The more that God blesses us financially, the more we can bless others as well. Within the heart of God, we learn how to further our personal generosity. The Standard of Giving The standard of giving is God because He is the original and the ultimate Giver. Proverbs 14:31 – Whoever oppresses a poor man insults his Maker; but he …
I was asked to serve as a trustee during a transitional time in North Greenville University’s history. As I finish my final stint on a 5-year term, our board has asked me to serve as chair. I was surprised to have been asked to serve as a trustee, and I was blindsided by the request to serve as chairman. I …
It is never an ordinary day when Jesus shows up to your job. In the initial stages of Jesus’ ministry, his reputation was spreading quickly. This man was no regular rabbi. He was not a humdrum holy man. When he interrupted your life, you would eventually thank him for it. Read what happened when Jesus called some of his first …
While there are many examples of how Jesus trained his disciples, we are limited in our exposure. With them spending three years with him, they experienced countless lessons and experiences of which we are unfortunately unaware. Jesus did so much in his life that the world is unable to contain all the volumes that they could have written about him …
On January 13, 2020, Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow led the LSU Tigers to defeat the Clemson Tigers for the National Championship. As a Clemson fan, it was a disappointing loss but one that provided plenty of respect for the solid LSU team. They figured out how to get it done on both sides of the ball and had a …
Whenever we refuse to handle our finances God’s way, we invite unnecessary chaos into our lives. In the Book of Proverbs, God provides practical wisdom that is as relevant today as when it was first written. Discover God’s will for your money, and you will experience God’s best for your life.
In 2019, our preaching team worked through Mark, Membership Matters, Psalms [Vol. 1], Distinctive Discipleship, Malachi, and He Shall Be Called. Out of those sermons, the list below reveals the sermons that were viewed online more than any others. It is such a revealing and interesting list to see which sermons trended more than others. I pray that our church’s …
I started TravisAgnew.org in 2007 as an online opportunity to share what God was teaching me with whoever would engage. I have been so thankful to those who have encouraged me along the way regarding its content. 1,091,830 visitors 1,779,749 views As I look back over the last decade, I wanted to share with you the top 10 trending posts …
Join us this coming Sunday at Rocky Creek as we start 2020 by addressing our finances biblically. We will start a 5-week sermon series called Financial Proverbs. Whenever we refuse to handle our finances God’s way, we invite unnecessary chaos into our lives. In the Book of Proverbs, God provides practical wisdom that is as relevant today as when it …
For all those who read weekly articles I post, I want to say thank you! Some posts connect more than others. Below are the top 10 posts from TravisAgnew.org for 2019. If you would like to subscribe to my weekly newsletter so you never have to miss an article, you can sign up for the Weekly Wrapup. I send out …
If every Christian is in a unique place surrounded by specific challenges, why do we think that a broad approach will work for every single one of us? In this 11-chapter book, you can learn the biblical framework for discipleship and a practical guide to getting started with your own growth or in helping to disciple another. Like me, you …
For all those who feel stuck in their spiritual life, you don’t have to accept stagnation as the norm any longer. In this 8-week Bible study, I want to walk you through a model called Distinctive Discipleship. It attempts to encourage individual people with particular needs to develop a unique plan for a given season. You can use this model …
I released two books on discipleship last week. They are the product of a 2-year attempt to help our church have a tangible and accessible guide to engage in personal discipleship. As I finished the emphasis in our church, I had some people ask me to help share what we were doing. In particular, two groups served as the catalysts …
The destination of discipleship is the same for every individual, but each spiritual journey demands specific directions. Think of it like you would a Sunday morning. As people leave their homes to gather for worship, they all arrived at the same place yet traveled by different paths. Some took a left out of their driveways while others turned right. The …
esus was prophesied to be the Wonderful Counselor, Everlasting Father, Mighty God, and the Prince of Peace. Are you experiencing Jesus to be all these things to you?
I am so thrilled to share with you that two discipleship resources I’ve been working on are finally finished and available. The Distinctive Discipleship book and Distinctive Discipleship Bible Study workbook are now available in print or digital formats. The content of these two resources comes from a 2-year time of focus on developing how to give a tangible guide …
For December 2019, I am preaching through a series entitled, “He Shall Be Called.” We will study the four names prophesied in Isaiah concerning the coming Messiah. For to us a child is born, to us a son is given;and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be calledWonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6 This prophecy answers four of society’s critical …
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them (Eph. 2:10). Not only were you created by someone, but you were created for something. To understand your purpose, you must pursue the one who created you in the first place. God designed you distinct, and that is …
For all the sermons you have heard, for all the studies you have completed, for all the events you have attended, for all the books you have read, and for all the lessons you have learned, you are desperately in need of someone a little ahead of you to show you the way. The missing component in most of our …
We all experience moments of transition with decisions we make or situations beyond our control. How do you determine your path when you are unsure of God’s direction? Ephesians 5:15-17 15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what …
As I prayed for preaching direction for 2020, I could not escape from the pervading stress that attacks our church family. Financial, emotional, spiritual, and political stress seem to be at an all-time high for so many people. With that directive in mind, I searched the Scriptures to find the needed Word for this pivotal year. Take a look where …
After making a bad decision, we are often left with the unfortunate reality of consequences. How should we go forward when we are dealing with effects from previous decisions? Why Am I Going Through This Situation? Is God trying to teach me a lesson? Is Satan trying to take me down? Are enemies trying to frustrate me? Are my consequences …
What is never noticed in the life of a believer yet always observed? It is spiritual disciplines. If done correctly, you never see when someone does them, yet they are always obviously present in their lives. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus preached a sermon of which the world has yet to recover. In one section, he spoke of …
Sometimes the spiritual apathy among God’s people is so tragic that He desires to close the doors to worship altogether. Offering nothing would be better than offering leftovers. Join us as we study verse-by-verse through the Book of Malachi and hear how God responds to those who tragically give Him the bare minimum.
Are you ready to make progress in your spiritual growth? What if you developed a Distinctive Discipleship guide to get you started? The Distinctive Discipleship plan is a targeted guide to mature you for a set time. This plan is good for an individual, better with a partner, but best with a mentor. You can discover 6 categories from Col. …
This Sunday, we begin our journey verse-by-verse through the Book of Malachi! Sometimes the spiritual apathy among God’s people is so tragic that He desires to close the doors to worship altogether. Offering nothing would be better than offering leftovers. Join us as we study verse-by-verse through the Book of Malachi and hear how God responds to those who tragically …
It’s an easy target these days to criticize how pastors and churches in the past never discipled anyone. If we spent half the time that we have spent criticizing how others haven’t discipled people and instead invested that time to actually disciple others, we would start fixing our problem. The desperate need for discipleship seems to be a cyclical point …
You might acknowledge your struggle to stay organized, but has it reached a point of being detrimental in your life? Ignoring reality won’t help you. You only have so much time during this day and during your life. Are you doing what you can to ensure a healthy version of productivity? Organization is a spiritual issue. I used to disagree …
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations. Jeremiah 1:5 When does God appoint? He appointed Jeremiah the prophet within the womb. That means that his calling preceded his résumé. It helps me remember that God’s calling is more secure than my …
If you are leading a church or ministry staff retreat, there are many things you could bring, but what should you bring? Here’s a list to consider: Open Bibles – I know this comes as a surprise, but I would really encourage you to spend more time in the inspired Book rather than dallying in inspiring books. Too many ministries …
In what ways do you need development? It all depends upon what you have been given and where you have been placed. As particularly gifted and positioned disciples, we each should pursue the needed maturity to do what God has called us to accomplish. CONSIDER There’s a difference in working on something because you are supposed to learn it versus …
Every September, I attempt to have a fairly organized preaching plan for at least the coming year. Through a time of prayer and study, I try to arrive at a description that articulates every series and every sermon. That plan includes: Date Sermon Title Sermon Passage 2-Sentence Description Once I can communicate a plan like this, I am able to …
While I am a Clemson fan, this isn’t a post about the Tigers necessarily. While I am super impressed by Trevor Lawrence, this post isn’t intending to breakdown his athletic caliber. This post seeks to remind us all about not giving up after a mistake. On Thursday, August 29, 2019, the Clemson Tigers started their college football season against Georgia …
The Bible talks about God’s people as sheep. Out of all the animals he could have used, he compares us to helpless, defenseless, fluffy, clumsy sheep. It seems rather accurate. We know we are the sheep of his pasture (Ps. 100:3). We drift away from our shepherd (Luke 15:4). We are harassed and helpless sheep (Matt. 9:36). We have all …
If you feel like you are stuck in your Christian walk, then it is time to start moving again. The solution for spiritual stagnation is distinctive discipleship.
Generalized approaches can never adequately address distinct disciples. In order to see legitimate discipleship take place in your life and in the lives of those around you, we cannot depend upon widespread methods hoping to address the specific needs of everyone. [Note: Audio is distorted but audible through recording.] CONSIDER Answer these following questions: Who first introduced you to Jesus? …
On August 18, we begin an 8-week sermon series called Distinctive Discipleship. This has been a 20-month process of prayer, study, and practice to help craft a plan for how we truly make disciples in our church and beyond. I cannot overstate this hope of mine: I do not plan on this being a sermon series we engage with for …
Would you view it with your pastor beside you? Don’t act like you are unsure of what I am talking about. You know what “it” is. Everyone has “it.” “It” is your regular media consumption. “It” is that show you don’t miss. “It” is that series that you binge-watch. “It” is those videos you watch. “It” is those pictures you …
In a former life, I recorded some tunes, and we made those sounds available through an archaic method called burning CDs. The only problem with such mediums is that scratches would come upon the back side of these silver discs and cause the music to skip. Nowadays, kids think those CDs are as ancient as vinyls and 8-tracks. I am …
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