The name I gave to the group was 'Casting Off Weights'. This choice was influenced by the Bible passage in Hebrews, chapter 12, verses 1 and 2. This choice was also influenced by my feeling that the group would provide accountability to the members for sticking to their individual health and fitness plans. The start of the Bible study was announced in two local newspapers, on a printed flyer (shown below), and through facebook.
I created a Bible reading plan so all of the members would read the same passages through the week and discuss them during the group meetings. Over the course of the previous two years, I read the entire New International Version translation of the Bible except for the book of Psalms. I wanted to finish this reading, so I chose Psalms as the focus of the study for the summer of 2010.
The facebook badge below is a link to the Casting Off Weights group page on the Facebook site (if the group were to become active again, the badge will show upcoming events). The first picture shows the front of SNAP Fitness where we held the Bible study. After that is the flyer made to advertise the Bible study. Next, you can see a copy of the calednar pages that attendees received every week showing the Bible scriptures to read for the following week with space provided for taking notes and keeping a log of diet and exercise progress. After this, you can see a snapshot of the Facebook page as it appeared on the first week of the study as well as after the last meeting. The last five pictures below were taken at the final meeting."
Casting Off Weights
|
Create Your Badge
While I stood in front the congregation with Sheila and my mother, I gave two testimonies that you can watch by clicking on the links below. The first is a testimony about my salvation. The second testimony turned out to be significant for the work that God would shortly be assigning to me. For years, my mother and I sang a song called 'Peace in the Valley' (not the popular one that most everybody knows, but a different and almost unknown song), and I would give this same testimony, more or less, every time we would sing it about how each person has the unique ability to reach a certain group of people for Christ. I didn't realize until later that, while I was saying the words, I never really thought about applying them to myself to understand my own calling from God.
|
 Salvation Testimony David Spakes WMV Video - 1,005 Kb Click to Watch |
|
"Unique Ability" Testimony David Spakes WMV Video - 2,802 Kb Click to Watch |
These pictures were taken on Sunday, October 3. The service began with an elder brother taking the floor and addressing the pastor and his wife, rejecting the prayers they had prayed for him and returning a bottle of anointing oil they had given to him. The mood was somber after he left the building, because the devil had tried from the beginning to undermine the service, but the Holy Spirit turned it all around during the congregational singing as people began to come to the altar. I came forward to pray for the people, taking authority over sicknesses and oppressions of the devil in the name of Jesus. I used the bottle of oil that had been returned by the elder brother to anoint those in the congregation who received it joyfully, and so God poured out what seemed to be an extra special blessing. I ended the service with a short sermon and by singing our special songs.
These pictures were taken on Thursday, October 7. There was a small
crowd for this mid-week service, but the Lord was present. After
a few special songs were sung, I preached the evening sermon."
