1 / 26

Mercy Seat Ministries

Mercy Seat Ministries. Let Glory Crown the Mercy Seat. Mercy Seat Ministries. Foundations for Mercy Seat Ministries. Session I. International Mission Statement. The Salvation Army An international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian Church.

gil
Download Presentation

Mercy Seat Ministries

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Mercy Seat Ministries Let Glory Crown the Mercy Seat

  2. Mercy Seat Ministries Foundations for Mercy Seat Ministries Session I

  3. International Mission Statement The Salvation Army An international movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian Church. • Its message is based upon the Bible; • Its ministry is motivated by love for God; • Its mission is to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and meet human needs in His Name without discrimination.

  4. Biblical Examples... Of Leading People To Christ Disciples Bringing Other Disciples To Christ • Andrew brings Simon-Peter to Christ (John 1:40-42) • Philip brings Nathaniel to Christ (John 1:43-49) • Philip leads the Ethiopian to Christ (Acts 8:26-38) • “Come follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you • fishers of men.” (Matthew 4:19) Disciples Bringing Seekers to Christ Christ Calling the Disciples

  5. The MEANING... A Place of God’s Presence • Hebrew: kapporeth, a "covering;" the covering or lid of the ark of the covenant. • It is compared to the throne of grace. • The Holy of Holies is called the "place of the mercy-seat.” • The mercy seat is a place where people come to be in God’s presence.

  6. The MEANING... A Place ofSacrifice and Forgiveness • Israel made animal sacrifices for their sins on the mercy seat on the “Day of Atonement” (Yom Kippur). • Paul says that Christ was a Mercy Seat “in His own blood.” • We now approach the mercy seat bringing the broken sacrifice of ourselves, remembering the perfect sacrifice of Christ that covers all. In return we seek forgiveness and healing.

  7. Most people come to the mercy seat to meet with God. Some people also come to the mercy seat to meetGod, by coming to Him for the first time. The MOTIVATION...

  8. The METHOD... A Place of Surrender and Strength • The mercy seat, also known as the penitent form, is in every Salvation Army sanctuary. • William Booth always believed that it was good to confess one's surrender to God … in public. • Wherever anyone feels they must live as God wants them to live, that place can be their Penitent Form or Mercy Seat.

  9. Mercy Seat Ministries Session II Guidelines for Mercy Seat Ministry

  10. General Considerations Good Grooming Personal Hygiene Good Manners

  11. Characteristics of a Good Counselor • Sensitivity to The Holy Spirit • Knowledge of God’s Word • Faith • Love • Understanding • Tact • Sincerity

  12. Our Limitations • We cannot “fix” their problems. • Band-aids don’t heal broken hearts. • Freedom of the press does not apply. • We are not professional counselors. • Our only authority comes from God’s Word.

  13. Mandatory Reporting

  14. Our ministry as mercy seat counselor involves three main things: Helping bear others’ burdens through prayer. This also involves listening. Guiding people into acceptance of God’s promises for their lives through personalizing Scripture. When necessary, referring those in certain need to the officer or a source of professional help.

  15. Beyond the Mercy Seat • Prayer • Referral • Follow-up

  16. Mercy Seat Ministries Counseling the Seeker Session III

  17. PRAYER- Seeking God’s guidance Be aware of age, gender, & background These guidelines apply for all people at the altar, whether or not they are first-time seekers Preparing the Way...

  18. Kneeling with the Seeker... • Silent prayer (for guidance, and for the seeker) • Personal introductions (if necessary) • Questioning (why is the seeker here?) • Listening (hearing the seeker’s felt need) • Sharing God’s promises (making the Bible personal) • Prayer with the seeker (if possible, both should pray)

  19. Counseling First-Time Seekers: • Emphasize God’s love. (John 3:16) • Outline the way of Salvation. • Point out God’s answer- Jesus Christ. • Stress the need to accept Christ personally. • Encourage and definite decision. • Consolidate through prayer. • Make plans for follow-up.

  20. Counseling for Holiness • Emphasize God’s power (Matthew 28:18) • Emphasize God’s promise (Ephesians 3:14-21) • Emphasize the work of the Holy Spirit (John 16:13) • Emphasize Commitment (Hebrews 12:1)

  21. Counseling for Restoration • Avoid too much pressure or probing • Confessions must be treated in confidence • The seeker may need to speak with an officer • Assure them of God’s pardon of what they have confessed (1 John 1:9) and of God’s (and your) unconditional acceptance • Encourage use of “The Armor of God” (Ephesians 6:13) and other things to help prevent further backsliding • Emphasize the importance of faith (Hebrews 11, SA Doctrines 8-9)

  22. Counseling for Rededication • Identify the need. • Stress the importance of Scripture and prayer. (2 Timothy 3:16, 1 Thessalonians 5:17) • Encourage the seeker to make specific plans for commitment. • Move toward rededication of the whole self.

  23. Children • Find out why the child is at the altar. • Explain that Jesus can always help like a best friend, and he wants to be with them. • DO NOT use abstract expressions like “ask Jesus into your heart”. Young children take things literally, and will not understand. • Lead the child in a simple prayer. Ask them to repeat after you.

  24. Teens • In dealing with teens, you may need to initiate the conversation • Be prepared to ask tough questions- they live in tough circumstances • If they are first time seekers, move the teens on to making a definite decision • If teens make a commitment to Christ with your guidance, be prepared to be available for future help and support

  25. Helpful Hints • Avoid clichés and “Christian-eese”. • Listen more than you talk. • Listen actively (ask questions when necessary). • Do not try to force communication or answers.

  26. Mercy Seat Ministries Case Studies and Role Plays Session IV

More Related