Gregg's Rest Stop (Captive vs Captivated)

Published: Mon, 01/14/13

Gregg's Rest Stop

January 14, 2013

Journey in Christ

Captive versus Captivated

My heart through my writings and through the ministry of Journey in Christ is to help equip others to be disciples and disciplers of Jesus Christ.

However, the foundational, underlying objective of my heart is to exalt Christ so that others are captivated by Him and, consequently, discipled to:

learn personally from Him,

to closely follow Him,

and to intimately know Him as their very life!

CAPTIVE BY BIRTH

Ephesians 2:1-2 says that everyone is born spiritually dead in sin and captive to Satan. 2 Timothy 2:26 says that people will continue to "be taken captive by Satan to do his will" until they come to know Christ.

CAPTIVE BY CHOICE

In Luke 4:18, Jesus reveals that He has fulfilled prophecy from Isaiah 61:1-2, "The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me. He has anointed Me to:

preach the gospel to the poor,

heal the brokenhearted,

and set the captives free."

Wow! Those of us in Christ have truly been set free! That's why Christ came...to set us free in Him!

Yet Romans 8:5 says that Christians can still foolishly choose to be captive by focusing on anything else except Christ - things such as good and bad circumstances, people's opinions, feelings, and temptations from Satan.

CAPTIVATED BY CHRIST

However, when we fix our eyes on Jesus through the Word of God and through the Word manifested in the countenance of close friends, we will:

be captivated by His beauty,

be transformed into His likeness,

and experience the freedom that He's already given us!

CLOSING

I love this quote from dear friend and mentor John Best:

The captivating of our hearts

with the beauty of Jesus

is the loving work of the Spirit of God

through the Word of God.

This new year, let's resolve not to try to look better by doing better, but to be even more captivated by looking at the beauty of Christ who transforms us!

Pray for me as I teach verse-by-verse through Romans 5-8. These verses are the heart of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the foundation for discipleship! Please come if you can and let others know!

I first developed and taught this study last year. The Lord has been further opening my eyes to the beauty of the truths in Romans. So, I have been revising the study over the past several months. I am so excited about the opportunity to share these truths afresh again!

Here is the schedule at Holly Ridge Church in Simpsonville:

Ch	Title	Day	Jan	Times
5	Foundation of the Gospel	Th	24	6 - 9 pm
6	Heart of the Gospel	Fr	25	6 - 9 pm
7	Depth of the Gospel	Sat	26	9 am - 12 pm
8	Height of the Gospel	Sat	26	1 - 4 pm

About

Discipleship through

Counseling

Teaching

Training

Gregg Gibbons

Pastoral Director

Michael Chalmers

Training Director

Kellie Boggs

Fellowship Director

Joy Gibbons

Ministry Assistant and women's ministry coordinator

Carole Blyth

Board member and women's ministry coordinator

Randy Garrick

Board member and Elder Holly Ridge Baptist Church

Paul Crews

Board member and Pastor Mountain Creek Baptist Church

Journey in Christ website link

Personal website link

Partnership

I believe with all my heart that ministry is through relationships.

I thank my God upon every remembrance of you for your partnership in the gospel (Philippians 1:3, 5).

YouTube link below of my ministry commissioning service that included testimonies from several partners, including Bobby Richardson, former 2nd baseman for the NY Yankees.

3-minute discipleship video

Please contact me to learn more about partnering with me. I'd love to hear from you!

On September 19,

Lifetime Ministries published

the following Rest Stop article:

Article "From the Heart to the Head"

Ministry News

Gregg is mentoring teenagers, men, couples in an office donated by Holly Ridge Church in Simpsonville SC.

Michael is mentoring men and couples in offices donated by three churches Greenville SC.

A new group will be starting Advanced Discipleship Training March 2013.

Clink link below:

ADT 2013 brochure

Gregg teaches freedom in Christ at The Haven of Rest mission in Anderson, SC Mondays 6:00-6:45 pm. You are welcome to attend with Gregg anytime!

Gregg will be speaking again at the Bar None Cowboy Church. A new church in rural Laurens County SC.

Carole and Joy to lead discipleship Bible studies Jan 30 thru March 27, 2013 for 7 female employees on site at a manufacturing plant.

Journey in Christ is partnering with Hunts Memorial Baptist Church of Greenville SC to teach at a women's retreat Saturday, April 20, 2013.