Throughout history, there have been several people that we use as examples for what good leadership looks like. Even though there are people on Earth that set a standard we should follow concerning leadership, as Christians, there is one person that had all the qualities that a leader should have and never failed either. Jesus Christ is our perfect example of what it means to be a leader.

Leadership can take shape in many different forms depending on the setting. Whether it be a football coach rallying his players before a once in a lifetime championship or a CEO leaving his office to visit his employees in a warehouse, leadership is a staple characteristic in many successful people. While important in a practical sense, leadership is also demonstrated throughout the Bible and something that God wants to instill and develop in his children.

Every day we are surrounded by people: going to school with our different classmates, working alongside our coworkers, or hanging out with our friends. It is clear that we were made to dwell with other people, to have relationships with them so we won’t feel isolated and alone. God created humans to desire relationships with other people and to live in community. However, it is extremely important who we decide to spend our time with. Being involved and surrounded in Christ centered community is something that can draw us closer to God, make us more like Christ, and give us the strength to share the Gospel with others.

Prayer helps bind our hearts and minds to what God wants. It is more than just a grocery list where we check off what we need from God each day. In fact, it is a way of loving those around us, a way of worshipping him, and a way of rejuvenating ourselves spiritually. We have been given the gift of communicating directly with God so it would be wise for us to use it. He desires a relationship with us and in order to establish that, we have to yearn for him.

The Bible is one of the most important treasures that Christians can possess. It is God’s Words written for us to read and learn more about how we navigate our lives and spiritual walk. The Church often uses the Bible as a foundation builder in developing and maintaining a relationship with God. Although it is something that we know is important, and hear about all the time, do we personally spend time in it daily?

SWAT Ministries has an emphasis on pouring into the people our leaders come in contact with. This could be the friends we talk to everyday or a stranger we walk past on the street. We find leaders who desire to serve children and adults in our local area. However, if we are sending leaders to pour into and love on those who we come into contact with, how do we continue to have the spiritual capacity to do these things?

Prayer is a recognition of that longing and putting of words to it. The only one who can fill our deepest yearning is God himself. It is he whom we long for. It is that relationship and world of Eden that we lost, and that even now we are waiting to fully regain. But prayer is communication right at this very moment with the living God. It is part of the Kingdom here and now.

The good news is - there is purpose to our lives. There is the purpose of all humanity, and there are the individual influences where you (and I) uniquely live out our human purpose. The exciting (and relieving) news is that our human purpose isn’t hard to find, and, if we pay attention, neither are our influences. You don’t have to go on a wild goose chase for purpose. You don’t constantly have to question what God has created you to do. Purpose isn’t stressful, it’s beautiful. That’s exactly what we’re going to explore in this blog post.

In Psalm 23:2 the psalmist writes, “ the LORD lets me rest in green meadows; He leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength.” In some translations it states that the LORD “MAKES” us lie down in green pastures. Isn’t it crazy that sometimes God may have to force us to rest? He leads us to peaceful streams and meadows away from the world. This my friends is one way that God renews our strength. Find your strength renewed in the Father’s presence.

Fasting is probably one of the hardest of the spiritual disciplines. But it is both important and good. It forces us into the realization that we are totally and completely dependent on God for every last thing within our lives. You don’t have to start huge, but we encourage you to start somewhere with your fasting. If you make fasting a part of your life rhythm, it will be life-changing. It will focus your heart, mind, and eyes that much more on the King and his kingdom.

Implementing daily and weekly habits that draw you closer to God is a necessary action for your well-being, spiritual growth, and ability to lead and disciple others. The Sabbath is a beautiful rest that nourishes your spirit and allows you to go out and love others better. Our challenge for you is to try practicing a Sabbath for a few weeks in a row. Once you get the taste of life with a weekly rest, you won’t ever want to go back to before.

Storytelling doesn’t just apply to writers, whether they be fiction or nonfiction, it applies to us as small group leaders as well. We want to share the truth with our students, but we want to do so in a compelling way. And, as Students With A Testimony, our entire attitude surrounding the weekend is based on one story…

Lectures are boring, but what other way is there to teach? Exactly. Just ask questions! In this post we discuss how and why to teach students by just asking them questions.

Ever wondered how to cut down long curriculum for middle school students? Ever felt at a loss for how to get your students interested about Jesus? Ever been in that moment when a student asks you for relationship advice and you have no idea what to say?? In this video, we’ll be answering those questions and more submitted by our leaders.

For those in relation with Jesus, your testimony is your life. Who you are, what you say, what you do because of Jesus: these are all evidence of the existence and nature of the one true king. This testimony is the most powerful tool anyone has to spread the Gospel, affect others’ lives, do ministry, bring hope, and inspire love. Hopefully this post can spark a discussion to change the way we think about our testimonies, what they are, where they come from, and how powerful they really can be.

As small group leaders we’ve all been there. You’re teaching the curriculum, asking great questions, having students read all the scripture verses, communicating deep spiritual truths in a way even John Piper would be proud of, and then, nothing. They don’t get it. A group of eight fourteen-year old’s is staring at you in a way that makes you sympathize with your plant biology professor like you never thought you could. So what now? What is the solution? You guessed it, story time, but what do you say? Here are some tips on how to develop personal stories that make your small group sessions a little more accessible.

We believe there are five common inhibitors to being a bomb small group leader. Busy schedules, fear, exhaustion, poor perspectives, and poor priorities all get in the way of leading your small group well. So how do you combat them?

Our new logo is a strong representation of what we have been doing since 1992. Our look has changed, but SWAT Ministries is still making disciples of all nations just as God called us to do in the beginning.