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"Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" (Acts 19:2 NIV). Because of a lack of teaching, understanding and personal experience, many good church members would have to answer in the same way as the Ephesian disciples..."No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit" (v.3).
The Life in the Spirit Weekend is an exciting strategy which is designed to acquaint the participant with the person, the work, and the power of the Holy Spirit (the third person of the Trinity), through the use of scripture and personal testimony. Every effort is made to see that the content is both scripturally balanced and Wesleyan in nature. The weekend is designed to heighten awareness of the Spirit of God working in our personal lives and in the life of the church, to break down any barriers the participant might have, and to create a greater openness to the fullness of the Holy Spirit.
During the Life in the Spirit Weekend, the grace of God, the love of Jesus Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit become active in the worship, the short teachings, and the contagious testimonies of faith that are shared by the team members. As a result of the weekend, the participants will discover the potential and the power of the Holy Spirit to lead, guide, and direct their lives into the fullness of Christ Jesus that God offers to every believer. They will be encouraged and challenged to receive "the promise of the Father" and begin walking with Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit.
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The leadership team is made up of a trained coordinator, a worship leader, and several team members (usually a ratio of one team member for each 5-7 expected participants). The coordinators are persons who are committed to the renewal of the UMC and are approved by ARM. They have personally experienced the power of the Holy Spirit in their own lives as they walk with Jesus, and have the ability to lead others into a vital experience of a similar nature. Coordinators will be carefully and prayerfully selected for your event.
Team members are carefully selected by the coordinator because of their openness and willingness to share their experiences as they also learn to walk with Jesus in the power of His Spirit.
The coordinator works closely with the pastor and general chairperson of a local church in preparing for the weekend.
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The event begins on a Friday evening with a covered dish dinner, worship, teaching on praise, and a small group experience led by team members. All sessions will begin with 10-20 minutes of worship using familiar hymns and contemporary worship choruses.
On Saturday morning, team members will share on ten ministries of the Holy Spirit, (i.e., love, prayer, guidance, etc.). The afternoon teaching session will center around kingdom encounters in the book of Acts, as well as the gifts and fruit of the Spirit. On Saturday evening, the coordinator(s) share their personal testimonies regarding the work of the Holy Spirit in their lives, and the evening will close with an opportunity for the participants to receive personal ministry from team members.
Meals during the day on Saturday can be "on your own" or arranged by the church, whichever is preferred.
The team normally takes responsibility for the morning worship on Sunday, with the coordinator preaching and team members leading in worship and liturgy. During the church school hour, team members are available to teach or share in each class.
Although the Life in the Spirit Seminar is most often scheduled for a full weekend, a different schedule, including a one day event, can be arranged to meet your needs. In addition to weekend events for local churches, the LISS has been done in retreat settings, in prisons, for districts, and internationally, even in refugee camps! We can be flexible with the scheduling.
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For a successful Life in the Spirit Seminar, it is important to encourage participation from the members of your congregation. There is no maximum number.
We suggest that you charge a $15-$20 per person registration fee to help cover costs of the weekend: participant's manual; honoraria and travel expenses for the coordinator and worship leader. The other team members travel at their own expense to live for the weekend with members of your congregation. You will need to provide meals for the entire team, as well as refreshment breaks and nursery care. A registration fee helps give your planning team accurate numbers to plan for meals, child care, youth, etc.
You are also requested to take up a love offering or to make a contribution to ARM. If the registration and offerings should exceed the expenses for the event, ARM will use those funds for helping to fund other renewal events and for leadership training.
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The request for scheduling should be made in writing by the pastor of the church. You may call the office at 615-851-9192 to request more information, or fill out our LISS Weekend Request Form which is part of the LISS Brochure and follow the instructions at the bottom of the form. A six months' lead time is desirable to provide ample time for preparation. |
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Equipping for Life in the Spirit Seminar leadership takes place at the Power UP Equipping Event hosted at the ARC each fall. Power UP includes equipping for LISS Coordinators, Team Members and Worship Leaders. Power Up usuallyl takes place annually in October. Click here for more information. LISS Team Training can also be arranged at your church if you would have at least 15 interested participants. |
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Call the ARM office at (615) 851-9192 for more registration information |
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