A friend of mine, Kim Hardy, just wrote a witnessing tract, so that was on my mind when I saw this photo. This is an Indiana pastor’s wife, Tami Hubler, skydiving! Take a close look at what’s written on her hands.

“Jesus saves.”

Now, wouldn’t that make a great photo on a witnessing tract???

How would you tie that in?

Actually, I just wanted you to see that photo!

You can also read this article on Baptist Press.

Pupils, Pencils and Prayers
Diana Davis Posted

INDIANAPOLIS (BP)–A new school year begins soon. What an opportune time for a church to encourage students and teachers. Need fresh ideas?

– Pray for students and teachers. An adult Bible class can adopt a youth class to pray for them by name. During worship, a pastor could invite students to kneel at the altar as he or the youth minister prays for them. Or he could invite teachers and school staff (elementary, secondary, college, home school) to stand, then pray and challenge the entire church to pray for them faithfully. After taking children to school the first day, moms can gather for coffee, fellowship and prayer for the kids and teachers.

– Make it easy for kids to invite friends to church. Print a bookmark-size schedule of weekly and special fall events for kids at your church. Order book covers, notebooks, T-shirts or pencils with Scripture, the youth motto, the church website and the church name. Our church teens redecorate their Sunday School classrooms annually, painting murals and Scripture art. Plan a back-to-school party or Christian concert. After school the first day, serve homemade pizza at the church. Work hard to provide relevant, top-quality Bible classes and activities for students.

– Adopt a school. Your church or adult Bible class could help a nearby school. Visit the principal to offer assistance, such as mentoring, office help, reading, crossing guards, scholarship application aid or providing shoes, haircut or school supplies for a child in need. Send encouraging prayer notes to the principal. Deliver a huge basket of snacks for the teacher’s break room with a note from your church. An Indiana church painted the playground and developed a great relationship with the school. Be flexible, and joyfully show God’s love as you respond to requests.

– Prepare for guests. In Sunday’s bulletin, print names of children’s and youth Bible teachers, choir leaders, missions teachers, and so on. Church members can pray for them, and guests will see your commitment to disciple kids. Since families often relocate during summer, purchase a newcomer list for your town, and mail or deliver church invitations before school begins. You could advertise in the local paper to invite all teachers and school faculty in town to worship on Sunday before school begins. Recognize them, pray for them, and give a gift (coffee cup, pen) with a Scripture and promise of prayer.

As our children, youth and teachers return to school as ambassadors for Christ, will you assure them of your church’s love and prayers?
–30–
Diana Davis is the author of “Fresh Ideas,” “Fresh Ideas for Women’s Ministry” and “Deacon Wives” (B&H Publishing) and the wife of the Indiana Baptist State Convention executive director. Learn more at www.keeponshining.com.

As I look  at some upcoming speaking engagements, I realize how much I depend on my God! I’m no gifted speaker, so I lean hard on Him, and trust Him to use this willing vessel to encourage Christian women. I spend lots of time writing, but God continues to open interesting and challenging speaking opportunities.

[Most of my travel  is to accompany my husband, Steve, as he works with the 420 Southern Baptist Churches across Indiana. If you'd like to see what God's doing in Indiana, check out www.scbi.org]

Here are several speaking engagements on my schedule in coming months. Pray for me, and if one is in your area,  I hope to see you there:

S. CAROLINA – South Carolina Baptist State Convention’s retreat for Ministers Wives, S.W.A.T., November 5-6 at White Oak Conference Center.

IOWA - Ladies’ Christmas luncheon at Grace Baptist, Waterloo Iowa December 7

TENNESSEE – Ladies retreat at New Heights Baptist, Chatanooga TN April 8-9 2011

OHIO – Southern Ohio’s Scioto Valley Baptist Association’s ladies’ conference May 5 2011, Athens OH.

ALABAMA – Speak for Alabama Baptist Convention‘s statewide Pastors, Deacons and Wives Retreat, September 23-24 2011

UKRAINE – Teach seminary class at Kiev Theological Seminary, May 14-22 2011

INDIANA – several events, including

• Ladies’ Day Nov 13 for Northeast Baptist Association churches.
• Pastors, Deacons and Wives Training (with Steve) for East Central Baptist Association churches, Oct.2, Halteman Village Baptist Church, Muncie IN
• Deacon and Wives retreat (with  Steve) for Southwest Baptist Association churches, October 15-16
• Ladies’ Retreat September 18, Fellowship Baptist in Richmond IN

And thanks for your prayers, my friends!

Here’s this month’s article on Baptist Press:

INDIANAPOLIS (BP)–He cleans the church’s carpet regularly, but he’s never been invited to worship there. She delivers the church mail daily, but she doesn’t know Jesus. The family spent hours there during Aunt Tip’s funeral, but none of them go to church.

Yes, guests attend your church for worship services, but additional dozens — even hundreds — walk in on weekdays each year. They come in for directions, weddings, benevolence or after-game fellowships. They attend scouts, daycare, support groups. There’s the exterminator, repairman, roofer, delivery person … and God brings them inside your building. Will they meet Jesus there?

Intentionally impact each person who walks in your church doors.

– Let your walls talk. Stroll through your church entryways and offices, carefully observing as if it’s your first time there. What can a stranger learn about your church and God? Attractively display current newsletters, brochures, witnessing tracts and invitations for visitors to take. Replace negative or outdated signage. Carefully read each poster to assure outsiders can understand it. Play Christian music. Use art to point to the One you worship.

– Salute! Warmly welcome each person who walks in the door. Learn their names. If they need directions, mark a map. When offering benevolence, give it joyfully. Give the postal carrier an icy soda on a hot day. Invite every individual to come for Sunday worship. Promise to pray for them. Use small gift bags to prepare welcome packets with a church brochure, newsletter, CD, upcoming events and a few candies. Then watch for opportunities to share them.

I just returned from Texas, where we enjoyed a wonderful visit at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, time with family there, and then I got to help lead a conference for deacons’ wives at Inglewood Baptist Church in Grand Prairie. What a lovely group of women!

Here’s an idea that Inglewood is using to invite unchurched friends to attend worship on Easter Sunday.  They had a mountain of Peeps marshmallow candies in the church foyer with an invitation to church attached to each.  Everyone at church was encouraged to take as many as they would give to neighbors, friends and coworkers.  What a simple, creative way to invite guests to hear about Jesus! 

I’m not sure what their invitation note said, but it could have a variety of quotes along with the details of when and where the church meets, such as…

“I wanted to invite all the Peeps I love to church with me this Easter. Hope to see you there.”

“There’s more to Easter than just chicks and bunnies! Meet me at church on Sunday?”

“Hi Neighbor! Here’s my sweet invitation for you to join me for church Easter Sunday.”

Or you could be less corny and just give them a Peep and an invitation…

Sharing Jesus with Spiderman

by Diana Davis 

A three-foot-tall Spiderman and his parents are driving past your church, looking for a safe, fun Halloween alternative. Need fresh ideas for a community outreach event?

Free Family Foto. Create a beautiful lighted outdoor photo site on your church lawn with pumpkins, mums, hay bales and autumn leaves. Advertise well. Enlist amateur photographers to quickly pose and photograph families who stop by. On Sunday, display photos in the church foyer for pick-up, or mail them to families as a postcard with a personal note on the back.

A Community-Wide Costume Parade can be staged in your church parking lot, with an emcee, spotlights, Christian music and free hot chocolate. Prepare a gift and church invitation for onlookers. Chalk the parade route, designate a staging area for the children, and decorate a golf cart for your parade marshal, the Pastor!

A “Trunk or Treat” Event can attract hundreds to your church parking lot. Joyful, costumed church members circle their cars in the parking lot, open their decorated trunks, and pass out candies, tracts and invitations to church. Oakhills Baptist themes its event each year. 

Fall Festival. Some churches plan a free festival, with carnival games, tractor rides, box mazes, pumpkin carving or cupcake walks. Others rent bouncy games, feature a Christian band or do a Noah’s Ark party.

Hallway Parade. Ask children from your church to meet at a local nursing home for a pre-arranged costume parade down the halls. Distribute large-print tracts and pre-approved treats for residents.

Reverse Trick-or-Treating. Teens or families deliver homemade cookies to neighbors, along with a packet of information about your church.

Make a goal that each guest for any event will receive two verbal invitations to church along with a tract (such as atsTracts.org) and a printed invitation to worship.    

Leave the Light On. If church members stay at home that evening, challenge them to give out big candy bars or treats along with a tract and church invitation.   

Paul challenged Christians to “make the most of every opportunity.”  There’s a little guy in a Spiderman costume in your town who needs Jesus. 

I Know a Missionary

by Diana Davis

[Note: This article is written to encourage Southern Baptist churchesto make personal connections with missionaries; other churches will find usable suggestions, too.]

 You are part of the world’s largest missions-sending agency. Your Southern Baptist Church voluntarily contributes through the Cooperative Program and special mission offerings (Annie Armstrong and Lottie Moon) to support your Southern Baptist missionaries—5,629 international (IMB) missionaries and over 5,500 North American (NAMB) missionaries.  What a privilege!

But…do you know some Southern Baptist missionaries? Oh, you can’t know all eleven thousand, (and many serve in areas where security is an issue) but your church can personally encourage a few. Need ideas to make personal connections with missionaries?

• Establish a connection with a missionary who came from your church or your state.  Contact the missions department of your State Convention office for names of missionaries from your state. For North American Missionary, apply online or call 800-634-2462.  For international missionaries call 800-999-3113 ext 7826.
• Connect with an IMB missionary in a country where members of your church travel for business or pleasure. Call 800-866-7826 or www.imb.org. One of the best ways to connect with an IMB missionary is to attend a Summit.
• Connect with a NAMB missionary near your church, such as a church planter, collegiate minister, denominational leader, chaplain, etc. To make a connection, contact your state convention office or apply online or email missionaryencourager@namb.net or call 800-634-2462.
• Consider buying and furnishing a house for furloughing IMB missionaries. Our church’s mission house was booked years ahead and each occupant became a “face of missions” for our church.  Register your church’s mission house with WMU and minister to a missionary.
• Plan short-term mission trips to assist an IMB or NAMB missionary.
  • For international trips, contact your regional missional church strategist or 800-999-3113 ext 7826.
  • For mission trips in North America, see NAMB missions opportunities site or call your state convention office.   Check out Family Mission Trips, Baptist Builders projects, Campers on Mission, Disaster Relief, New Orleans Operation Noah Rebuild,  Appalachian or Mississippi River Ministries, or browse The Bridge for hundreds of mission trip opportunities across America. 
  • Your state convention or association may also plan mission trips, both national and international. 
• Help students or adults in your church go as a short-term, summer or career missionary. What greater connection could your church have?!
  • For info: North American Missions, click on Sojourners, summer missionary, semester missionary, innovator missionary,  US/C2 missionary,  Mission on Short Term missionary,   Missions Service Corps missionary,  apprentice, associate or a career NAMB  missionary.
  • For international missions opportunities— for 2-3 year missions such as ISC, Journeyman (young singles), or Masters (age 50+), many different missions projects and plans for youth, college and seminary students , volunteer missions assignments, or career  missionary. Email your IMB mobilization specialist or call 800) 999-3113 ext. 7826.
• If your church adopts an unreached people group, a regional missionary will assist you. Encourage that missionary. This is an amazing opportunity for any size church!! Please contact your IMB regional missional church strategist  for info, and order the free DVD titled “Touch YourWorld, Reach the Nations” at 800-999-3113 extension 7819 or email imb@imb.org . 
• Invite furloughing missionaries to speak at your church and get to know them.
  • Contact your regional mobilization church strategist for IMB missionaries or call 800- 999-3113 X7826.
  • For NAMB missionaries, call (770) 410-6000 or make an online request.
• Study SBC websites for great connection resources. www.sbc.net, www.imb.org, www.namb.net, www.wmu.com.
  • Order free monthly missions fliers for church bulletins.
  • Display SBC missions magazines – examples:
    • IMB’s “To the Ends of the Earth” (free) and “Kids On Mission” (free)
    •  NAMB’s OnMission Magazine
    • WMU’s Missions Mosaic
• Use missions videos and video clips often. You’ll be in awe of the quality video resources available to you:
• SBC’s free downloadable videos
•  NAMB’s  missions videos and video clips and podcasts (all downloadable free)
• IMB videos and videoclips (inexpensive; many free)
• Plan a Missions FilmFest and invite viewers to write a featured missionary
• There are dozens of other free or  inexpensive booklets , posters, maps , prayer calendars, missionary spotlights and more.
• Show church members how to subscribe to free e-newsletters about our missionaries: 
• IMB has over a dozen excellent topical e-newsletters and many of our missionaries have websites or regular email newsletters for updates.
• NAMB’s OnMission e-magazine is informative and inspirational and there are a dozen topical e-newsletters, too.
• Study the websites for lots more ways to connect with our missionaries. 
  • There’s a Last Frontier Clock, email subscriptions, and lots more. You can receive a daily list by email of all those IMB or NAMB missionaries with a birthday that day, and pray for them by name. Education and personal participation in SBC’s missions will excite and enliven your local church!

As your church connects with missionaries, spotlight them. Pray faithfully for them. Stay in contact. If appropriate where they serve, send personalized care packages and birthday cards. Read their e-updates and respond with a note. Do a Skype video-interview. Email an occasional Scripture, encouraging word or prayer. Discover specific tangible ways you can help. Display their photo and a small flag with a plaque stating “These are some of the 11,126 missionaries supported by our church.”

Your tithes and offerings already support them monetarily. Will you “put a face on missions” and personally encourage an SBC missionary? 

Bonus: SET A RECORD GOAL FOR YOUR CHURCH’S LOTTIE MOON OFFERING this year. A few ideas:

• Relate your goal number to the number of IMB missionaries – 5,239. For example, challenge the church to give a total of $1 for each missionary – goal of $5,239; or $10 per missionary—goal of $52,390.   
• See more ideas for setting goals here.  

©Diana Davis is Indiana Baptist executive director’s wife and author of several books. www.keeponshining.com

What do a dog collar, rickrack and a license plate have in common?

They’re all materials that can be used to enhance a wheelchair!

If you’re involved in ministry with the elderly, you’re going to love this book I found.  It’s called Walk and Roll (by Lynn Lancaster Gorges 2009).

You’ll find all kinds of creative sewing projects design to enhance life for those with special mobility needs.  As Gorges states, “none of these items will ever cure cancer or prevent a stroke, but the items can make a cold and sterile piece of equipment more personal and functional–and certainly more attractive.”

The projects are perfect  for a nursing home ministry group, homebound ministry, senior adult ministry, or for anyone you love who uses a:

• wheelchair
• scooter
• walker
• or cane.

There’s instructions for making simple bags and pockets for wheelchairs–and each one is designed to reflect the person’s personality and interests.  Attractive coverups make a wheelchair, walker or scooter look like furniture. She has an entire chapter of different ways to hang bags, and another on embellishments.

If you love ministering to those with mobility challenges, you’re going to find usable, delightful ideas here.  You can look at it on Amazon.com (click here).

Keep on shining!

Baptist Press published an article of mine about ministering to widows. Click here to take a look .

You can subscribe to receive a free daily Baptist Press news update by email.

Here’s a recent “Fresh Ideas” article:

Fresh Ideas

Ten Thousand Steps. Ten Thousand Prayers.

by Diana Davis

“Pray constantly.” I Thessalonians 5:17

My friend wears a pedometer to count the number of steps he takes. His healthy goal is to take ten thousand steps daily.

Let’s suppose that each of us wears a pedometer and makes a goal to pray for people in our life’s path. We pray silently for neighbors as we pass their house, for associates as we go by their work station and for players at the ball game. God’s Word instructs us to “pray constantly,” so we pray as we go wherever our ten thousand steps take us.

A church-wide prayer walk is a simple, effective way to inspire members to pray. It can be an hour, day-long or ongoing event. The prayer walk could launch a church plant, revival, or new church ministry. It could target a subdivision or campus. Your city streets will be filled with church members—some strolling, some jogging, some with a walker or wheelchair or baby stroller—praying as they go, talking to God about people who need to know Him. Need a few starter ideas for planning a church-wide prayer walk?

 “Circle the City” Prayer Walk.  On a large city map, make a circle of 1” stick-on paper dots spaced around the parameter of the town (or a one-mile radius of your church.) Members sign a dot to commit to prayer walk from that dot clockwise to the next dot on the circle, surrounding your city in prayer. 

 “My Zone” Prayer Walk.  Each member selects a specific area to prayer walk, such as their street, neighborhood, apartment complex or office building. My son’s church charts prayer walk assignments online or you can simply use a highlighter and a map.

 “To the Heart of Our Town” Prayer Walk. On a large master map, members put a stick-on dot where they plan to begin their prayer walk toward the church. Directionally-challenged walkers can use a GPS. Some walk a block; others walk miles, but all paths lead to the church building where prayer walkers will rally for snacks and celebration.

Permanent Prayer Walk Path. A North Dakota church built a lovely prayer walkway around their church’s acres. Members walk and pray for church ministry and outreach.  

A church-wide prayer walk can open members’ eyes to ministry and witnessing opportunities around them. Read Sprinkle’s Follow Me, ibsaprayer.blogspot.com and nppn.org for prayer-walking instructions, and make a plan to fit your church.     

Ten thousand steps. Ten thousand prayers. It’s hard to fathom the potential impact! Maybe it’s time to go get your pedometer.