Pray for Interim Committee Meetings & Bible Studies

Every month our legislators gather in Charleston for three days of interim committee meetings. Each lawmaker is assigned to one or more committees in order to work on various issues throughout the year.

In these meetings they deal with a variety of topics, many of which will be taken up during next year’s regular session.This month's interim meetings will be held on November 15-17.

During the interim meetings, Capitol Commission provides Bible studies for our legislators and elected officials at the capitol. Our studies for this month entitled "Final Thoughts on Treasuring God's Word" from Psalm 119:10 will be held on Tuesday, November 16.

Please pray for our legislators as they gather for these meetings:

Pray for safety as they travel.

Pray for them as they take this time away from their families and jobs.

Pray for them as they deal with many issues important to our state.

Pray that our Bible study and other aspects of our ministry will be a challenge and encouragement to our leaders.

You can learn more about the legislative interim committee assignments and meetings at the West Virginia Legislature web site.


You can download the complete study HERE.

Interim Committee Meetings & Bible Studies

Every month our legislators gather in Charleston for three days of interim committee meetings. Each lawmaker is assigned to one or more committees in order to work on various issues throughout the year.

In these meetings they deal with a variety of topics, many of which will be taken up during next year’s regular session.This month's interim meetings will be held on August 9-11.

During the interim meetings, Capitol Commission provides Bible studies for our legislators and elected officials at the capitol. Our studies for this month entitled "Treasuring God's Word through Study" from Psalm 119 selected verses and Deuteronomy 17:14-20 will be held on Tuesday, September 14. We are also distributing a 90-day New Testament Reading Guide to encourage our legislators and leaders to develop the habit of reading God's Word.

Please pray for our legislators as they gather for these meetings:

Pray for safety as they travel.

Pray for them as they take this time away from their families and jobs.

Pray for them as they deal with many issues important to our state.

Pray that our Bible study and other aspects of our ministry will be a challenge and encouragement to our leaders.

You can learn more about the legislative interim committee assignments and meetings at the West Virginia Legislature web site.


You can download the complete study HERE.

You can download the New Testament 90-day reading guide HERE.

Interim Committee Meetings & Bible Studies

Every month our legislators gather in Charleston for three days of interim committee meetings. Each lawmaker is assigned to one or more committees in order to work on various issues throughout the year.

In these meetings they deal with a variety of topics, many of which will be taken up during next year’s regular session.This month's interim meetings will be held on August 9-11. During the interim meetings, Capitol Commission provides Bible studies for our legislators and elected officials at the capitol. Our studies for this month entitled "Can We Trust the Bible?" from Psalm 119:42 & 56 will be held on Tuesday, August 10.

Please pray for our legislators as they gather for these meetings:

Pray for safety as they travel.

Pray for them as they take this time away from their families and jobs.

Pray for them as they deal with many issues important to our state.

Pray that our Bible study and other aspects of our ministry will be a challenge and encouragement to our leaders.

You can learn more about the legislative interim committee assignments and meetings at the West Virginia Legislature web site.

Interim Bible Study: Can We Trust the Bible?

From this month's interim Bible study at the West Virginia state capitol entitled, "Can We Trust the Bible?":

"There are many who doubt or deny the truth of God’s Word. Some deny the existence of absolute truth altogether. Others criticize the scriptures as perhaps a mixture of truth and error. The presence of other religious writings raises the question, “Is the bible true?” Over the years many have attacked the trustworthiness of the Bible in a variety of ways. The fact is, if the Bible is true, it changes everything."

Read or download the complete study HERE.

Special Session, Interim Meetings, & Bible Study

Every month our legislators gather in Charleston for three days of interim committee meetings. Each lawmaker is assigned to one or more committees in order to work on various issues throughout the year. In these meetings they deal with a variety of topics, many of which will be taken up during next year’s regular session. Our legislators have actually been working in special session dealing with U.S. Senate secession and education issues.

Our Bible study for our legislators and elected officials at the capitol will be held on Tuesday, July 20 at 8:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon. Our study for this month from an ongoing series in Psalm 119 is entitled "Seeking Counsel from God's Word". You can view or download the study HERE.

Please pray for our legislators as they continue in these meetings:

Pray for safety as they travel.

Pray for them as they take this time away from their families.

Pray for them as they deal with many issues important to our state.

Pray that our Bible study and other aspects of our ministry will be a challenge and encouragement to our leaders.

You can learn more about the legislative interim committee assignments and meetings at the West Virginia Legislature web site.

Interim Bible Study

Every month our legislators gather in Charleston for three days of interim committee meetings. Each lawmaker is assigned to one or more committees in order to work on various issues throughout the year. In these meetings they deal with a variety of topics, many of which will be taken up during next year’s regular session.This month's interim meetings will be held on November 17-19 and will also include a special session called by Governor Manchin.

During their interim meetings, Capitol Commission provides a Bible study for our legislators and elected officials at the capitol. Our study for this month will be held on Wednesday, November 18 at 8:00 a.m. I will be out of town so the meeting will be led by Pastor Mark Patton of Spring Hill Baptist Church.

Please pray for our legislators as they gather for these meetings:

• Pray for safety as our leaders travel to Charleston.

• Pray for them as they take this time away from work and families.

• Pray for them as they deal with many issues important to our state.

• Pray that our Bible study and other aspects of our ministry will be a challenge and encouragement to them.

You can learn more about the legislative interim committee assignments and meetings at the West Virginia Legislature web site.

Singing in the State Senate

A group of senate staff known as "The Singing Doormen" sing together on a regular basis. This past Tuesday they sang to help open the floor session. I had the privilege of opening the session in prayer, so I got to stay and listen as Senator Clark Barnes joined them in singing "The Old Rugged Cross" and "The Sweet By and By".

The Singing Doormen - Senator Clark Barnes is 2nd from right.

The doormen help provide order and security for the legislature while in session and these men have served in both the House and Senate for many years. It may be quite unique that such songs can be sung openly in the state capitol.

Listen to The Singing Doormen (recorded on the senate floor).

Steve Lawson, Message #3: Paul's Ministry in Thessalonica (Acts 17)

Dr. Steve Lawson's third message at our annual vision and planning meetings brought us encouragement from Paul's ministry in Thessalonica as seen in Acts 17.

Paul and the others were known as men who "turned the world upside down". Like him, we want to have a ministry that is potent, provocative, and powerful.

Outline:

I. The Difficult Challenge

• The Social Challenge

Thessalonica was a strategic city, a beachhead for the rest of Macedonia. It was a base of political, social, and economic power for the area. "It was larger stage, a faster track, a brighter spotlight for the gospel message". Such as it is for our ministry in state capitols.

• The Religious Challenge

Paul (as was his custom), went right into the synagogue and tried to reach those caught up in dead religion. It was where he always received the greatest opposition.

II. The Dynamic Ministry

From the Scripture Paul:

• Reasoned "To say thoroughly, engaging, connecting"
• Explained "To open thoroughly, to give the interpretation"
• Gave Evidence "Place along side". Using Scripture to interpret Scripture
• Proclaimed "How the message is proclaimed: with passion, fervency, intensity, conviction"

III. The Divided Response

• Positive "Some of them were persuaded..." (vs. 4)
• Negative "Some...formed a mob and set the city in an uproar..." (vs. 5)

Dr. Lawson challenged us in closing:

• Advance to the front line. Don't seek a safe, soft ministry. "Loyalty is tested where the battle rages strongest".


• Be provocative. Make waves. Rock the boat. Stir the Pot. WITH THE GOSPEL!


• Constantly announce the supremacy of Christ.

We are grateful for Dr. Lawson taking the time to challenge and encourage us as we seek to make disciples in the political arena. Politics is a world of compromise and we have an uncompromising message which we need to proclaim with boldness. I believe Dr. Lawson's messages will engergize you as you seek to proclaim the Word in your arena as well.

Download message number three.

You can find all three of Dr. Lawson's messages here.

Steve Lawson, Message #2: The Distinctives of Peter's Sermon (Acts 2)

Dr. Steve Lawson's second message at our annual vision and planning meeting dealt with the distinctives of Peter's sermon in Acts 2:14-39.

Outline:

I. His message was marked by boldness

• "Standing" He took an authoritative posture
• "Raised his voice" He was emphatic and bold
• "Said to them" He spoke clearly, with a declarational tone and authoritative boldness, with no hesitation or apology.

II. His Message was marked as biblical

• He read the text (vs. 16-21)
• He explained the text (22-24)
• He supported the text (25-28; 34-35)
• He synthesized the text (vs. 36)
• He applied the text (vs. 37-40)

III. His message was marked as Christ centered

• Christ is the fulfillment of the Old Testament (vs. 15-21)
• The life of Christ (vs. 22)
• The death of Christ (vs. 23)
• The resurrection of Christ(vs. 24-29)
• The exaltation of Christ (vs. 35)
• The final judgement of Christ (vs. 35-36)
• The call for repentance (vs 38)

I hope posting this outline might whet your appetite to listen to the message in its entirety. If you are committed to expository ministry of the Word you will find this message tremendously encouraging. I found it a great challenge as I seek to pursue this kind of ministry in the capitol.

Listen to message #2.

Steve Lawson, Message #1: The Source of Boldness in Ministry

From Acts 1:8 Dr. Lawson reminded us that the source for boldness and effectiveness in ministry is the presence and filling of the Holy Spirit.

"…But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

Observations:

• The apostles were supernaturally emboldened to proclaim the gospel (note Peter the night of the crucifixion then here at Pentecost).

• Paul boldly shared the gospel in capitol cities. He wanted to go to Rome to strike a blow for the gospel at the very center of the empire. It was Paul against the empire...and it was a mismatch!

• Two things changed Peter and the other believers, the resurrection and the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Outline:

I. The Promise of the Spirit's Power: "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you..."

II. The Purpose of the Spirit's Power: "You shall be My witnesses..."

III. The Parameters of the Spirit's Power: "In Jerusalem, all Judea, Samaria, and the remotest part of the earth" (i.e. where ever His servants go...even the capitol!)

Dr. Lawson showed us that every time it was noted in the Book of Acts that believers were filled with the Holy Spirit, it resulted in the bold proclamation of the Word of God (see 4:31; 6:3; 7:51; 13:9; 13:52-14:1).

What a challenge to remember our dependence upon the work of the Holy Spirit as we seek to boldly proclaim the Word in a difficult field.

Listen to Dr. Lawson's message here.

Time in the Word at Our Annual Planning & Vision Meeting

We are still here at THE Southern Baptist Seminary in Louisville for our annual planning and vision meetings. What a tremendous blessing to be together with our leaders and staff from around the nation.

Most encouraging has been our time in the Word. On Wednesday evening and Thursday morning we had the wonderful privilege to hear four messages from Dr. Steve Lawson as he exhorted us how to have boldness and courage in ministry as seen in the book of Acts.

If you have heard Dr. Lawson preach, you know He is a passionate, dynamic expositor of the Word. He "set our hair on fire" to go out and boldly proclaim the gospel and teach the Word in our capitols.

I will be posting a brief overview and link to each of the messages