get involved in the community(most local communities have their own SM pages). Imagine using SM to help solidify Acts 1:8 in your own personal life - that you can be a witness TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH, right in your office. This doesn't mean churches and Christ followers stop physical interaction with people, but that we take advantage of the newest opportunities for the sake of the sharing the Gospel.
Steering the ship isn't always as easy as turning the wheel. In a church with many many members, come many ideas and thoughts. It's necessary, as a leader, to make sure everyone is on the same boat trying to reach the same destination. This is why mission and vision are so important. Harmony has spent about the last 13 years turning the "ship" to be more of a relational/disciple making culture. We are trying to be more outward focused instead of inward focused, while keeping Christ the main thing, so that disciples will be made and people will grow in their faith.
There are many ways to get involved within your community. One big way is to engage with the local schools. Schools are almost always looking for people to come alongside them and sponsor them, a teacher, or a child. Mentoring is becoming a growing idea lately, and tutors are sought out as well. Teachers need your support more than ever now that COVID-19 has shaken things up. Remember to check with your state's convention to see if they have any help with partnerships with your local schools. They may also be able to provide some training too. Resources from this episode:SC Heart 4 SchoolsIf you have a partnership with a school or an idea that has worked well in the past, we would love to hear from you. Also, if you have a specific topic that you'd like for us to cover, drop us an email at theharmonyperspective@gmail.com
What is our biblical calling to engage with the community, and what does it look like to do that? What are your thoughts and what have you seen that has worked well in your church engaging it's community? Drop your comments, ideas, or questions at theharmonyperspective@gmail.com Today's resources:Anatomy of a Revived Church
Trell Ross is a local church planter with a love for Jesus, a heart to share Him with a community, and a desire to see the Kingdom of God grow. Trell, with a solid core team, plans to launch Pioneer Church in August of 2021. Check out Pioneer at the following link. Help share their social media and support a local church plant. www.pioneer.community Use the "partner with us" tab to get in touch with Pioneer for any needed information. Pioneer will have a prayer and worship night March 19th, from 6 - 7:30pm and is open to anyone but you must RSVP for COVID reasons. You can RSVP at www.pioneer.community/eventsVisit Pioneer on social media too. Be sure to like, follow, and share.FaceBook: Pioneer ChurchInstagram: pioneer.communityTwitter: pioneer_communityYou can also get their "news letter" on their website.
Sending your own people to form a new congregation may seem like a crazy idea. In reality, biblically, we are to train up and equip the saints so that they can do the work of the ministry. People can't go to work if we don't release them to go. We can raise up leaders everyday, but if we hoard them for ourselves, simply to make our lives within ministry easier, we fail on a part of discipleship - which is to release the disciple into ministry. For the ones being sent out, it may feel like family being torn apart at first. God doesn't call us to live a life of comfort and luxury, but to go and make disciples. Sometimes, this will look like mission trips, other times church events, but at times it may look like being sent out to form a new church plant in an unreached community. You are the saints that have been equipped to do the work of the ministry. God has chosen you to reach others for Him. You are on mission, you are awesome, you are the CHURCH.
There are pockets of lostness all over. Often times, it's the communities right down the road that need someone to come to them and share the Gospel with them, but not just as a one time thing. New churches often grow faster than established churches and see a higher percentage of baptisms because of more personal evangelism within that community. Planting churches isn't a new idea, it's a Biblical method that still works and is needed today.
Finances: Satan can work through money to cause strife, disappointment, and anger to rage within marriages. God gives us the power of love and self-control. We must not work out of fear, but be honest where we are financially, communicate well with our spouse, and get back to honoring God with how we steward what He gives us. Sharing daily responsibilities: Whether it's as simple as doing laundry, loading the dishwasher, parenting, or anything else, God ultimately designed marriage between a man and woman for us to be helpmates. We are to compliment each other in what we do. We are to serve each other as Christ served. We are to share in the marriage responsibilities. Satan will use cracks and gaps to make one feel like the other isn't pulling their load. Be sure you are pulling your load. 100% from each side. Faithfulness: As a man would leave his father and mother, and become one with his wife, we are expected to stay faithful to each other. This could be with another person, a hobby, work, or numerous amounts of other things that satan will use to cause you to loose focus on your spouse and ultimately desire someone or something more than them. We must fight for our marriages, fight for each other - not against each other. Your spouse is not the enemy, satan is. Satan would love to see something that God designed and ordained be destroyed. Do not give him that pleasure. Fight!
“The Pursuit of God” - AW Tozer“The Insanity of God” - Nik Ripken“Hero maker” - Doug Fergusonfighterverses - app"The money challenge" - Art Rainer"Leadership book summaries" - studyleadership.comYouversion bible app"Not Forsaken" - Louie Giglio"I Will" - Thom S. Rainer"I Don't Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist" - Norman L. Geisler and Frank Turek
1) Resolve to grow: In what areas in your life do you see the need for growth? What can you personally do about it? Capture the opportunity this year to grow in those areas.2) Read more: The mean for Americans reading books is only 4 per year. There is wisdom and knowledge that can be found in books and you can find specific titles that pertain to areas within your life that you may need growth.3) Resolve to spend quality Bible time with your spouse: Going through the motions of getting the kids up and ready for school, homework, dinner, and in bed can be robbing of time with your spouse. You have to be intentional to get that time in. God has given you your spouse to love, cherish, encourage, and help grow. If you love your spouse the way Christ loves the church, you will have a desire to help them walk more like Him daily.
Visit www.harmony.church for more info.Does gathering still matter?As a biblical command, it absolutely matters. We need each other and we were made for each other.You still have to meet people where they are, and right now, people are in the digital world. Don't live and die by numbers, especially though this pandemic. Find ways to engage your people where they are. How do you pastor the socially distanced environment?Pastor can't just go to surgeries and retirement homes like they use too.As pastors, we need to lead our deacons, elders, and other key leaders to make the phone calls and check on their small group people.Every Christian is called to love on people and minister to others.What does personal evangelism look like now?Put out a video testimony on multiple social media platformsUse a gospel sharing platform like "3 Circles" or "The Romans Road" and share that online. Or invite someone to a personal devotion with you on the "YouVersion Bible App"Be sure to hit the "Share" button - When you see something gospel or Christ centered online.Visit www.harmony.church for more info.
Christmas becomes merry for those that have the hope of salvation through Jesus Christ.Merry Christmas from all here on The Harmony Perspective.
What does it look like to do devotions, pray, and worship with your family. Listen in to what helps us with our own personal family ministry.Be sure to check out www.harmony.church for more info about HBC and to find resources that are available to help with family ministry.
Join in as we have a candid, transparent conversation with Ken Nether, a church planter in Michigan about how to pursue true reconciliation. Check out these resources as well. https://www.amazon.com/Color-Compromise-American-Churchs-Complicity/dp/0310113601/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=be+the+bridge+latasha+morrison&qid=1599144626&sprefix=be+the+bridge&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUEzQTVLS0I1N1RYTk40JmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMjM1MjYyMjQ1RFdKNDJUR1QwRyZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwNjU2MTY5M1NGRlcyNVIxMDUyMiZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX3Bob25lX3NlYXJjaF9hdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVlhttps://www.amazon.com/Be-Bridge-Pursuing-Racial-Reconciliation/dp/0525652884/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=be+the+bridge+latasha+morrison&qid=1599144626&sprefix=be+the+bridge&sr=8-3https://www.amazon.com/Insider-Outsider-Journey-Stranger-Evangelicalism/dp/0310345030/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=insider+outsider+bryan+loritts&qid=1599144699&sprefix=insider+out&sr=8-3https://crossover.church/african-american-resources
Many churches are facing a hard time while the mandatory quarantine is in place. You are not alone. But, just because times might get tough doesn't mean that you're stuck. Use this time to be innovative with what you have and look for new ways to share the Gospel. Don't stop innovating.
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