Life's Healing Choices Update

Before the launch on September 26/27, you can stay connected through discussion groups and blogs on Pastors.com at www.pastors.com/lhc Wondering about the timeline for next steps? Pastor Gerald Sharon gives a simple and practical overview to help you prepare for the fall. Join The Conversation

Get a brief overview of Life’s Healing Choices from Pastor Rick

Pastors’ Gatherings Churches around the nation are hosting pastors’ gatherings where we’ll learn from each other about what’s happening in our churches, get connected, and receive first-hand help with doing the fall campaign. We’d love for you to be our guest for breakfast or lunch at one of these gatherings: July 20: Calvary Baptist Church, Bellflower, CA July 23: Brookwood Church, Simpsonville, SC July 24: Destiny Metropolitan Worship Church, Atlanta, GA July 28: Family Community Church, San Jose, CA July 30: Highlands Community Church, Renton WA August 5: Hill Country Bible Church NW, Austin, TX August 6: Watermark Church, Dallas TX August 7: Second Baptist Church, Kingwood, TX August 12: Radiant Church, Surprise, AZ August 14: Saddleback Church, Lake Forest, CA August 20: Trinity Church, Lansing, MI Just RSVP HERE and we’ll have a plate ready for you!

On the Links

• ReThink magazine
  The new issue of this online magazine features Q&As with five innovative Christian leaders, including Jud Wilhite, Mark Batterson, and Francis Chan.
• Pastors.com
  If you want to build relationships with other pastors who understand your ministry challenges, this is the place. Start your own blog, join groups, get resources, discuss Ministry Toolbox articles, get sermon ideas, and more.
• Mark Beeson’s blog
  Check out Mark Beeson’s blog. Pastor of Indiana’s Granger Community Church, Mark updates the site often with a look at what he’s thinking and doing.
• Bible Gateway
  This is a great, classic Bible study site. You’ll find a bunch of translations, great Bible study aids, and even regular Bible reading plans on the site.
• Barna: Born-again Christianity up among Hispanics
  A new survey by George Barna says that more Hispanics are identifying themselves as “born-again” and less as Roman Catholic than in the past.

Book Look

• Updated “Be Series”
  Warren Wiersbe (David Cook, 2009) One of the most well-respected and often-used pastoral resources of the past half century has now been updated and refreshed for the 21st century. Outlined masterfully with in-depth commentary that’s great for both sermon preparation and personal Bible study, this series will be a terrific addition to your library. Nine of the volumes will be out this year, including Isaiah, 1 Peter, and Nehemiah.

Saddleback Sayings

• "Your church’s foundation will determine both its size and strength. You can never build larger than your foundation can handle." - Rick Warren

Bible Bytes

• “If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” – John 8:36 (NIV)
• “You have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Galatians 5:13 (NLT)

Ministry Library

• Building leaders for your college-age small groups ministry by Jim Sonnenburg
• Developing your worship team to be ministers through music – part two by Dwayne Moore
• Let’s hear it for the family – part three by Mary Southerland

Notes & Quotes

• “Most people who are too busy for their families…are too important in their own eyes.” – Chip Ingram, Effective Parenting in a Defective World (Tyndale, 2006)
• “Raising children isn’t a march with a distinct left-right-left-right cadence. It’s a flowing dance where the rhythms change all the time.” – Dr. Tim Kimmel, Grace-Based Parenthing (Thomas Nelson, 2005)
• “Perhaps the most interesting part of truth telling is that it doesn’t usually happen when you’re staring at the ceiling.” – Mary Demuth, Building the Christian Family You Never Had (Waterbrook, 2006)
• Just over seven percent of children in the United States have some sort of limitations because of chronic health conditions. (Source: National Center of Health Statistics)
• Forty percent of Americans believe that having sex outside of marriage is wrong. (Source: Gallup, found on ChristianityToday.com)