Jack Thompson encourages us to start thinking for our campuses and gives a list practicals to intentionally engage the campus for Christ.
The Cost of Eternity
In the last training session before our departure from project, Matt Reagan shared about heaven. He encouraged us to live with our heads in the clouds, never giving up the hope for more we have in Christ. He illustrates the splendor of our new body and souls to encourage us to see that the prize is worth any cost. As a practical, he pushes us to play the “heaven game” on the way back with others to remind each other the hope we have.
A Good Life at No Cost - Family
“Our main goal is not to build awesome families, nor is it to build a Christian nation… our main goal is Christ going forth in our lives.” Matt Messerly talks about the theology of family, how Jesus values family but also how we can let family become an idol if we are not careful.
Evangelism and Mercy Ministry
Larry Martini describes mercy ministry as, “alleviating physical needs to point people to Christ.” Instead wallowing in guilt or becoming desensitized to the needs in the world around us, we are encouraged to engage the world with passion and with intense acts of love (Luke 10:30-37).
Evangelism and Your College Campus
“Open your eyes… do not go alone… be a sniper. For Christ.” Larry Martini encourages us to be intentional in our relationships and how we go about building our community and evangelizing to others in this coming school year.
How Do I Study the Bible Without Bible Study Training Every Week?
A Good Life at No Cost - Technology
Matt Messerly draws from the story of the Tower of Babel as an illustration of how we tend to use technology to build towers for ourselves. Instead, he encourages us to draw from the example of Noah who built the Ark in obedience and faith in God.
Resolutions
Jon Saunders, the last of the RET speakers, tells us to grow up. Discipleship is not babysitting so we cannot approach it with an “I-deserve” mentality. “Long for Jesus and you will grow up.”
The Gospel, Your Life, and Community
Larry Martini begins by tracking down the history of community from the beginning with the relationship between God and His creation. He then explains how this influences our how we evangelize in light of community.
The Cost of Discipleship
“Discipleship is our mission.” Steve Discher talks on the significance of discipleship in the pursuit of Christ, both for disciples and for leaders.
A Good Life at No Cost - Time Management
“Your time is redeemed. So redeem it.”
Matt Messerly makes a five-step outline of how we can redeem the time that has been wasted in our sinfulness by actively pursuing the redeeming wisdom of Christ.
- We waste time.
- We are foolish.
- Jesus redeems our time.
- We are made to be wise.
- We actively redeem our time.
Why Share the Gospel?
In this talk, Larry Martini compares dangerous motives and Christ-centered motives to share the gospel, concluding that we share our faith because we love God.
Encouraging vs. Flattering Your People
From 1 Thessalonians 2:5-12 Jack Thompson begins by showing us the two pitfalls of flattery: saying what we don’t need to say in people pleasing and refraining from saying what we need to say because of our fear of people. Encouragement is different from flattery because it is not self-seeking or even other-seeking, but because it is gospel-seeking. True encouragement points people towards God.
How Do You Avoid This Summer Being a Mountaintop?
In this RET session, Paul Poteat encourages us to make the most out of our time and our resources in order to avoid spiritual amnesia. STP is not a mountaintop that you climb and then coast down for the rest of the year until next summer. Instead it is a continual fight to battle our compulsion to forget the impact of the gospel on our lives.
What About Prayer?
Sharing with Family and Friends
Eric Lonergan explores the dangers of being indifferent or overly passionate in sharing with others after STP. He reminds us that God loves us despite us, not because of us. He encourages us to share with love and with words, letting the gospel bleed out from us and define who we are.
A Good Life at No Cost - Work/Rest
In his first life training talk, Matt Messerly explains Christian rest and how the gospel can make work restful through three main points: 1. Work before the Fall. 2. Work after the Fall. 3. Work after the Cross.
How Do I Go Deeper?
How Does the Bible Change the Way I Live?
A Good Life at No Cost - Will of God
What is God’s will? To live for Him. Charlie Brooks shares on how to know the will of God and questions our desire to know the future. Do we really desire God glorified, or is it the sin of anxiety and pride?