This past weekend Forsythe Church of Christ hosted James Nored to present his Missional Outreach Seminar. Although attendance was not what I had hoped it would be, the material presented is still ringing through my heart. James’ genuine heart for outreach was evident in every aspect of his presentation.

I appreciated many things about the material. One thing that I liked was that this was not a canned program that he is promoting. Yes, High Pointe Church of Christ is growing. James did share testimonials from his church to help us see the principles he is teaching. But he knows that where we go from here has got to be organic – it must spring from within our own walls.

After each presentation there was time to gather in groups and discuss how these principles might relate to Forsythe. I think this kind of discussion is so healthy for us – and so needed. Several people who attended the seminar expressed how much it was needed and how encouraged they were.

Another thing I really appreciated about the seminar was the presentation about THE STORY OF REDEMPTION – a series of lessons designed to assist in conversation about how to become a Christian. Instead of pointing out steps in unrelated verses, James has crafted a series of lessons that begin at Creation, trace the teachings about faith in the life of Abraham, follows to one of Abraham’s descendants  - the Lord Jesus Christ. The last three lessons are about the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus.

I would highly recommend James Nored and this seminar to any church that wants to spark the missional conversation. He speaks with confidence, conviction, and compassion for the lost. We were presented with compelling information and instruction about making all of our activities missional. We were given tools to help us move in the direction of outreach.  In the coming months James will return to Forsythe to conduct his Spiritual Gifts Seminar, which will  give us even more insight as individuals as to how to use our God-given abilities to bless others. I look forward to that time as well.

This kind of conversation happens often at MISSIONAL OUTREACH NETWORK. Join the site (free) and join in the discussion.

James Nored’s blog is HERE.

Follow James’ Tweets HERE.

Befriend James on Facebook HERE.

Thanks for reading,

John