The Foundry

Here is a video message for all of you about what’s coming this spring at LHUMC. Have a gander, leave your excited comments and let me know what questions you might have. We will be producing a SG curriculum for you guys to use that will have DVD lessons and discussion questions.

Small Group Audio 8: Generosity

2009-12-07T15:49:00.001-06:00

This week’s theme for Sunday was Generosity. So this is what this week’s audio is about. Look for my sermon and study guide on the Nic Audio page.

Listen to this week’s installment here: Generosity

Comment on the topic below. What has made the difference in your life in terms of generosity? What has created in you the real motivation to be generous?

Small Group Audio 7: Serving and Being Served

2009-11-17T16:25:00.001-06:00

Listen to this audio episode here.

Serving and being Served

The two application here are:

1. How can serving people inside your small group foster community?

2. How can serving people outside your small group foster community?

Small Group Audio 6: Admonishing and being Admonished

2009-11-10T10:25:00.001-06:00

So far we have covered three of the five aspects of community, the first of our three small group purposes.

1. Knowing and being Known

2. Loving and being Loved

3. Celebrating and being Celebrated

This week we do number 4: Admonishing and being Admonished. That is, we have to tell and invite other to tell us the truth as they understand it. Sin hides well in self deception and personal sophistication. We have a hard time seeing our own sins and idols. But often times other people, less spiritually mature than we are can see our issues very clearly. We need that.

Proverbs 27:6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But deceitful are the kisses of an enemy.

When have you done this, and how did it go?

Listen Here.

Small Group Audio 5

2009-11-02T12:30:00.001-06:00

This is the 5th installment on defining Community, one of the three Purposes of small groups (Community, Growth, Service).

Listen here

I’ve made this it’s own post so we can generate some discussion. Post your thoughts, questions and comments below. Some of you have sent me thoughtful emails. Don’t- put those thought here so everyone , including I can read them.

Small Group Leaders Coaching Audio

2009-09-29T11:58:00.001-05:00

This gallery is dedicated to coaching small group leaders through short audio bits that you can listen to whenever you have time. The Coaching talks should be less than 5 minutes, but they are designed to be a 15 minute exercise.

Don’t just listen to them while you’re checking your email. Listen to them and write some things down and then take 5-10 minutes and think about how what you just heard applies to you as a leader or can be applied in the life of your group. If you lead as a couple, I’d encourage you to do this together.

Short Coaching Audios: (newest on top)

Audio 6: Admonishing and being Admonished 11/10/2009

Audio 5: Celebrating and being Celebrated 11/02/2009

Audio 4: Loving and Being Loved 10/28/2009

Rouge Audio: Why Prayer is Boring

Audio 3: Knowing and being Known 10/12/2009

Audio 2: 5 Parts of Community 10/07/2009

Audio 1: 3 Purposes of your Small Group 9/29/2009

Surge 2009 Workshop:

My Small Group: a 1 year plan MP3 Word Doc

Surge 2009 Service Track:

LifeServe volunteer service blitz by Steve Irwin, Associate, Woodlawn UMC

Nic on Video

2009-09-09T14:42:00.001-05:00

Leadership Conference Session, Surge 2009

SURGE 2009: Session 2 - Nic Gibson from Lynn Haven UMC on Vimeo.

Favoritism and Factionalism

Favoritism and Factionalism from Nic Gibson on Vimeo.

Exposition of 1 Peter 5:5-11

Nic Gibson on 1 Peter 5:5-11 from Nic Gibson on Vimeo.

More Videos…

FCI Promotional Videos.

2009-05-07T13:51:00.003-05:00

Here are the FCI promotional videos that are in process right now form our filming trip last fall. Comment on what you think. Constructive criticism is welcome.

FCI intro rough redux from Thomas Seeuws on Vimeo.

Spreading Light Screener from Thomas Seeuws on Vimeo.

I've been having problems with this second video. So if you're having trouble getting it loaded, it might not be you. ford is working on it.

Stanford Gibson Audio:

2009-03-27T11:19:00.071-05:00

Here are some mp3's of Stanford's teaching. To download, right click on the MP3 link and select Save Target As.

Latest: Do People Ever Really Change: 2 Cor 5:11-17 MP3 (Manuscript) CL 11/23/10

The Riddle of Seeing: 2 Cor 4 MP3 (Manuscript) CL 11/9/10

CL Fall Retreat: (Speaker: Nic Gibson)
Talk 1: MP3 (Notes)
Talk 2: MP3 (Notes) (Parental Advisory :) )
Talk 3: MP3 (Notes)
Talk 4: MP3 (Notes)
Note: If you have any trouble downloading these, they are also here.

Recommended Preaching:

The Great Inversion: The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector MP3 (Manuscript) CL 1/20/09

You are Not Yourself by Yourself: Thoughts on Community from Acts 2&4 MP3 (Manuscript)

The Wall Crossers of Antioch: Acts 11&13 MP3 (Manuscript) CL 2/9/10

Doing College Without Regrets: Paul's Reunion with the Ephesian Elders MP3 (Manuscript) CL 4/7/10

Philip's Second Adventure MP3 (Manuscript) HPC 8/10

Paul Visits Davis: The Startling Familiarity of Acts 17 MP3 MP3 (Manuscript) CL 3/2/10

Seven Mile: Jesus on the Road to Emmaus MP3 (Manuscript) CL 4/14/09

Bigger Barns (the Parable of the Rich Fool) MP3 (Manuscript) AIA - 5/27/09

'A Dangerous Sense of Holiness’: The Story of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5) MP3 (Manuscript) CL 10/27/09

'Another Thing Entirely: Cornelius and Peter' (Mp3) (Manuscript) CL 12/09

Recommended Teaching:

Why the Body Matters MP3 (Manuscript) CL 4/28/09

Live Free or Die: A Theology of Christian Freedom MP3 (Manuscript) CL 9/28/10

Creativity as the Image of God (a marred image) MP3 (Manuscript) CL 5/20/09

Three Things That are More Important Than Hotness (MP3) (Manuscript) CL - 1/26/10

Uninspiring Christianity MP3 (Manuscript) CL 4/28/10

Other Archived Audio:

5 Myths About Marriage (MP3) (Manuscript) CL-Men's Retreat

Life and Thought of St Augustine MP3 LHUMC - December, 2008

Broken For You: The Last Supper MP3 (Manuscript) CL - 2/24/09

The Simplicity of the Carefree Life MP3 (Notes) FBC-D - 2007

Acts for the Rest of Us: Philip's Second Adventure MP3 (Manuscript) CL 4/14/10

_______________________________________

CL - College Life: the on-camups (UC Davis) college ministry of First Baptist Church - Davis
FBC-D: First Baptist Church Davis - Main Service
AIA - UC Davis Chapter of Athletes in Action
LHUMC - Lynn Haven United Methodist Church
HPC - High Point Church in Madison Wisconsin

Stanford and Nic Audio:

2009-03-27T11:17:00.001-05:00

Nic Gibson Audio

2009-03-27T10:48:00.001-05:00

Sermons from Lynn Haven UMC:

Newest Uploaded Sermons:

Expositional Sermons:

Jesus and the Sacrificial System

Ephesians: The Gospel, Roles and Power

Ephesians: The Gospel, Unity and Worship

I Am in John’s Gospel

1 Peter 2 Living Hope, Live Stones (expositional)

1 Peter 3:1-7 Hope in God and Marriage

1 Peter 5- Shepherding the Flock

1 Peter 5- Being the Flock (video here)

2 Sermons based on Luke 15 and borrowing from Tim Keller’s book The Prodigal God

The Prodigal God- “You Should be Happy About This”

The Prodigal God- “Older Brother Syndrome and its Remedies”

Doctrinal Sermons:

What will we do in Heaven?

Justification: Doctrine for daily life

Fulfillment, Happiness and the real Gospel Dynamic

Prediction and Trust

Prediction and Trust UF FCA Version (1 hr)

Power Point (PBU Version)

Word doc (PBU Version)

Attitude and Influence

How the Gospel Takes Hold

Spirituality, Knowing and drawing Close to God

Crying out for God’s Presence

Drawing Close to God: Our Biggest Problem, The Bible’s Biggest Promise

Closing the Distance: Drawing Close to God

Focus and Tactics of Spiritual Growth

The Difference between Pagan, Religious, and Gospel Prayer

The Spirit and Service

Materialism, Giving and Contentment:

Growing Contentment- Source and Machinery

Coveting, Greed and Materialism- rewriting the American Dream

American Dream- Wanting what other’s have…

Generosity and Salvation

Various Sermons:

Flashforward: Anatomy of A Sellout (Doc Ppt)

Real People are Liars

Real People are Cowards

Real People are Hypocrites

Talks on Various Topics:

(These talks come mainly from Lynn Haven’s ‘Sunday Night Forums’)

Theology and Doctrine:

Thoughts on the Doctrine of Providence

Creeds and Councils: Nicea

Theology and Sexuality:

Christian Faith, Homosexuality and Science

Christian Faith, Homosexuality and Scripture

Theology and the Family

1 Peter 3:1-7 Hope in God and Marriage NEW

The Disappearance of Motherhood, Children and Parenting

Difficulty and Disappearance of Motherhood

Marriage Crashers: Infidelity

Marriage Crashers: Criticism

Theology and Science:

Christian Faith, Evolution and Scripture Pt 1

Christian Faith, Evolution and Scripture Pt 2

Other Topics:

Jesus’ Politics- a Discussion

Non-Christian and New Age Spiritualities

How to Choose a Church

Church History and Christian Biography:

Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards wk 2 Nic and Alexi

Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards Week 1

Christianity in the World:

Positive Contributions of Christian Faith

Understanding Attacks on Christian History

Understanding attacks on Christian History

Audio by Alexi Gibson

4 Men and a Gift (Alexi Gibson)

Preaching on Sex to Junior High Kids

2009-03-24T11:44:00.002-05:00

By Nic Gibson

About 2 months ago I did a talk at a retreat center on Panama City Beach for a youth group from Georgia. They were having a purity commitment retreat and wanted a speaker to talk about sex and purity. I got invited.

Now most people know I’m not really big on Junior High Ministry. I have trouble connecting. I can play and hang out with JH kids, but teaching is another story.

So I did a talk called “Sex is Good and so is God”. I talked mainly about why God has called us to purity by explaining some reasons why God’s commands are actually extremely wise for reasons I was sure they had never considered.

I expanded this into a talk for our Senior high students and I gave the talk there a few weeks later. This precipitated a long discussion with the SH guys and a 4 week Sunday schools class we called Sex and Christian Faith. More than 20 students came to this poorly scheduled and promoted class and we have had some really good discussions about the meaning of gender, marriage and sex and why God’s commands are good ones and how we can really pull them off.

The study includes a look at 4 themes on sexuality:

1. Song of Songs- this is an exploration of the tasteful eroticism of Song of songs. We talk about how God invented sex, that God intended for us to want to have intimate, fun and extremely erotic sexual lives with our husband or wife and that it is God that gets the credit for the good of sex.

2. Genesis 1-2. In the second session we talk about the connection between gender, marriage and sex and how Christians cannot really think about them in isolation from each other. We also talk about the three pointed triangle of the ‘Purpose of Sex’. I talk about how, not only do we need to see sex as having these three purposes, but that great recreational sex can only find it’s real potential intensity and longevity when it comes out of the proper first purpose of bonding. And we see how out of sex being the bonding mechanism of the two genders in marriage, a couple can rightly enjoy each other for pleasure and receive children in a loving family.

3. 1 Cor 6:12-Ch 7. In this talk I explain some of the non-health based reasons to pursue Biblical purity. Most students have two reasons to not have sex:

God will be mad
I could get a disease or get pregnant

These are not sufficient reasons to motivate students to seek and build biblical purity into their lives. This insufficiency in motivation creates a slippery slope to their spiritual-sexual undoing. The steps of this slope are:

1. Insufficient motivation- Doing sexual purity is harder than it is important.

2. Students will have sex.

3. Christian students are going to feel gnawing and nagging guilt about their failure.

4. They will deal with guilt one of two ways:

A. They will repent and restart. The problem is that they simply go back to the top of the slope and ski down it again, except faster and with less felt guilt. So long as the process repeats, it will continue to do so and negatively effect the Christian's conscience and dynamics of dealing with guilt from sin.

B. They will “Follow their heart” instead of be obedient to Christian faith. This will lead to either an implicit or explicit denial of the faith. They may just not care to obey Jesus in this and soon other areas. And this is an implicit denial of faith. Or they may just “Give up on Religion”, and decide their faith was a phase and that Christian faith isn’t compatible with modern life- and modern life is truer (because it feels closer).

I will put some of these non-health based reason in another post.

4. Real Tactics for Biblical purity. We end the study by talking about how to actually live out biblical purity. This includes though and tactics and I’ll include some of this material in another post.