discipleship Archives - The Artios Center for Vibrant Leadership

5 Simple Ways to Increase Sabbath School Attendance

Brian Franks2022-07-20T13:34:11-06:00

By Israel Steinmetz Most Sabbath School teachers share a common frustration: low attendance. They feel like their congregation would benefit from Sabbath School class, but fewer than half of those who attend the worship service show up for class. Here are five tips for attracting more people to class: 1. LET TEACHERS TEACH Many church classrooms consist of a discussion facilitator lobbing questions at a large group (10 or more people) who then “discuss” the topic. Oftentimes, this discussion consists of people repeating their favorite sayings, affirming their pre-conceived ideas, and trading half-quoted Scriptures. While the “round table” approach might work well [...]

5 Simple Ways to Increase Sabbath School AttendanceBrian Franks2022-07-20T13:34:11-06:00

“I’ve Got This”

Brian Franks2022-07-20T13:24:24-06:00

By Chip Hinds “I’ve Got This!!!” Said Someone Who Was Clueless But Wait… Are things not going according to Plan? Oh, the treasures we have learned from the 2020 pandemic. Number one among those is to “Focus on Jesus and follow his plan.” Number two among those is, “We Are Better Together.” Yes, we had those themes before the pandemic. But our appreciation has grown exponentially through experiencing the pandemic. LEARNING FROM THE FUTURE-SELF Our daughter shared with us a newly circulating humorous video portraying a woman four months ago being contacted by her future-self. The future-self is from today’s timeframe. The [...]

“I’ve Got This”Brian Franks2022-07-20T13:24:24-06:00

From Veggie Tales to What’s in the Bible: Following Phil Vischer’s Lead

Brian Franks2022-07-20T09:42:53-06:00

By Israel Steinmetz The first time I saw Veggie Tales I was a high school sophomore in a room full of guys from around the country and we couldn’t stop laughing at Larry the Cucumber’s hairbrush song. Veggie Tales was funny stuff. Every half-hour episode was packed with witty cultural references, silly vegetables and a nice moral lesson, always ending with the affirmation, “God made you special, and He loves you very much.” Almost twenty years later, I still watch Veggie Tales with my kids as they’re introduced to Veggie-tized versions of classic characters from Indiana Jones to George Müller and classic literature from Hamlet to Huckleberry Finn. [...]

From Veggie Tales to What’s in the Bible: Following Phil Vischer’s LeadBrian Franks2022-07-20T09:42:53-06:00

Influential Faith: What is it and Why Does it Matter?

Brian Franks2022-06-30T13:05:29-06:00

By Amber Mann Riggs As my sighs of longing join in the requiem for a groaning earth, I know I’m not alone. Together, our sighs compose a refrain of a Church who wants our faith to be influential in our culture. Taking in the world around me, I can’t help but dream of being a conduit of healing and change. I see things that aren’t right with the world, and I want to make them right. As a Church, we curate idyllic pictures of a more perfect world and then pour our energy and resources into words, ministries, and social media posts [...]

Influential Faith: What is it and Why Does it Matter?Brian Franks2022-06-30T13:05:29-06:00

Evangelism and Discipleship: Jesus is Not a Used Car

Brian Franks2022-06-30T13:06:15-06:00

By Loren Gjesdal “Let me tell you about the features of this little gem….what would it take to get you in this beauty today?” The traditional car-buying process is almost no one’s idea of a good time. The stereotype is of slick salesmen using high pressure tactics that emphasize benefits, minimizing costs, while pushing for an immediate decision. Some evangelistic techniques have been criticized as little better than selling Jesus like a used car, with the interaction just about as enjoyable for all involved. Is there a better way to think about evangelism other than getting someone to “sign on the dotted line?” [...]

Evangelism and Discipleship: Jesus is Not a Used CarBrian Franks2022-06-30T13:06:15-06:00

What Millennials Want the Church to Know

Brian Franks2022-06-30T13:08:44-06:00

By Caitlin Meadows What do those currently ages 17 to 40 have in common? They are millennials. That’s a 23 year age gap! Beyond claiming the same generational status, 17 year olds and 40 year olds have little in common. Commenting on this broad age range in her recent article, 6 Reasons I’m Excited to be a Millennial, Amber Riggs notes: As a pioneering millennial 1 I had the opportunity to embrace this label and all of the hopefulness it encompassed and allow it to engender a healthy pride in my generation – a pride that seems to have been harassed out of millennials who stepped into adulthood [...]

What Millennials Want the Church to KnowBrian Franks2022-06-30T13:08:44-06:00

5 Misconceptions About Christian Education

Brian Franks2022-07-12T12:36:51-06:00

By Brian Franks There are several misconceptions about Christian Education out there. Below are five of the most common ones. #1—CHRISTIAN EDUCATION IS JUST ABOUT MEMORIZING INFORMATION Some think Christian education is just about memorizing and repeating information about God and religion. However, this does not describe any good Christian education, whether in the local church or at a ministry training college. Good Christian education is not about stating information and students parroting it back for a grade. Rather, proper Christian Education is transformational. The goal is for the student to be transformed into a mature believer in God who understands their calling and gifts. The student should be able to [...]

5 Misconceptions About Christian EducationBrian Franks2022-07-12T12:36:51-06:00