It's one thing to hear a weekly sermon but quite another to actually study the Word.

Thought it still happens at some fellowships, the traditional Sunday School class education has become a thing of the past. Too many people are just attending the worship service and that's the extent of their connection with the Body.

However, the functioning of a vibrant, growing fellowship, whether it's a group of dozens or a mega-church of tens of thousands, depends upon relationships that go beyond sitting and staring at the back of the person sitting in the chair in front of you.

Thus, Small Group Accountability. Just like Jethro told Moses to appoint people to lead thousands, hundreds, fifties, and tens, God is raising up leaders within the Body to minister to the individuals and not just the masses. We need to equip and sharpen each other as we grow in Christ.

Today, we discuss the benefits of building the Body via the connection of both Sunday morning and weekday small group ministry times.

Personal, specific, and committed relationships will maintain the solid foundation so that the size of the fellowship doesn't matter: Tens, hundreds, or thousands.

Welcome to the Small Group Accountability explosion!

In last week's podcast, we introduced you to an incredible woman by the name of Mindy Watkins - Medicine, ministry, and miracles.

During this extended length podcast, we're letting her loose to share what God is doing in the country of Pakistan. From miraculous healings to buying families out of the slave trade, Mindy has seen God do the miraculous.

From the high school basketball court, through devastation in her family, to the villages of the country, Mindy has seen the hand of God in ways that will strengthen your faith and motivate you to let your faith shine in this dark world.

Our God is an awesome God and is at work touching lives for His glory. "Dr. Mindy" is a woman who has said "yes" to her Lord to flow through her to bring healing to more than just hurting bodies but to lost souls in need of a Savior.

Her's is more than just a story, it's evidence of God's calling for His glory.

We want to introduce you to an incredible woman who has taken what the enemy meant for evil and has allowed God to open an incredible medical ministry in the nation of Pakistan.

In this first of a two part series, we have invited Mindy Watkins, a Kansas girl and mother of five children, to share her story of how God has opened the door for her to combine medicine and ministry in a country and to a people who desperately need both.

Blind eyes healed. The mute speak. Tumors disintegrate. The down and destitute come to know the saving power of Jesus Christ as "Dr. Mindy," as she is affectionately called over there, shares both her faith and her gifting to bring hope in hopeless situations.

As this story of God's grace unfolds, it will touch your heart how God can take a willing heart and flow through her to set captives free. And it will inspire you to trust God in your own life.

Come and share her story...or should we say, stories of our awesome God at work in the nation of Pakistan.

A screwdriver.

One purpose, right? Not at all.

It can be used to turn a screw but it can also open a paint can, be used as a lever to open a stuck window, be used as a chisel, or even (dare we mention it) be used as a weapon.

The question arises, though, do you know YOUR purpose?

Back in the 60s and early 70s, teenagers were dropping out of school, family, and society to "find themselves."

They looked at the previous generation and didn't see a whole lot of purpose except make and spend money while trying to rise to some position of authority...and it wasn't for them. Music, drugs, sex, and love were the bywords of the day.

- Do you know what your calling in life is?

- Do you know your strengths and are using them for more than self-edification?

- Are you at a point, say in retirement, where you've lost your identify and purpose because your career dominated your scope of life?

Well, it's time to dive in and see what God has in mind for you, both in general and specifically.

A life of purpose is both God-honoring and self-fulfilling. How would you like to wake each day with a zeal and fall into bed at night with a praise to God for His purposes being fulfilled in your life that day?

That's God's plan for you.

Pick a set of initials and you'll be close to the name of a translation or a paraphrase of the Bible. KJV, NLT, ESV, NIV, FNVNT, AMP, GNT, NASB, or WEBBE are just a short list of the hundreds of versions of God's Word.

So, why so many and what's the correct one to read?

First of all, instead of quibbling over them, pick one and begin reading it, if you aren't already. And then obey it. Get it in you and out of you.

If you're a Greek/Hebrew/Aramaic scholar, then let's sit down and share why a certain translation is our favorite.

Do you know the difference between a translation of the Word and a paraphrase? It's important to know.

Are you casually reading it or launching into a study? Which kind is more beneficial than other?

What is more important? Reliability or readability?

To give you a hint, when Jay and Tom study, they usually have multiple versions open at the same time, gleaning the nuances of the translation wording to get to the meat of the scripture.

This podcast isn't a school lesson on the history and development of the versions we have today but a bird's-eye view of the importance of getting into the Word and the Word getting into you.

Who is your best friend?

What is your favorite restaurant?

How can you be so peaceful when the world is falling apart?

To be honest, telling other people about the God who saved you and has planned eternity with Him is something people need to know.

If Jesus Christ is Lord of your life, why do we sometimes struggle with telling others about it?

Some people have the "gift of gab," where they find it so easy to strike up a conversation with people around them. Others become easily tongue-tied.

Today, we talk about the wide spectrum of being a witness. And that's one of the main keys: Yes, we witness but according to the first chapter of Acts, we ARE witnesses. Therefore, our very lifestyle should be the loudest thing we say.

But we also need to "be ready to give account for the hope that lies within us." 1 Peter 3:15.

We don't need to be great apologists to share our own story. And if questions come up that are difficult to answer, "I don't know, but I know someone who can answer that question" is a valid response.

Most importantly, we don't witness on our own power or wisdom. The Bible says that the Holy Spirit is the one who opens the doors and gives us the words to say. We just need to be willing to take the opportunity and open our mouths.

People need "Jesus with skin on."

Apologetics isn't apologizing.

In fact, it's just the opposite, when you come right down to it.

There are some very brilliant people who go toe-to-toe with people who are detractors of faith in Jesus Christ. These apologists have the ability to see both sides of the issue of faith in Christ and atheism and bring truth to the discussion that provides evidence for faith.

Most of us aren't like that.

But that doesn't mean we have to tuck tail and run from anyone who has sincere struggles and questions about faith. With some study and confidence that comes through honest discussion among ourselves, we can be better prepared to "give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you."

This podcast will not only equip you for some of the most common questions pre-believers ask, but will show that, with time and effort, it's possible to continually expand our ability to field honest questions to help people come to faith in Jesus Christ.

When the Word refers to our bodies as temples, does it mean physically or spiritually?

The resounding answer is "Yes!"

Today's podcast isn't to shame anyone but to lay out some very important insights as to why many people are struggling with unwanted pounds.

The food industry is one of our greatest enemies. But deeper yet is the spiritual issue of the lack of wisdom when it comes to what we put into our bodies, as well as why we do it.

What is the difference between obesity and gluttony?

Why is "what is eating us" as important as what we eat?

What makes processed foods such a challenge for us to digest?

Body shaming isn't the answer.

Gaining God's perspective and wisdom can turn the tide so we can walk in health and freedom.

Isaiah 55 says, "Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food."

Eating isn't the problem. Eating what is good makes all the difference in the world.