Category Archives: Church

Mar 3 2011

The Church Death Grip – Holding on to the Insignificant

For centuries churches have had their rituals, and sacred practices, and for many of them that is what fuels their very being.  What once was created to worship God eventually becomes an idol (God)  in which takes precedence over the true purpose of the church.

Many times when we talk about holding on to insignificant practices we tend to reference traditional churches, but I started thinking about all the methodologies of many of the  churches that are proclaiming to be cutting edge.  Continue reading →

Dec 7 2010

Transform Your Church By Transforming Your Leadership Part 3

Initiative

You have to take the initiative to be initiative. You rarely ever have a natural desire to be initiative.

Most hidden passage of scripture for Church Leadership: Galatians 2:1-10

  • It is time to Move (after 14 years), Initiate God given vision. v.1
  • Bring others with you (Barnabas and Titus) v.1
  • Go because of Vision/Revelation v.2
  • Proclaim the Gospel/God’s Vision v.2
  • There will always be false brothers/believers/followers/staff v.4 – Purpose is to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ.  Try to catch you slipping up, and enslave you to
  • Never give in to false brothers, not even for a moment, so that the truth of the Gospel will be promoted. v.5
  • You cannot be partial even to those who seem to be (LEADERS) influential. (What they were makes no difference to me; God show no partiality)  Theses people add nothing to you, your ministry, and your vision. v.6
  • Feed the Vision, Grow the Vision, Share the Vision, Communicate the Vision, Initiate the Vision.
  • When you are faithful to God’s vision, He will put pillars (faithful men) in your life to support you. v.9
  • Remember the purpose of your vision. v.10
  • It is time to initiate your God given vision!!

Key things you should be initiating: Continue reading →

Nov 21 2010

Choose this Day – Whom You Will Serve.

I have never been so haunted by such a scripture as Joshua 24, and I will share a little more in detail here in a little bit, but the command in this passage has plagued my mind for going on a year now.

Choose this Day – Whom You Will Serve.

I came across this passage earlier in the year during a quiet time, and then Brandon preached this passage during his Journey through the Word Series, and it also happened to be the theme of this year’s church camp.

Everywhere I went this passage followed.  God has a way of getting his message across one way or another, and I believe it is something we all need to hear.

Joshua 24:14-15  Read/Pray                        Choose this Day – Whom you will serve.

The Sunday School answer quickly comes to our minds, “of course we choose to serve God”, but have you weighed the consequences of serving God?  We are so quick to say, “Yes, I will serve God”, without any thought of what is required of us in order to serve God.

In Order for us to serve God the Scripture clearly tells us that we must:

Continue reading →

Nov 3 2010

Transform Your Church By Transforming Your Leadership

I recently had the wonderful opportunity to get involved in a Pastor/Leadership Coaching Network that is held monthly, and I can’t even begin to express how much I have gained from being involved with this group. I thought I would take a moment to share what we discussed, but before we get into it; I want to give a huge shout out to Shannon O’dell pastor of Brand New Church for putting all of this together.  I would also like to encourage everyone to get a copy of Shannon’s new book: Transforming Church in Rural America

When You Transform Your Church By Transforming Your Leadership You Will See Transformed Lives.

Session 1

Vision: When Seeing Requires Believing

[Jesus said,] “Everything is possible for him who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:23-24) This should be your prayer.

What is Vision?

Vision is the Desire: Vision can be understood in the mind, but it’s something that must be felt in the gut.  It is the ability to see something that is not, yet it is so compelling that we know it is something that must be, and something that, by God’s grace, will be.

Vision is the Direction: Vision shows you where you are, reveals where God wants you to be, and lights the road to get there.  But it doesn’t mean He is going to give you the car.  Vision is going wherever God calls us to god and then finding or creating the vehicle to get us there, by a sovereign mixture of God’s provision and our exertion.

Vision is Defining: Vision is not illusion.  It brings focus and practicality to everything we do.  With clear vision, everything you and I embark on can, and must, be in line with the overall vision of your church.

Vision is Dynamic: Vision is us in action, hearing what God wants us to then providing the vehicle to allow that vision to come to fruition.  I’m not talking about motion but a movement.

Vision is in Deity: Vision comes from God, and vision belongs to God – not us.

Vision is Driven: Yes, “vision is the desired,” but it must be God’s desire, not ours.  That requires unqualified surrender and submission to Him.  God is the one who drives our vision, and He is the one who drives our life. (Ditch the “God is my copilot” bumper sticker – that is imprecise and unbiblical.)  God should be in the drivers seat.

Vision is Dependant: I can do ALL things through Christ who gives me strength. Do you believe that?

“The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision.” - Helen Keller

Struggling to Believe

Pastors, leaders, and church volunteers often struggle to believe:

  • that God can remove the church bully
  • that God can ignited a spiritual fire and revival within the “church family”
  • that God can provide the resources for faith-filled ministries
  • that God can use your church to reach the world
  • that God can change the way it’s always been;
  • that God cares about my church
  • that God can use me to change my community

Session 1 Notes:

- Your vision will always surround what you value.

- You love most what you think about most, if you love your ministry more than Jesus, you’re committing idolatry.

- If you have vision you can be guaranteed division.  Dog’s don’t bark at parked cars.

- Call people to action that is what is revolutionizing the church

- Don’t base success off acceptance

- Two things you got to have in Rural America: 1. Biblical Foundation 2. Vision (What will happen if our vision isn’t fulfilled?)

- We preach against Hollywood, but we want Hollywood Church

- If it isn’t reaching the lost why are we doing it?  It is a distraction.

- Everybody wants to make a difference

- People deserve church done right.

- If you can do it yourself, it is not effective vision.

- Don’t give up on a church that is on the verge of break through

- EVERYTHING you do needs to be surrounded by your vision.

- You don’t need another Sunday School class – but you better be bringing it in the pulpit.

Session 2

Leadership: Resisting the Urge to Settle

LEADERSHIP IS … resisting the urge to SETTLE

Leadership emerges when someone has had enough, when they say change must take place, and when they’re willing to stand up and be used by God to make a difference.

Leadership is bothtaught and brought.

It is taught in the sense that someone, at one time, showed a leader what leadership looks like by standing up to make a difference.  Leadership is also “brought” in the sense that it doesn’t just show up, you have to bring it!!

Leadership is an indispensable attribute.

Leadership 101:

Resiting the Urge to Settle in the Home on the Range

God spoke marriage into being.

He said, “It is not good for the man to be alone” (Gen. 2:18)

God gave away the first bride.

When God presented Eve to Adam, and when God presents us with our spouse.

God established the flesh union – two become one.

Pastoring your Home involves…

Spiritual provision. Reading the Scriptures, praying, confessing your sins and asking for forgiveness, extending forgiveness, and initiating service, ministry, and worship opportunities.

Physical provision. “If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (1 Tim. 5:8 emphasis added).

Spiritual protection. When you lead with the love of Jesus at home, it protects your wife in the street.  I know that men are so shocked when women become emotionally attached to someone else.  BE THE PASTOR OF YOUR HOME>

Physical protection.

Session 2 Notes:

- It is hard to have an affair or engage in pornography when your daily praying intimately with your wife.

- Make sure your spiritual bathing, and bathe your bride before you bathe the bride of Christ.

- Leadership HAS TO START IN THE HOME!!

- Prayer is not an option. Pray with your family every night no matter what.

- Preparation is the separation between winning and losing.

Oct 19 2010

“ALONE” Every Pastor’s Struggle

The other night I was driving home down a curvy fog covered road after a long day of ministry, and I began to feel utterly alone.  I rarely ever feel this way, but this particular night it was a reality that I had allowed myself to get caught in for a brief moment.  In this one moment I felt like there was no one in the world who understood what I was going through, or understood the pressures of ministry that I faced.  I began to sulk a little bit, until I was reminded and convicted by the Holy Spirit that there are pastors all around us who struggle with loneliness every day.  There are many who struggle just to get up in the morning because they feel so utterly alone.

I am very blessed and fortunate to serve in ministry with many great people and have such a wonderful wife, family, and friends.  But I allowed this one moment of selfishness, pride, and self-pity to really become a stumbling block for myself, and I realize I have nothing to complain about.

I am reminded of Christ when He was on the cross; the pain, isolation, and loneliness he must have felt when God turned His back.  He must have felt utterly alone.  This picture brought to realization that instead of sulking and feeling sorry for myself I should stop and pray for the hundreds of pastors who struggle with depression and isolation every day.  In reality it got me to thinking about WHY? Why are there so many of God’s men fighting this battle of depression and isolation?  Many reasons came to mind, but I would just like to point out a few.

  • Lone Ranger Ministry: Failure to equip and recruit partners in ministry. Many times pastors can be controlling, and would rather just do it themselves.  They feel like they could do it better or faster if they just did it on their own.  This results in overbearing work loads, rigid work hours, and ministry burn-out.  This also defeats the purpose of training up others to accomplish God’s work.
  • High Standards & Accountability: Unable to be ones-self or let ones guard down out of of fear of being judged. Live a false persona or facade lifestyle in order to distract others from seeing ones genuine self.Tend to refrain from building close relationships with individuals that we minister to/with out of fear of our sin being exposed.
  • Fear of Failure: Fear of letting people down, not living up to our own expectations, pride, and having a rock-star mentality. Not being honest about where we are at in ministry. Living according to our own expectations or the expectations of others instead of God’s expectations.
  • Acceptance: Desire to be loved and accepted.  We become people pleasers and seek man’s approval over God’s approval. Tend to seek the applause of men.
  • Unbalanced Priorities/Schedule: Priorities are out of line, and ministry starts to overwhelm ones schedule.  Failure to make time for God, and your family.  Constantly busy; unable to slow down.

Quick Tips:

  • Make God First in Your Life!!
  • Stop being selfish, and ask people for help.
  • Be yourself! Allow God to be your judge, not men.
  • Learn to say no.
  • Make God First in Your Life!!
  • It is OK to fail!!  It is failure that often times draws us closer to God. Learn from your failures, and try again. Consider the WD-40 method. (Research the history of WD-40 interesting stuff.)
  • You are not cool!! Take off the skinny jeans, return the bling, and just build relationships and be relevant.
  • STOP trying to be Super Star Pastor.  It doesn’t work!  STOP!!  STOP!!  STOP IT!! Love God and Love others, its that simple.
  • Love God and Love your family, and you will begin to love others and they will begin to love you.
  • Make God First in Your Life!!
  • Everything takes longer than it takes to do.  Schedule adequate time for and in between each appointment.  Determine a stopping point prior to starting.
  • Create a value structure.  Write down the things that are most important, and prioritize your schedule according to such.
  • Simplicity and Contentment.  Learn to keep things simple, and be content with what God has in store for your life.
  • Make God First in Your Life!!
  • Build a support group, and nourish friendships.
  • Be the leader of your home.  Love your wife and love your kids.  Can’t express this enough.
  • I may have already said this, but Make God First in Your Life!!

I’m no expert on this topic, but these are some of the things that really hit home for me.  Maybe you see some of these issues in your life, or maybe you are aware of others, either way I would love to hear what you think.  What do you see are some of the main causes for depression and isolation amongst pastors/ministers?  What are some tips you might have?

Sep 1 2010

Spiritual Practices: Giving – Having God-like Generosity

Giving – Having God-like Generosity

God created us to be people who give.  We are to give our time, attention, possessions, money, and love for God’s service.  Jesus began this ministry of giving when he gave his life for us. (1 John 3:16-17)  Jesus is generous, and he expects us to be generous as well.  Giving is a tangible way to display that Jesus is first in our lives.  It is also to demonstrate our dependence upon God, and not on ourselves.  The easiest way to get started giving is to do just that and give.  Start by tithing a tenth of your finances to the church you attend.  Ten percent is a rule of thumb set up in the Old Testament – but don’t let that stop you from giving more.  Acts 4:32-35 (NLT) – “All the believers were united in heart and mind.  And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had.  The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God’s great blessing was upon them all.  There were NO NEEDY people among them, because those who … (gave – PH) would bring the money to the apostles (church) to give to those in need.”

Steps to God-like Generosity: Acts 4:32-35

1.  Be united in Heart and Mind – Acts 4:32a

  • Being united in fellowship with fellow believers reveals the necessity to give
  • Our Hearts and minds should be centered on God and His Word
  • Our hearts should be in tune with what the Holy Spirit has for us to do

When our hearts and minds are centered on God and His word, and we are in tune with the Holy Spirit our awareness of the needs around us will be made more aware to us.

2. Recognize that everything you have is not your own – Acts 4:32b

  • Everything you own is a blessing from God
  • Everything you have belongs to God
  • God has the power to give and to take away Job 1:21

3. Share Everything you have – Acts 4:32c

  • Graciously – Give above and beyond.  Don’t just give a simple 10 percent; however give everything that God lays upon your heart to give.  2 Cor. 9:7  “Each must decide how much to give”
  • Willingly – 2 Cor. 9:7 “don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure.”  But we are to give willingly not out of fear of reproach.
  • Cheerfully – “If I give everything I have I will have nothing left.” – 2 Cor. 9:7b-8 “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.  And God will generously provide all you need.  Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.” (NLT)
  • Freely – When you are united in Heart and mind, in tune with God, and you recognize everything you have is not your own then you will have no problem giving freely to those who are in need. 2 Cor. 9:9 “They share freely and give generously”

We desperately need to give of our time, resources, money, energy, and love.  Everyone that we encounter on a daily basis is in need of something.  It is our job to be compassionate toward others, determine their need, and give.    There is one thing that everyone is in need of, and that is Jesus Christ.  Let’s get out there and give.

Result of Being Ungenerous:

Malachi 3:8-10 (ESV) – “Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me.  But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions (generosity). You are cursed with a curse for robbing me.”

We wonder why God is not providing for us, we wonder why we are struggling financially, we wonder why God is not answering our prayers… it is because we are being ungenerous and are robbing God.  I am not promoting this name it and claim it faith, but God’s Word is saying that we are to give, and when we give He will provide, and when we don’t we are cursed.

Result of Having God-like Generosity:

Acts 4:33 – God’s great blessing was upon them

Acts 4: 34 – There were no needy people among them

2 Cor. 9:8 – God will generously provide all you need

2 Cor. 9:8 – You will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.

2 Cor. 9:9 – Because of their generosity “their generosity will be remembered forever.”   Example: “The Widow’s Mite: – Mark 12: 41-44