You may not have done much Outreach & Evangelism. You may have gotten out of the habit. You may even feel a little intimidated by the prospect. Do not despair. This event will pair you and others with seasoned leaders to go out for an hour to act on the Great Commission in Memphis, Tennessee.

You may not have done much Outreach & Evangelism. You may have gotten out of the habit. You may even feel a little intimidated by the prospect. Do not despair. This event will pair you and others with seasoned leaders to go out for an hour or two in one opportunity to fulfil the Great Commission in Memphis, Tennessee. Once you witness your leaders engaging in O&E your juices will flow and you will be emboldened to speak the Gospel without fear.  When you return from outreach to go to into the opening worship services of the 50th General Assembly at 6:30 pm, you will do so renewed in your commitment to God; you will be encouraged to continue to practice evangelism when you return to your home area.
In a few weeks thousands of godly teaching and ruling elders will descend upon the city center of a significant U.S. city for the annual General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA).  In our hearts we will carry the joy of the knowledge of what Christ has done for us in reconciling us to God, a message that should burst forth from the overflow of our hearts. An opportunity is being arranged to exercise our calling to proclaim the hope that is within us to the nations.
On Tuesday, June 13, PCA men and women will go forth proclaiming our hope on the Beale Street in Memphis from 5-6 pm.
You may not have done much Outreach & Evangelism. You may have gotten out of the habit. You may even feel a little intimidated by the prospect. Do not despair. This event will pair you and others with seasoned leaders to go out for an hour to act on the Great Commission in Memphis, Tennessee. Once you witness your leaders engaging in O&E your juices will flow and you will be emboldened to speak the Gospel without fear.  When you return from outreach to go to into the opening worship services of the 50th General Assembly, you will do so with a nearness to God that you will long to hold onto forever.
Will open air preaching be the harsh and combative stuff of Westboro Baptist?
No.  Sharing the Gospel, even as a street preacher is not something that should be a finger pointing combative exercise to sate some kind of persecution ideology. What would you preach to your congregation in an evangelistic sermon? Share the bad news that we have all sinned and fall short of God’s righteous standard and that the penalty of sin is death, then the Good News that Christ reconciles believers to God through faith in Him.  We are going with great news.
I’m better at personal evangelism.
There will be those who lead personal evangelism groups. Also, needed will be people to hand out materials.
Can women participate?
Yes!  While the open-air preaching of the Word will be reserved for men, we need our godly women to evangelize women, distribute tracts, perform various support services, like driving people from the convention center to the Beale and serving as prayer warriors!
Most of all, encourage your husbands and fathers.
Dr. Henry Krabbendam, the notable OPC pastor and evangelist to Uganda tells a story about a pastor in an area that was being overtaken by communists years ago.  The communists, as they are wont to do, were threatening Christians with imprisonment. One pastor, perhaps looking for relief from his wife, said to her, “You know, I will have to go out and preach the Gospel regardless.  It may well mean that you will soon be without me.”  To which his wife replied, “If you don’t go out.  I will push you out.”
The reality is that godly women desire nothing more than to see their husbands and fathers shod with the shoes of peace, taking up the shield of faith and the Sword of the Lord and going forth as a warrior for our Lord, Jesus Christ!
What do we need?

People! Especially those who have experience with evangelism, whether that be face-to-face or as open-air preachers to help lead and encourage others.
People who can shuttle field workers from the center to Beale St. and back.
People who are prayer warriors. We ask that people pray regularly leading up to GA that God will work mightily on the streets of Memphis. (We will have hand out cards directing people to Gospel preaching churches in the area.  May they be blessed.)
You may purchase your own tracts.

If you desire to participate in this evangelism outreach or have questions, contact Jim Shaw.
We will meet in the conference center at 4:15 pm for a brief time of intercessory prayer and then leave promptly at 4:45. If you come on your own, we will stage at the corner of Beale and BB King Blvd.  You can call or text me on my cell: 205-451-5433.
Jim Shaw is a Minister in the Presbyterian Church in America and Pastor of Redeemer PCA in Brunswick, GA.
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Written by Jason D. Bland |
Sunday, January 2, 2022
Simply put, when we turn to Christ in prayer, He provides peace over all matters. While it doesn’t remove the trials and tribulations, the sources of anxiety and stress, or absolve Christians from dealing with difficult situations, it does provide a path toward dealing with these challenges in a healthy and faithful way.

Today, perhaps more so than at some other periods in our lifetimes, people appear to be overcome with high anxiety. We see this we turn on the television, open our social media feed, or talk to family or friends. In so many ways we’re bombarded with stress-inducing stimuli: the persistent/perceived threat of COVID (from both the government and media), the impact of wokeism and cancel culture, apprehensive views of US political leaders, etc. But we know that this is not where the Lord wants us to focus our thoughts and energy. We should not expect to live with the soul crushing weight of anxiety and stress. In fact, it’s quite to the contrary.
As Christians, when we face the turmoil and turbulence of our modern world, we must hold fast to the lessons of Philippians 4:6-7, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (NKJV 1997).  Simply put, when we turn to Christ in prayer, He provides peace over all matters. While it doesn’t remove the trials and tribulations, the sources of anxiety and stress, or absolve Christians from dealing with difficult situations, it does provide a path toward dealing with these challenges in a healthy and faithful way.
All Christians struggle with the notion of pursuing Christ daily, pouring out our worries at His feet, and trusting intentionally in Him. However, the burden of anxiety is not meant to be dealt with alone; rather, Christ shares that burden with believers and takes the pressure off their bruised shoulders. This is what happens when believers have an active and robust faith in the power of Christ to provide a solution for their tribulations – to give them peace and strength.
Consider for a moment the specific impact of COVID as an anxiety-inducing factor. Over the past two years, the levels of anxiety and stress have risen markedly due to the virus. In fact, the American Psychiatric Association released an article explaining the trends:
More than four in 10 adults (43%) report the pandemic has had a serious impact on their mental health, up from 37% in 2020. Fifty nine percent of younger adults are more likely to report a serious impact on their mental health due to the pandemic. More than half (54%) of 30 to 44-year-olds also report a serious mental health impact; fewer older adults (24%) report serious mental health impacts.
A key point of this article was that stress has become sustained, an evil that must be dealt with persistently, with no apparent end in sight. It’s also significant to point out that “younger adults” (Gen Z and Millennials), the backbone of our society’s workforce and economy, exhibit the most severe struggles with mental health issues. This is not a good sign for a society that hopes to recover from the pandemic and return to a healthy footing.
In direct opposition to this persistent anxiety and stress within the population at large, is the hope and peace that Christians exhibit through their faith in Jesus Christ. Their faith provides special access to a peace that the world can only dream of. Instead of fearing day-to-day trials and tribulations, or worrying about the possibility of catching the virus, Christians must live their lives in the fear of the Lord, the catalyst of spiritual wisdom. Proverbs 9:10 exhorts believers in this way: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding” (NKJV 1997). With wisdom and understanding Christians are reminded of the confidence they have in being children of God, the Creator of the universe who exhibits sovereignty over all things: time, space, and all of life circumstances.
This theological foundation, grounded in God’s infallible Word, should catapult Christians, including leaders in churches, business, education, etc., to lead with a supernatural confidence. They should live and lead with the utmost confidence in who God is and what He does in their lives.
This confidence is infectious. It is the salt that flavors the world with the unique peace that only Christ offers. Remember that Jesus said: “You are the salt of the earth” (Matthew 5:13a, NKJV 1997). How amazing is the impact then of all Christians, including those whom the Lord has placed in positions of authority; their actions spiritually flavor the world about them, allowing the world to see the peace they live with every day. These actions create an environment and community that unbelievers will want to be part of.
Seth Godin, a contemporary business writer, has written about the power of community, or what he refers to as “tribes.” He stated, “[H]uman beings can’t help it: we need to belong. One of the most powerful of our survival mechanisms is to be part of a tribe, to contribute to (and take from) a group of like-minded people” (2008, p. 3). The Lord reaffirmed what we learn in 1 Thessalonian 5:14, where brothers and sisters in Christ are to comfort and support one another, to be patient, to create a loving community, i.e., a tribe. Continuing this thought of community, it becomes apparent why so many people have been hurting from anxiety, stress, and mental pain. COVID has caused many people to shut themselves off and live in isolation.
Christians, on the other hand, must be willing to step out and live their lives with confidence and exuberance, and dare I say, a little bit of courage within their community.
Clearly, there is no better tribe than the tribe of God. Only in this tribe can people receive peace and strength. What Godin described is what Christians live out every day. The salt with which Christians flavor their daily interactions is a continuous appeal to those who have stumbled, the fallen, the unbeliever. So, too, are Christians’ daily interactions with one another, an encouragement to their fellow believers and further strengthening the community. It is vital, then, for Christian leaders to live their lives, not with high anxiety but with the calm assurance of a Christ-filled life.
As others encounter the peace that Christian leaders offer it becomes infectious. People want to be safe, secure, even if it means escaping from their own thoughts or the constant attack of worldly tribulation. Therefore, it’s imperative for Christians leaders to live out their lives as Philippians 4:6 exhorted, without anxiety, and even more, with thanksgiving.
Christian leaders must be the ultimate example of this lifestyle. When people see the power of Christ-filled relationships, unbelievers will sense a compulsion to pursue it. If they encounter Christians who are just as worried, grief stricken, and full of doubts, why would they want to follow such a path? Instead, Christian leaders must offer the antithesis to the life of high anxiety – they must exhibit a life full of peace and strength.
Jason D. Bland is the founder of Signet Leadership, an organizational leadership consulting and coaching firm. He is a military veteran and experienced leader of organizational operations in both the military and civilian sectors. Jason is also a doctoral student at Regent University, studying Strategic Leadership.

The marriage covenant celebration of sex not only points a husband and wife to their one-flesh union, but for the one who has eyes to see it, it also points to the union we enjoy with Christ. Even the bliss we can experience in sex points ahead to the bliss of the marriage supper of the Lamb.

Knowing Jesus really does change everything. Not only does it mean that I know that I have a relationship with God, that my sins are forgiven, and that I will be in Heaven forever after I die–but knowing Jesus changes all of life now.
Knowing Jesus changes how I think about work, finances, friendship, parenting, marriage, and yes–also sex. You might even be able to say, “especially sex.”
For example, knowing Jesus changes how I think about work being for God’s glory, but some of the biblical principles that change how I work are also principles that are often still looked upon highly in society–working hard, for example, or providing for my family.
But the ways that knowing Jesus changes how I think about sex are not something that our culture usually agrees with–or even comes close to understanding. I think as believers, we have to be ok with that to a certain degree. After all, without knowing Jesus we would surely think about sex very differently than we do. Here are three ways that knowing Jesus radically changes how you and I think about sex.
1. Knowing Jesus shows me that sex is for only within biblical marriage.
When I was in High School and heard the “locker room talk” from other guys around me, it was obvious that there was a huge difference in the way that the world generally thought about sex, and the way that followers of Jesus are called to think about sex. But I had no idea then the complexities that the current “sexual revolution” was bringing to the way that people would think about sex just two decades later. In my first week of Spanish class, I learned words like “food” and “homework.” In my son’s first week of Spanish class, he learned the word “bisexual” (yes, it is spelled the same in Spanish and English). Yet all societal changes aside, whether in the 90s or 2020s or the 60s or the time of the Roman Empire, knowing Jesus shows me that sex is for only within biblical marriage.
No matter how much our cultural tides may come and go, God’s design for sex continues to be obeyed only within the committed monogamous covenant relationship of marriage between a man and a woman.
The Apostle Paul saw this understanding of sex as so basic to knowing Jesus, he wrote an entire paragraph about it to the young church in Thessalonica: “…For you know what instructions we gave you through the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.” (1 Thessalonians 4:2-8)
God knew what he was doing when he created sex and the parameters that would ultimately bring us joy and human flourishing. He knew that sex is powerful like fire, and that it can bring great destruction like when a house burns down, or great warmth and joy like when a fire stays within a fireplace on a snowy night.
It takes faith to really believe this today. But it doesn’t take a lot of analysis of the consequences of sexual sin to realize that the Creator knew exactly what he was doing when he loved us enough to give us the gift of sex, and loved us enough to give us the parameters for sex.
2. Knowing Jesus shows me that my sexuality is a power to be used for my spouse’s benefit.
Everybody knows that sex is powerful. Advertisers leverage this. Abusers take advantage of this. All sorts of people experiment with this. Christians, however, in obedience to God’s commands, use this power to benefit their spouse (1 Corinthians 7:1-5).
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