Changing the Face of Austin and Central Texas

It has been said, ‘The Old Testament is a richly furnished room, yet dimly lit; and the New Testament adds light illuminating its great treasure”. Paul points to the dim reflection of a mirror for those living in the New Testament era. Imagine the scene Paul paints; a large polished piece of metal reflecting a dark and poorly formed image of the person standing in front of it.

"Imagine today’s church standing in front of that same mirror."

James calls a man deceived, should he look intently into a mirror, and then forget what he looks like. What does today’s church look like? Are we deceived about our own image?

So often, a wife badly desires to change her husband, yet fails to recall or examine her own life. So too, church members get disgruntled with leaders or the church at large, and fail to reflect upon their own image. As American Christians, we are annoyed and perplexed by our nation's drift in to uncharted moral waters, while we fail to persistently and intently look to the perfect law of God for self examination.

Let that not be said of us. If you seek cultural change in Austin and Central Texas, let it start with us. If you seek to change the face of a nation, let us look carefully at our own image, first.

Please join me this coming weekend, as we consider …

“Changing the Face of Austin and Central Texas.”

2009 Central Texas Pastor Conference
Friday, September 11, 2009, 10 AM - 2 PM
Doors open at 9:30 am, Lunch included

Complimentary for pastors and ministers

Worldview Encounter 2
Saturday, September 12, 2009, 10 AM - 3 PM
$30 Registration
Doors open at 9:00 am, Lunch included

Fourth Annual America Bless God Banquet
Saturday, September 12, 2009, 6 - 8:30 PM
Doors open at 5:30 pm, Dinner included
Free Will offering to be received

Register On-line Today: Pre-registration on or before September 8, 2009 is appreciated
www.hismoralbanner.com/we2

Worldview Encounter

You encounter it every day. You encounter it in your home, schools, workplaces, churches, courthouses, and shopping malls. You can't even escape worldview in your car driving to work! Everyday you have a Worldview Encounter.

The term worldview has become more commonly used, yet not more commonly understood. It is what it says; it is the way we look at the world. The world includes everything we know or engage in. It includes everything under the sun. Our worldview is the pair of sunglasses that shades our evaluation of the situtations we see around us.

Often, Christians have a worldview that is more Western or cultural than Biblical. We only desire or think to apply the Bible to a portion of our world. We especially like that part about heaven and grace, and especially dislike the part about sin, evil, personal responsibility, politics, and a host of other disdained topics. We are also selective in which parts of the Bible we decide to apply or not apply.

The America Bless God Campaign is excited to bring you Worldview Encounter 2. At Worldview Encounter 2 you will encounter a Biblical Worldview from expert teachers representing National and International Ministries. We aim to help you see and change the face of the Christian Worldview in Austin and Central Texas. We desire to help you more fully understand and apply the Bible to all aspects of life under the Son. In 2006 we brought Gary DeMar to Austin for Worldview Encounter 1. This year we have more great teachers converging on Austin to Change the Face of Austin and Central Texas. You'll not want to miss Dr. Gary Cass, Jay Seegert and more.

Read more about the speakers and register to attend Worldview Encounter 2 >>


America Bless God

Our Cause is now on Facebook

Well it has been a long wait. I don't even remember how long it has been; several months I imagine. Now the wait is over, and we are excited!

On Monday, August 10th, 2009 I received e-mail confirmation that our Facebook Cause account had been approved! We spent a couple of days setting up the basics, and now we have an Official America Bless God cause page on Facebook. Within minutes of posting a link on my personal Facebook page we had four positive comments about the cause.

Please join us in the cause to promote Restore Biblical Morality in America. God has blessed America. He is totally worthy of our honor and praise. Let's rebuild morality in America! Join our cause on Facebook ...

http://apps.facebook.com/causes/334236

America Bless God

Central Texas Pastor Conference on 9-11

Austin is not the biggest city in the state, nation or world, but its cultural influence is profound. It is the Capitol City of Texas, the Live Music Capitol of the World, and home to the University of Texas. What begins here changes the world...

In 2006 the America Bless God Campaign brought Gary DeMar and other great speakers to Central Texas to encourage, strengthen and challenge Pastors in the region. The 2009 Central Texas Pastor Conference is being held on September 11th. The conference is now held bi-annually to follow the Texas Legislative session.

This year Rev. Dr. Gary Cass of the Christian Anti-Defamation Commission (CADC) is our keynote speaker. Dr. Cass is Co-Founder of the CADC, an author, and former Executive Director of Reclaiming America for Christ, founded by the late Dr. D. James Kennedy.
As pastors and ministry leaders, let us come together in our efforts to change the face of Austin and Central Texas.

The full list of speakers is on our web-site >> www.hismoralbanner.com/we2

First Steps Discipleship Presentations

It is The Commission of the church ...

... go make disciples, baptizing them in the name ... and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. - Matthew 28:19-20 NIV

Are the members of your local church engaged in discipling others to love and follow Jesus? Join Pastor Ray Willis from Springfield, Ohio on August 10th or 11th to learn about First Steps One-On-One Discipleship. First Steps will equip you with tools and confidence to disciple another to love and follow Jesus.

Presentations are scheduled in the Austin, Texas area for Monday and Tuesday, August 10th and 11th. Meals are served at these presentations and there is no charge for Pastors or Ministry Leaders. Please call or email, if you are interested in attending. Click here to learn more on our web-site >>

For those outside the Austin area, we would be honored to speak with you about bringing First Steps Discipleship to your community.

Discipleship City Words

When attending a First Steps Discipleship Seminar you repeatedly hear the word "specificity". We must be specific in our prayers, in applying God's word, and in relating to new or renewed believers. First Steps attendees in the Texas Capitol City of Austin emerged with another "city" word … "authenticity".

An essential element of discipleship is "common temptations". This aspect establishes credibility and authenticity with the disciple. When we teach new believers about their new life in Christ, it is critical to establish the reality that trials, temptations and hardship are right around the corner. Satan does not like those who commit to love and follow Jesus. The reality is that he will hurl his same ole tired schemes in front of new believers. Those first few weeks can be very trying.

We can help new and renewed believers by specifically and authentically communicating that their new found life will not only be filled with love, joy, peace, patience and kindness; it will be accompanied by ups, downs, trials, tribulations and temptations. Authenticity is one key to establishing a firm foundation in Christ Jesus. A pretentious picture perfect portrayal of the new life is Christ is deceptive at best. Pretentiousness damages the testimony of the church, and sets up failure for new or renewed believers.

Austin is a city known for its skepticism of Christianity. Authenticity, realism, factual presentation of Christ and the Christian life are essential to winning the city. Northwest Fellowship (NWF) of Austin is not a pretentious congregation. Pastor Trey Kent is a man that has literally been delivered by the Word of God. His humility and Christ-centered life is reflected in the congregation he leads. Pastor Trey, the congregation, and even the facilities at NWF, reflect the authenticity found only in lives that have been truly transformed by Christ Jesus our Savior and Lord.

Forty-five folks, mainly from NWF, attended the First Steps Discipleship Seminar on Saturday, June 13th at NWF in Austin. Two local pastors interested in First Steps One-On-One Discipleship were among the crowd. Twenty concerned parents also attended the Disciple Your Child Seminar. Children also see through the façade. They are perplexed by duplicity, and are more likely to relationally connect when we practice authenticity.

Specificity and Authenticity: Key Discipleship words for winning any city.

Limited Time Offer?

You’ve heard it a thousand times in those pesky commercials: "Offer only valid this weekend", "Limited time offer", "Offer only valid to the first 100 callers", etc… ad nauseam! Maybe, I just destroyed my own credibility. Maybe, some offers do have expiration dates. Maybe, some chances are not worth taking.

The chance not worth taking has to do with your child. If there is one offer you cannot miss out on, it is the chance to teach your child to know, love and follow Jesus. What on earth is more important? Is there any sale, any job, or any task that exceeds the God given responsibility of raising a Godly child?

The Jews call it bar mitzvah and bat mitzvah. These are the "his and her" versions of the age of accountability. It is that time frame in which children become accountable to God. It is a limited window of opportunity you have to teach and influence your child. Once they cross that threshold; once they become of age, the returns on your efforts begin to diminish. This is really a limited time opportunity, and you dare not fall asleep on the job.

"Hand Off" is the title for our Discipling Your Child Seminar this weekend. We’ll be holding the First Steps One-On-One Adult Discipleship Seminar, and “Hand-Off” the Discipling Your Child Seminar at NorthWest Fellowship in Austin this Weekend!

Don’t miss it! Check the schedule on-line and sign-up today! Limited time offer…

www.hismoralbanner.com/firststeps