Kingdom Principles

2012-01-29T08:47:00.000-08:00

Our mission is to pioneer in transforming the world we know into the world God has intended.

“Leading People and Building Organizations God’s Way”

When the skills of a leader are all boiled down, there are really only two core skills: leading people and knowing how to build and manage organizations God’s way. That is why the Business Leadership School is helping to train men and women called to the marketplace in our schools around the world.
As professionally trained economists, business consultants and business owners, we take the scriptural truths of stewardship, capital creation and management, and help serious people who aspire to lead more effectively do so.Perhaps most importantly, the same principles apply equally well for building families, churches, organizations, and even nations.

These master principles are generic, specific, and multi-dimensional. Our students’ most common statement about the two-year course is this: “You know it began to change my marriage and family first and then moved on to my business dealings.” We say, “Great, you’re getting it!” God builds all organizations using the same basic principles.
God builds intentionally, strategically, relationally, and with results-driven feedback. We help open the scriptures to you to “see” these universal building patterns and, using your personal course-facilitators , help you to apply these life-changing and capital-producing truths to your life and to those you lead and influence.

http://www.scsbusin ess.org/home/ about_the_ school/mission/
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Results of the Business Leadership School

Vision: A sharply defined perspective for how Biblical truth impacts marketplace thinking and practice.

Foundations: Critical ideas that are foundational to a trajectory toward manifesting God’s Kingdom in the marketplace.

Connection: A process that helps to connect participants with other resources in a larger context fostering change and bringing transformation to one's personal life, family, business, and community.

Facilitation: A trained facilitator who provides a level of direction to participants, encouraging and helping them to examine their thoughts, attitudes, and practices in light of the principles presented in the course.

Testimonials:
"My life and thinking have been dramatically transformed since we heard about BLS. I have a BBA in Accounting, an MBA in finance and am also a CPA. I have over 12 years of corporate and business experience. This series is by far more valuable to me than those degrees, the CPA, and the experience. Without a doubt the school makes these degrees more useful for Kingdom work.
If anyone has desired to put God's Kingdom principles into practice, the materials do just that. As a matter of fact, as we began the first lesson, I was able to immediately apply the principles in the workplace. There are many other transformations that I have experienced as a result of this course of study. It's my heart's desire that everyone in the Body of Christ incorporate these teachings into his/her lifestyle. I am applying these principles to every aspect of my life."
BG, Georgia

"You have hit the mark in my life! In BLS the results of the class have been life changing, and have very possibly saved my business from bankruptcy." RH, Oregon

"The more I listen to the teachings, the more I want. It's like adding another arrow to my aresenal- these skills seem unlimited and it's just a matter of sharpening them every day."
BS, Washington

"I have a strong Christian worldview but this material has allowed me to not only understand the Christian perspective, but to apply it in my day to day life of our business."
TJ, North Carolina
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The Business Leadership School is a two-year course that involves both an annual conference component (BLS Intensive) as well as an eleven-month curriculum and mentoring component.

The Intensive
In the United States, an annual event is held each February. The even is open to all, but is a requirement for those continuing onto BLS200 (the second year of the BLS course). Those planning to enroll in BLS100 (the first year of the BLS course) are not required to attend an Intensive in advance. The goal of the Intensive is to inspire and envision attendees, and to lay a foundation that will help prepare them for the curriculum and mentoring component that will follow throughout the year.

Curriculum
Following the Intensive, students work through the curriculum that is spread throughout the year. Students participating in the course are required to work with a facilitator with whom they will meet on a regular basis. Facilitators are trained and screened by SCS and are assigned at the begin of the course.

Mentor-Based
The Mentor-based model is critical to the success of the course. Our desire to see students work with a facilitator is based in our conviction that genuine transformation in a person's life takes place in the context of spiritual relationships with other men and women. The role of the facilitator is to encourage and challenge the students as they work through the material. Facilitators are all graduates of the course themselves and have also completed a special training school specifically designed for BLS Facilitators.

Relationally- Grounded
We are committed to community and firmly believe that God builds relationally by joining the hearts of men and women. Most students will go through the course with a local small group of students and their facilitator. In addition, we have a growing alumni who continue to build with us and serve the vision of the course.

Events
Our events our designed to go beyond just an experience to actually impacting transformation in lives, businesses, and communities.

Resources
These resources and opportunities are intended to serve you in your studies and facilitation of the course.

Graduates
Graduates of the school are eligible to become Course Facilitators themselves and gain further training through our advanced courses.

Business Leadership School © 2008 All rights reserved.Business Leadership School
Voice: 800.700.0605
Fax: 707.578.1168
Email: info@gostrategic. org
http://www.scsbusin ess.org/home/ about_the_ school/course_ structure/

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Introductory Course - BLS 100

BLS100 focuses on the fundamental differences between conventional economics and Biblical economics. Enrollment includes curriculum and Facilitator oversight.

Single Teachings (audio) :
The Most Important Thing,
Moving from Religion to Reality,
The War Between Two Seeds, Inheritance of the Heart, and
Building Spiritual & Organizational Dynasties.

Doing Business God's Way (book):

Chapter 1: God is Building a Family Business
Chapter 2: Maturity Comes by Stewarding Property
Chapter 3: Generational Wealth and the Family Unit
Chapter 4: Our God Loves to Work
Chapter 5: The Product of the Family Business is Service
Chapter 6: What Money Reveals about People
Chapter 7: Risk, Self-Respect, and Redemptive Struggle
Chapter 8: Exposing the Cruelty of the Economics of Blame
Chapter 9: Justice and Equality Are Not the Same
Chapter 10: Godly Government Produces Peace and Productivity
Chapter 11: The Essential Threefold Cords that Will Lead to Your Success
Chapter 12: A Call to True Radicals

Worldview For The Marketplace (audio series):
Lesson 1: The War Between Two Seeds
Lesson 2: Building on Divine Law
Lesson 3: Getting Free from Pharaoh's Propaganda Machines
Lesson 4: Living and Working Strategically
Lesson 5: The Power of Faith & Obedience
Lesson 6: Mediating Grace
Lesson 7: Jurisdictions, Authority & Proprietorship
Lesson 8: How Big is Your Vision?
Lesson 9: God loans, Transfers & Takes Away
Lesson 10: Where is the Value?
Lesson 11: The Economics of Obedience & Boundaries
Lesson 12: The Beauty of Justice

*Also includes the supplemental 8 part audio series, The Freedom Series

Core Course - BLS 200
BLS200 focuses on strategic implementation of a Biblical worldview. There are two requirements for those who want to participate in the Business Leadership School core course. You must have completed BLS100 with Facilitator oversight, and you must have attended a BLS Intensive prior to enrollment. In addition to Facilitator oversight, BLS200 Core Course includes the book Good to Great and the following exclusive teachings:

Section One: The Foundations of Marketplace Ministry

1. The Foundations of Economics and Family Management
2. Our Ministry as Kings and Priests
3. Walking in Financial Freedom
4. Building Organizations on God’s Word and Patterns
5. How Your Marketplace Ministry Fits into the Big Picture

Section Two: Establishing Our Spiritual Foundations for Building

6. How to Hear God for Your Business
7. Discerning Whom You Can Trust
8. Spiritual Warfare within Organizations
9. Business Prayers God Will Answer

Section Three: The Keys to Successful Business Life

10. Biblical Ethics in the Marketplace
11. What Is Your Organization Called to Do?
12. Changing Man and His Institutions
13. The Nature and Power of Agreements
14. Transformation Begins With You

Section Four: Solving Problems God’s Way

15. Understanding the Basics of Problem Solving
16. The Relational Nature of Problem Solving
17. Execution and Delegation
18. Stimulating the Commitment of Others

Section Five: Managing and Mentoring People with Destiny

19. Basic Principles of Management
20. Building Our Businesses on a Relational Foundation (Pt 1)
21. Building Our Businesses on a Relational Foundation (Pt 2)
22. Understanding the Distinctions Between Teaching and Training (Pt 1)
23. Understanding the Distinctions Between Teaching and Training (Pt 2)
24. Knowing When the Game is on: God’s Green Light

Materi Biz Leadership School dari Strategic Christian Services (SCS)
Kamis, 3 September, 2009 08:07 Email ke Pak Paulus Bambang

2012-01-28T10:27:00.001-08:00

"The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Christians"

1. They continually praise the Lord…

”…I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.” Psalm 34:1. Wherever we are during our day, we can enter into praise to God. Worship isn’t a Sunday morning experience, it’s a lifestyle, and most believers live in defeat because they don’t experience personal worship in their walk with God. In order for you to be an effective witness, servant, or whatever you do for God, you must have an attitude of praise and worship. Sometimes we don’t feel like worshipping, and that is OK…as long as you still do! If we will enter in even when we don’t feel like it, then God will meet us at the point of our faith, and our spirit does the rest. (Share testimony about my worship problems…distractions, not “feeling” like it…etc.)

2. They consistently pray to the Lord… Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that you may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. James 5:16

What would happen if you stopped talking to your best friend, or boyfriend/girlfriend (wife/husband)? Your relationship would suffer! If we are going to be effective Christians, we must maintain an attitude of prayer at all times. PRAYER=TALKING TO GOD. Prayer is not only a petition, but it is also worship, and fellowship. Just like when you talk to your friends or family (NOT the shouting, lol), you can talk to God. God desires us to spend time with Him, and we do that through prayer. Our walk of faith will be stagnant and dead if we don’t communicate with our creator. Make sure as you pray that it doesn’t turn into a request time…but make it a fellowship time. Corrie Ten-Boom said, “Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?” In other words, do you use it to guide your life, or just when you break down?

3. They are encouragers…

But exhort one another daily, while it is called today; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. Hebrews 3:13 Do you find yourself tearing people down, or building them up? Effective Christians always have a word of encouragement for someone, not harsh words. Everywhere Jesus went, He shared encouragement to those who needed it…just like the woman at the well, He knew that she was in sin, but he shared God’s love with her. In your life, who do you look up to the most, and who will you always remember (FAVORABLY)…those who encouraged you, or those who tore you down? How do you want to be remembered? Read Proverbs 18:21… “Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.” Talk about the power of our words

4. They are generous givers… Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that you mete withal it shall be measured to you again. Read Luke 6:38

When Jesus walked the earth, He gave everywhere He went. He gave Himself for us on the Cross, the ultimate gift…but how often do we even take the time to give time to someone who is hurting, or hold back from blessing people with money, etc.? What is so great about giving in the Kingdom of God is…even though we don’t expect anything from God sometimes for what we do, God’s Word says that when we give, He gives back even more! True believers give until it hurts in every area…for this one reason…YOU CAN’T OUT-GIVE GOD!!! Read 2 Cor. 9:7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. When we give, we should do it without reservation…what if Jesus would have second-guessed His decision on the cross? We must give in the right spirit, or we lose out on a blessing…

Each of us would like to know that we are having some type of impact for the Lord on this earth and that we are broadening our circle of influence for Christ. So let's look at the next three habits that round off our list.

5. They are dreamers…

The Bible says that old men dream dreams and young men see visions. Sounds kind of like one is sleeping and the other one is awake! The dreamer is not like a stagnant pool but rather to be compared to a raging river. They can never he content with where they are or what they are doing. They always have another idea, something to shoot for, an inner strength that keeps their minds and spirits burning at the time. Their hunger for a new experience, a deeper walk, a higher level of effectiveness motivates them to keep on keeping on (Proverbs 16:26). They realize that nothing is impossible with God, so their expectations many times are scoffed at. But when they put their drive and determination behind their vision, they see supernatural results and therefore have a unique impact on the people whose lives they touch. This habit enables them to see the potential in the circumstances that they are in the midst of, even when others can't.

6. They are servants…

1 Peter 4:10 tells us that we are to use the gifts that we have to serve others. The Bible also tells us that he who desires to be the greatest of all must be the servant of all (Mark 10:44). We should strive to put the needs of others ahead of our own (Phillipians 2:3,4). When was the last time that you took a meal over to your sick neighbor or helped the pastor clean up around the church during church workday? Make a special effort to develop a habit of serving and seek ways in which you can practice hospitality.

7. They have a destination in mind…

You need to envision the finish line if you are ever going to get out of the starting blocks. Phillipians 3:14 tells us to press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. Our goal is to see the lost come to know the Lord as their savior and our destination is a mansion in glory. You have got to know where you are going if you ever plan on getting there. They have a vision God has birthed in them, and even though they don’t see the complete picture, they know God is going to finish it (Read Phillipians 1:6).

In summation, ~ 2 Peter 1:3 says, "His divine power has given us everything that we need for life”. There is a method to being effective and we have seen some of the habits that need to infiltrate our lives. We live in a world that longs to be effective, not just efficient. Efficiency is doing the right things but effectiveness is doing things right. Highly effective Christians praise, pray, encourage, give, dream, serve and aim for the mark. Write down this list of habits today and allow them to be part of your daily lifestyle. It won't be long before you see the effect that your effectiveness can bring.

http://www.faithalive.net/ya_messages/habits_7.htm

2012-01-28T10:25:00.000-08:00

Seven habits of Highly Effective Christians

by Grady on Mar.14, 2006, under General

Stephen Covey wrote a powerful book, “The 7 Habits of highly effective people.”
1. Be proactive. You are responsible for your life. Decide what you should do and get on with it.

2. Begin with the end in mind. Think of how you want to be remembered at your funeral. Use this as a basis for your everyday behavior.

3. Put first things first. Devote more time to what’s important but not necessarily urgent.

4. Think win-win. Have an abundance mentality. Seek solutions that benefit all parties.

5. Seek first to understand, then to be understood. Don’t dive into a conversation. Listen until you truly understand the other person.

6. Synergize. Find ways to cooperate with everyone. Value the differences between people.

7. Sharpen the saw. Continually exercise and renew four elements of your self: physical, mental, emotional/ social, and spiritual.

IF you follow these principles you will become a more effective person.

The Apostle Paul defined seven habits of highly effective Christians in Philippians;

4 Always be glad because of the Lord! I will say it again: Be glad. 5 Always be gentle with others. The Lord will soon be here. 6 Don’t worry about anything, but pray about everything. With thankful hearts offer up your prayers and requests to God. 7 Then, because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel. 8 Finally, my friends, keep your minds on whatever is true, pure, right, holy, friendly, and proper. Don’t ever stop thinking about what is truly worthwhile and worthy of praise. 9 You know the teachings I gave you, and you know what you heard me say and saw me do. So follow my example. And God, who gives peace, will be with you.
Philippians 4:4-9 (CEV)

Do you want to be a more effective believer in Christ? Follow Paul’s advice.

First, be glad. God demands gladness.

“Tell the heavens and the earth to be glad and celebrate!”
Psalm 96:11, CEV

“This day belongs to the Lord! Let’s celebrate and be glad today.”
Psalm 118:24, CEV

Second, be glad. This one must be important! Gladness is contagious. Want to get glad? Hang out with happy folks. Want to find happy folks? Go to church. Not the sad church or the fighting church. Go to a happy church. Find happy believers and get with them. Happy believers hang out in happy places.

“It made me glad to hear them say, “Let’s go to the house of the Lord!””
Psalm 122:1, CEV

God grants happiness to His followers.

Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.
Psalm 97:11 (NKJV)

Gladness is so vital to healthy Christianity that it gets two slots of the seven healthy habits. Make gladness a doubly important part of your daily life!

Third, be gentle. It is one of the fruit of the spirit. You will be much more effective in your life for God if you choose to walk the road of gentleness. Leo F. Buscaglia said, “Only the weak are cruel. Gentleness can only be expected from the strong.” Prove your spiritual strength through gentleness with others.

God considers gentle folks to be beautiful and special folks!

“Be beautiful in your heart by being gentle and quiet. This kind of beauty will last, and God considers it very special.
1 Peter 3:4, CEV

Fourth, live as if the Lord will soon be here. That last sentence in verse five is a strong statement. “The Lord will soon be here!” If Paul believed then that Jesus was coming soon, shouldn’t we be even more convinced of His soon arrival? The early church greeted each other with the word, “Maranatha!” It means, “The Lord is coming!” Our activities should always be guided by this fact. Have you considered your actions in the light of the soon return of Jesus Christ?

Fifth, don’t worry about anything! Mark Twain wrote, “Drag your thoughts away from your troubles… by the ears, by the heels, or any other way you can manage it.” I agree. we have only so many days on this planet. I just computed my thirty (possible) remaining years and I have only about 11,000 days to serve God. Why waste even one in worry?

Jesus had something to say about worry.
“I tell you not to worry about your life! Don’t worry about having something to eat or wear. 23 Life is more than food or clothing. 24 Look at the crows! They don’t plant or harvest, and they don’t have storehouses or barns. But God takes care of them. You are much more important than any birds. 25 Can worry make you live longer? 26 If you don’t have power over small things, why worry about everything else?27 Look how the wild flowers grow! They don’t work hard to make their clothes. But I tell you that Solomon with all his wealth wasn’t as well clothed as one of these flowers. 28 God gives such beauty to everything that grows in the fields, even though it is here today and thrown into a fire tomorrow. Won’t he do even more for you? You have such little faith! 29 Don’t keep worrying about having something to eat or drink. 30 Only people who don’t know God are always worrying about such things. Your Father knows what you need. 31 But put God’s work first, and these things will be yours as well”.
Luke 12:22-31(CEV)

When you choose not to worry, even when circumstances seem to promote worry, you have enabled a more powerful attitude in your life. If you want to be an effective Christian, make a habit of not worrying!

Sixth, pray about everything. This should help those who are struggling with worry. Martin Luther said, “Pray, and let God worry.” Prayer is a vital aspect of every believer’s life. Yet, we spend so little time in prayer. I am convinced that the more I commit to prayer the less I need to commit to worry. Abraham Lincoln understood the central importance of prayer. He said, “I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go.” If we fail to pray as we should, is it possible that God would permit events to occur that would drive us to our knees before Him? I believe so. Pray now or pray later. The choice is yours.

I like to identify with Cornelius. You will find his story in Acts 10. We are told;

He was a godly man, deeply reverent, as was his entire household. He gave generously to charity and was a man of prayer.
Acts 10:2 (CEV)

According to Scripture, Cornelius and his household were the first Gentiles to receive the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Prayer brings you into deeper intimacy with God. James wrote in chapter five of his letter that praying Christians are powerful and effective!

The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective.
James 5:16b (NRSV)

If our prayers are effective, our lives will be effective! So pray!

Finally, have a thankful heart. Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “Think, and be careful what thou art within; For there is sin in the desire of sin; Think, and be thankful, in a different case; For there is grace in the desire of grace.” Every born again believer has should be thankful. Grace has come into our lives. Thankful hearts are happy hearts and happy hearts are effective in stirring desire within others to know Christ.

In everything, give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 (KJV)

Do you thank God for the difficulties? Are you appreciative of the uncomfortable circumstances of life? God is in control! Thank Him!
These seven habits will help you become a healthy believer! If you will choose to make them part of your life, you will find that there are benefits associated with these godly traits!

The benefits; Peace beyond understanding!

Then, because you belong to Christ Jesus, God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand. And this peace will control the way you think and feel.
Philippians 4:7

The secret to activating these great habits in your life?

Keep your mind focused on things that are true, pure, right, holy, friendly, and proper. Think about things that are worthwhile and worthy of praise.
Philippians 4:8

May we all exhibit these seven habits of highly effective Christians!

http://www.gradyrussell.com/2006/03/14/seven-habits-of-highly-effective-christians/

2012-01-20T13:52:00.001-08:00

Thirsting After God
TGIF Today God Is First Volume 1 by Os Hillman
Friday, January 20 2012

..."Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit".... - 2 Kings 2:9

The first requirement to move in greater power and authority in God is to hunger for it. Yet even this hunger is born from God. Elisha hungered after God. Elisha saw many miracles as Elijah's servant. But he wanted more. He wanted a double portion of Elijah's spirit. When he asked Elijah for this, the prophet responded, "You have asked a difficult thing." It wasn't because it couldn't be granted. Elijah knew that with great anointing came a great weight of responsibility and difficulty.

Second, humility comes before honor. Elisha was known as the "servant of Elijah." How would you like to be known as "the servant of John"? Your name is not even mentioned. This was the preparation of Elisha. It has been the preparation of many men of God. Consider Joseph, the servant of Pharaoh. Consider David, the servant of Saul.

Third, Elisha committed himself totally to his calling. The Scripture says when Elisha was called to join Elijah, the younger man left his farm business completely. He slaughtered his oxen and had a great feast for the community. It was all or nothing. He could not fall back on his farm trade if his new venture didn't work. This demonstrates Elisha's pioneer spirit in stepping out, not knowing what was ahead.

Do you want greater anointing in God? "You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart. I will be found by you" (Jer. 29:13-14a). Begin thirsting for God's anointing in your heart today. This is the starting place.

2012-01-19T12:21:00.000-08:00

Dear Church Leader,

Leadership is often won or lost in the field of encouragement. Your ability to genuinely encourage people on a consistent basis may be the make or break point of your leadership. Don't mistake encouragement as a practice of "soft" leaders . . . it's an art and skill for the best leaders.

Blessings,

--------------------------------------

ARTICLE

"51% of Leadership"
by Dan Reiland
Encouragement provides the emotional fuel that enables people to hold longer, reach farther and dig deeper than previously believed possible. Encouragement is 51% of leadership. As a leader, your role is to lift people, to build them up and help them believe in themselves in a way greater than they have before. So let me ask you a question. Do others see you as an encourager?

Encouragement imparts courage. My call to ministry came from the highly encouraging leadership of Dr. Orval Butcher, then pastor of Skyline Wesleyan Church located in a suburb of San Diego, CA. Pastor Butcher believed in me, perhaps more than I believed in myself at that time. I was a Criminal Justice Administration major in college, but God spoke to Pastor about a different plan for my life. I didn't have enough faith or courage to hear God for myself in the early stages of my call. I knew I loved the church and invested huge amounts of time serving in the College Ministry but didn't know if I wanted the "life of a pastor." Pastor Butcher's encouraging words made the difference and enabled me to hear God's voice on my own.

Encouragement isn't something that you do from a checklist of "things to do today." It's a way of life for a leader. Encouragement is not a soft expression from a weak leader. The toughest of leaders understand that it's something core to sustained success. Essentially, encouragement comes from a deep love and belief in people and a desire to see them experience life in a better way.

• Leaders who are encouragers naturally draw people to them.

Let me raise the bar of definition for encouragement. As a leader in a local church, if you are an encourager, when you are in a public setting, people will naturally migrate to you. This is not about a charismatic personality. It doesn't matter if five people seek you out or fifty-five people seek you out. The point is that people will physically move to you because you cause their life to be a little brighter. I'm not talking about people who want permission, an extension cord or keys to the offices, but people who just want to be around you!

Let's be honest, life is wonderful but it's difficult. Isn't it? Got bills? How's your health? Do you have kids? Nough said! Life is good, but it has plenty of challenges. Life will press people down, so anyone who consistently lifts people up (sincerely) gains the ability to influence—meaning to lead!

If you are a leader in a local church and people don't migrate to you, there is a reason. You need to discover what it is. Ask someone you trust, who loves you, and will tell the truth. For now, start encouraging others. Do it sincerely and often.

• Leaders who are encouragers communicate with a positive bias.

John Maxwell is the most positive person I know. He has high faith in people and sees life for its potential over its problems. He's not delusional. John does know that life can be difficult. He just refuses to get stuck there. We were in Israel (February 2010) and John's knee had been bothering him as a result of knee surgery. Climbing all the hills and steps from Masada to Jerusalem was a challenge! But not for one moment did that deter him from great leadership on the trip, serving people, (including Baptizing dozens of people in the Jordan,) and creating fun all along the way. You just never hear John complain. That's the way it is with an encouraging leader, they communicate with a positive bias.

I'm not talking about a syrupy salesman type who promises the moon and delivers little, but a leader who knows a smile and a "can do" attitude goes a long way in any endeavor. I'm sure you've met leaders who seem to want to tell you how much work they have to do, how tired they are and how hot it is outside! They are not encouragers. Perhaps you have a lot of work to do, you may be tired, and it may be scorching hot outside where you live, but people don't want to hear that. They already experience that themselves! I'm not suggesting lack of authenticity. You need to be real. You need a few close friends who you can blow off some steam with. But in general, if you want to lead, you must communicate with a positive bias. People need hope!

• Leaders who are encouragers are quick to invest generously in others.

I love telling this story about one of my mentors and encouragers - Keith Drury. He's a professor in the Ministry Department at Indiana Wesleyan University. They call him Coach D! When I was a skinny kid with lots of dark brown hair, (My how things change), Keith demonstrated such generosity that marked my life for good. I was young and clueless in ministry and Keith was pouring leadership into a group of us young guys. I didn't have any money and he knew there was a cool leadership conference I needed to attend. After our meeting, he handed me a book to read and stuffed it in my briefcase. When I later opened it, I found two one hundred dollar bills stapled inside with a note that said, basically, I believe in you, and see you at the conference!! I was blown away, that's a lot of money but back then, it was a ton of money! More than the money was Keith's investment of time and encouragement in me. The investment has dividends even to this day!

• Leaders who are encouragers know the value of spiritual encouragement.

Jump into the book of Acts with me. 19 Now those who had been scattered by the persecution in connection with Stephen traveled as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus and Antioch, telling the message only to Jews. 20 Some of them, however, men from Cyprus and Cyrene, went to Antioch and began to speak to Greeks also, telling them the good news about the Lord Jesus. 21 The Lord's hand was with them, and a great number of people believed and turned to the Lord.

22 News of this reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem, and they sent Barnabas to Antioch. 23 When he arrived and saw the evidence of the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with all their hearts. 24 He was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and faith, and a great number of people were brought to the Lord. Acts 11:19-24

Barnabas is a spiritual encourager. He intentionally looked for "evidence" of grace and encouraged the people about their spiritual progress, and to remain committed in their faith. Perhaps it goes without saying, but encouraging people in their faith is at the very epicenter of your role as a spiritual leader. Your main job is not to grow a church, it is to grow people. When this happens your church moves forward and the Kingdom advances!

• Leaders who are encouragers are grateful for what they have.

As a leader, I find that I am often not satisfied with "where we are" but I am consistently content with "what I have." This is more than semantics for me. I don't think it's generally in the nature of a leader to be satisfied. Leaders are progress oriented. Yet, we must be content with what we have in the moment or gratitude is lost in the process. And gratitude is an essential attribute of leaders who are encouragers.

If you, as a leader, focus on what you don't have, it will be very difficult for you to encourage others toward who they are to become. I call this competing leadership energy. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you can't pour your energy into what others need because those others become part of the solution to get you what you want. When you are grateful for what you have, you naturally are freer to encourage others. Bottom line, you can't encourage if you are not an encouraged person yourself.

Take all this in knowing that leaders, even the best of the encouragers, occasionally have a bad day. That's normal. But a leader will do whatever it takes, to get through it and over it, and get back in the game. That's my encouragement to you. You will have an occasional difficult day, but it's all worth it. Get some counsel from a friend, shake it off, remember your calling and keep on going.

2012-01-19T12:14:00.000-08:00

Dear Church Leader,
Success. Is it over-rated or under-rated? Do you know what success means to you? Do you appreciate success when you achieve it? All leaders desire to be successful, but success can be confusing and difficult to achieve. Jump in to Part 1 for a glimpse of the personal side of success.

Blessings,

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ARTICLE

"Success Part I"
by Dan Reiland

As you finish up the first decade of the 2000's and prepare to enter the second, how will you shape, define and pursue success? The essence of success doesn't change, but the context that defines it continually changes. The following is not a "how to" article, but more of a "What do you think?" stream of thought.

In the 80's success was "over-done." If you are old enough, you will remember the power ties, power talks and power lunches. We even had power evangelism! One of the best-selling books was Dress for Success by John T. Molloy. In the 90's success was "un-done." There was a reaction to the blatant success model of the 80's, and so the 90's wanted to smooth things out by flat-lining org charts, building teams and declaring that top down command and control was finally dead. The 2000's have been amazing. Casual, Coffee, and Cause have marked us all . . . but even Starbucks lost a little ground. In the 2000's success has been "re-done." We have learned just how global we are, and that success can no longer be singular. Success must involve the larger "we." Kindness, compassion and justice have shaped the terms of success. Excess while others are hungry is no longer acceptable. But what is next? Nothing remains the same.

What does success mean to you personally?

That's where it all really begins, with individuals. I have met many Christians who need to warm up to the fact that success (being successful) is OK, even good. I mean really, who wakes up in the morning saying: "Dear Jesus, help me be a failure!" I believe we all want to be successful. Don't confuse successful with selfish. They feel similar because they both want more, but they are very different. As Christian leaders our success is given by God for His glory, not our own. In this way, success is something to seek. One of my favorite passages in scripture is Joshua chapter 1. Moses is dead (that's not the part I like) and Joshua is in charge. Moses has always been with Joshua, now Joshua must lead on his own. He is fearful but wants to be successful. I've included that passage for you right here.

1 After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses' aide: 2 "Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them—to the Israelites. 3 I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses. 4 Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the great river, the Euphrates—all the Hittite country—to the Great Sea on the west. 5 No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.

6 "Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their forefathers to give them. 7 Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. 8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. 9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."
You can't be successful on your own.
Success is a partnership with you and God. It's about His agenda in His timing, and you get to be part of it. Sometimes the success story is long and difficult. Sometimes success is hard to see as we more commonly define it, but if God is the author it is success. Other times success is easier to measure, for that we are humanly grateful and often benefit personally, but must remember, without God nothing that matters will last.

Do you currently see yourself as successful? Why or why not? Have you thought through your definition of success? Have you given yourself permission to be successful? Are you temped to lower the bar if you are not currently succeeding as you would like? Or are you in the game giving it your all? If you are successful, are you including and blessing others on the journey?
Success isn't all about winning and losing.
Winning does matter. In football, political campaigns, American Idol etc. winning is everything. But I try to keep a longer view in mind. For me, success is doing the right things at the right times so that others benefit. In the short view this doesn't always look like a win, but over the long haul it will prove out a successful life.

I like what John Maxwell says. "Success is having those closest to me love and respect me the most." At some point this must be in the equation. That's what makes success so complicated. If success was only defined by close personal relationships (family and friends) or only defined by market-place influence, it would be achieved by many more people. But it's both. I often say that life is made up of a series of trades. It's true. You have to decide what you will trade (and what you won't) when it comes to success.
Success can be measured but must also have meaning.

When I was young I chased numbers and believed (hoped) the experience would meaningful. I have learned it doesn't work that way. I now set my sights on what is meaningful, and the numbers nearly always follow. Don't get me wrong, numbers (results) matter. I love talking with idealistic young leaders who don't want to talk numbers, until it comes to their paycheck. Then it's all about the numbers, and they want guarantees! Hey, I don't blame them, but I do smile.

When it comes to measuring success, focus on what you can influence. For example, ultimately, you can't control how large your church becomes, but you can take responsibility to see that it grows some this year. That's it. Leaders take responsibility for success. But the bigger picture is to make sure you have a firm grasp on what is meaningful and what doesn't matter. That plus character is what keeps you from going off the rails if you are granted larger portions (at least by earthly standards) of success.

Have you settled what is meaningful to you? Do your convictions run deep for the things that matter? Until these things are clear to you success will be difficult to achieve.

Personal success can be somewhat illusive out of context. So this article will likely feel stirring, even helpful but incomplete. Part two will deal with context. The context I will use is the local church, but you can apply the principles to other environments as well. Stay tuned for part 2. For now, I encourage you to soak on the contents and in particular the questions.

----------------------------------------------------------

Dear Church Leader,

Success incorporates both your personal contribution and the context of your organization. This article addresses the five key elements needed in your church to help foster a winning team.

Blessings,

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ARTICLE

"Success Part II"
by Dan Reiland
You can win on a losing team. Pick your favorite baseball team. It may have seasons of overall loss while having some great players. These top performers achieve success in the midst of corporate loss. That's how it was some years with my home town San Diego Padres. Love the Padres even though they didn't always have a great year. But then there was Tony Gwynn! He was successful, and one of the most consistent hitters ever. Tony played with the Padres from 1982-2001 and never batted below .309 in any full season. With 9,288 career at-bats, he struck out only 434 times! Tony was elected into the baseball hall of fame in 2007

Tony stayed with the Padres, but what often happens to those top players who are on a losing team? They leave for another team when they can. The opposite is true too. A player who is not doing well gets "released" and picked up by another team and he becomes a top performing player. Why? Context! The environment of the team, leaders, owners and even the fans make a difference.

You have your own dreams and ideas as you pursue a successful journey as a leader. But your success is never independent of the context you live and serve in. Your success is largely up to you, but the environment in which you "practice" leadership matters much. I have served in three churches and one parachurch organization and in all have been blessed to be in environments conducive to success. I will give you five components that help contribute to success that were evident in all those four places.

Before I talk about the elements that make up an environment best suited for success, let me say a couple things related to you, because you are part of the context!

1. Ask yourself what you contribute to the organization before you ask what they give to you.

I can tell in a first interview what a leader's mindset is. If we're early in the process and they are asking about benefits and vacation time, they are revealing much about who they are. It is likely that they are more focused toward what they get than what they give.

In contrast, I'll never forget a moment in the middle of Sri Lanka, January 2005, soon after that terrible tsunami. I was traveling with a group from 12Stone Church and Norwood Davis was on the team. We were driving across the little country toward the east coast and I was talking to Norwood about coming on staff. His background was as a top executive with Duke Energy. He was accustomed to a much higher salary that we could ever pay. At some point we had to talk money. So out there in the middle of the jungle I brought up the subject and Norwood stopped me and said: "It doesn't really matter what you pay me, God has called me, I'm in." Norwood was a contributor before he even started and has continued as a highly successful top performer today.

2. Look for the good in the organization, don't be the team critic.

There is no perfect church and therefore there is no perfect senior pastor, group of board members, or perfect staff. So don't pick at the small stuff. Focus on what is good and build on that. Anybody can find the faults, it takes a mature leader to work with the best of what is present. Isn't that how you want the team to respond to you? You want them to focus on your best stuff, and not pick at your flaws, right?

If you are a staff member, and the church is all that bad, I mean it's just a crazy mess, then leave. Don't stay and criticize it. That's not your roll. If you are the senior pastor, it's more complicated, but ultimately you still may need to leave. Don't misunderstand, I am absolutely not an advocate of jumping ship when things are tough. But there are some churches that are toxic and will never change. Unless you hear directly from God, you don't have to stay there.

There are five things I look for in determining a church's potential for contextual success.

• Solid trust

Trust is the deal maker or breaker. Without it success is not going to happen. The annual church business meeting is a great example. When the annual business meeting is one of the largest gatherings of the year, big trouble is brewing! In the two large churches I've served, Skyline and 12Stone, both churches with thousands of attendees, the annual business meeting had a handful of people who showed up. At 12Stone we now bribe them with something free from our Starbucks! They don't need to come and they know it. They trust us. They know the financial audit is open to all members. They know we'll answer the tough questions. They know our heart is for them and for lost people and they don't need another meeting.

Trust is ultimately a personal thing. You want your leader to trust you and those who follow your leadership want you to trust them. Trust is non-negotiable. You may have been burned in the past, but when it comes to trust, you go first.

• Deep maturity

Immaturity kills churches. Nothing will suck the wind out of the potential success of your church quite like petty jealousies and ridiculous insecurities that result from immaturity. (Lack of trust and low maturity combined is a guaranteed recipe for disaster.)

Maturity doesn't come from a book or a seminar. It is the ongoing and never-ending result of the pursuit of a healthy life, serving others, and following Godly wisdom. These key ingredients combined with life experience produce maturity. Maturity is simple to understand but difficult to live consistently. With it, the organizational DNA will thrive. Without it, success will be difficult to achieve and impossible to sustain. If maturity runs thin on your team start with honesty and focus on the main reason everyone is there – the mission of the church.

• High expectations

Genuine success does not find its home amidst small dreams and mediocre efforts. High standards, expansive goals, and risk comprise the environment of successful churches. Average is not the foundation of success. The comfort zone is never the same as the winning zone. If the vision for your church doesn't push you from your comfort zone out onto a limb, your church will not muster the energy to achieve all that God wants for you.

You don't need crazy unrealistic dreams and visions to be out on the edge. Increasing the budget by 15% may be on the edge for you. Maybe it's a relocation, or perhaps it's joining in with a partner in your community to help fight against sex-trafficking or poverty, or helping to provide fresh drinking water for a village on the other side of the world. Expect much, press forward, lead with passion. And never, never settle.

• Generous investment

I don't think I've ever seen God grant success (by any definition) to a church that doesn't give itself away by generously investing in others. The good news is that you are limited only to your imagination about how you do this. You may choose to invest heavily in the next generation through children's ministry. That is no small endeavor. It's expensive, requires huge amounts of energy and the job never ends. But it is so worth it! You may invest heavily in an intern program for emerging church leaders. There is no end to the potential impact with young leaders! You may invest generously in your community by sending volunteers and financial resources to high impact organizations. This is close to God's heart! All these and many more are great options!

Don't allow your church to be all about your church. A giving heart is the point, give much and God will be pleased. The pleasure of God is a great foundation for your success!

• Great faith

Faith may well be at the epicenter of a successful church environment. Without strong faith in God to achieve what is difficult, it is easy to get stuck in a plateau and eventually begin to decline. It takes faith to believe in God's ability to change human lives. Faith is part of believing the best in people. Large faith is required to believe for miracles!

Faith in God and faith in people will breathe life into any team. Faith brings hope to the church as an organization, and faith is the spiritual platform for success in your church. Hope for a better future begins by believing it's possible. Successful leaders possess great faith. What are you believing God for today?

How would you evaluate your church's overall environment as it relates to solid trust, deep maturity, high expectations, generous investment and great faith? And how do you personally contribute to those five elements?

I hope you were able to read part one on success (It is available at www.leadsharp.org). That article addresses the personal component of your success. That combined with these thoughts on the organizational context of your success will give you much to run on. Blessings!

2012-01-19T12:13:00.002-08:00

Dear Church Leader,

Learning is essential for you as a leader. Some leaders seem to make learning and personal growth a lifestyle, and others struggle. This article will help you embrace the lifestyle and grow as a leader.

Blessings,

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ARTICLE

"What Are You Learning?"
by Dan Reiland
A couple days ago, I changed from a PC to a Mac. I didn't get any younger or cooler, and maybe became a little slower, for now. But I have increased what I'm learning – and discovering a new way to do things. That alone has great value.

Going to a Mac after a PC is not like learning to ride a horse for the first time, it's more like learning to ride bareback after being very comfortable in your favorite saddle for a long time. It's a wild ride a first, a lot of slipping and sliding, with potential to fall, but there are some new freedoms that are pretty cool. (Not to mention I haven't hit a blue screen or had a freeze up of any kind.) I suspect that in time, I may find myself in a comfy "Mac-Saddle" if I don't continue to learn, so that's what I intend to do. That's the secret. It's not PC or Mac, contrary to the propaganda, it's whether or not you keep learning.

I think we all like comfortable saddles, and learning takes us out of our comfort zone. After 25 plus years of leadership I could slip into a zone that allows me believe that this is the season of my life to invest what I know in others. Part of that is true and good, but if I don't continue to learn, I will quickly become of little value to any leaders I pour into.

Three important questions about learning:

1. How you are learning?

I live in a suburb about forty miles northeast of Atlanta and there are several ways to get there from my house. Its difficult to say which route is best because a number of factors affect that choice. Anything from time of day/traffic patterns to special events like a Falcons game can have a huge impact on my ability to get to Atlanta. So I like as many options as possible. The same is true for how you and I learn. The more options the better.

In the context of this article, I'm not referring to your preferred learning style such as visual, auditory or kinesthetic. I'm talking about the ways you approach and experience learning, and the life contexts within which you learn.

Do you resist or embrace learning? Don't answer too quickly. I talk with church leaders on a frequent basis that say they love to learn, but when I ask them what they are learning new today, they fumble for an answer. I'm won't say these leaders openly resist learning, but they resist by default. They haven't created time and space to learn, so therefore, in effect, they have resisted learning.

Here are some ideas to help you learn.

• Get pushed.

Create a reason that forces you to learn. I asked Tony Mimms, our IT Wizard at 12Stone Church, to cut off my life-support to my PC and force me into the deep end of the Mac learning pool. I was trying to tip-toe into the shallow end and learn my new Mac when I had a few minutes here and there, but I never had time. Once all my files were transferred to my Mac, it was show time! I had to learn! In this case I pushed myself, but I also have a couple guys on staff that are eager to teach me the secrets of the dark side - I mean, how to navigate successfully in Mac World!

Coaches are needed to push you in areas you need to learn, especially in leadership. Do you have a leadership coach? Is there someone or several people you can, on occasion, have coffee with, call or email, who can "push" you in your leadership so you have to learn? Lot's of people can simply answer your questions, and that is helpful, but you don't learn as much that way. Being pushed to learn (required / held accountable, challenged) by someone who knows how to guide you is transformational and truly invaluable.

• Try something new.

Experiment. It can be as simple as taking a new route to drive across town or eating at a restaurant you've never eaten at before. You will always learn something new if you have your eyes open. The experiment can also be complex, such as launching a new way to connect new guests to your church or a new approach to small group ministry. Driving new routes and eating at new restaurants can be done randomly and spur of the moment. But obviously something like a new method for doing small groups must be done with strategic attention and planning. But all these things are, essentially, experiments. In other words, you aren't locked in for life if it doesn't work. The key outcome is what did you learn? Success is the goal, but whether success or failure, what you learn is what matters most.

• Rub the right shoulders.

This isn't about giving someone a back massage. Rub shoulders with people who love to learn and continually learn. One of the things I love about John Maxwell is that is he is a voracious learner. When John travels, from current business culture to ancient history, he's learning all the time. John is always asking questions, reading, absorbing, and processing. I love it when he comes back and asks me, "Did you know" questions, and then of course tells great stories. I enjoy the stories, and love learning from what he's learning.

You know the difference between leaders who continue to do things the same way year after year after year; and the leaders who are constantly doing research and development, trying new things and learning daily. Rub the right shoulders!

2. What you are learning?

My family has played trivia pursuit for years. It's fun but after awhile there is a limit to how many useless factoids we can endure. At some point we all want to connect with information that matters. The literal content or substance of what you are learning makes a difference. You have limited amounts of time, and I'm sure that you, like me, want to make it count.

• Strategic focus.

What are you learning that aligns with achieving your goals? What are you learning that helps you become a better leader? What are you doing that is new and improved in such a way that advances your church and helps those around you become more effective leaders?

• Creative energy.

What are you learning that is fun and keeps the creative juices flowing? I'm taking guitar lessons, something I've been doing off and on for a long time. One teacher popped off toward the end of a frustrating lesson (I just couldn't get it) saying: "I sure hope you preach good!" OK, so I'm not a gifted musician, but it allows my creative side to stay fresh and alive. It's a creative learning outlet that is fun and allows me to think in a very different realm.

• Intentional effort.

What are you learning that requires intentional effort, but it's not mandatory that you master it? In other words, it's not a required part of your job. For me, its technology. When the 12Stone staff read this part, they will snicker and make tons of wise cracks. Technology is not my specialty, but I'm going after it! The interesting thing about any learning pursuit is that you quickly demythologize the subject. When you look behind the curtain you realize there is so much that is attainable if you will make the effort. There are, of course, profound and complex levels of technology that I will never understand, but I don't need to. Guys like our Tony Mimms, Steve Gimbert, Matt Haff, Doug Irvine and Josh Cash can lead the way! These guys, and others, are the wizards behind the curtain, and help the rest of us learn!

3. What you do with what you learn?

This is where the rubber meets the road. Application is everything. If you don't use it, even by a lateral connection, what's the point? When you attend a conference, for example, how did you learn, what did you learn and how are you applying it? Let's be candid, if you are not applying it, why did you go? We live in an age with overwhelming amounts of information, but you don't need it all. Here's my suggestion. Try a little less input and a little more application and experience the difference.

Today I found iPhoto and Photo Booth on my Mac – next is Garage Band . . . soon I will be dangerous!

2012-01-19T12:13:00.001-08:00

Dear Church Leader,
Easily hundreds, maybe thousands of pastors left their churches over the last several months. It seems like there must be a better way.

Blessings,

=========================================

ARTICLE

"Another Pastor Leaves Their Church"
by Dan Reiland

Why do so many pastors leave their church, especially in a relatively short amount of time? This is a significant issue that results in discouragement of the pastor and the congregation. Morale drops and momentum dries up. In situations where the conflict is serious, the loss of trust makes it difficult to ever solve the problems.

The business market is tough right now. In current culture it's common, almost expected, to move from job to job. One successful businessman said to me: "These days - you do what you gotta do." He is moving his family out of state for a job that pays half what he is currently earning. Loyalty is low and that combined with a struggling economy makes people nervous, both business owners and employees. Decisions are made for short-term survival rather than long-term success and business suffers for it.

It's impossible for the church to escape this reality. Per-capita giving is evidence enough that culture is not segregated. The church is impacted. But aren't there some things that can be done that would help pastors cultivate leadership longevity at their church?

Pastors leave their churches for many different reasons. In the case of moral failure or ethical derailing, the pastor needs to step aside for a season of spiritual healing. Hopefully there is potential for restoration to leadership, but that requires careful attention. We hear about these stories often, but candidly, and gratefully, these are not the majority.

Granted, sometimes God says it's time to go. If that's the case, then it's time to go. But in the majority of stories about Pastors leaving it seems like there was potential to make things work. It appears easier to leave, and in the short run it may be. But in the long run, it's actually more work for the pastor and the church to make the transition. I'm just thinking out loud about ways we might prevent that. I don't profess to have the answers, but I love the church and I'm a champion of pastors. I would love to see more wins on the scoreboard. I'll give you a few of my thoughts and you can add your own to the mix. I think we can make a difference.

• Think as much about covenant as contract.

For each person we hire at 12Stone Church we extend a written employment contract that is triple-checked by our CFO, our HR specialist and myself. The importance of this document demands such attention. However, I have never found it to be true that when a problem arises that the contract is consulted to see if the rules were broken. We always go quickly to covenant to see if the relationship is broken. Relationships always trump rules. If the relationship is intact, you can nearly always work things out. That doesn't mean you throw rules out, it means that the rules serve you, not the other way around.

It's important that you put as much effort (in fact - more) into establishing and sustaining healthy relationships as it is keeping your contracts and policies in order.

• Fight hard for redemptive community in the congregation.

Redemption must become something other than the topic of a powerful sermon. It needs to be the life culture of your church. Truth and grace is such a tough balance, near impossible at times, but it seems to me like grace must win the day. Not in lieu of or in absence of clear biblical truth, but when it comes to interpretation of the subtle nuances, grace is at the core of redemption.

So if you must fight, fight for redemption, restoration, and resolution to conflict, not with each other. I apologize if this, or any of this article sounds preachy. I don't me to come across that way. These are more musings from my heart than finely crafted statements to be practiced as is. Here's what I know, people are hungry for a church where God's love and grace is abundant and people are willing to tell the truth. Which leads us to the next thought.

• Be honest about mission and results.

My thoughts are not soft on or dismissive of results. Results matter. God's people, resources and purpose are at stake, of course results matter. So in the case of a church not working well, have the courage to own it. Face reality and tell the truth about the condition of your church. Don't dodge the numbers. Don't make decline look like a temporary plateau. Here's the good news, if the relationships are solid, trust is secure and grace is the dominate tone of the culture, you can attack the problems rather than attack the people. Then the people can attack the problems rather than attack the leaders.

All churches have problems and challenges. It's part of human nature and that is a tension that will never go away. Embrace it, and practice leading through it.

• Resist perfection and embrace progress.

Perfectionism kills churches. Perfectionism about things that don't matter kills churches fast. You will never preach a perfect sermon, lead a perfect board meeting or design a perfect budget. Perfectionism is not another word for excellence. Excellence is about high standards, perfectionism is a foolish attempt to control beyond the measure of what is reasonable, prudent or productive.

If momentum is a leader's best friend, then progress must be his/her second best friend! Move the ball down the field just a little every day and allow the Holy Spirit to make the big plays that you can't! I'm still trying to not be preachy, but I've always felt that perfectionism squashes opportunity for the Holy Spirit to deliver the favor, power and anointing that we can never produce on our own.

• Take a tough stand against criticism.

A critical spirit in the local church is lethal. The Enemy loves critical people. When people in the church are critical of leaders and the church in general, the Devil doesn't need to do much more, the people are killing the church by themselves.

The way to battle criticism is not by blunt force, defensiveness or shutting down the expression of opinion. The best way to deal with open criticism is to be direct in confrontation and speak the truth in love when a critical comment is delivered. In addition, consistently demonstrate a better way by speaking positive and encouraging words!

• Use fresh eyes to help you see what you can't see.

Even the best leaders can't see everything. Bringing in an outside consultant, pastor or business leader to take a look your ministry is extremely helpful. Choose someone you can trust and who can be objective in the process. There are so many things an "outsider" can see and sense brewing that you might miss because you are so close and deeply involved.

Being proactive and catching problems and potential problems early is a great way to keep out in front as a leader. And this obviously is a great way to strengthen and lengthen the longevity of a Pastor's time at a church.

These are my "practical musings." What are yours? Add them to the mix and if you have a minute, send me your ideas.

2012-01-19T12:12:00.000-08:00

Dear Church Leader,
Your church is open to everyone. You are glad they attend, in fact, grateful that they would trust you with their spiritual journey. But at what point do you just "say no?"

Blessings,

=================================================

ARTICLE

"Can you Fire a Church Attender?"
by Dan Reiland
Maybe "fire" isn't the right word. But can you say no to someone in a way that suggests your church might not be the right church for them? How do you balance loving and caring for a person and not allowing him or her to leverage their personal wants and maybe even their own agenda?

I've been reading a great book titled The Orange Code – How ING Direct Succeeded by Being a Rebel with a Cause, by Arkadi Kuhlmann & Bruce Philp. (John Wiley and Sons, Inc. 2009) I've been reading it slowly, and thinking my way through it for a long time now. The chapter on staffing ("the Dirty Dozen" – We could be Heroes) is worth the book. There is another great chapter titled: "You Say You Want a Revolution?" that speaks to the topic of this article.

Arkadi was working in the bank's call center, as he regularly did, helping existing customers with routine transactions, helping new ones get signed up, and listening to the voices of real people. A woman from Florida with a sizeable bank account was on the line demanding that a printed statement of her account be mailed to her. Apparently the fact that she was wealthy gave her the idea that she was entitled and deserved special treatment. The book goes on to say that Arkadi politely explained that ING Direct did not offer this service, one of the ways it keeps costs down. The woman pushed the issue and got crankier by the minute. She said – A printed statement is the law. Arkadi, now beginning to lose his patience, corrected her. I love this line so I will give you a literal quote. He said: "The law says you have the right to own a gun," "It does not say you have the right to a printed bank statement every month." By this time she was fit to be tied and said something to the effect of- "Has no one ever taught you that the customer is always right?"

This customer didn't know she was talking to the ING's founding CEO or how deeply committed he was to the business model. Finally, when Arkadi had had enough, he said: "That's it. You're not ready for this way of banking," and closed her account. Basically, he fired her!

The church is not a business, and the part of church operations that is business-like is certainly not like the banking industry. But ING makes a stirring point. At 12Stone I often say, "We're not a Christian cruise ship." We're not here to bring you all the great programming you can think of. If we did everything we were asked to do we'd have dozens of programs from baseball leagues to classes in CPR. It's all good and worthy stuff, but the church not only shouldn't do all of it, it can't. All these things and more exist in the surrounding communities. Encourage your people to go out and join in. Cast vision for your people to make a positive contribution in the community and take Jesus with them.

I can't remember the last time I actually said "no" to an idea, just no to 12Stone owning the idea. If the person is truly fired-up about it, they can go out and make it happen.

For most of these discussions the person I'm talking to gets it, and we have a great conversation. I always try to offer ideas and potential resources if I know of something or someone related to what they want to do in the community. But on occasion, we get a "customer" like ING Direct did and the person simply demands that we do what they want. (Really). At that point we have a choice, we can bend the church's vision, energy and resources to the individuals agenda or kindly let the person know that perhaps 12Stone is not for them. I never like to see anyone leave, and certainly not upset, but there are times that we have to let them go.

There is tension in this -- trust me, I know. I'm a pastor and my instinct is to shepherd the sheep not tell them to find another flock!! Again, I would never tell someone to leave and find another church, but that's what they feel has been said when they don't get what they want.

Let me offer some principles within those tensions for you to think about.

• Love everyone, but cater to no one.

Jesus served everyone the Father directed Him to serve. We are to do no less. But Jesus never let anyone derail Him from his purpose. One of many stories that illustrate this is in John chapter 11. Mary and Martha's brother, Lazarus was sick and dying. They pleaded with Jesus to come and heal him, but Jesus stayed where He was for two more days. I'm certain they didn't understand in the moment. They were likely upset. Jesus loved Lazarus, Mary and Martha, but He remained on purpose.

The tension is found in the fact that people are the purpose of the church, but Jesus never said His ultimate Kingdom purposes for the local were to be surrendered to any single individual. Keep the larger mission in mind!

• Know what God has called you to do and don't apologize for it.

You can't do everything, so do what you do well. Keep your list of ministries lean, very lean. Stick to the main thing. It is easily true that within the top five issues church leaders face is too little time and too much to do. And as a result, much of what is done is not done well.

Be strategic. Use resources wisely. Listen carefully to the prompts of the Holy Spirit. I'm convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that God won't give you more to do than you have time to do it in. So, if you have too much to do, maybe you are doing something God doesn't need you to do.

There are times for all of us that we press the pedal to the metal. But in this context, I'm talking about week after week and month after month – your long-term ministry lifestyle. So when you need to say no, don't apologize. Let people know you (and the team) are on purpose, God is directing and there is no need to add more "stuff" right now, no matter how worthy it may be. And remember, the person(s) can always go do their great idea on their own. You don't have to own everyone's ideas.

• Get used to the idea that your church isn't for everyone.

The message of Jesus Christ is for everyone, but your church is not, and that's OK. It's natural to be disappointed if someone who has been with you for a long time leaves your church. If someone visits your church for a while and doesn't make it their church home that's just part of the process. Don't take it personally. In the same way that you on occasion must say no to people, they can say no to you too.

If you try to make your church fit everyone you'll end up with a much smaller congregation than you will if you know who you are, what you do, and you are good with that. You can love and serve everyone, but you can't please everyone. If a family leaves, love them well on the way out and let them know they are always welcome to return as Jesus prompts them.

People love confident leadership and a church that knows where it's headed. Even if they don't fully agree with you, your confidence and zeal is attractive. I hope you don't have to "fire" many people from your church, but you will need to say no, and possibly more often that you like within your comfort level. Remember that the Kingdom is large and one day we'll all be together . . . and then, of course, it will no longer matter!

2012-01-19T12:11:00.000-08:00

Dear Church Leader,
What's your name? Your name is personal to you. How and when people use it matters. Some names carry more weight and power than other names, and when used -- things change.

Blessings,

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ARTICLE

"Jesus"
by Dan Reiland
My grasp of basic biblical theology is sound, and I understand the concept of The Trinity. Well, I got a B- in that class in Seminary. So maybe I don't completely understand the Trinity, and if you do, please send me your notes. I say that to say, this is not about theology, it's about a Pastor's thoughts on a cultural saying. The phrase is: "It's a God thing." I say it often. There is nothing wrong with it, but it falls short when compared to the name of Jesus.

Someone tells a cool story and says: "It's a God thing" -- well, yes it is, but that leaves so much up to interpretation, if you care to think about it at all. That's really all I'm doing -- thinking about it. So please think with me in this article. I'm not on a soap box, and will likely still say, on occasion, "It's a God thing", but the Holy Spirit has my attention so please accept this not as a sermon, but as some journal notes from a Pastor along the way.

The idea is not to decrease the use of the name God, but to increase the use of Jesus' name.

1. When we say God, the definitions and ideology are up for grabs.

From Kabbalah, to Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses, to the Church of Scientology, and even Oprah there are broad influences on aspects of American Religious faith. America was at one time was predominately Christian and the word "God" was used to indicate the God of the Bible, but this is no longer true. However, even though we are less Christian, we are still a spiritual people. This reality demands, all the more, clarity in our faith.

At 12Stone Church we find that even with the most simple, straightforward and crystal clear presentation of the gospel message, it is often not heard with clarity. The number of interpretations people can have of an invitation to trust Jesus as Savior is staggering. We can say that this is simply an issue of their level of understanding, but it's deeper than that, it's cultural. The issue becomes more apparent when we follow up with someone who indicated they received Christ as Savior and they respond by saying: "Oh, no, I'm a Catholic." Or, "I already believe in God and my parents are members in another denomination." Or, "My whole family are Christians, and a little New Age too." And this is in the South where everyone is a Baptist or wants to be!

2. When we say Jesus, we make a distinct declaration.

• You immediately identify who you are in one word – one name -- Jesus.

God is a unifying word, but when we say Jesus we exclude people who would otherwise identify only with the word God. The words "IN GOD WE TRUST" are on our currency. If Jay Leno, TV host of the Tonight Show, did a "Jay Walking" piece that interviewed people in the streets of Burbank, CA, asking them what "IN GOD WE TRUST" means, we would hear wildly different answers. The evidence of that reality walks into our churches every week.

The important thing is what you and I as spiritual leaders do about this reality. Without getting weird about it or trying to recreate the "Jesus Movement" of the 70's, I think there is room, maybe lots of room to be bold with the name of Jesus.

It's easier to say God than Jesus. Try an experiment. For three weeks, use only the word Jesus (not God.) People will respond differently and you might feel different as well. If you really want to be bold try saying: "It's a Jesus thing." It may feel awkward to you but try it and see what happens.

• You practice living the truth of Scripture.

There is no escaping the truth of the Word. There are dozens of Scriptures we could look at, but since this isn't a sermon, let me give only one passage here.

Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:9-11.

The church in which I serve is called a "mega-church." That just means it's big and complicated. Candidly, it's easy to get caught in the machine of making a "mega" church function. So we fight hard to keep mission over machine. One of the ways we do that is to make sure we don't lift up the name of 12Stone, but only the name of Jesus. It may sound strange, but that takes more effort than you might think. That doesn't mean small and medium size churches don't face this issue, they do. But it is intensified the larger the church gets. Personally, I think the issue is spiritual in nature and that leads me to the next point.

• You invoke a certain power in the name of Jesus.

The use of Jesus' name brings power, authority and results. You and I know this is true from Scripture. To list just a few: Matthew 10:1-8, John 14:13; 16:23; Acts 3:16; 4:30; 8:12, 8:16.

There is power in Jesus name for healing, teaching, leadership, discernment, spiritual authority, prayer, and faith. When you use the name of Jesus you are invoking the name above all names and it's connected to powerful realities in the Spirit realm. These next two passages are strong statements and give a richness and fullness to the power of Jesus name and it's source.

1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, 4 in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the Spirit. Romans 8:1-4

35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written: "For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered." 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:35-39

Ultimately this power is rooted in love. Which is a great insight for how we as Spiritual leaders are to carry and speak the name of Jesus. So, what do you think? What will you say?

2012-01-19T12:09:00.000-08:00

Dear Church Leader,
Richie Hughes is an accomplished church leader and good friend. He is the former Executive Pastor of Free Chapel in Gainesville, GA and Irvine, CA., and has written a great article about making progress in your spiritual life for this edition of the Pastor's Coach. Be sure to check out his blog and new book Start Here Go Anywhere at www.richiehughes.org.

Blessings,

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ARTICLE

"Moving Forward in Your Spiritual Life"
by Richie Hughes

"I'm not going back, I'm moving ahead. I'm here to declare to you, my past is over. In YOU, old things are made new, surrendered my life to Christ, I'm moving forward!" The lyrics to this song by my good friend Ricardo Sanchez have transformed many lives, mine being one.

As leaders, we are constantly reviewing and analyzing data that is critically important, but in reality, it is all yesterday's news. Don't get me wrong. As a former executive pastor of Free Chapel in Gainesville, GA and Irvine, CA we must be somewhat obsessed with data. An old basketball coach of mine used to say, "The stats don't lie!" I found that to be so true. Churches like businesses must be into numbers. Our budgets, attendance, baptisms, etc. all measure the growth or lack thereof in our ministries. The growth of the church is important, but what about your growth, and most importantly, your spiritual growth? There are no hard "stats" for that, so how do you know when you are moving forward?

I remember when my Senior Pastor, Jentezen Franklin informed me that we were going to launch a church in Irvine, CA. Wow! (A bunch of guys from the South doing church on the West Coast? Really?) My mind began to spin, not with fear or doubt, but excitement! I wondered aloud, would our ministry model from GA work in CA? How would we transition staff to our new location? How are we going to pay for all of this? Ok, maybe just a little bit of apprehension rolled in.

Make no mistake, God can do anything He wants and no group of men can ever take credit for what God has done at Free Chapel, but as I was reminiscing with a close pastor friend just recently at Cornerstone in Athens, GA, God always exceeds our expectations when we give Him all of ourselves in our effort. So how do you give Him all of yourself? In our staff coaching sessions, I often share what I believe are three critical components of moving forward in our own spiritual lives:

1. Preserve YOUR Individual Identity. We must be ourselves, plain and simple. God knows we all wish we could communicate like Andy Stanley, John Maxwell or Rick Warren, or maybe our voice fill the room like Mac Powell from Third Day in the worship experience. But I have found that God loves not only those guys, but He loves you and me just the same. More amazingly to me, He likes us! Now, I'm not talking about a Facebook click for a like, but God really enjoys our communication style, our worship style and everything that makes us who we are. We as leaders don't have to be the most creative pastor in town. Yes, God loves creativity and people appreciate the preparation, but think about this: as a former high school basketball coach, I never called plays for my team to run with the intent of showing how smart I was as a coach. I called plays to win the game! Likewise we should not start new programs, campaigns or teaching series to show that we are more creative than that "other" church down the road, let's do series and programs that reach people, change lives and win the game! I remember a reporter asking my friend and Atlanta Braves pitcher, John Smoltz what was his "best" pitch? I loved his answer: John didn't reply my 96 MPH fastball or my 90 MPH slider or my incredible change up, he simply said, "The one that gets the hitter out." John got it right! Leaders, do we understand the ultimate goal? How about our staff? In the midst of all this, it's important to be yourself!

2. Realize the importance of Real Relationships. As I travel from church to church, this issue is the one I see so many leaders doing poorly. To stay fresh and continue our personal growth in Christ, it's important to:

Find a hobby. You might think, "I don't have time for a hobby." I hear it everywhere I go. You need to find time. Take up running, fishing, golf or the latest craze I have seen is at the shooting range. I'm not going to say what the virtual targets are and it troubles me a little to see so many "gun friendly" pastors who get a little crazy out there! But I am a firm believer that without a release, your effectiveness as a leader and even a communicator will suffer greatly. Be careful though, my competitive spirit will sometimes overtake me and I may just "accidentally" throw a club on the golf course when the breaks don't go my way. Note to self: That could be hazardous to your testimony! Stop throwing clubs.

Find close friends outside your church body. The conversation has got to be about something other than the church all of the time! During my time as an executive pastor, I intentionally had a small core of about four people that were my "best" friends. Of the four, only one attended our church. We enjoyed friendships with parents on the soccer field and basketball court while watching our children compete. Of course my golfing buddies were patient enough to hang out with me on my day off. The bottom line is to find a release, it makes your time with God that much more special.

3. Preserve and Protect your Personal Passion. One of my favorite worship leaders, Israel Houghton wrote a song called "Go back to your first Love." When I listen to the lyrics, it reminds me of my personal salvation experience. Do you remember that moment? Of course you do! Are you still as passionate in your personal relationship with God, or are you spending so much time and energy leading others that your personal time with God has diminished? Admittedly, I am guilty! When I started as an executive pastor at a mega church, I was so consumed with the church and the people that in my first three months in that position, I was hospitalized with ulcers. I had to evaluate some things and in doing so realized that my personal growth in Christ was suffering, not to mention my body.

Maybe you are like I was, reading every leadership book, blog, etc. and doing your best to keep up with the latest trends in ministry. Here is what I determined: ask and believe God. Time in prayer and devotion will always trump overworking, over downloading, and overanalyzing the things we do constantly as leaders. I'll say it like I heard it from the Lord, "Who do you think inspired all of those leaders to write those thoughts? Those thoughts came from me!"

Lastly, I am reminded of what helped bring me back into spiritual growth and development:

1. My personal worship time. I hope as leaders that we participate in the worship segment of service. Like you, my cell phone stays hot with texts from department heads and volunteers and we seem to find ways to put out fires throughout our weekend services. But what about the fire in our hearts? Do we allow ourselves to just take a moment and experience God? Our church must have something pretty good to offer or no one would come. I encourage YOU to worship in the service you have worked so hard to plan for others, as much as possible. Other times for me are when I worship in the car blaring out worship tunes and most days when I run, I fill my ears with worship music and carelessly sing along just enjoying my time with HIM. Find your space and time to worship.

2. Read the Bible for pleasure, not just for sermons or teachings.
Wow! I remember when someone told me that. It was like a bucket of cold water in my face! Probably like you if you teach, I usually sit down with my Bible, pen, paper and laptop all at once. This advice was good for me. Sometimes we need to just read the Bible. Period! No agenda, just out of the pure joy of reading the greatest book ever written. Will you get sermon ideas? Yep, but that is a bonus, not the intent. Life Church's YOUversion has made it possible to read the Bible anywhere, anytime. Download the app to your phone and just enjoy the Word of God.

By practicing just a few things I've shared, you as a leader can not only increase productivity in yourself, but teaching these principles will have a trickle down effect in your leadership of others. More importantly, your personal relationship with God will grow and become, or return, to that level of passion that God seeks from you and seeks for you.

2012-01-19T12:08:00.000-08:00

Dear Church Leader,
Theology, worldview and leadership – a profound combination! This edition of the Pastor's Coach jumps in the deep end!

Blessings,

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ARTICLE

"A Broken World, A Beautiful Church"
by Dan Reiland

The world is good. The world is broken. The world will be redeemed. From a Christian worldview, that's the essence of our faith. Seems simple. Why is it so complicated?

When I look out my window from my prayer room I see a beautiful park-like backyard. For a moment I am able to forget about the weeds and the work required to make it look like that, and I see the beauty of creation. The world is indeed, very good. It's breathtaking. Only God could do something as amazing as have the leaves drop from the trees during the time of year when we don't need shade.

But I can't deny the reality of weeds. The world is fallen – it's broken. Evil exists. There are things that are far from beautiful. Some things are ugly – both inside and out. The Enemy is in our midst. When I watch the news, though I think I've seen it all, I am speechless at recent events. Headlines are about murder charges among family members. What must take place inside someone to arrive at death as a solution to a problem with someone they once loved?

There is hope. That's the oxygen that keeps me going. Jesus is the Bridegroom and we are His Bride! God's plan is to restore this planet to its intended state. We don't know the timeline, but we have the promise. There are people who are working hard now in the natural realm for a better future. That doesn't count for eternity, but I believe it does help us grasp a sense of hope that the supernatural realm brings. Things can and do get better. We can see that. The problem is that the natural is ultimately powerless because the brokenness is spiritual in nature. The natural efforts are like putting a Band-Aid on a gash. The natural efforts deal with the symptoms but cannot cure the illness. The "illness" is spiritual. The good news is that nothing will compare to our spiritual redemption. All things will be made new.

As I think about this, I reflect on the connection of these things to leadership.
How do I lead in light of these things?
Do I lead as if the world is good?
Do I lead as if the world is broken?
Do I lead as if the world will be redeemed?

Back to the opening statements, the answer seems altogether too simple. But then why can leadership be so difficult? I find myself sometimes leading as if the world is good, and that's it. There are seasons when it seems like my leadership is driven only from the context of a broken world. And, certainly, I lead with the hope of redemption. This is not a daily difference. I'm a consistent leader, but there are seasons. Have you experienced what I'm talking about?

For example, at 12Stone Church® where I serve as Executive Pastor we have been blessed with an unusually long season of momentum. We have experienced spiritual intensity resulting in salvation and growth in general that is staggering. My leadership mentor, John Maxwell, in one of his leadership talks to our team called 12Stone "Disneyland." No, we don't have Mickey and Goofy on stage. John was referring to the sometimes near surreal environment of God's continued favor that results in an extraordinarily positive and blessed environment. It can seem like everything just works. (Though of course that's not true.) I'm certain that affects how I lead.

In contrast, there are a number of pastors who are my friends and colleagues in other churches where the budget crunch is devastating, the staff are leaving, (or need to leave) and the problems in the church are huge. It is as if nothing works and it's all broken. (And of course, that's not true either.) That has to affect how they lead. It's all in how you view the reality in which you lead.

I see churches that take on these personas. Some behave as if it really is Disneyland. It's almost as if the church is a cruise ship dedicated to wonderful activities to keep Christians busy. There is no real challenge, no talk of sin, no clear vision and little to no sacrifice. That is a result of leadership. It's a by-product of how someone sees life. There are churches that seem to go to the other extreme. It's often about what they stand against, more than who they are for. There is a spirit of resistance that dances close to legalism. They acknowledge the fallen world, and its brokenness, but don't seem to embrace the hope of redemption. These churches are profoundly discouraged and discouraging. That is a result of leadership.

So, here's a big fat philosophical question. As a leader, can you change reality? I don't mean step outside reality. Let's save that for the movies. But can you effect change so that people see the good in creation, rise above what is broken and focus on the hope of redemption? In this respect, I believe leaders change reality everyday. Let's keep this simple, reality refers to that which is real. As a leader, when you effect change that creates an "improved real" – that which is broken gets a fresh glimpse of that which is good, and hope is renewed. That is a healthy approach to theologically-based leadership.

What you think (your view) about what I've been saying will shape your answer. If you leave out any one of the three parts (creation is good, but it's fallen, and it will be redeemed) your leadership will take that shape. This article is obviously not the typical practical approach to daily ministry, but I do hope to leave you asking a good question. How does your worldview shape your leadership?

Leadership is difficult, in part, because we only see (experience) one thing at a time so we respond in kind. It's like the illusion picture of the old woman's face and the young woman's face. Your mind cannot see both simultaneously. Your disposition may be to see good or brokenness first. Pastors that share my role as an XP say that's true about their hiring intuition. Some naturally see the good in a candidate first, and others first see what is broken. Ultimately both need to find the potential.

As leaders that's what we do. Affirm the goodness when we see it and affect the brokenness when we have the opportunity. Always, with our eye on the potential, the hope of what can be. That's a good way to lead the church. Look for what is good, admit and tend to what is broken, and keep your eyes on the full potential of redemption. That leads to a beautiful church.

2012-01-19T12:07:00.002-08:00

Dear Church Leader,
No leader wants to deal with a crisis, but when one comes there is no choice. In that time, it's better to know how to find the value in a crisis situation rather than surrender to it.

Blessings,

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ARTICLE

"What Good is a Crisis?"
by Dan Reiland

No one wants a crisis. But as leaders, sooner or later we all face one. A crisis brings its own drama; it's the leader's responsibility to not add chaos to the mix. A wise and steady hand is needed to navigate the troubled waters. This often requires immediate action, but it must be based on wisdom rather than a knee-jerk reaction.

Crises come countless ways and in many environments -- organizational, political, natural (physical disaster), governmental, financial, business, and often personal. These are often interconnected.

Some would say our country is in crisis. Others would say it's been in crisis and has recently gotten much worse. To avoid political commentary, let me just say that good leadership is the only thing that will get us out of the condition we are in. Wise leadership for the good of the people is required for the successful navigation of any crisis.

A crisis will never navigate itself, and only gets worse if you make it up as you go. That's one of the difficult parts about handling a tough situation. By the very nature of the circumstances, you are acting quickly and in the "now". If your leadership isn't value-based and driven toward a clear purpose it's easy to get off course and even "crash the company." Your mission and values are your true north. If you keep your eyes on the ball and stay focused – you will likely come through the storm well.

A friend of mine is part of the senior leadership team in a local church. We share similar roles and responsibilities. He has spoken with me about a financial crisis in his church. The giving dropped far below the needs represented in the budget. Tough decisions had to be made, but they got through it. I reminded him to be careful that the leaders did not overreact or underreact. That is common in a crisis – doing too little or doing too much. Every leader has a bias – to overplay or underplay. Personally, I know my bias is to underplay, so I'm always mindful of that bent and lead accordingly. Do you know yours?

Another church recently hired a new senior pastor. Everyone is excited and hopeful. But the cloud of the past is ever so close. The previous senior pastor left because of a moral failure. He had an affair with someone in the church. He chose to leave his wife and follow a new life. He chose poorly. The immediate crisis moment is long over but the residue is still very real. The new senior pastor must lead with this reality in mind.

Choosing wisely over choosing poorly. Isn't that the essence of what we strive for as leaders? Knowing this I often lean into Proverbs 3:5-6 ?5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; ?6 in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

So, really, what good is a crisis? Let me offer three things of value to you.

• A crisis will surface the truth.

A crisis will surface the truth about the fortitude of the leaders. It surfaces what is important and what is not. It quickly reveals what you really believe – and it reveals the strength of your faith. A crisis lets you know what's working and what isn't. It reveals the cracks. It's not always a direct connect to the actual situation, but the weakness is never far away from the break. You will always know more about whom you are when you face a crisis. If you learn from that, you will be stronger and better able to lead through whatever comes your way.

I'm not suggesting by "surfacing the truth" that anything is currently hidden. But it is true that when you are in "business as usual" mode, you don't always see that which is in plain sight.

• A crisis draws people together.

It's true that a crisis can divide but that seldom happens in a church that has a clear mission and deep values. In the vast majority of situations, a crisis can help form a bond and galvanize the church toward a new, fresh and stronger place. In crisis people dig deep and fight for what they believe in – that's why a clear mission is critical. When the mission is unclear a crisis creates chaos. People polarize and vie for power. A church that knows who they are, why they exist, and where they are headed, will become even more committed to the cause. The congregation will stick together and find a way. A crisis calls for action toward a productive solution. It takes time, persistence, and work – but it's worth it.

• A crisis gives you a chance to make things better.

No one chooses a crisis, but they can help. It's like personal health. A person can suffer a serious illness that forces them to make a radical change in their diet. It's no fun, but it can save their life and allow them to actually live a healthier, longer and more vibrant life in the future. It's true in the church as well.

For example, in the church I mentioned whose senior pastor had an affair - the church is now more open and honest about relationships in general. They all know that it could happen to anyone, but fight diligently that it may happen to no one else. Things have been put in place to make sure staff take a day off, tend to family, and have counseling provided if needed – no questions asked.

About the church that was in financial crisis, they are digging their way out. They are learning greater wisdom in money matters. They were overextended – too much debt and no cash reserves. They had too high a percentage of the overall budget going to personnel. They are correcting these things and several other factors. The leadership is teaching on the topic of giving with greater conviction, understanding and compassion and the congregation is rising to the challenge.

I pray that no crisis fall upon you, but should that happen, my hope is that you find encouragement from these thoughts and you find Proverbs 3:5-6 a source of inspiration, direction, and confidence.

2012-01-19T12:07:00.001-08:00

Dear Church Leader,
Are you in your first church … or heading there soon? Getting started right really matters. This article will help you start smart!

Blessings,

===================================

ARTICLE

"Young Leaders – Start Smart"
by Dan Reiland

Are you heading to your first church? Maybe your second? You probably feel a combination of passion and uncertainty. How you start out in your church matters greatly.

Olympic coaches and runners have taught us that how a sprinter comes out of the blocks is a significant factor in how well he or she runs the race. The same is true for a leader in a local church. If you get off on the wrong angle, or wrong foot – it may be a difficult race at best.

There is no one formula that fits every person, but there are guidelines that can help you get out of the blocks strong, swift and sure-footed. The guidelines offered here work best based on the assumption that you have prayerfully chosen the right church.

• Transition from leading person to leader.

Some young leaders I talk to consider their first church the fifth year of college – and their real education! Just saying. When you make the transition from preparation, (from college or an internship or whatever it might have been), to your church, there are several adjustments to be made.

The most crucial of these adjustments is a change of mind-set from one that focuses largely on moving (growing) yourself from point A to B, (graduation), to moving an entire congregation from point A to point B. It's a huge difference. The transition is from being a leading person (one who does things well) to being a leader of persons (one who leads others to do things well.) A leading person may excel in what they do personally, but has no track record in leading others to excel together. It's a gigantic transition from being a good student to a good leader. Don't let it overwhelm you. Just knowing you need to make the shift is half the battle!

• Learn as much as you can as fast as you can.

Learn the history of the church. The past will give you great insight about to how to lead into the future. Spend time getting to know the leaders. Find their heart and learn what they think. Ask about the strengths and weaknesses of the church, but not like a consultant conducting a survey, ask like a parent who cares about their kids.

Still on learning, but from a different angle, I encourage you to find a mentor or two. Very specifically, find a pastor whose church attendance is just one step above yours. For example, if your church averages about 200, find a mentor who leads a church of 400. You want to learn what he knows!! Find a church as close to yours as you can. There is no secret to proximity. It's only for practical reasons. If you need to travel a couple hours to find one, then get your Starbucks on and start driving.

• Gather some change before you make change.

Change will always cost you as a leader, so you need "change in your pocket" before you make changes. This comes by earning trust, building strong relationships, and getting some wins under your belt. The good news is that the church will loan you some change upon your arrival. If you spend it well they will give you more. If you spend it unwisely, they will charge you interest that will kill you.

One young pastor used his borrowed change to announce from the platform on his first Sunday, without discussing this with anyone, that the choir would no longer be wearing robes. He said it was about time they caught up with the 21st Century. He didn't last long.

Another and wiser pastor, a United Methodist in Georgia, not a week on the job, saw that his church of 200 plus desperately needed a win. It was a plateaued church with little money and even less hope. They really wanted new choir robes but couldn't afford them. The pastor knew that choir robes had little to do with the success of the church in the big picture but was wise enough to know they needed a win. He told the congregation that God was big enough to provide the money for the choir robes – $2400. He stood beside the pulpit and lovingly challenged the people to give. He took a risk and God blessed. Over $2500 came in and you never saw such a pumped and enthused church. They thought, "If we can do that" what could we really do? The pastor gained serious "change in his pockets" that morning!

• Be yourself.

People like you best when you are yourself. Not everyone will like you, but people like you best when you are genuinely you. When you are yourself people can connect with you. When they connect with you they can trust you. When they trust you they will follow you. It's not easy, but it is that simple. Just be you.

Relationships are always important, but especially in the first three to six months. Invest time with the people, not to be their pal but their leader and friend. Let people get to know you as you get to know them. Don't try to make everyone happy and don't lose sleep worrying about what everyone thinks. Remember that while you lay awake at night thinking about it, they are snoring. Find the key leaders and care about what they think, but remain true to yourself.

• Develop leaders.

This is obviously a much larger topic than a paragraph or so can cover in one article. But I can at least make the point. If you want your ministry to be larger than you, you must develop leaders to help you realize the largest possible Kingdom impact. It's not about numbers and size, it's about impact. I don't care if your church is 100, 1,000 or 10,000 as long as it's growing and people's lives are being changed. You need more leaders to help you do that.

If you are already doing leadership development, great! Skip this paragraph. If you are new at it, let's get started in a simple doable pattern. Here it is. Gather up a small group of leaders. They can be paid staff, volunteer or a combination. It's OK to have rookie leaders with potential and veteran leaders if they want to grow. Pick a great leadership book and meet twice a month to learn leadership together. Hit a chapter or two each time and focus on two things: 1. What are you learning? 2. How are you applying it? That's it! The key is simplicity and consistency. Leadership development is a lifelong commitment not an event. Stay at it. Leadership development can get much more involved than what I just said, but those two things work very well. Just keep doing it and you'll expand your process naturally.

If you'd like several good book suggestions to develop leaders with go to my blog at http://danreiland.com and click on the "books" button.

• Chase God.

This may be the most obvious of all, but curiously it gets left out more often than you might think. Young leaders are so eager to lead, build and succeed that it's easy to crowd out that which really matters. Don't get me wrong. I applaud the zeal, energy and hard work. But God is the one who adds the favor, blessing and true power to make anything of eternal value happen.

The two things that will keep your heart hot for God are prayer and evangelism. Stay close to God and never lose a heart for people who are far from God.

Yes, you and I could make this list longer. But if you make it much longer you'll get lost in the list. The idea is just to get started on the right foot. Start smart and the rest will come in time.

2012-01-19T11:53:00.000-08:00

AMPLIFIED LEADERSHIP
5 Practices to establish influence, build people, and impact others for a lifetime.

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The leaders you develop today will determine your ministry's future.

If you want your ministry to reach its maximum potential—all that God wants for you—it is essential that you develop leaders. Amplified Leadership delivers a proven process for developing leaders who are established spiritually and trained practically. Amplified Leadership is a relationally based process that engages a person from connection through a relationship to empowerment as a leader. The ability to develop leaders is a life-changing gift. When you successfully empower and release people into leadership, you give them the opportunity to fulfill their potential and advance the mission of the church.

FEATURES AND BENEFITS

Not merely a checklist of things leaders should do, this book is an intentional process that starts with relationships and ends with empowered leaders who are ready to make an impact in an organization.
Integrates practical leadership within a spiritual foundation to produce a life changing process for new leaders
Author is well-known and recognized as the "Pastor's Coach" and has a visible platform on the topic of leadership
Gives you a tool for both personal growth in your own leadership as well as developing other leaders

"Dan Reiland is known for coaching church leaders and has captured the process he uses to develop local church leaders in this book." —Craig Groeschel, Pastor of LifeChurch.tv

2012-01-19T11:52:00.000-08:00

Dear Church Leader,
Let's be candid, it doesn't always go well or end well when you are on a church staff. It's important that you start over in the best way possible.

Blessings,

=================================================
ARTICLE

"Starting Over"
by Dan Reiland

It seems like there are too many local church stories that don't have an "and they lived happily ever after" ending. Pastors tell me their story and it's no wonder why so many leave the local church in pursuit of secular jobs.

It seems like these stories shouldn't be so common in the church. I'm not naive, people are people, but it's still hard to hear. Stuff happens. I know. The local church is not immune to unhappy endings.

"John", pastored in a suburb of a large city and stood up against a wealthy member who tithed to the church. The member had recently made a significant pledge during a building campaign. The pastor wanted chairs in the new building and this member wanted pews. The member said he would pull his pledge if chairs were purchased for the new worship auditorium. The battle got ugly. The financial pressures were huge. They were in too deep to get out. The board felt they "needed" the member's money. Pews were selected. The pastor was encouraged to leave, and was gone in three months with next to no severance. How could this happen?!

There is no end to the variety of these sad stories. I'm sure you know some tragic stories too. No one can predict great endings, but starting over with wisdom, will make a significant difference how the next chapter ends.

• To the best of your ability – leave well.

This is easier said than done, but nonetheless important. Even if you feel you've been wronged, don't burn your bridges. You may have been treated terribly, but take the high road anyway. I'm not suggesting that you become a voiceless doormat, but turning the other cheek is Christ's example to us. And candidly, fighting these situations is usually a losing battle. Humanly speaking you may never be rewarded for your suffering, but God will honor you if you leave well.

When you are gone, be gone. Don't take calls from those you once shepherded, at least for several months. You are not their pastor any longer. Say your goodbyes, let them know it was your privilege to serve them, and tell them they must look to the next pastor. You are not abandoning them. You are leaving well and helping the church have a chance to succeed. Your close friends will always be with you.

• Take time to thoughtfully assess the damage.

It's important for you to know the real damage. Do you have a bruised ego or a broken heart? Do you feel betrayed? Do you feel someone owes you something? Has your faith been challenged? How did this impact your family? Are you angry with God? Do you feel disenfranchised from the local church? Have you lost your confidence? The answers to these kinds of questions will help you make sure you are headed down the right road of re-entry to ministry. Don't tackle these questions on your own. I encourage you to take some time with a couple of close friends or possibly a trusted counselor and walk through these questions.

• Take sufficient time to heal.

If you're hurting, face the hurt and move toward healing, don't bury yourself in more work. Don't rush into the next church. You may need to take a short sabbatical from church work. A time frame as limited as 30-90 days, can make a big difference. The healing process won't be complete in that length of time, but enough can take place that full healing can come.

If you go to the next church too soon, you will find great tension between needing to heal and needing to lead. While it's not impossible, it's very difficult to fully engage in both at the same time. A pastor doesn't need to be "perfect" (who is?) to move to the next church. There is always some baggage from a difficult situation – my caution is to do what you can so that the baggage is light.

Pastor, remember that God does not love you because you are valuable. You are valuable because He loves you. If God's love is based on our own merit, we are all in trouble. You are valuable because of God's incredible and unconditional love for you. Your healing is based upon this simple yet profound concept.

• Learn from your mistakes.

Let's establish a generous benefit of the doubt. It may have been 95% those who opposed you and 5% you, but no matter how you slice it you were part of the equation. It's like a marriage, sometimes a divorce truly can be attributed largely to one person, but there is always at least a little of the issue that the other person must own. The healthiest and most productive thing to do is to courageously accept responsibility for your contribution to what happened and learn from your mistakes. Don't blame yourself for everything that took place, just take responsibility for your stuff. Don't dwell on what is in the past, but learn for the future. It's part of healing and getting ready to lead again.

• Test your Personal Readiness Factor.

There is something I call the "Personal Readiness Factor", and it's a valuable process for you to work through before saying yes to your next church. It's essential in times of a difficult transition. It's as simple (not easy) as honestly working through some tough questions, such as the following:

Can I let the past go? (Are you ready to stop talking about it?) Have I forgiven those who hurt me? Is my family ready for me to lead another church? Is my energy level sufficient to lead a local church? Am I more confident than cautious? Am I more like a caged tiger than a whipped puppy? Am I ready to give more than I receive? What is my dream or vision for the future?
How have I grown – How am I different? Has God given me a green light?

Take these questions seriously. And again, I recommend that you meet with a couple of friends to answer these questions. They will help you with perspective and encourage you in the process.

• Ask the next church key questions.

Part of what you may have learned is to do a better job of prayerfully selecting the right church. As I've said, no one can predict the future, and sometimes it just doesn't work, but doing your homework is helpful in discerning God's wisdom.

Ask questions like: Is the primary leadership unified? Are they willing to change? How are decisions made? What are they willing to do to accomplish the desired results? Is the primary leadership supportive? What is the full financial picture? What would prevent them from realizing the next step in pursuit of the mission? Discern things like: How solid are the relationships? Are there any unaddressed "elephants" in the room? Is there unresolved conflict? Is the culture healthy? What do they really want to accomplish?

• Listen to your heart, take a risk, and go full throttle.

When it's time, jump back in with your full heart and mind in gear. Don't hold back and don't self-protect to avoid being hurt again. Don't "ease in", be yourself and go for it.

Don't choose a safe and easy church. Go where God directs and you know you need Him to make it. Dream again and dream big. God is with you, and there are more people than you know, in the larger body of Christ, who really care and believe that what you do matters.

2012-01-19T11:51:00.000-08:00

Dear Church Leader,
There are some things about the local church that are a mystery, but nothing really that's a secret. Churches that you likely as perceive as successful, nearly always do the same kinds of things. They do them consistently and well. Take a look and see what you think.

Blessings,

========================================
ARTICLE

"It's Not a Secret!"
by Dan Reiland

Jerry Robertson is a real estate agent, motorcycle rider, and a cool guy. But let me tell you how everyone knows him. He leads the coffee ministry at 12Stone Church®. Jerry wears a nametag that says "Chaplain of Caffeine." Thousands of people get their caffeine fix at church and they love Jerry for it! He recently lost a lot of weight and I asked him how he did it. I leaned in and asked him in such a way that might suggest his answer would reveal a secret. A secret that was powerful and well guarded, in fact, known only to Tibetan monks and a select few others. Can you guess what he said? "Well, I started eating less and exercising more, and I've been doing that for a long time." I almost felt like he was holding out on me! But there is no secret to weight loss. It's always the same, burn more calories than you consume, and you will lose weight – get up the next day, press repeat.

Pastors and church leaders ask me every week about the secret to church growth. They don't always use that word, but they are asking for the "insider scoop" that apparently no one else knows. When Outreach Magazine named 12Stone Church the fastest growing church in America in 2010 our phones rang even more. I remember meeting with a pastor in our coffee shop. He leaned over, then looked over both shoulders, as if he was going to slip me some money and I would slide him "the good stuff." He had that look of – I want the secret. He asked: "OK, for real, what are you doing to cause this growth?" (There's got to be a secret.)

I said to the pastor, I know you understand this, but this is all God's doing. It's His power, favor and anointing. His response: "Yeah, Yeah, I know. Now, what are you guys doing?" He had that look like I was holding out on him. I said: "Nothing different." I thought he would get up and walk out on me. I said: "Really! Let me explain." "It's NOT a secret!!" The problem is that many churches behave as if it's a secret.

There are only three things that consistently drive any church forward.

1. Prayer (This is about spiritual intensity and includes the worship service.)
2. Evangelism (This involves reaching people who are far from God.)
3. Leadership Development (This is specifically about systematically raising up new leaders.)

There are a multitude of variations that impact, as I call them, The Big Three. Things such as your church's DNA and culture, the city where you are located, your history, the gifting of the pastor and the list goes on. But regardless of the size of the church, the essence of The Big Three doesn't change. They just get more complicated as a church gets larger.

The curious thing is that as I consult with churches I find these three areas among the weakest in what they practice consistently. Or for those who do them, it's often program oriented rather than in the culture, organic and Spirit driven.

Leadership development is consistently the weakest of the big three in most churches. So, for the remainder of this article, I'd like to make that my focus. Candidly, I think some churches want "the secret" more than the practical truth. A secret carries the promise of something easy, like a new fad diet. The truth involves discipline and grind just like a real diet. You never escape the reality of "get up the next day and do it again."

• Good leadership is different than leadership development.

You can be a good leader and yet not develop other leaders. You may be highly gifted, have a winning personality and be effective at what you do. But your church or organization will never grow beyond what you can personally carry if you don't invest in and raise up other competent leaders.

If you don't develop other leaders to help further the mission, you become the lid. Everyone has limits. Whether you are the pastor, CEO, or a department leader, your productivity will eventually stall out as you hit the ceiling of what you can do. When you develop other leaders you multiply, expand, and increase your potential.

Let me be candid. It takes more energy to develop other leaders than to develop yourself. That's why so many leaders don't do it. You are under pressure to make things happen and get things done. Your first instinct is "just do it" and you think, "I don't have time" to develop others. Resist that instinct and commit to invest in your team!

• It's essential that you continue to grow as a leader.

How are you growing as a leader? What specifically are you working on so that you are a better leader? I mentioned that it takes more energy to develop others than to develop yourself, but it's no small feat to improve as a leader. And to be good at developing leaders, you must continue to grow yourself.

You first need to be self aware enough to know where you need to improve. Then you need to be willing to pay the price and dig in. In most cases you need a coach. You need someone to tell you the truth, give you wisdom, and encourage you along the way. You don't need to meet with this person as often as you might think. In fact, you could meet with a great coach 3-4 times a year for 2-3 hours of process and that's it. It will usually take you several months to practice what you talked about in your coaching session. If you have multiple coaches, ones who cover different areas of your life, you can literally meet with each one only 2-3 times a year! There are good coaches who meet much more often and that's OK, but know that it's not always necessary.

• Focus on simplicity and consistency.

Let me leave you with a practical plan to get started developing others. First let me say that development is different than equipping. Equipping involves training people for competence in a specific ministry task. For example, training people in your children's ministry so they know how to lead a child to Christ, or training your small group leaders so they know how to lead effective small group discussion. Developing is investing in people so that they are "bigger, better and stronger people" regardless of what they do. There are two primary platforms for development – spiritual life and leadership. Spiritual leadership is the ultimate outcome.

It's important that you keep your plan simple. Without simplicity it's not likely that you will maintain consistency. If, under the pressure of getting your work done, you falter in consistency or quit developing altogether, you will never realize the powerful long-term impact of leadership development. This is a lifelong investment, not just a weekend experience or one time conference.

So, start here. Choose a good leadership book. There are dozens to pick from. If you aren't sure where to start, pick up The Five Levels of Leadership by John Maxwell or The Truth about Leadership, by James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner, or Next Generation Leader by Andy Stanley. All three of these are excellent books to train leaders with.

Then select the group you want to develop. Ideally, choose between 3 and 9 people to meet with once a month. You can have a larger group, but the dynamic will change substantially with a larger group. Assign a section of the book and when you meet, do two things. 1. Discuss what you are learning. 2. Discuss how you are applying what you are learning. That's it. It's that simple. Yes, there is more you can do, but don't rush to complicate it. Keep it simple and gain consistency before you make it more involved.

My prayer is that you jump in and go for it! You won't be disappointed at the results!

2012-01-19T11:49:00.000-08:00

Dear Church Leader,
Every church has an usher team. Not every church has a good usher team. Your ushers are an important part of your church's ministry and this article will add value to the training of your ushers.

Blessings,

Dan REILAND

ARTICLE

"Your Usher Ministry"
by Dan Reiland

One of my favorite ministries to lead is the usher team. Their role is so important, but often undervalued, undertrained, and less than organized.

The ushers are a huge force in setting the tone for worship and helping to prepare the people to hear and respond to the Word of God.

I'm pulling a portion of the training notes for our usher team and adapting for this article. If you would like the full usher training manual (free) CLICK HERE!

An usher is a spiritual ambassador for the local church – God's ordained and organized body of believers. The usher serves as a "first representative" of Jesus Christ for a worship service. Though we thoroughly enjoy the creative edge of our worship services, make no mistake, this is a holy event where God is meeting with His people.

From the tabernacle in the Old Testament to the temple and synagogue in the New Testament, God's presence and the teaching of His word is of supreme importance.

Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. Exodus 40:34

They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, Jesus went into the synagogue and began to teach. The people were amazed at his teaching because he taught them as one who had authority, not as the teachers of the law. Mark 1:21-22

At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. John 8:2

Who Can Serve as an Usher?

Not just anyone can be an usher. In the same way that not just anyone can sing in the choir, work in children's ministry or lead a small group. The right gifts, passion, and ability make a big difference.

As you recruit new ushers keep spiritual qualities, characteristics and usher responsibilities in mind. Please make sure you work in coordination with your section leader or a service leader rather than practicing "random recruiting."

The fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5:22-23 is a solid guideline for a good usher. This is not about perfection, but a heartfelt motive and desire to live a life of a spirit-filled believer.

Qualifications of an Usher

• You understand the vital role of the usher ministry.

• You enjoy and care about people.

• You possess a servant heart.

• You are committed to the vision of "your church name."

• You are supportive of the leadership at "your church name."

Responsibilities of an Usher

1. Committed leadership

• Prepare yourself spiritually.

A good usher comes prepared mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. This is not to be seen as a duty, but a privilege to connect with God as part of your preparation. Don't feel like this requires an hour of Bible study before you show up. God is far more interested in the commitment of your heart than the amount of your time. Take a few moments at home to connect with God and ask Him to use you as a representative of His love and an agent of His redemptive plan.

• Take initiative!

This is huge. The cardinal sin of an usher is to not pay attention. At all times watch what is going on in your section and jump in to handle it. If you aren't sure what to do, ask your section leader. The only wrong choice is to do nothing. Never assume "someone" else is taking care of the need. Pay attention, take initiative, and make it happen!!

• Absorb the pressure of the moment, don't transfer it.

Most of the ministry of an usher is pure joy. Seriously, it's a lot of fun. But on occasion there are moments of pressure when someone is upset or something isn't working right. In these moments never transfer the pressure to the person entering into their worship experience. You are the leader. You absorb the pressure. Get help if you need it, but never make the issue their problem. You help deliver a solution.

• Own your section, lead your section, shepherd your section.

This is exciting. In an average environment with average ushers, once the seats are filled the ushers relax and mentally check out. As a leader you are empowered to take ownership of the area of seats you serve in and give leadership where needed. Think of your area like you are responsible to do everything in your power to ensure that all those people have the best opportunity possible to connect with and hear from God. You can shepherd the people by getting to know them, praying for them, learning their names, and meeting appropriate needs.

• Follow the direction of your head usher.

All good leaders are good followers. It is important that you follow the leadership of the person responsible to lead you. Be supportive and encouraging. Offer suggestions if you have good ideas, but don't be overly sensitive if your ideas aren't used. Your head usher will do his or her best to serve and lead you and the rest of their team well.

2. Core tasks

In each of these areas you will receive practical hands-on training.

• Help people find a seat.

This seems obvious, but there is an art to it. The art is all about making people, especially new people and people far from God, feel comfortable. Their insecurities can rise and their feelings of self-consciousness prevent them from connecting with God.

Imagine what it feels like to walk into an unfamiliar restaurant or other environment and not know what to do. Do I seat myself or do I wait to be seated? Who do I talk to if I have a question? Who do I tell if I have special circumstances? (e.g. potential medical condition)

Your job is to move toward and engage people quickly and with confidence to help them know what to do. Don't leave people hanging. Let them know that you can handle anything they need, and that you are the one that can make this a smooth and enjoyable experience.

Don't make them come to you and ask. You approach them with confidence and a smile. Take charge with grace and poise.

• Collect the offering.

On a divine level, the offering is part of worship. It is the opportunity for worshippers to express their love, trust and obedience toward God. On a practical level, the financial needs of a large church are significant. Your smooth and coordinated execution of an offering can and does impact the resources that fund the Kingdom. On a security level, this is one of the most detailed functions of an usher.

You will be trained in the actual physical process for receiving an offering in a live session.

You will receive detailed training that will help us ensure compliance with legal guidelines and practical security issues.

• Assist in the execution of special moments.

Many churches are known for creativity in their worship services. From motorcycles to doughnuts, to tractors and bottles of coke, you just never know what may be coming down the aisles! Some of the special moments are fun, some are crazy, and some are deeply spiritual. Things like crossing a bridge, writing in journals, or taking communion. The service of an usher is crucial to these moments being leveraged toward life-change.

We are depending on your flexibility. Don't get flustered when last minute changes are made. That will happen. Just keep positive, stay flexible and know that creativity is at work "making the magic" that makes all the difference.

• Get an accurate people count.

Why does this matter so much? Why must these numbers be so accurate? Why can't we just make a good estimate? The answer is that every number represents a person. We want to be good stewards of all that God has entrusted to us and therefore it matters that we know how well we are reaching people. Just like in the book of Acts, they counted, recorded, and celebrated how many people were saved . . . we count too!

• Re-set and clean up the auditorium.

People will leave papers, cups and "stuff". The glamorous part of an usher's ministry is cleaning up after each service. In addition, supplies such as Bibles and pens are replenished.

Remember, many hands make light work. If all ushers jump in and help, it takes about 10 minutes.

3. Common sense

• Maintain proper appearance and personal hygiene.

• Show up on time.

o Section leaders 40 minutes before the service.
o Ushers 30 minutes before the service.

• Read the bulletin – get informed, stay informed.

• Wear your name tag.

• You are not required to usher every Sunday, but when you are on the schedule, give it 100%.

• If you are on the schedule and can't make it, it is imperative that you call your section leader.

• Smile, talk to people, and learn their names!!

Yes, there's more, and as mentioned, you can have the complete training booklet - CLICK HERE!

Happy Ushering!!

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ABOUT DAN
Dr. Dan Reiland serves as Executive Pastor at 12Stone Church in Lawrenceville, Georgia. He previously partnered with John Maxwell for 20 years, first as Executive Pastor at Skyline Wesleyan Church in San Diego, then as Vice President of Leadership and Church Development at INJOY. He and Dr. Maxwell still enjoy partnering on a number of church related projects together.

Dan is best known as a leader with a pastor's heart, but is often described as one of the nations most innovative church thinkers. His passion is developing leaders for the local church so that the Great Commission is advanced.

As a communicator, Dan has a down-to-earth style that combines humor and strategic thinking. Each year he "coaches" many pastors and speaks to several thousand people, impacting lives and strengthening the local church.

Dan and his wife Patti live in Dacula, Georgia with their two children Mackenzie and John-Peter.

2012-01-19T07:16:00.001-08:00

The Leader's Role in Building Trust

How well are you modeling trust and authenticity to your group?

Trevor Lee | posted 1/16/2012Topics: Assessment, Authenticity, Leadership, Modeling, Transparency, Trust
Filters: Coach, Facilitator, Group Leader, Host, Lead
Purpose: Discipleship
References: None
Date Added: January 16, 2012

1 of 2

Note: This article has been excerpted from our resource Are We Building Trust?

There are many ingredients that come together to create a deep and meaningful small-group experience. Without a doubt, two of these ingredients are trust and authenticity. When these are present, group members can open up about their struggles and victories in a way that allows others to walk with them toward spiritual growth. They can also ask difficult questions and share serious doubts without fear of judgment.

Conversely, when trust and authenticity are lacking, a small group is doomed to biblical small talk and pseudo-growth. While there are a number of factors that contribute to a group’s ability to be open and honest with each other, one of the most important is the modeling of the leader. Small-group leaders have an amazing amount of influence on the culture of the group. If the leader models trust and authenticity, group members are likely to follow suit.
Assessment

Use this assessment to determine how well you are modeling trust and authenticity to your small group. Want an even more accurate picture? Have your coach fill out this assessment for you after visiting your group, or ask your small-group members to fill it out and then compare their results to yours.

Assign a number between 1 and 10 to each of the following statements.

0: Strongly Disagree 5: Neither Agree nor Disagree 10: Strongly Agree

1. _____ I value being understanding over being right.

2. _____ When I need to challenge something that's been said, I do so gently.

3. _____ I share relevant details of my own struggles and victories.

4. _____ I tell group members when I'm not sure of an answer.

5. _____ I talk about the importance of trust during group meetings.

6. _____ I intentionally move the group past small talk.

7. _____ I admit when I am wrong and take responsibility.

8. _____ I have never shared things that were meant to be kept confidential.

9. _____ I maintain eye contact when talking to people.

10. _____ I listen to each person's perspective, even when I disagree.

11. _____ I never respond with sarcasm to the things people share.

12. _____ I never make fun of theological positions different than my own.

13. _____ I never gossip about others in the group.

14. _____ I stop and talk to group members at church services and activities.

15. _____ I care about group members' lives and spiritual growth.

16. _____ I ask questions instead of just giving answers.

Total #1-8 _____

Total #9-16_____

Overall Total _____
Evaluation

The scores are broken down into two parts for a specific reason. The first group of questions addresses a small-group leader's overt leadership in the area of authenticity and trust. These are the things that most obviously impact the environment of the group.

The second group of questions addresses a small-group leader's subtle leadership. There are many things that group leaders and members alike don't think about that have a significant impact on how authentic and trusting the group becomes.

Dividing the assessment into these areas can identify potential areas of growth even if the group is fairly trusting and authentic on the whole. Below is a general guide to evaluating the scores for each section and the total score.
Section Scores
64 and above: This indicates an excellent job by the group leader in the specific area addressed by this group of questions.
40-63: The group leader is doing some things well in this specific area. However, there is also significant room for growth.

39 and under: The group leader needs to work hard on improving in the area addressed by this group of questions.
Total Score
128 and above: This indicates an excellent job by the group leader in modeling trust and authenticity and creating a group environment where these things can flourish.
80-127: The group leader is clearly doing some modeling of trust and authenticity and creating a group environment where these things can flourish. However, there is also significant room for growth.
79 and under: The group leader needs to work hard on improving as a model of trust and authenticity. They are not doing the things that create a group environment where these things can flourish.
Moving Forward

Whether the results from this assessment are negative or positive, see it as a blessing. Remember why you agreed to lead a small group in the first place. I doubt it was so you could always feel comfortable and lead people in shallow conversations. No, you chose to be a leader because you care about your spiritual growth and the spiritual growth of others. The goal is not comfort; it is transformation and authentic community. These things will never happen unless you are real about the things that need to change.

Make some goals to improve how you model trust and authenticity for your group. Be sure to tell your coach, too, so he or she can check in with you and encourage you along the way. Be intentional, and know that God is using you to build a culture of trust and authenticity in your group where everyone can grow. May God bless and guide you as you tackle this honor and responsibility.

—Trevor Lee; copyright 2012 by Christianity Today International.

2012-01-15T14:35:00.000-08:00

A Wise Heart

“Because you have asked for understanding to discern judgment. I have given you a wise and understanding heart.”
– 1 Kings 3:11-12

Jesus tells us that we must love our enemies and we must pray for those who persecute us. Responding to violence with violence or hate with hate has the only poisons our heart…

A wise and understanding heart does not repay a hurt with a hurt. In doing so, the heart is diminished. Fissures form. Love leaks out. Every pain given in return for one received, changes the contents of the heart. It is no longer defined by love, wisdom and understanding. It is redefined by the bearers of hurt and hate, pain and prejudice, meanness and madness, sorrow and sadness. You give away control of your very own heart.

The despair of being hurt is healed by overcoming it, not clinging to the hurt and inflicting more of it on the world. When darkness is added to darkness, no one can see, no one can love. Everyone loses.

Love is not always warm and fuzzy. Sometimes it’s the integrity we hold on to when we’re tempted to strike back. Sometimes it’s the honor that keeps us from exchanging the valuable contents of our heart for the harsh satisfaction of lashing back.

No, the way of love is not always easy, but when night falls, dawn is assured.

The integrity and honor of a wise and understanding heart, rises with the sun of a new day.

- Author Unknown

http://www.jesus-loves-you.org/?p=3140

2012-01-13T07:13:00.000-08:00

Is He Satisfied?

S837
Sel. 837

Do you ever search your heart
as you watch the day depart?
Is there something way down deep
you try to hide?
If this day should be the end
and eternity begin,
When the book is opened wide,
would the Lord be satisfied?

Chorus:
Is He satisfied, is He satisfied?
Is He satisfied with me?
Have I done my best, have I stood the test?
Is He satisfied with me?

When my Lord shall come again, when He walks and talks with men,
What if every friend He has were just like me?
Would He feel a welcome here or would He be broken-hearted?
Am I all that I should be? Is He satisfied with me?

http://m.youtube.com/index?desktop_uri=%2F&gl=US#/watch?v=s3j0Fs0Fd0M

2012-01-12T13:56:00.000-08:00

Answers for Each Day - with Bayless Conley

Jan. 10

Go Fish

Over the next seven devotionals, I want to talk to you about the number one business of the Church: the business of winning souls. It is what I call "The Seven Cs of Soul Winning."

The first "C"—commission—is found in Mark 16:15. These are some of the last words Jesus spoke before He ascended into heaven,

"Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature."

Could it be any clearer? Jesus said, "Go." Dare we say, "No"? He said, "Go."

That is the opposite of "stay," isn't it? G G-O.

God wants you and me to take the Gospel to Others.

You and I need to get out into the world! Jesus was not crucified between two candles on a church altar. He was crucified out in the byways and highways of humanity, and that is where we must take the message.

Jesus said, "Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men." That is a promise. But you know what? You have to get to the water if you are going to catch fish. You have to get out of the four church walls, out to where hurting humanity is, and engage them with the gospel.

A while back, I went backpacking with my two sons in a very remote area. We found a pristine lake where just about every time we would put a line in the water, we would catch a fish.

We also had this incredible camp. But you know what? If we wanted to catch fish, we had to go down to the water. No one could catch a fish sitting in camp.

A lot of Christians just hang around the camp. They form fishing clubs and talk about how important it is to fish. But they don't fish.

God wants us to go fish!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Compassion for the Lost

Yesterday we started a series of devotionals I am calling "The Seven Cs of Soul Winning." Today I want to point you to the second "C"—compassion. In Mark 16:16 Jesus said,

"He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned."

Now, condemned is a pretty soft word in the English language. I actually like the King James Version, where it says, "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned."

Condemned or damned, it means eternally separated from God with no opportunity of rescue or retrieval. Forever lost. Think about it!

Do you recall the story Jesus told of the rich man who died? It ought to send a shudder through the heart of even the most brazen sinner.

Jesus tells us that the rich man died and was in torment, in flame. Jesus goes on to say that the rich man lifted up his eyes, and begged for mercy. But no mercy came, even as it says in Revelation 14:11, "The smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever."

I know it is not a popular subject in the Church to talk about hell, but Jesus talked more about hell than He did about heaven. It is a very real place. If we would consider just for a moment the end of the man or woman who rejects Christ, it ought to cause our hearts to be stirred with compassion.

When was the last time you and I shed a tear over lost humanity? When was the last time you and I were truly broken with the things that break the heart of God?

Our compassion for the lost ought to move us to do all we can to share Christ with them!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Ground

The next "C" of "The Seven Cs of Soul Winning" is common ground. We need to endeavor to find common ground with people. In 1 Corinthians 9:19-24, Paul says,

For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. Now this I do for the gospel's sake, that I may be partaker of it with you. Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.

In this passage, Paul is talking about the way he ran—the method he used—to reach people for Christ. Verse 22 in The Living Bible puts it this way, Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone so that I might bring them to Christ.

Paul didn't run aimlessly. And like Paul, you have to find a point to relate to people so that you can build a bridge over which the gospel can come.

I encourage you today to find a common area of interest, a common ground, to relate to people in order to share Christ with them.

http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/answers/

2011-12-30T22:11:00.000-08:00

What if the Group Continues to Get Off Topic?

Seven tips to stay on track

Reid Smith | posted 11/07/2011

Multi-person discussions naturally meander. You don't want to be too rigid, but you also don't want to have a meeting full of rabbit trails. Try to keep the balance between tight focus and some wiggle room. A helpful analogy is sailing. A sailor doesn't hold on tightly to the rope, locking the sail in a single position. This actually gets the boat to the destination slower than if one held on loosely to the rope, letting the sail fully catch the shifting winds. Each small group moves at its own pace and rhythm based on its unique chemistry. Discern what your group's pace and rhythm are and direct the study and discussion accordingly.

Here are some pointers that can help groups that have trouble staying on topic.

1. Prepare realistically for the meeting. Begin with the assumption that you'll be able to cover only half of the questions presented in any prepared study guide. Ask yourself: "Which half of these questions will work best for my group?" Then cover that half and if time allows you can cover the remaining questions. This allows you more focus for what you want to cover and means you'll prepare an appropriate number of questions for the discussion time.

2. Outline what you want to do at the beginning of the meeting. Avoid sharing this as if it's an agenda. Rather, chart the course and explain to the group why it would be good for you to cover the questions prepared for the gathering. Set a goal for the group. For example, you could encourage them by saying, "In this meeting, let's explore …" or "What I hope you'll walk away with by the end of our meeting is …" With goals in mind, your group knows they're travelling toward a destination.

3. Try to discern a pattern. Does the group tend to get off topic at generally the same time at each meeting? Does something trigger it getting off topic? It could be an individual or a way questions are phrased. Pay attention to see if there is a pattern to when and why the group gets off track. How might you avoid this pattern?

4. Ask the group if they're happy with the study you're doing. When a group continually gets off topic it might be a signal that it's time to abandon the study you're doing. That's completely acceptable! People might be bored or disinterested in it. Discuss this together. Check in from time to time with your group and ask them if the study you're working with is working for them.

5. Try to link "wandering talk" back to the topic at hand. Look for opportunities to jump in, graciously segue, and take hold of the steering wheel again. You don't have to bring an abrupt halt to someone's aimless chatter—look for the right moment when you can gracefully harness it and relate it to the group's focus of study.

6. Invite your coach to attend a meeting to see if he or she can give you insight. Having another perspective can be critical in these situations. Your coach may notice a pattern that you are oblivious to or suggest something new for you to try. Coaches are there to help you; tap into their wisdom.

7. Ask trusted group participants to help keep the study on track. Sometimes it can be beneficial to enlist the help of other group members. Ask one or two group members to pay attention to when you get off track and say something like "What was the question again?" Not only will you have help, but also the group members helping you will feel more ownership of the group.

—Reid Smith is the Community Life Pastor of Christ Fellowship Church in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, and the founder of the 2orMore small-group leadership training and resource ministry.

2011-12-30T21:53:00.000-08:00

The Cure for Influence-itis

Doing for one what I wish I could do for all
by Nicole Unice

“I understand how to tell people that I can’t meet with them soon,” I said to my pastor over coffee several years ago, “but how can I possibly tell them I can’t meet with them ever?” I was experiencing my first round of influence-itis, the toxic, nagging feeling of being needed by too many people.

The first time I asked this question, I was a volunteer women’s director with three children under six. Now, I’m on a church staff, but the demands of the role and my family continue to make it impossible to reach everyone. I struggled then (and still do) with understanding how to care for so many needs with such limited time.

So when Andy Stanley spoke directly to my influence-itis at the Catalyst Conference, I listened. His message was simple:

Do for one what you wish you could do for everyone.

He unpacked his message with examples: Instead of meeting ten couples with marital difficulties for a couple of hours each, pour yourself into one couple. Instead of trying to solve the homeless crisis in your city, help one struggling family. Look for intentional relationships that you can give your life to, rather than reacting to every need that comes across your doorway. So clear and simple, but so hard to do!

If you, like me, struggle with saying no, if you feel pressured to meet with too many people, perhaps you need to hear this message. You can’t do for everyone. You become ineffective when spread too thin. But what can you do for one? Or two? How can you evaluate your current capability for ministry and then live that out with all your heart?

Years ago I asked Alicia Britt Chole, a popular author and teacher, about her mothering and mentoring balance. She laughed easily. “I used to mentor a dozen women. Then it was eight, and then three. Right now, in this stage, it’s one.” And she seemed fine with it, because she believes in the power of intentional relationships versus need-based reactions.

I’m still processing how to live out this mantra, but already I find myself practicing it in small ways. Rather than one meeting with a student who already has relationships with other staff, I’ll get busy planning a birthday party for my “one.” Rather than another “let’s connect” coffee, I’ll spend intentional time with another “one,” I have to relinquish the desire to be everything to everyone, and pay attention to the one (or two or five) that God’s given me in this season.

If you’re suffering from influence-itis, step back and ask yourself, what can I do for one this week that I wish I could do for everyone? And watch how God blesses your effort!

Nicole Unice is a contributing editor for GiftedforLeadership.com. She is raising three kids and working in Family and Student Ministry at Hope Church in Richmond, VA.

http://blog.kyria.com/giftedforleadership/2011/10/the_cure_for_influenceitis.html

2011-12-30T16:24:00.000-08:00

preaching skill

Getting the Gold from the Text

How to capitalize on the inexhaustible riches of Scripture in your preaching without sounding like a Bible commentary.

John Koessler

posted 10/17/06

Foundational to all good exposition is the conviction that where the Word of God is faithfully taught, the voice of God is authentically heard. In a generation demanding a "now" word from God, as though that would be in some way separate from, or even superior to, the living and enduring Word of Scripture, the expositor believes that everything God has said he is still saying. The preacher's task is not to try to make the Bible relevant; it is relevant, precisely because it is the living Word of the unchanging, present-tense God. Nor is the task to "do something with the Bible," so as to make it palatable to the contemporary scene. Rather, the task is to let the Bible do something with the preacher, so its truth is incarnated in the expositor's life, as well as words, which become the channel of its powerful message to the hearers.

Such foundation principles are derived not only from classic biblical, theological propositions about the inspiration, infallibility, and authority of Scripture, but from the logical derivative that such a revelation will also provide its own authoritative key to its interpretation and usage. If the Bible is God preaching God to us, then, as has often been said, the Bible is an interpretation. Our part is to be willing both to discover and apply it. We must be prepared to preach the Bible the Bible's way.

That means being governed by the way in which God has put the Bible together, as 66 separate but closely integrated units of composition, each with its own specific purpose and major themes. Each constituent sentence of each paragraph or chapter is carefully constructed to play its own role to convey its divinely-intended meaning, in relationship to all the other sentences around it. The same pattern is true of the individual words within each sentence, in their order and emphases, as well as their meaning, so that nothing can be changed without the probability of a change of understanding. It is the same principle that underlies accurate Bible translation work.

These basic convictions in turn lead to the expositor's concern over the purpose and direction of the text, its context in the book of which it is a part and of the Bible as a whole, the distinctive features of the literary genre to which it belongs, and the nuanced meaning of individual words, metaphors, rhetorical devices, and so on. For the expositor's challenge is always to preach his text as "the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth," and that is a much harder tightrope to walk than we often recognize.

At Proclamation Trust conferences, a number of "instructions" have been devised and developed to enable participants to sharpen their Bible-handling skills, so that the text is attentively heard and faithfully explained.
1. Observation

We might describe observation as learning to listen by opening our eyes. The problem with a written text, increasing with its familiarity, is the skim-read approach that lacks attention to detail. The Bible is often read publicly and studied privately with nothing more than a wash-over effect. A general idea is gained of its contents, but acquaintance with its meaning is bland and superficial. To be good expository preachers we have to cultivate the skill of reading with our antennae up, to practice not just textual analysis, but the dying art of listening intelligently to an urgent and meaningful communication as the living God addresses us in his Word.

One way to develop this is to read looking for the surprises. What is there in the text that prompts the question Why? Why does he say that? Why does he say it in those words? Why does he say it here? Anything that pulls me up with the realization that I would not have put it in those terms, or which challenges my presuppositions by conflicting with my usual way of thinking, anything like that will help me to observe what the text is actually saying.

Like a lens sharpening its focus, careful observation enables the reader to see beneath the immediate surface meaning of the words and to begin to grapple with their intended purpose. That in turn will produce clarity in exposition that gives the sermon an edge to penetrate beyond confused half-understandings and generalized notions. It will enable the richness and uniqueness of the detail of a particular passage to have its intended effect, and when that happens, the Bible really does speak.
2. Framework

Our framework is the enemy of such accuracy. The danger is that certain words in the text will merely trigger ideas in the preacher's memory-bank that will then be downloaded and uncritically included in the sermon. While it is inevitable that every preacher will have a unique framework (of theological position, personal experiences, cumulative knowledge, prejudices, and so on), unless the Bible text is questioning the framework every time a passage is under examination, the preaching will soon become a predictable reflection of what the preacher has said many times before. And preaching like that does not challenge the church and will not change the world. It becomes impository of the preacher's world upon the biblical text, rather than expository of the fundamental meaning with all its unsettling and disturbing challenges to our inherently worldly and fallen ways of thinking.
3. Context

As we consider the context of a text, we first need to look at the immediate contextual setting to establish clarity of meaning. Many mistakes are made by taking a verse or paragraph out of its immediate context and treating it as though it were an isolated, unconnected unit of thought. For example, at times in Christian experience the great assurances of Romans 8:28, of God working everything together for the good of his loved ones, can seem to ring somewhat hollow. But when we see that verse 29 defines the good as "being conformed to the likeness of his Son," the verse is full of promise again. To set the text in its context will rescue it from becoming merely the preacher's pretext.

Then there is the matter of the wider book context, trying to work out how this particular passage fits with the rest of the book and what specific contribution it is making to the overall purpose of the book, the "melodic line," as it has been called. This has been termed "travelling to Corinth," a principle noted from the fact that 1 Corinthians 13, perhaps the most anthologized "purple passage" of the whole New Testament, is actually in its book context a stinging rebuke and indictment of the Corinthian church. What did it mean to them then? That is the question that has to be asked and answered first in every piece of biblical study, if ever preacher and hearers are to stand a chance of working out what it will mean for us now. How does its inclusion here, and in these terms, help forward the writer's purpose? What does it add, or clarify, or correct?

The third level is the whole Bible context, which leads us into the realm of biblical and theological reflection as the expositor compares Scripture with Scripture and seeks to ascertain how the passage under study contributes to the whole in its own unique way. Seeing the whole Bible as one book by one divine author, though written through various different human servants, means we shall recognize that the middle page dividing the two testaments from each other is the only uninspired page in the whole book.

The principle of progressive revelation not only points to Christ as the center and culmination of all the Old Testament, but establishes the New as the fulfilment motif, so that we see the teaching of Christ and his apostles as the normative control on our understanding of all that preceded him. This also encourages us to reflect on how the perspective of the whole sweep of salvation-history impacts and illuminates our understanding of a specific incident or unit.
4. Application

Application is the purpose that lies behind all this hard work on context. It is never simply for reasons of theoretical or academic correctness that we need to explore the wider field. Rather, it is because working out the meaning and purpose of the text in its various contexts enables relevant application to become much more obvious. It also increases our confidence that we are cutting with the grain of the wood, working with the text as God intended. Much faithful exposition remains at the level of an exegetical lecture rather than crossing the bridge into the world of the contemporary hearers, because it is not contextualized.

Ironically, almost every competent contemporary preacher knows the unchanging text must be contextualized into the modern world, but the great mistake that is often made is to start at our end of the process. This ensures that our contemporary questions and presuppositions are imported into the text, but they may have little to do with the original author's intention. We may as well criticize the Bible for not teaching the laws of nuclear physics as for not answering the spiritual whims and fancies of the 21st century. The good expositor learns to let the Bible ask the questions, which, since they are God's questions, are far more important and immeasurably more significant than any we could ever pose. To do the contextual work at the Bible's end is to ensure that the unchanging text is truly heard in the modern world.

This biblical method of application also delivers both preacher and hearers from the tyranny of the currently fashionable norms of our particular evangelical subculture. So often application is mass-produced in "bolt-on" forms from our current orthodoxies. These are usually in the form of "we ought to … are you?" and develop quickly into legalism and soul-less duty. Grace is effectively evacuated from a ministry emphasis on doing more Christian things (giving, praying, witnessing), and hearers soon become adept at screening out the all-too-predictable challenges.

Successful, life-changing application is launched from the text and flies under the radar screen to lodge itself in the response center of the listener, with a surprise sense of "So that's what it means." The mind is then persuaded of the truth, and the heart is softened to receive and put it into practice. Finally, the will is energized to be obedient and to make the life change in the power of the Holy Spirit, which that same Spirit has been communicating through the Word.
5. Literary Genre

We must attend to the literary genre of the material we are preaching. We need to identify the different methodologies of biblical genres and to work with them in the presentation of the sermon. All too often, we have put every text through a particular stylistic or theological mincing machine and laid out its doctrinal content in an identical way, irrespective of whether the original was poetry or prose, proverb or parable. This can become both abstract and boring, and it gets expository preaching a bad name. It also does a grave disservice to the God of the Bible, whose love of variety and ingenuity, reflected in the physical creation, is not likely to be less evident in his inspired, written revelation. So the expositor needs to work with the literary distinctives as God has given them and not try to iron them out into a standard three-point sermon. We will learn to value the intricate arguments and verbal precision of an epistle, the twist in a parable, the punch line of a gospel pronouncement story, the provocation of a wisdom saying, the turning point of a narrative, the multiple fulfilments of a prophecy, or the emotive, affective ingredients of a poem.

At Proclamation Trust we do not major on homiletics, since in Phillips Brooks' definition preaching is "truth through personality," and every personality will arrange and present the contents with a proper individuality. Effective expository preaching finds its origin and power not so much in clever construction as in detailed, obedient listening to God's voice in the text. The Bible really is to be in the driving seat, dictating the content of the message, its shape, and its contemporary application.

In serving God's Word in this way, we come to realize that the Bible is a book about God long before it is a book about us, and that its strongest relevance is to teach us his unchanging nature. There will be parallels between his Old and New Covenant dealings with Israel and the universal church. There will also be similarities between ourselves and the men and women we meet in the Bible's pages, but we are not the focus of the story, and we are not to read ourselves into each and every circumstance or experience. Verse-by-verse exposition seeks to guard and propagate these great revelatory distinctives to the glory of God and for the benefit of his people and the lost world.

John Koessler is professor and chair of the Pastoral Studies Department at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, Illinois.

http://www.preachingtoday.com/skills/2006/october/60--jackman.html

2011-12-30T16:23:00.001-08:00

November 4, 2011
Stones and Tweets and Kim Kardashian

She and I really aren't that different.

by Ashley Moore

These days, we don’t throw stones.

We tweet them. Here are a few I read today.

“Lindsay Lohan’s going back to jail for 30 days. Or as @KimKardashian calls it, “half her married life.”

“@KimKardashian hopes people respect her courage. No one respects anything about her.”

“@KimKardashian getting divorced after being married 72 days, even Stevie Wonder saw that coming.”

“@KimKardashian. (that’s the whole joke)”

“If @KimKardashian can't stay married, how can the rest of us? Oh wait, we marry for love, not publicity!”

“Thank god gay people can't legally marry each other and destroy the sanctity of what @KimKardashian did.”

...

I don’t know if you’ve heard yet, but Kim Kardashian is getting a divorce.

If you’re like me, you’ve been reading scathing tweets, articles, and Facebook posts ranging from disgust to anger to annoyance over the recently announced split.

Now, to be fair, this is a woman who’s lived her life in the public eye—by choice. She has lived, shopped, fought, dated, married, and now divorced in the eye of a media tornado. And I’m not going to say that this entire situation doesn’t smack of a publicity stunt: she made an estimated $15 million for her E! two-part wedding special, and another $3 million off her wedding photos.

Clearly, it’s naïve not to be skeptical of this divorce.
The secular media is using Kim’s divorce as an opportunity to poke fun and induce anger at a privileged celebrity. But what I find even more alarming is that some Christians are joining in. They’re using her divorce as an opportunity to point out, once again, how full of sin and depravity our world truly is—which is true. But I’m not so sure about the way they’re doing it.

In the midst of it all, I find myself wondering what it must be like to be on the receiving end of so much media brutality.

If it were me, I’d want to find the nearest hole, crawl in, and stay there until Armageddon.

I wonder what it’s like to be Kim Kardashian when the cameras are turned off, and she’s alone. I wonder if she looks in the mirror and sees everything the media has been calling her: a joke, a failure, a whore, a spoiled brat, a sinner, an idiot . . . the list of insults goes on and on. I wonder if she has any real friends, or if she spends her time knowing that once she leaves a room, she’ll be raked over the coals. I wonder if she feels imprisoned.

When I put myself in her place, I venture that she’s heartbroken—and not just about her marriage. I wonder if she could do her life all over again, if she’d consider doing things differently. Because the truth is, Kim Kardashian is no different from the rest of us.

I think about the Gospels, and the way Jesus spoke to the Samaritan woman at the well. She’d been married five times, and was currently living with a man who wasn’t her husband. But Jesus spoke to her with respect and with love.

He didn’t make her a joke or an example.

And when the woman in John 8 was about to get stoned for being an adulteress, and the crowd was surrounding her in self-righteous anger, demanding to kill her, what did Jesus say?

“They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, ‘All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!’ Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust. When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, ‘Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?’

“‘No, Lord,’ she said.

“And Jesus said, ‘Neither do I. Go and sin no more’” (verses 7–11).

The longer I walk with Jesus, the less I identify with the angry crowd, and the more I identify with the woman he saved. I’m that woman who deserved punishment, but miraculously received grace. It brings tears to my eyes when I come to terms with what I’ve been given.

I’m no better and no worse than Kim Kardashian. The only difference between us is that I have been saved by Jesus Christ, and he is (sometimes quite painfully) working on the sickness in my heart and the emptiness in my soul. He’s teaching me that I don’t have to do life like the rest of the world. I’m no longer a slave to sin. I can now choose between sin and obedience. I have a choice. I’m free.

I don’t want to waste my freedom mocking and waving at those who are still enslaved. How does that present the love and sweet grace of Jesus to those who still don’t know him or his freedom?

I was convicted this week, realizing how judgmental I’d been about the Kardashian split, as well as how easily I judge friends in my own life.

I have a responsibility as an ambassador of Christ to issue grace freely. I don’t mean a cheap grace that ignores sin. I mean a grace that doesn’t hurl judgment at those who struggle. I—we all—need to think twice about who we tear down for our own entertainment, and even more specifically, who we tweet, Facebook, speak, or skywrite about for humor’s sake.

This goes further than making fun of celebrities—it's about how I choose to speak about close friends and acquaintances, as well. Only God knows the condition of a person’s heart. Why do I feel entitled to say anything about them at all?

Perhaps it’s time we remove ourselves from the judge’s seat, and instead, kneel down as intercessors, lifting this world back up to Christ.

What does it look like to give love and grace freely, even when we don’t think the recipient “deserves” it? How does this become a daily practice?

http://blog.kyria.com/culture/2011/11/stones_and_tweets_and_kim_kard.html

2011-12-30T16:21:00.000-08:00

Shopping for a Better World

How smart Christmas purchases can help end poverty

by Scott C. Todd

Providing clean water to every person on earth is estimated at $20 billion.
According to the National Retail Federation, Americans spent more than $41 billion during the 2009 Black Friday weekend alone.
In a single weekend, Americans spent twice what it would cost to provide clean water to every person on earth.

Love it or hate it, we Americans are consumers, and consumerism will continue to hum in the heart of our culture. Being for or against this reality is pointless. The real question is how to harness its power for good.

My wife recently noticed that the décor in a PBteen catalog (Pottery Barn’s teen-focused brand) showcases teen bedrooms accented with posters and books about saving the world. That motivated me to check out the PBteen website, where I discovered stories of “amazing teens—we hope their stories will move you to do something small or something huge.” One of those teens, Neha, testifies that, “When I was nine I started Empower Orphans. It’s a non-profit organization to help orphans in India.”

TOMS Shoes offers a “One for One” program promising, “With every pair you purchase, TOMS will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need.” The TOMS website features a “Why we give” link that explains that their motivation is to see “A Better Tomorrow. A village of healthy, educated children has a better chance of improving the future of their entire community.”

There are countless examples of “cause marketing” in which for-profit companies associate marketing efforts with social or charitable causes. American businesses are rapidly increasing this type of activity from an estimated $1.11 billion in 2005 to $1.52 billion in 2008. According to a recent study, 89 percent of Americans ages 13–25 would switch from one product to a comparable product if the latter brand were associated with a “good cause.” Needless to say, that fact motivates companies.

Philanthropy by businesses (or their owners) and cause marketing isn’t new, but it is rapidly growing and entering new territory. Of course, some of these self-declared social-good businesses are just riding a fashionable public relations trend. But either way, if they’re selling us the promise of a better world, it’s a good thing and we can hold them accountable to their promise.

I remember in 1997 I walked into a Peet’s coffee shop in Menlo Park, California, and saw their ad for Fair Trade coffee. I’d never heard of Fair Trade and figured it was just another marketing gimmick. Just another way to get me to buy stuff because it was made from 10 percent post-consumer recycled materials, was never tested on animals, and was dolphin-safe. Turns out I was wrong (not the first time). Fair Trade is a big deal.

The Fair Trade mark is best known for coffee and chocolate, but includes many other products. The movement started earlier than most people realize, around 1949, as an effort to help producers in developing countries gain a higher price, better trade conditions, and improved sustainability.

Edna Ruth Byler, born in 1904, grew up in a Mennonite community in Kansas. She was serving the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) in 1946 when she traveled to Puerto Rico. Although Edna had known an austere life, she was moved by the extreme poverty of Puerto Rico. Edna decided to buy handiwork from local Puerto Rican women and sell it to friends, family, and churches back home. She operated this business out of the trunk of her car and her basement until MCC made it an official part of their relief and development efforts in 1962.

In 2010, my mother-in-law, Jane, a good Kansas girl herself, purchased Christmas gifts for her daughters from Edna’s organization and in doing so helped artisans in Paraguay and Indonesia.

Today Edna’s organization is called Ten Thousand Villages and retails more than $20 million per year in products that help people in poor countries improve their lives.

Edna was part of the ignition for the Fair Trade movement that now involves multiple networks, certification processes, and international governance. In 2008, Fair Trade products accounted for a whopping $4.08 billion in sales, helping 7.5 million producers and their families.

Businesses that want to “do well at doing good” need to be rewarded for doing good. We can create a new market for social good so powerful that businesses without a cause will be seen as myopic or miserly. As with political change, moms have the greatest power to do this because women make 85 percent of America’s purchasing decisions—some people call it the “she-conomy.”

This process is transformational for us as well. Growing in Christ, the process of spiritual formation, has its roots in the condition of our hearts. Jesus teaches that our money and our hearts travel together, “Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be” (Matthew 6:21).

If you want your heart to move in a direction of godliness, try putting your money in that place and see if your heart doesn’t get dragged along for the ride. Psalm 112:8–9 (NIV) describes the hearts of the righteous, “Their hearts are secure, they will have no fear. . . . They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor.” Of course this stewardship isn’t just about how we give. Christian giving is currently pegged at 2.9 percent. What we do with the other 97.1 percent (how we spend it) must be equally important to us as stewards.

I hope this holiday season you’ll reward companies that demonstrate a commitment to corporate philanthropy. Reward companies that champion social causes such as clean water, education, combating preventable disease, sustainable agriculture, and many other poverty-fighting efforts. Buy Fair Trade. Don’t worry about whether companies are using these efforts as “marketing gimmicks.” They are marketing gimmicks and we want these gimmicks to work.

This holiday season—especially Black Friday—can be leveraged for worldwide good. I urge you to spend your dollars where they’ll make the most impact for the global poor.

Here are some suggestions for holiday shopping that will benefit the global poor:
• Toms Shoes
• 10,000 Villages
• Trade As One
• Compassion International
• 58: Fast.Forward.The End of Poverty. (click “Resources” for the store)
Scott C. Todd, Ph.D. is the senior ministry advisor in the President’s Office of Compassion International. He is the author of Fast Living: How the Church Will End Extreme Poverty, from which this article is adapted. Todd is also one of the architects and leading voices of 58:, an action-based alliance of Christians, churches, and world-class poverty-fighting organizations working together to end extreme poverty in our lifetime. www.live58.org

2011-12-30T16:20:00.001-08:00

The following article is located at: http://www.kyria.com/topics/marriagefamily/marriage/spirituality/goodlife.html

The Good Life

With my husband behind bars, I've learned that enjoying life is a matter of perspective.

Holly Mickler | posted 11/16/2011

As a young wife, I often see pictures of others' elaborate weddings and exotic honeymoons, but I reminisce about a cement-walled hallway. I hear people talk about being blessed with great children, and I have none. I listen to stories of romantic evenings watching sunsets and mornings with breakfast in bed, while I dream of an extra kiss stolen in secret. I see couples who own big houses and expensive cars; I do well to live paycheck to paycheck. How can I possibly have a good life when I lack so much that other young wives have? Does life have a silver lining when your husband is locked in prison, serving a life sentence for the murder of his drug dealer?

If you let it, joy can slip through your grasp in the twinkling of an eye, especially when your life goes down a path exactly opposite the one you expected and planned for yourself. When I was a girl I dreamed of a handsome prince, a stellar job, and model children. I just knew I would have that "good life" so many others have talked about and longed for. Little did I know I would end up with a great life without so much of what people traditionally think the good life requires.

When I was 20, I moved to Florida to work as a youth leader for the summer, living with a man and wife whose children were both grown and out of the house, the son making his home in a prison cell. At the time my thoughts and energy were consumed with leading the youth ministry, but something tugged at my heart with every mention of my host family's son, David. I began writing to this man in prison after my hostess, his mother, told me how much he loved to receive mail. As a college student away from home myself, I understood the sheer exhilaration of opening the mailbox to find any kind of written connection to home. Plus, the Bible says we are to remember and reach out to prisoners, so why not?

I hesitate to say it was love at first word, but we felt an immediate connection, a bond that differed from anything either of us had ever felt. I knew there was something special about this man when he taught me to see society's outcasts as the true children of God they are.

David became a Christian at an early age but ignored the nudging of the Holy Spirit and found himself consumed by a life of illegal drugs and violence, inevitably resulting in a horrible altercation where another man lost his life. God, in perfect balance of justice and mercy, allowed David to go to prison in order to save his life, and there he began the process of spiritual healing.

Through David's words I recognized him as a son, a father, and a child of God instead of a crime and a state sentence. Our letters turned into phone calls, and those advanced to our first face-to-face visitation. Nine months after our first phone call I got my first taste of prison and the life God was calling me to live. I knew I loved David when I could say in all honesty I wished it was me locked up for life instead of him. I would have traded my life and my freedom for him to have his, and that's when I learned the true meaning of unconditional love.

While the thought of this life scared me, I recognized God's touch all over our story. My childhood dreams collided with God's plans, and the ensuing fireworks could have given any July 4th show a run for its money. I'd never before experienced the depth of confusion I felt during that time. My childhood vision of the "good life" didn't align with the path I knew God was taking me down. After all, we were facing a life sentence, and he wouldn't serve it alone. There was no logical way to justify choosing such a life.

My family understandably struggled with this relationship because for them it also meant fading dreams. There would be no fancy wedding to plan, no husband at home to protect me, and no traditional life for anyone involved. David's family knew me as their friend before I became the love of their son's life, yet they had the same questions and doubts as my family. However, they also knew their son would be better off, having someone to love and receive love from in return. How could he lose with me?

Most important, both families saw the bigger picture, and while it wasn't necessarily their wish, they placed their hope and trust in God as he wrote a love story unlike anything anyone had planned. One thing is certain: I learned what total dependence on God truly means. God has a way of tearing logic out of our lives in order to require us to simply listen and follow. With so many voices trying to give me direction, it was nearly impossible to discern the voice of truth, but it was there and it didn't waver, even when I did.

Some people in my life accepted my decision to marry David, some said I was settling, and others refused to acknowledge it. The rest thought I was crazy to marry a man in prison, and maybe I was, but people called Noah crazy for building the ark back in his day, too. He made the right decision and listened to God, and he was blessed as a result of his obedience. My situation has been no different. I can focus on all the people calling me crazy and on all the things I don't have, or I can focus on the evidence that marrying a man in prison has completely changed me for the better. Hebrews 11:7 says Noah "received the righteousness that comes by faith" not only because he believed but also because he acted obediently in response to God's will for his life. Obedience leads to a type of freedom not even cement walls and barbed wire can suppress.

Almost three years after my world was turned upside down, I had a ring on my finger, and I understood the depth of love in a way I never knew existed. My husband wasn't a prince on a white horse; he was stuck in a prison uniform behind barbed wire. I didn't get the exotic wedding or honeymoon, but the preacher who married us did wear a Hawaiian shirt! I don't have a fancy house or car, but I have enough money to get me through every day. I may not go to bed each evening with my husband, but I don't have to worry about his dirty underwear on the floor either. Hey, maybe that silver lining is there after all!

Words like "good," "bad," "happy," and "pain" are relative. I have learned it is not about having the good life, but the good perspective. I cannot control my situation, but I can control how I handle it. There are so many lenses through which I can look on a daily basis. If I use a magnifying glass, the negative gets blown out of proportion and joy takes a backseat. Sunglasses only make life look dark, so I fail to see hope when I wear them. Rose-colored glasses may sound good, but they provide an unrealistic view that may eventually come back to bite me. Wearing those lenses is dangerous. I have realized I can let my eyes tell me what they see, or I can do the opposite and tell my eyes what I see. That's perception, and that's how silver linings appear.

In Philippians 4:8, Paul writes, "Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise." Paul didn't promise days without pain, lies, attacks, and various other things that try to steal our joy, but he did tell us that peace comes when we look past them and dwell on the good, on the holy. In my life, I can choose anxiety, fear, and doubt, or I can choose acceptance, understanding, and perseverance.

I'm not the poor young woman married to the man who is never coming home. Rather, I'm the faithful young wife praying for the miracle that will bring her husband home. People call it many things—making lemonade out of lemons or seeing the glass as half full instead of half empty. I simply like to see it as being a hostage of hope. We all have some person, situation, or mindset that has the potential to kidnap our joy and blindfold us to keep us from seeing God's goodness. We can be hostage to it, with fading thoughts of victory and freedom, or we can be hostages of hope, truly binding ourselves to God's promises. Life may hold you in some kind of prison, but if you have hope, there is something to live for, something waiting around the corner that will make you say, "This is the good life!"

Holly Mickler is a middle school teacher in Tampa, Florida.

Copyright © 2011 by the author or Christianity Today International/Kyria.com.
Click here for reprint information.

2011-12-30T16:18:00.000-08:00

Living in Jesustown

Choosing comfort over mission is all too easy.

by Ashley Moore
Two nights ago my roommate, Anna, came into my bathroom while I was brushing my teeth and announced that she was taking a long break from Connect, our Thursday night young adults group. Standing there in my pajamas, I felt panicky and sad—we met at Connect, and it’s always been a good time for us and our other close friends to be together. Plus, more church is always a good thing . . . and less church is always a bad thing. Right?

I asked why she was making that decision—except I still had my toothbrush in my mouth, so it was more like, “Eye are ooh baking dat debidon ?”

“Well,” she began, “you know how every now and then, I rock climb on Thursday nights instead?”

“Yeth.” I still had toothpaste in my mouth.

“It’s just . . . been really good. I met a group of people who climb together. And I finally have one night a week where I spend time with nonChristians. I talk to them about my faith—and I have to know what I’m defending. So I’ve been reading my Bible more. I think I forgot how important it was not to be with Christians all the time. I mean, you and I lead Bible study together on Tuesdays, I go to church on Sundays, and lead junior high students on Sunday afternoons. I spend all my free time with our Christian friends. I just need one night where I’m not surrounded. One night where I’m challenged instead.”

I was surprised. A little worried too. I’ve had friends decide to spend more time “in the world,” and as a result they’ve ended up subtly slipping away from their faith altogether. But as her words sank in, it dawned on me that this could be a wise decision. As a matter of fact, it was convicting. What Anna said rang true for me too. I feel as though I’ve spent the last few years playing house with my faith. No danger. No effort. No real change.

Anna and I also have similarly church-filled schedules. On Sundays I’m at church all day. On Mondays I have movie night with my Christian friends. On Tuesdays my small group comes over to my place. On Wednesdays I’m discipled. On Thursdays I attend the young adults group. And every other Friday I co-lead worship for the over 40 singles ministry.

On top of all this, we live in the Jesus capital of suburbia, Illinois—a Christian college town. I drive behind minivans that have Jesus-fish glued to their behinds. The stores have cleverly disguised Bible references in their names, such as Icthus Photography. I’m sitting in a Starbucks right now, and I can hear three conversations taking place out different Christian organizations and churches. There are several men sporting the "seminary goatee" (am I the only one who has noticed that trend?) within eight feet of me and my latte.

Oh, and I work at a Christian nonprofit organization.

What scares me is this: If someone asked me why I spend my Tuesdays and Fridays serving for church, my dry reply would be, "Because that's what I do on Tuesdays and Fridays." Something's not right here.

With all the Jesus love that surrounds me, you’d think I’d have the spiritual life of Billy Graham. But I’ve found that the busier I am with church events and Christian “activities,” the less time I have for God. And the less hunger I have for his Word. I’ve been frustrated recently with how surface-y my relationship with Christ has become.

Growing up I attended public school. I was surrounded by people who didn’t know that Jesus had died for them. These friends challenged me and asked me why I prayed, what my church was like, and why I never drank on the weekends. They also asked me why I seemed different from them. Their questions made me grateful for my faith, and made me want to explore and enjoy my relationship with Christ more and more. I loved my lost friends, and the conversations we had about faith always left me feeling excited and alive. Witnessing to them, both with words and with good friendship, was what I lived for. It’s a beautiful thing to be the vehicle God uses to draw people to him .

But since high school, the scale has shifted further and further in the direction of “church folk.” The kinds of conversations I once had with secular friends are nothing more than nostalgia. I’m all but completely removed from that. I live 40 minutes from Chicago, a city with millions of lost people, all of them searching. And I know none of them.

I think I need a little less “church” and a little more “world” in my life.

It’s a dangerous decision. I don’t want to wander out and lose myself, as several of my friends have. And I’m certainly not giving up on church or my much needed Christian friends and church family who act as my encouragers and accountability partners. But in my anxious fear of becoming another 20somethings leaver, I’ve spent years simply hiding out. I’ve become spoiled, fat, lazy, burned out, apathetic, and scared.

Anna’s words were a wakeup call. They made me recognize just how out of hand things have become.

I’m going to step back and start building friendships with those who are still wandering: the lost, the prodigals, and the hopeless. I can no longer surround myself with only believers—while it is a good way to have my faith spoon-fed to me, it is doing nothing for the Kingdom. And I don’t think this change will be as scary as it seems. After all, God never asks us to have a faith that can’t stand up to the world he created.

Do you think it’s healthy to (at times) step back from becoming too involved in the church? From spending time with other believers, even? Is it wise to do so? Do you have any advice?

http://blog.kyria.com/2011/11/living_in_jesustown.html

2011-12-30T16:17:00.001-08:00

The following article is located at: http://www.kyria.com/topics/missionallife/service/extendingtable.html

Extending the Table

How we can eat and drink to the glory of God this holiday season

Leslie Leyland Fields | posted 11/16/2011

It's 10 p.m. and I'm finally feeling grateful for this holiday meal. Mostly that it's over and we've all finally stopped eating. I consider the destruction. The table lies wasted. The candles have dissolved into stalagmites, which I know will never come out of the tablecloth. The staggering amount of leftovers prompt a rehearsal of my food performance: Was the meal good enough? My sweet potato cheesecake with a gingersnap crust was a hit, but the turkey was stringy and the broccoli was so overcooked I should have just whipped it with a beater and served it with the mashed potatoes. And did I really have to eat that second helping of chocolate-pecan pie with a whipped cream bouffant?

During the dinner, as I passed the platters of ham, turkey, and goose, the salads, the baskets of rolls, I thought of the billion people on the planet who labor daily for little, often nothing, on their plates. Here we are so encumbered with abundance, we seldom ask God for "our daily bread," and our most valiant, laudatory labor is pushing food off our plates.

How much guilt can a holiday meal serve up? Apparently as much as an all-you-can-eat buffet. Making for heavy holidays indeed.

A few years ago, burdened by the guilt and expectations of the feasting table, I began to reconsider the whole topic of food. I remembered the admonition from the apostle Paul that we are to "take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:5, NIV). Have I ever consciously done this—brought my thoughts about food into obedience to Christ? I remembered, too, the familiar passage where Paul is discussing whether believers should eat food sacrificed to idols. He concludes by saying, "So whether you eat or drink [of this food], or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31).

How could I eat and drink to God's glory then? I began studying the Scriptures and found in its pages an astonishing record of food. From the opening pages of Genesis, the whole story of redemption can be told through edibles, from the bite of the fruit leading to the fall, to the Passover meal eaten just before the flight from Egypt, to Jesus coming as the bread of life, his feeding of the multitudes, and finally, Jesus the bread broken for us.

As I've meditated on these and many more passages, I've been working joyfully at recovering a more biblical practice of eating and drinking, which has changed my holiday meals from a smorgasbord of guilt to real worship and celebration. I offer these suggestions as you begin to think about the foods you'll serve and share these coming days.
Invite the Poor to Your Table.

There's no more humbling and challenging place to start than Christ's own admonition for our guest list: "When you put on a luncheon or a banquet … don't invite your friends, brothers, relatives, and rich neighbors. For they will invite you back, and that will be your only reward. Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. Then at the resurrection of the righteous, God will reward you for inviting those who could not repay you" (Luke 14:12-14).

How many of us do this? We don't, because it's hard, it's risky, it's uncomfortable. But Christ's message is clear: Our holiday meals aren't just for us and our well-dressed family and friends. It's to be a pure act of generosity that expects nothing in return (not even a hostess gift).

Our own table, then, can foreshadow the table at God's own marriage supper, which will be filled with people like us, who were maimed, poor, blind and undeserving—yet to whom God invited us "to eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom" (Luke 22:30).
Slow Down and Cook More Thoughtfully, Even Prayerfully.

Most of us spend an average of just 30 minutes a day on food preparation. Yes, we're busy! But we're often so focused on the end goal—getting the meal on the table—that we forget the value of the process. The time in the supermarket or farmer's market, choosing the food, and the time in the kitchen preparing the food can be a richly fulfilling time of communion with God.

Take time to consider his gifts. Consider the beauty, the taste, smell, color, and texture of the vegetables, fruits, and grains that pass through your hands.

The savor of sweet potatoes! The marvel of artichokes! The solemn blood of the beet! We can find God's fingerprint in the whorl of a purple cabbage; we can find an image of heaven in the layers of an onion. Each one is a lesson in God's own creativity and his love of beauty, the senses, our bodies. Let our senses remind us of the tangible ways God loves us, body and soul. As we stand at the stove, stirring spoon in hand, wreathed in steam, this, too, can be worship.
Find or Create Foods that Have Spiritual Significance.

As I traced food and feasting through the Scriptures, I was reminded of a truth that we often forget: God intends food to be commemorative. At every Seder, participants remember the historical events of Passover by the specific foods God himself designated: the unleavened bread, the whole roasted lamb, the bitter herbs. When we partake of Communion, we "do this in remembrance of me," as Christ enjoined, the juice and the bread, physical, bodily reminders of Christ's death and the life he has given and now sustains within us. The seven Old Testament feasts God instituted commemorated specific events and moments in Israel's history.

We can do the same at our tables. For Christmas Eve, I created a meal we've not missed in 12 years: a pasta dish called Grass and Straw, Mary and Joseph slaw, babe in swaddling clothes (pigs in a blanket). For Good Friday, we sometimes eat a simple meal of black bean soup and bread to remind us of Christ's death. We can create simple foods that make meals a time of remembering God's work in history and God's ongoing work among those gathered around the table.
"Love Your Neighbor" This Holiday with Your Food Choices.

Can we better eat and drink to God's glory even in our food choices? Indeed we can. With diabetes and obesity at endemic levels, we can honor our God-given bodies and love "our neighbors," the ones we serve, by preparing meals that contribute to their health and strength rather than to disease.

Additionally, rather than buying all our produce and meat from the national chain supermarket, consider supporting local organic farms and buying directly from them. Not only can we "love our neighbor" by serving our family and guests fresher, healthier produce and meats, but we will also be loving our neighbor the farmer by supporting their efforts to raise livestock humanely, and to treat creation respectfully.
Consider Beginning Some Kind of Fasting Practice.

It's harder to be grateful for food and feasts when we "feast" every day. All the more reason to fast.

Jesus assumed that we all would fast. He said, "When you fast …" not "If you fast …"

In our culture of excess, most of us are afraid of hunger and seldom experience it. We may pray, "Give us this day our daily bread," but with weeks of groceries in our cupboards, we forget that we are indeed fed by our heavenly Father each day.

Fasting, even in a modified form, can reset our appetites and help us regain our gratitude for food. It needn't always be all-out abstention from food. I "fast" by eating only vegetables and fruits for several days. During the holidays, I sometimes limit myself to bread and water for a day or two before a holiday meal, using that time for reading God's Word, and letting my hunger remind me that "people do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God."

Whatever form of fast we choose, it's crucial to remember that any kind of abstention is not about vanquishing the flesh; it's about entering more fully into the life and goodness of God.
Start Slowly and Honorably with Your Family.

As strongly as I feel about each of these practices, my family is probably like most of yours around the holidays. (Can I hear the chorus from Fiddler on the Roof here? "Tradishuuuuuuuuuun. Tradition!") None of these suggestions argue against family traditions, which should be maintained, by all means. Predictability and continuity—yes, even the green bean casserole—strengthens family identity and provides a link to our shared past, even for our grown children. But be wise: Don't implement all your new ideas at once. Begin by incorporating gentle additions to traditions rather than subtractions. No one will object to a new dessert at the table, or a fresh offering of roasted organic vegetables beside the green bean casserole.

If "inviting the poor" to Christmas or Thanksgiving dinner isn't immediately embraced, consider an invitation for another meal around the holidays. Most important, solicit your family's involvement in thinking of new ways to enliven and deepen holiday fare and practices.

These are just a few ways we can extend our tables this season. As you begin these simple practices, you will discover yet more ways to eat and drink to the glory of God. Bon appetite!

Leslie Leyland Fields is the author of eight books, including The Spirit of Food: 34 Writers on Feasting and Fasting toward God. She's a columnist for Christianity Today and lives on Kodiak Island with her husband and children.

Copyright © 2011 by the author or Christianity Today International/Kyria.com.
Click here for reprint information.

2011-12-30T16:16:00.001-08:00

The following article is located at: http://www.kyria.com/topics/spiritualformation/theologyspiritualissues/7.54.html

The Secret of a Grateful Heart

The practice that released my bitterness and restored my joy.

Karen O'Connor | posted 11/01/2005

I jumped out of bed one morning, committed to jogging before my day began—and before anyone I knew saw me in shorts. Halfway down the block, a teenage boy zipped by on his bike, looked me over, gave a "thumbs up," and shouted, "Go, Grandma, go!"

At first I was insulted. The way he said the word "grandma" made me feel so old, even though I was only in my 40s at the time (OK, late 40s).

Before I could shout back, he was out of sight. I finished my run, then sat on a bench overlooking the ocean and burst out laughing. At least he noticed me, I thought. That's something for which I could be thankful.

Later, as I stepped off a curb to cross the street near my home, a car whizzed by and nearly clipped my toes. I jumped back in shock and anger, then realized I had more reasons for gratitude than anger. I was alive—and unhurt.

And so it continues, day after day. I'm paying attention. I'm watching my attitude. I'm saying "thank you" more often. And the more I do, the more grateful and joyful I become.
No Thanks

I haven't always been a grateful person. For years I focused on what I didn't have—in my marriage, in friendships, within myself—instead of looking at what I did have and being thankful for it.

I'd married a man I was crazy about, but we were never as close as I wanted. I worked hard at becoming what I thought he wanted instead of becoming the woman I was created to be. He was committed to his law practice and I busied myself with our children. We began drifting apart. We forgot how to laugh with one another. We made small talk instead of truly communicated. We stopped making love.
The more I thank God, the more I learn to trust him.

Then one day, after nearly 20 years of marriage, I noticed him smiling and talking with a single woman who belonged to our tennis club. I confronted him, but he denied his contact with her.

I started doubting myself, and tried again to be the woman I thought he wanted—but nothing changed. He'd given his heart to her, and eventually he moved out. A friend encouraged me to see a counselor. I took her advice—reluctantly. I remember walking into Dr. Brady's office and telling him my problem: "My husband's going to leave," I sobbed. "How can I make him stay?"

"You may not be able to," he said. "But you can discover what's right for you and your children. Focus on that." Dr. Brady asked about my spiritual life. I didn't see what that had to do with my troubled marriage. "I believe in God," I said. "I even go to church sometimes." But during this crisis in my life, I was convinced I had to do something concrete or my children and I would lose the only security we had.

Over time, however, Dr. Brady showed me the emptiness in my heart had been there all along—even before I married my husband. I was still looking for recognition from a human being, and my discontent stemmed from my longing for acceptance.

When my husband left, I finally realized I couldn't keep going on my own power. Maybe Dr. Brady is right, I thought. I needed to learn about God and his place in my life. For two years I visited churches, read inspirational books, listened to tapes, and attended seminars in my search for God. During that time I met a man named Charles, who later became my husband. He was on the same spiritual quest. We became friends and started attending church together. I met a woman there who invited me to join a Bible study. Through a study of John's gospel, I developed a true relationship with Jesus Christ. Weeks later, I finally surrendered to God and received Christ as my Savior.

My new life began that day in December. As my relationship with Jesus grew, I finally found the fulfillment I'd longed for all my life. I noticed I didn't worry as much and I complained less as I focused on God instead of me. I made decisions without fretting. I felt more peaceful. In early January, Charles committed his life to Christ, and we decided to get married the following April.
Lessons in Gratitude

During the next year, the Lord continued to teach Charles and me the importance of giving thanks—and how to focus on the good things in life rather than on the hardships. Still, I found myself falling into old patterns when money was scarce or when I had a disagreement with one of my children or my parents.

One year, just before Christmas, Charles and I were flat broke. The company he worked for had collapsed. My freelance projects dried up. The small savings we had were soon gone.

We prayed for wisdom, grace, and a job for at least one of us. The next week Charles received a money order for $500 from an anonymous donor. "I know you're having a rough time," read the note affixed to the check. "I want to share my blessings with you."

Months later, a woman from my church approached me. She'd heard me share some of my life story at a ladies' prayer event. "My first husband left me many years ago," she said, "so I understand some of the pain and anger you feel over the loss of your first marriage."

Then she offered some needed advice: "If you want to find real contentment, stop looking at the past. Focus on today and start giving thanks for its unique blessings. Write your blessings on slips of paper and put them in a bag. From time to time, look at what you wrote. You'll be amazed at how God has been with you every step of the way."

I was so inspired by her advice, I went home and immediately found a gift bag and labeled it "Our Blessings." Charles and I set it on our dresser and placed a pen and pad of paper beside it.
Counting Our Blessings

We began recording our blessings that day. I jotted down my thanks for the little bird in the tree outside our bedroom window, the fragrance of fresh-baked bread, spring rain, laughter, sunshine. My husband recorded his appreciation for a quick resolution to a family dilemma. And he was truly grateful when he was offered a new job with benefits. I even wrote my thanks that through an illness God taught me to take better care of myself. And I thanked him for restoring my children after the pain of my divorce from their father.

One morning, several months after we started this daily practice, we emptied the bag. It was time to reread all the scraps of paper we'd accumulated. What a joy it was to be reminded of these gifts all over again: a special walk and talk we'd shared on the beach one morning, topped off with hot tea and our favorite muffins. The safe arrival of our first grandchild. A wonderful backpack trip in the Sierra Mountains. An old hurt healed. On and on I read.

Then my husband grabbed a handful and continued. By the time we got to the last bit of paper, tears trickled down our faces. How could we ever again doubt that God provides for our needs and that he protects us no matter what?

Giving thanks in this tangible way changed my life. I began paying more attention to the people I loved. I appreciated my husband in a new way. I realized how blessed I was that my elderly parents were still alive and well. I gave thanks for the joy my three children and two stepchildren bring me. Through each one, I saw how the Lord is present to me every day, down to the smallest detail.

Since the day I dropped my first slip of paper into our blessing bag, God's taught me to give thanks for everything—regardless of the circumstances—which I've discovered is the true secret of a grateful heart.

The more I thank him, the more I learn to trust him—with my health, my husband, my children and grandchildren, my neighbors and friends, my money and possessions, my decisions.

Theologian Henri Nouwen says in his book The Return of the Prodigal Son that gratitude is more than a mere "thank you." It is a discipline to be practiced each day in a conscious way. The apostle Paul reminds us in his first letter to the Thessalonians, "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" (5:16-18).

The benefits of giving thanks are many. The Lord has freed me from bitterness and discontentment. I've put the divorce and financial worry behind me. He's renewed a sense of humility. I know I'm where I am today by God's grace. He's rekindled a heart of joy in me. I now view all of life as a gift to be cherished and shared with others. Most important, I know the God of my salvation lives within me. And for that, above all else, I'm most thankful.

Karen O'Connor is an author, retreat speaker, and writing instructor who lives in California. Visit her at: www.karen oconnor.com.

Copyright © 2005 by the author or Christianity Today International/Today's Christian Woman magazine.Click for reprint information on Today's Christian Woman.

2011-12-30T16:12:00.000-08:00

Inscribed on the Heart

Bible teacher Priscilla Shirer discusses the best ways to study the Bible for life-change.
Ginger Kolbaba

Even in a brief conversation with Priscilla Shirer, you realize she doesn't just talk about the importance of knowing the Bible, she lives it—passionately. A Bible teacher, she regularly appears alongside Beth Moore and Kay Arthur at conferences, and has written several bestselling books, including her most recent Life Interrupted: Navigating the Unexpected (Broadman & Holman). She and her husband, Jerry, also co-founded Going Beyond Ministries.

Not only is she sharp in her Bible knowledge, she also clearly understands the difficulties of finding balance between pursuing spiritual disciplines and handling everyday chores.

"The enemy wants to put guilt on us, so that we think only spending three minutes in God's Word or having a card with a Scripture verse pasted to a mirror is trivial and won't make a difference," Priscilla says. "But God knows where we are and delights in us. He loves that one little verse being inscribed on our hearts and is using it to speak to us in the regular rhythms of our lives." Here's what else Priscilla shared with Kyria about the spiritual practice of Bible study.

How should we prepare before we dive into Scripture?

Go to the Scriptures with an expectant heart that you can and will hear the voice of God speaking clearly to you. Don't approach it as something just to check off the list.

We get so used to approaching God's Word with familiarity and casualness that we forget that it's not just a historical book, but illuminated by the Holy Spirit. He causes it to become specific to our lives—living, active, and sharper than any two-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12).

Prayerfully say, Lord, you know what I'm going to face today, this week, this month. I'm expecting you will have divinely set in place what I need to be equipped.

What's the best way to study the Bible?

Study an entire book of the Bible from beginning to end, so that when you come across verses that speak to you intimately and personally you have a context for their meaning. It will be more deeply engrained in you because you have a setting. It also keeps us from the error of taking things out of context just because we want them to align with what we're thinking sounds nice for the day or coincides with the plans we've already made.

I spent two years in the Book of John, because as a mom with three small children I can't read a whole chapter or two in a sitting. But I can take a verse or two and really meditate on it.

I write one or two verses and put them on the bathroom mirror, above my dashboard, and over the kitchen sink. Those are my verses for the week. So everywhere I go, I look at those verses. By the end of seven days, they've become intertwined with my life.

That's the purpose of studying God's Word. When God told Joshua to meditate on the Scriptures day and night (Joshua 1:8), he wasn't saying scan over these passages quickly, and only when you feel like it. He was saying to make sure it's planted deeply in your heart and mind. That means we have to take time to deliberately, consciously allow these words to be ingrained into our regular life rhythms.

So it's not flipping open the Bible and hoping to hear a word from God?

[Laughs] We need an arsenal of Scripture already in our hearts before we need a word from the Lord. Of course you can dive into the Scripture when you're in need at that moment, but don't take it out of context. It's better to meditate on passages when we're not in need so that when we are, the Holy Spirit can bring them to mind. That's when you can be confident that it's God's work and not you artificially choosing things on a whim.

If we get lethargic in our Bible study, what can reenergize us?

The Holy Spirit. You can't manufacture passion for God and his Word. Take your indifference to him as David did in Psalm 119, "Incline my heart to your testimonies and away from dishonest gain. Turn my heart away from looking at vanity and revive my heart in your ways" (NASB). David is saying, "I need you to give me some passion about your Word. It's not there on its own, God. I need you to revive my heart to your ways."

What should be our goal in Bible study besides accumulating knowledge?

I've been in church all my life and know a lot of Scripture, but for most of my life, there was a disconnect between what I knew to be true and what I believed to be true for me. I knew God had power to divide the Red Sea and raise Lazarus from the dead, but I didn't believe that same power was available for me.

What a tragedy if we have all this information but don't allow it to travel the 18 inches between our head and heart, so that it actually makes us trust him for our Red Sea or Lazarus situations.

If we just read all that stuff but then don't actually make our requests known to God because we don't believe it will happen for us, then we've missed the whole point. It was written so that we'd know the power that raised Jesus from the dead is the same power in our lives now.

The Five Ps of Bible Study

Let Scripture ask questions of you, rather than you always asking questions of it. This is how Priscilla learned to allow Scripture to penetrate her life.
Position yourself to hear from God by going to the Scriptures expectantly.
Paraphrase the major points in the verse by writing them down.
Pull out the spiritual principles.
Pose the question. Turn that spiritual principle into a question and write it down.

For instance, Deuteronomy 6: "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength." You might ask, "Do I love the Lord with all my heart? Am I loving him in my thoughts? With all my strength?" Look at each question individually, because they could each have a different answer. That's when the Holy Spirit begins to bring to mind what you think about on a regular basis. He will start questioning you and revealing things you don't know about yourself.

Plan obedience. As the Holy Spirit reveals the answers, you begin to change, which leads you into a sanctification process of becoming more Christlike.

http://www.kyria.com/topics/spiritualformation/biblestudyanddevotions/inscribedonheart.html?start=2

2011-12-30T16:05:00.000-08:00

The Four Seasons of Marriage (Book Review)
Gary Chapman (Author)

By
FaithfulReader.com (New York, New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Four Seasons of Marriage (Hardcover)

Is your marriage in the season of summer, spring, winter, or fall? Find out in THE FOUR SEASONS OF MARRIAGE, from bestselling author Gary Chapman who penned THE FIVE LOVE LANGUAGES.

Chapman's tone is that of a friendly, empathetic counselor. First, he invites you to discover which season of marriage you and your spouse are in. These seasons don't progress in order; rather, your marriage is probably fluctuating back and forth between all four, he writes. After you identify your season, Chapman offers seven strategies to help you make the most of that season, and ideas for putting the strategies into practice. As he unpacks the characteristics of each season, Chapman includes profiles of married couples who have come to him for advice and counseling. His hope is to help couples move their marriages from fall or winter into spring or summer.

Marriage, Chapman writes, is both intimate and purposeful. When intimacy --- sharing life in a deep way --- is not attained, we feel troubled. Marriage is also purposeful. It helps us raise our children, and in nurturing and developing our gifts and abilities. "Life is easier when two hearts and minds are committed to working together to face the challenges of the day," he writes.

Spring is where most marriages begin. There is joy, excitement and an anticipation of the future. It's a time of new beginnings and positive changes. Summer means happiness, peace, satisfaction, fun and comfort. There is a sense of accomplishment and a desire to keep growing as a couple. You overlook your spouse's shortcomings, and there is a growing sense of togetherness.

Fall, of course, is a precursor to winter, characterized by sadness, apprehension and rejection. A spouse might feel insecure. The couple drifts apart, disengages. An affair may happen, catapulting the marriage into winter. Winter, he writes, is characterized by the emotions of hurt, anger, disappointment, loneliness and rejection. Our attitude is usually bad. We see problems as too big or unresolvable. Our actions include withdrawal, silence, harsh words and even violent acts. Divorce can be just around the corner. "The marriage is like two people living in separate igloos," writes Chapman.

If you find yourself in a fall or winter season, Chapman assures you this is not hopeless. This leads to the easy marital profile indicator quiz, which may seem a bit simplistic. Next, Chapman unpacks the seven strategies for enhancing the season you find yourself in, from dealing with past failures (confession, repentance, forgiveness), to a very concrete set of ideas about empathetic listening. The third strategy, "Learn to speak your spouse's love language," will feel familiar to readers of THE FIVE LOVE LANGUAGES, and recaps the ideas from that book. The seventh strategy is one that a spouse can read and implement alone if the other spouse is resistant to working on the marriage. A study guide at the end of the book is suitable for group discussion, with alternate questions for a couple's private use.

There are a few small troubles. Chapman is already touting his THE FIVE LOVE LANGUAGES by page 26 as he does throughout the book, as well as heavily pushing marriage conferences. Both are worthy things to recommend, but it does feel a bit self-promotional. (He's a popular speaker at marriage conferences.) Some of the analogies feel overly cute (the problems in the season of summer are "yellowjackets," for example; in spring, it's "poison ivy").

But these are minor flaws in a helpful book that should mainly appeal to Christians whose marriages are in trouble, or to fans of Chapman's THE FIVE LOVE LANGUAGES. Small groups and counselors will appreciate the study guide tucked into the back to help with further explorations.

http://www.amazon.com/Four-Seasons-Marriage-Gary-Chapman/dp/1414300239/ref=pd_sim_b_3/177-4288730-4952246

2011-12-30T15:56:00.000-08:00

The Twelve Prayers of Christmas

Some of the best presents don't cost a penny but last an eternity.
Karen O. Allen

Although most people enjoy the excitement and delight Christmas brings, some experience heartache and pain. My friend Anna (not her real name) was one of those people. Having spent most of her childhood Christmases at the hospital with her mentally ill father, the season left a sense of dread that didn't fade as she grew older.

Anna and I had known each other for almost a year when Christmas rolled around. We met when she visited my church and asked me to pray for her. We soon developed a friendship and met often to talk and pray. As the Christmas season approached, I knew her well enough to know the holiday would be difficult for her. While I couldn't change her past, I could offer love and prayerful support as she faced another Christmas. I wondered what I could do to make our first Christmas together special. I wanted to share the joy I had for my favorite holiday in the hope that it might be contagious.

I decided to write prayers filled with encouragement, love, and hope. They would be catered just for her and serve as a tangible reminder of the words I prayed on her behalf. I modeled them after the song The Twelve Days of Christmas calling them The Twelve Prayers of Christmas.

I gave each prayer a theme that opened with praise to God and continued with blessings, Scripture, and intercession. Among the themes: friendship, joy, hope, security, healing, and love. Christmas Day was reserved for the theme of celebration, not only the celebration of Christ's birth of but also of our new friendship.

I wrote the prayers in early December so I could give them the dedicated effort they deserved without the rush of Christmas. Each prayer was one to two pages and was printed on colorful Christmas stationery. Sometimes I included a Christmas card, short story, or poem with the prayer to emphasize the theme.

I also decided to give a small gift with each prayer as a symbolic reinforcement of that day's theme. For example, Day 4 featured a prayer of security with a blanket as the gift. Another example was a vanilla-scented candle on Day 8 chosen for its soothing aroma representing peace. Here are the prayer themes and presents I used:
Day 1

Theme: friendship

Present: lotion
Day 2

Theme: joy

Present: soft sweater or vest
Day 3

Theme: hope

Present: ceramic nativity set
Day 4

Theme: security

Present: blanket
Day 5

Theme: healing

Present: mirror
Day 6

Theme: courage

Present: book
Day 7

Theme: wisdom

Present: Bible CD
Day 8

Theme: peace

Present: scented candle
Day 9

Theme: provision

Present: shirt
Day 10

Theme: faith

Present: wallet or purse

Day 11

Theme: love

Present: jewelry box
Day 12

Theme: celebration

Present: money

At the end of every prayer I referred to the chosen gift explaining its symbolism. For my prayer of hope, I gave a white ceramic nativity scene. My explanation was: "I like the depiction of hope in the gift chosen for today. The image portrays the hope that has come. The color implies purity and simplicity indicative of the hope we have in Jesus Christ. May you enjoy it each year and be reminded of this prayer whenever you look at it."

The Rewards

I introduced my strategy on December 13 by presenting a letter to Anna stating my purpose and plan. Anna would receive the prayers and gifts starting December 14 and end on December 25. While Anna was surprised and delighted with the idea, she seemed more reserved than I expected. But I reminded myself she wasn't accustomed to such personalized attention.

After receiving the first few prayers and gifts, however, her anticipation grew as packages and envelopes appeared in her car, at her workplace, at home, at church, and in other unsuspecting places. She began excitedly questioning me about the next prayer's theme.
Christmas turned out to be especially meaningful that year. I never realized the lasting positive impact those 12 prayers would have. They were so special that Anna created a beautiful album of the prayers, cards, poems, and stories. Every Christmas she takes out the treasured album to reread the words written from a friend who took the time to care.

Now instead of dreading the holiday season Anna looks forward to it and to celebrating with others. While I can't say it's because of my prayers, I believe they helped to plant a seed of compassion and unconditional love. We've seen many Christmases and prayed many prayers together since that first meeting. Our relationship has blossomed into a life-long friendship.

You may have a friend or family member who needs encouragement this Christmas. What better gift than to lift her up in prayer and provide her a written reminder. The themes you choose should reflect the needs of the person for whom you're praying. You may or may not wish to give a symbolic gift to go along with the prayer. Regardless, the prayer is the most important. James 5:16 says, "The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results." It certainly did for Anna and me.

Karen O. Allen is a certified clinical research professional and medical technologist who lives in Alabama. She is the author of Confronting Cancer with Faith.
A Prayer about Hope

For an example of a written prayer, this is the one I wrote about hope:

Dear Emanuel,

I am reminded in your Word of the hope you give to all. There are so many who need it. They need the hope of a better tomorrow, the hope that can overcome the impossible, and the hope that lies only in you. I pray you will provide Anna with a hope that never falters. May her love in you be a source of comfort.

Why can't we just accept your hope forever and be done with it? Why must it be reborn over and over in us? Perhaps it is because we are so weak. We forget the source of our hope and how mighty and powerful it is. You want us to call out for the hope that only you can provide.

You are the solid foundation and the future on which we can build. Your son's birth 2,000 years ago was a long awaited hope. When he was born, hope became flesh and now it is among us who wait for your return. Now give my friend Anna a hope and a confidence that she may fulfill all of the plans you have for her.

I believe they are wonderful.

Noel, noel. Now all is well. Amen.
—K.O.A.

Copyright © 2011 by the author or Christianity Today International/Kyria.com.
Click here for reprint information.

http://www.kyria.com/topics/spiritualformation/prayer/twelveprayers.html?start=2

2011-12-30T15:52:00.000-08:00

Yes! You Are Qualified to Lead a Small Group

Three basic requirements for small-group leaders

Diana Bennett | posted 12/12/2011

Note: This article has been excerpted with permission from Renewing Your Church Through Healthy Small Groups, by Diana C. Bennett.

Since healthy small-group leadership is so strategic in the life of a church, no one wants to end up in a laissez-faire style group led by an unprepared leader. It's such a wasted opportunity! If you are directing a small-group ministry, you want to create an atmosphere where people recognize that it is a privilege to be asked to lead. Unfortunately, many potential small-group leaders don't believe they're qualified.

In anticipation of this response, it is helpful to look at basic requirements for being a small-group leader. No seminary degrees necessary here!
1. Involved church member

Church membership (or something equivalent) is many times the first requirement. In some cases, agreement with the statement of faith is sufficient. In my experience at our church where fifty percent of the congregation transitions at least every two years, many experienced and gifted small-group leaders don't become members for their short period of time in the area. Through interviews, testimonies, and getting to know an individual, we decide whether we feel confident in inviting the person into leadership.

Secondly, any potential small-group leader should have experience as a participant in a small group. When a person expresses an interest in small-group leadership, I want to hear about their small-group experiences in the past. If a potential leader has not experienced a small group, it is always wise to suggest joining a group as a participant before pursuing the leadership role.
2. Understands biblical principles and desires to grow and learn

Each leader must have a good grasp of the Gospel message. Finding time on a daily basis to read and reflect on God's Word is essential. As leaders, we look to grow spiritually along with our group. Seeking God's will through personal prayer and study is critical for the journey to spiritual maturity. Being a humble, caring, relational person, with the desire to grow spiritually and in service to others, is a mark of biblical leadership.

Part of the growing and learning process is recognizing and accepting our strengths and weaknesses. Remember Moses' situation as he tried to hear and solve everyone's problems. God uses each of us in our diversity. Through various God-given gifts or acquired skills, we can minister in different ways. Knowing where we are strong allows us to excel in particular areas. It doesn't mean we do everything ourselves; instead, delegation, modeling, and encouragement are essential for leader development.

Knowing our weaknesses prevents us from trying to do everything ourselves. It is far wiser to delegate responsibilities to others who seem to be more efficient in particular areas. We cannot do all and be all as leaders of a small group, and it isn't healthy to try. The excitement of diversity reinforces the fact that we are part of the body of Christ, each one contributing to the small-group experience. Strive to be a servant leader and to know your strengths and weakness.
3. Understands the commitment

If a potential leader is participating in several ministries and leading a small group is just one more thing to do, he or she will need to stop and carefully evaluate whether the time is right to take on small-group leadership. You may suggest a potential leader seek spiritual discernment by praying through his or her schedule. When people do enter into small-group leadership, they must clear space in their schedules to be the caring shepherds their small-group members need.

http://www.smallgroups.com/articles/2011/qualifiedlead.html

2011-12-30T15:33:00.001-08:00

The following article is located at: http://www.kyria.com/topics/spiritualformation/spiritualdisciplines/seatgifts.html

What to Do with Toilet Seat Gifts

The joke from my husband that turned my entire perspective around

Sharla Fritz | posted 12/21/2011

An intriguing package under the Christmas tree teased me. Red and green wrapping paper. Obvious oval shape. My name on the gift tag. What was my creative husband up to now?

It was the year we were building a new house, so I began to suspect that the curiously wrapped package was an oval picture frame. I imagined opening the present and finding an oak frame encircling a photo of our family. I envisioned it hanging in the living room of our new home.

As our family sat around the twinkling tree taking turns opening presents, I grabbed the oval package, flashed a knowing smile at my husband, ripped off the Christmas paper and discovered … a toilet seat!

My silence told my disappointment. Certainly a toilet seat was a necessary item for the new house, but I couldn't hang it in my living room, could I? It was made of oak, but wasn't designed to hold a family photo. Although the packaging announced it was a "deluxe model," a toilet seat was not my idea of a deluxe Christmas present.

My husband broke the silence with laughter at my confused face and said, "It's a joke."

I responded with an anemic, "Ha-ha." Then I mumbled, "Thanks," and we moved on to the next present.

Just as I didn't know how to react when I received that Christmas joke present, I often don't know how to respond when life sends me toilet-seat-gifts. When I receive something totally unexpected, something definitely not on my wish list, I want to ask God, "Are you kidding? Is this some kind of joke? Do you expect me to be thankful for this?"

Like everyone else, I've had experiences I wish God had edited out of my life: deaths of loved ones, challenging relationships, children with serious illnesses. One day when one of these toilet-seat-gifts dropped in my lap, I was reading 1 Thessalonians 5. The words there made me cringe, "Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus" (vs. 18).

I wanted to yell, "God, how can you expect me to thank you for this!" But then I noticed that Paul didn't instruct me to give thanks for all circumstances, he said, "Be thankful in all circumstances." Even when I couldn't bring myself to thank God for the hard times, I could be grateful for his love, his comfort, and his peace in those painful situations.
A God Who Understands

Toilet-seat-gifts come into my life more often than Christmas Eve. But now I'm trying to receive them with a different attitude. While my initial feelings still may be anything but gratefulness, I search for things I can thank God for. When experiencing a difficult relationship with someone I can't avoid, I thank God for the good friends I do have. When personal finances seem to be dwindling, I thank my Provider that he has always taken care of me. When an illness knocks me flat for a couple of days, I try to remember to be grateful for my overall good health.

It isn't always easy to find something to be thankful about. Sometimes the only thing I can do is to thank God for the assurance that he cares and understands. When my daughter and her husband announced that they were going to China for nine months to teach English, learn Chinese, and share the love of Jesus, my first response was not thankfulness. My initial reaction was to offer to babysit my baby grandson for nine months! Although I was pleased they wanted to serve the Lord, I knew I'd desperately miss them. One thing I could thank God for—even in my loneliness—was that he understood what it was like to send a child on a faraway mission.

When I received that original toilet seat gift, I wasn't too sure I liked it—even as a joke. But that gift led to a yearly tradition of Christmas joke presents and an annual abundance of laughter. My sarcastic "thanks" to my husband that Christmas has become a heartfelt expression of gratitude for adding so much hilarity to our lives.

And now when life gives me a toilet-seat-gift and I want to yell, "Are you kidding? Be grateful for this?" I try to remember to give thanks in all circumstances. This gratitude adds perspective to my life. Gratefulness changes my attitude from a "poor me" mindset to a "praise God" attitude. Thanksgiving in the tough times reminds me I have a God who understands my pain. Gratitude grows my trust in my heavenly Father's wisdom and providence. When toilet-seat-gifts appear in my life, heartfelt gratitude changes me.

Sharla Fritz is a freelance author who lives in Illinois.

2011-12-29T05:25:00.000-08:00

29/12/2011
Aku Akan Gembira Selalu
Baca: Habakuk 3:11-19

Aku akan gembira selalu, sebab Engkau Tuhan Allah penyelamatku. —Habakuk 3:18 BIS
Bacaan Untuk Setahun: ■ Zakharia 9–12 ■ Wahyu 20

Menjalani hidup di dunia ini tidak lepas dari berbagai kesulitan. Dalam masa hidup kita, kebanyakan dari kita pernah bertanya-tanya, Di manakah Allah di tengah masalah yang kuhadapi? Dan kita mungkin juga pernah berpikir, Kelihatannya ketidakadilanlah yang menang dan Allah hanya diam saja. Kita diperhadapkan pada pilihan bagaimana kita akan menanggapi masalah-masalah yang kita hadapi. Nabi Habakuk memiliki suatu sikap yang patut diteladani: Ia memilih untuk selalu bergembira.

Habakuk melihat bertambah dalamnya kejatuhan moral dan rohani bangsa Yehuda, dan hal tersebut sangat mengusik jiwanya. Namun, tanggapan Allah atas hal itu justru membuatnya semakin terusik. Allah akan menggunakan bangsa Babel yang jahat untuk menghukum Yehuda. Habakuk tidak sepenuhnya memahami tindakan Allah ini, tetapi ia dapat bergembira karena ia telah belajar untuk bersandar pada hikmat, keadilan, dan kedaulatan Allah. Ia mengakhiri kitabnya dengan suatu penegasan yang indah: “Aku akan gembira selalu, sebab Engkau Tuhan Allah penyelamatku” (3:18). Meski tidak jelas baginya bagaimana Yehuda akan bertahan, Habakuk telah belajar untuk mempercayai Allah di tengah ketidakadilan, penderitaan, dan kehilangan yang terjadi. Ia akan hidup oleh iman kepada Allah saja. Iman semacam ini membangkitkan sukacitanya di dalam Allah, apa pun keadaan yang terjadi di sekitarnya.

Demikian pula, kita dapat bersukacita di tengah segala pencobaan yang kita alami, memiliki kepercayaan yang teguh pada Allah, dan hidup bersandar pada kedaulatan Allah. —MLW

Biarlah ini yang menjadi tujuan jiwaku
Pilihanku yang pasti dan sungguh-sungguh;
Untuk berserah dalam kendali Allah Mahatinggi
Dan bergembira dalam tiap pencobaan. —NN.
Memuji Allah di tengah semua pencobaan yang kita alami akan mengubah beban jadi berkat.

2011-12-18T06:50:00.001-08:00

The Twelve Prayers of Christmas

Some of the best presents don't cost a penny but last an eternity.

Karen O. Allen | posted 12/07/2011

Although most people enjoy the excitement and delight Christmas brings, some experience heartache and pain. My friend Anna (not her real name) was one of those people. Having spent most of her childhood Christmases at the hospital with her mentally ill father, the season left a sense of dread that didn't fade as she grew older.

Anna and I had known each other for almost a year when Christmas rolled around. We met when she visited my church and asked me to pray for her. We soon developed a friendship and met often to talk and pray. As the Christmas season approached, I knew her well enough to know the holiday would be difficult for her. While I couldn't change her past, I could offer love and prayerful support as she faced another Christmas. I wondered what I could do to make our first Christmas together special. I wanted to share the joy I had for my favorite holiday in the hope that it might be contagious.

I decided to write prayers filled with encouragement, love, and hope. They would be catered just for her and serve as a tangible reminder of the words I prayed on her behalf. I modeled them after the song The Twelve Days of Christmas calling them The Twelve Prayers of Christmas.

I gave each prayer a theme that opened with praise to God and continued with blessings, Scripture, and intercession. Among the themes: friendship, joy, hope, security, healing, and love. Christmas Day was reserved for the theme of celebration, not only the celebration of Christ's birth of but also of our new friendship.

I wrote the prayers in early December so I could give them the dedicated effort they deserved without the rush of Christmas. Each prayer was one to two pages and was printed on colorful Christmas stationery. Sometimes I included a Christmas card, short story, or poem with the prayer to emphasize the theme.

I also decided to give a small gift with each prayer as a symbolic reinforcement of that day's theme. For example, Day 4 featured a prayer of security with a blanket as the gift. Another example was a vanilla-scented candle on Day 8 chosen for its soothing aroma representing peace. Here are the prayer themes and presents I used:
Day 1

Theme: friendship

Present: lotion
Day 2

Theme: joy

Present: soft sweater or vest
Day 3

Theme: hope

Present: ceramic nativity set
Day 4

Theme: security

Present: blanket
Day 5

Theme: healing

Present: mirror
Day 6

Theme: courage

Present: book
Day 7

Theme: wisdom

Present: Bible CD
Day 8

Theme: peace

Present: scented candle
Day 9

Theme: provision

Present: shirt
Day 10

Theme: faith

Present: wallet or purse
Day 11

Theme: love

Present: jewelry box
Day 12

Theme: celebration

Present: money

At the end of every prayer I referred to the chosen gift explaining its symbolism. For my prayer of hope, I gave a white ceramic nativity scene. My explanation was: "I like the depiction of hope in the gift chosen for today. The image portrays the hope that has come. The color implies purity and simplicity indicative of the hope we have in Jesus Christ. May you enjoy it each year and be reminded of this prayer whenever you look at it."
The Rewards

I introduced my strategy on December 13 by presenting a letter to Anna stating my purpose and plan. Anna would receive the prayers and gifts starting December 14 and end on December 25. While Anna was surprised and delighted with the idea, she seemed more reserved than I expected. But I reminded myself she wasn't accustomed to such personalized attention.

After receiving the first few prayers and gifts, however, her anticipation grew as packages and envelopes appeared in her car, at her workplace, at home, at church, and in other unsuspecting places. She began excitedly questioning me about the next prayer's theme.
Christmas turned out to be especially meaningful that year. I never realized the lasting positive impact those 12 prayers would have. They were so special that Anna created a beautiful album of the prayers, cards, poems, and stories. Every Christmas she takes out the treasured album to reread the words written from a friend who took the time to care.

Now instead of dreading the holiday season Anna looks forward to it and to celebrating with others. While I can't say it's because of my prayers, I believe they helped to plant a seed of compassion and unconditional love. We've seen many Christmases and prayed many prayers together since that first meeting. Our relationship has blossomed into a life-long friendship.

You may have a friend or family member who needs encouragement this Christmas. What better gift than to lift her up in prayer and provide her a written reminder. The themes you choose should reflect the needs of the person for whom you're praying. You may or may not wish to give a symbolic gift to go along with the prayer. Regardless, the prayer is the most important. James 5:16 says, "The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results." It certainly did for Anna and me.

Karen O. Allen is a certified clinical research professional and medical technologist who lives in Alabama. She is the author of Confronting Cancer with Faith.
A Prayer about Hope

For an example of a written prayer, this is the one I wrote about hope:

Dear Emanuel,

I am reminded in your Word of the hope you give to all. There are so many who need it. They need the hope of a better tomorrow, the hope that can overcome the impossible, and the hope that lies only in you. I pray you will provide Anna with a hope that never falters. May her love in you be a source of comfort.

Why can't we just accept your hope forever and be done with it? Why must it be reborn over and over in us? Perhaps it is because we are so weak. We forget the source of our hope and how mighty and powerful it is. You want us to call out for the hope that only you can provide.

You are the solid foundation and the future on which we can build. Your son's birth 2,000 years ago was a long awaited hope. When he was born, hope became flesh and now it is among us who wait for your return. Now give my friend Anna a hope and a confidence that she may fulfill all of the plans you have for her.

I believe they are wonderful.

Noel, noel. Now all is well. Amen.
—K.O.A.

Copyright © 2011 by the author or Christianity Today International/Kyria.com.
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The following article is located at: http://www.kyria.com/topics/spiritualformation/prayer/twelveprayers.html

2011-12-18T06:45:00.000-08:00

Our Anchor in the Daily Storm

What does it take to live a godly life in an ungodly world? Many of us have asked ourselves this question repeatedly. The signatures of sin and evil are all around us. There has to be something more that we can do than to white-knuckle our way through temptation.

Simply put, our anchor is Jesus Christ. He is our only salvation from sin—the anchor of our souls (see Hebrews 6:19) that holds firm, especially when the storms of life threaten and when the enemy’s temptations blow hard against us.

Does this mean that we can escape the troubles of this world? No—but it does mean that we set the compass of our hearts on Christ. Then, when the aggressive winds and tumbling waves of temptation come, we will not be overwhelmed by them.

Jesus knew that we would face serious temptations and trials. The night of His arrest, He prayed for us: “[Father], my prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it” (John 17:15-16).

Living a godly life in an ungodly world is realizing that we do not belong to ourselves. As believers, we belong to Jesus Christ. He is the Shepherd of our souls, our loving Savior, and eternal Lord—and from a spiritual standpoint, we do not belong to this world. Our heavenly Father has provided all that we need to live free of Satan’s temptations, tactics, lies, and snares.

We can begin living the godly life Christ has given us when we:

Have a heart focused and set on Christ. We do this by being committed to prayer and the study of God’s Word. We can’t set our hearts on Christ or learn to live godly lives unless we follow the instruction manual that God has given to us, and this is His Word—the Bible.

Refuse to get caught up in busywork, believing that we are pleasing to God. The greatest gift you can give the Lord is not a full schedule that includes one church meeting after another. Immorality can steal and rob us of a beautiful relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ, but busyness will prevent us from getting to know God in a personal way. We should not allow anything we are doing for God to prevent us from being with God.

Realize that God loves us with an unconditional love. When we draw nearer and nearer to Christ, our desire to follow the way of temptation will fade. No one will ever care as much for us as the Savior does. Christ died so that we might have eternal life. His grace is a gift that cannot be purchased through good works or outstanding behavior. He loved us even before we were born, and He loves us now. We cannot earn His love, and we cannot lose it. When we yield to sin and sense that there is a distance between the Lord and us, it is not because His love for us has faded.

There are consequences to sin that are unavoidable, and one of these is that we sense God’s rebuke because we have grieved His Spirit. But when we pray and ask Him to forgive us, He does—and He restores our fellowship with Him because His love has the ability to cover a multitude of sins (see James 5:20).

Invest in our spiritual future. We are involved in a spiritual battle. Unseen forces wage war against us, but the ultimate victory is won in Christ. Only faith in Jesus Christ wins the battle. It is faith that is not compromised one day and forgotten the next. Instead, it is faith that is built and maintained through love and devotion to God’s Son.

If you are struggling against God’s will and plan for your life, stop. Ask Him to help you understand the depth of His love for you. When you do, you will find that God is giving you the ability you need to live a godly life in an ungodly world!

****

Excerpted from My Journal, a monthly devotional magazine from Leading The Way with Dr. Michael Youssef.

http://www.lightsource.com/ministry/leading-the-way/articles/our-anchor-in-the-daily-storm-12661.html

2011-12-18T01:51:00.001-08:00

Divine Help, Anyone?

The Old Testament prophet Ezekiel lived during the time of the Jewish exile. Because Israel rejected God by choosing to make up their own rules for life, the nation suffered judgment politically and economically. Israel’s leaders came to the prophet to inquire of the Lord because Israel was suffering under Babylonian captivity. The leaders sought divine help (Ezekiel 20). But the Lord would not listen because the nation abandoned the ways of God and chose the ways of the world. Israel’s experience illustrates a divine principle: A predicate to receiving help from God is to repent from the ways of the world and turn to the ways of the Lord.

As a timeless universal principle, this is an ominous warning for us today. Though we live under the New Covenant not the Old Covenant, we are still under the same mandate as Israel to obey the will and ways of God as revealed in Scripture. If this is true, then we can expect that, as with Israel, disobedience to God will lead to political and economic calamity.

Is it possible that the current economic and political crisis is, at least in part, a divine response to the world’s ever-increasing rejection of God?

If you concur that this is a possibility, what would a world living in rebellion against God look like? May I suggest that such a world would display confusion about theology and the definition of right and wrong? Let’s consider some anecdotal data.

Theology. Today the popular view of God is pluralistic, which is not a biblical view. Therefore those seeking to assert that there is one God who is revealed through Christ are increasingly marginalized. Confusion about who God is and how He works will lead to confusion in all of life. Following are some examples of theological confusion in our culture:

During the recent USA political debates, the candidates for president deflected questions about their theology. Instead they asked voters to disregard their theology and consider their values. Interestingly, the media did not probe to discover the origin of the candidates' values. If one's values don't emanate from one's theology, where do they come from?

A chaplain filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Navy claiming that his rights were violated when he was reprimanded because he quoted the Bible, prayed in the name of Jesus, and wore his uniform while worshipping in public (http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/7248518220.html).

There is now a seminary that will train you in more than one worldview. Take your pick – Christianity, Judaism, or Islam. This institution is pandering to the pluralistic trend in the culture and is perhaps the first pluralist seminary in the world (http://www.worldmag.com/articles/18836).

On Veteran’s Day, the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) paused for a moment of silence. As the camera panned the floor of the NYSE, most of the people were just standing quietly looking around. Everyone was free to do as they wished; there was no leadership—no prayer in the name of Christ and no Bible reading. If we don't know who God is, then we simply opt for silence on such occasions because we are confused about what to do.

Recently, a sexual abuse scandal involving a former Penn State football coach was revealed. Knowledge of his nefarious acts were apparently covered up by the university. It would appear that the cover-up was money motivated. No one wanted to put the football program at risk, so those involved responded inappropriately. Later that week, there was a time of silence before Penn State played Nebraska—like Veteran’s Day at the NYSE.

Right and Wrong. Confusion about theology leads to confusion about right and wrong. People who are not anchored in Christ determine right and wrong based on personal preferences instead of the timeless universal truth of Scripture. Consider the following examples:

During the Republican debates, the candidates were split on the issue of waterboarding—was it right or wrong? After the debate, President Obama stated that he viewed waterboarding as wrong. How do we determine which political leader is right? Without agreement on who God is, how can one determine what is right and wrong?

The Occupy Wall Street gatherings that began in September continue and may even be growing. Among other things, the movement is protesting greed in corporate America and Wall Street. Greed is a symptom of the worship of money. Scripture is very clear that a person cannot worship both God and money. Wall Street operates on the thesis that greed is good. Greed supposedly motivates people to work hard and drives people and organizations to excel. Occupy Wall Street disagrees. Who is right?

***

The issues of theology and right and wrong are inherently coupled. They cannot be severed because only the Creator of the universe has the authority to define right and wrong. When people presume that they can disregard God and make up their own rules, they make the same mistake that Israel made and should expect the same consequences: political and economic calamity.

The solution to this state of rebellion against God is the same today as it was for Israel: repent and turn to the one true God.

If we don’t repent, then all the moments of silence at various events mean nothing. Seminaries and other institutions will continue to pander to cultural whims. Those who truly seek to stand for Christ will be increasingly marginalized and persecuted. People who do not have a biblical worldview will be elected to political positions and will make unwise public policy. The end result of this will be political and economic calamity.

If, however, we do repent, then political peace and economic blessing can be restored. This requires people to truly humble themselves and seek God through Christ as revealed in Scripture.

Are there signs this could be happening? There may be.

At the Penn State–Nebraska game mentioned above, the Penn State football team didn’t run onto the field as they normally do. Instead they walked on arm-in-arm. Then both teams kneeled in the center of the field, but not for a "moment of silence"; instead, the Nebraska running backs coach, Ron Brown, led both teams in prayer in the name of Jesus and quoted from Scripture, demonstrating that the important issues of life are rooted in our theology (http://huskerextra.com/sports/football/article_617822bf-7103-5e8c-aeee-757b48b97898.html).

A recent survey by Generation Opportunity discovered that the Millennial generation (ages 18–29) is very concerned about issues that the baby boomers have largely ignored: public debt, budget deficits, and energy dependence (http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/7285018312.html). The Millennial generation realizes some of the errors of their parents who, like Israel, have largely made up their own rules of life and adopted the ways of the world. Now Millennials have an opportunity to turn from the ways of the world and embrace the ways of God.

Will Millennials follow the example of Coach Ron Brown and turn to Christ? If so, tangible signs of their repentance could include the following:

A return to prayer in the name of Jesus replacing the current practice of a moment of silence at public events.

Politicians turning to Christ—attending church, reading and studying the Bible, praying, and seeking guidance from the Lord. Public policy will reflect the ways of God not the ways of the world.

All branches of the military service will have Christian chaplains who will teach the Bible and pray in the name of Jesus.

Seminaries will return to biblical training based on Christ as the singular way to God.

Business and educational leaders will humbly seek the Lord realizing that obedience to God trumps money. Ponzi schemes will stop.

Pedophilia will not be tolerated no matter what the price.

Right and wrong will be based on Scripture not on human preferences.

Would you like to live in a world characterized by these traits? Turn to Christ and start living according to God’s will and God’s ways.

This month we celebrate Christmas—the birth of Christ. Christ is God incarnate. He alone is Lord of heaven and earth and seeks followers who worship only Him. He defines right and wrong. Without Christ, life is meaningless, rudderless, and hopeless. When people disconnect the economy, businesses, families, and public policy from the source of truth, the end result cannot be good. But when people humbly and obediently turn to Christ, they can find an audience with God and divine help in time of need. May God grant us grace to do this.

Merry Christmas!

http://strategieswork.com/publications/gleanings/2011/2011-12.htm

2011-12-13T14:45:00.001-08:00

The Ten Basic Steps: Lesson 6-Planning Your Daily Devotional Time

Objective: To establish a consistent and effective daily prayer life.

Read: Acts 1 & 2
Memorize: Isiah 40:31
1. Establish a Definite Time
2. Choose a Definite Place
3. Goal and Content of the Devotional Time
4. Life Application

Down through the years, godly men who have done great things for God have testified to the necessity of having a devotional time.

John Wesley, who shook the world for God and founded the Methodist Church, is representative of such great spiritual leaders. He thought prayer, more than anything else, to be his business.

Just as as child needs food to grow physically, so we need food to grow spiritually. We can miss a meal and not feel any ill effects, but if we don't eat for a week we begin to weaken physically. So it is in our spiritual lives.

The study of the Word of God and the practice of prayer are vitally important for spiritual growth. We may miss a day without feeding on the Word of God or praying and not feel any apparent ill effects in our lives, but if we continue this practice, we will lose the power to live the victorious Christian life.

The Christian life might be compared to a soldier in battle. He is out on the front lines but is connected with his commanding officer by radio. He calls and tells of the conditions and problems he is facing. Then his commanding officer, who from his vantage point can see the entire battle area, relays instructions. Similarly, the Christian shares his joys and sorrows, his victories and defeats, and his needs as God instructs and guides him through His word.

It is our Heavenly Father who directs us in the adventure of life. He knows the steps we should take. We must take time to seek Him for guidance.

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Establish a Definite Time

A daily devotional time should be set aside for personal worship and meditation in which we seek fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Once begun, this fellowship can be continued throughout the day. (Psalm 119:97, I Thessalonians 5:17)

In obedience to Christ's command, what did the disciples do after His ascension? (Acts 1:13-14)

Although different individuals' schedule will vary, many people prefer the morning hours, before the responsibilities of the day begin. David was a man after God's own heart. What time did he set aside to communicate with God? (Psalm 5:3)

Name two characteristics of the devotional life of Jesus. (Mark 1:35)

When is your best devotional time? None of us can say that we do not have time for prayer and Bible study. We all can make time for things that we really want to do. Whether the period is long or short, set aside some time.

Make your personal devotional time unhurried. Don't think about your next responsibility. Concentrate on your fellowship with the Lord. A definite time everyday will do much to help. A brief period with concentration is better than a long devotional time with your mind on many things. How many minutes can you set aside for your time with God?

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Choose a Definite Place

Avoid distraction by finding a quiet, private place of worship. If privacy is impossible, you will need to learn to concentrate. If you cannot have a devotional time in your own home or room, perhaps one of the following places will be suitable:
A nearby chapel
A corner of the school library
Your office (before or after hours)

Name three other places you might find appropriate for your private prayer and Bible study.

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Goal and Content of the Devotional Time

We should have a reason for everything we do. "Aim at nothing and you will surely hit it." Our purpose for prayer should be to establish personal fellowship with God and to fulfill our own spiritual needs.

A brief time of meeting with God in the early morning and walking in vital union with Him throughout the day, "practicing the presence of God" is more meaningful than spending an hour or more in legalistic ways and forgetting about Him for the rest of the day.

During our devotional time, we should be concerned with learning where we have failed and with rededicating ourselves to the task before us. We should use the time to regroup our forces after the battles of the previous day and plan for the next day's attack.

What particular spiritual need do you feel today? What battles did you have yesterday?

The devotional time should include Bible study, prayer, personal worship, and quiet meditation. These aspects of the devotional time are so closely related that you can actually engage in all at the same time.

For example, begin by reading a Psalm of thanksgiving or praise. As you read, your heart will respond and you will continue to praise and worship God from a grateful heart.

Turn now to another portion of scripture, such as Romans 8. Interrupt your reading to thank God for each truth that applies to you as a Christian. You will be amazed at how much you have to praise and thank God for, once you get started.

After you have read and prayed for a while, remain in an attitude of quiet, listening for instructions from God. Write down any thoughts that come to mind and pray about these.

Supplimentary activity may include memorizing scripture or reading from a devotional book or hymnal.

Study Matthew 6:9-13. Paraphrase this prayer in your own words, using expression meaningful to you.

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Life Application

Complete these statements:
I have set aside the following definite time in the day for daily devotional time:
I have decided on the following place:
My purpose for setting aside a definite time and place for my devotion is:
I will include the following activities during my devotional time:

2011-12-13T14:43:00.000-08:00

The Ten Basic Steps: Lesson 5 - God's Promises About Prayer

Objective: To claim God's promises about prayer.

Read: Acts 11 & 12
Memorize: Jeremiah 33:3
1. What God Has Promised Concerning Prayer
2. What God Will Provide Through Prayer
3. Life Application

It is estimated that there are more than 5,000 personal promises in the Bible. However, these promises mean little or nothing to many Christians because they do not claim them by faith. (Hebrews 4:2)

Faith is a word signifying action. For example, bags of cement sitting in a warehouse will never become concrete until they are mixed with sand, gravel, and water. Likewise, God's promises will never become concrete unless they are mixed with faith and action. You must make them yours by believing them and putting your faith to work.

This lesson will show you some of God's conditions and promises concerning prayer and His provision for your needs.

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What God Has Promised Concerning Prayer

Look up the following verses and identify the condition and promise in each:
Jeremiah 33:3 Condition / Promise
Matthew 21:22 Condition / Promise
I John 5:14-15 Condition / Promise
John 14:14 Condition / Promise

Which promise do you need most to apply to your own prayer life right now and why?

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What God Will Provide Through Prayer

In the following verses, identify God's promises concerning:
Philippians 4:19, Psalm 84:11 Material Needs.
Proverbs 3:5-6, Psalm 32:8 Guidance
Ephesians 1:3, Philippians 4:13 Spiritual Needs

List reasons you can trust Him to keep His promises:

Psalm 9:10, Psalm 115:11, Isaiah 26:4, Nahum 1:7, II Samuel 7:28

In what particular circumstance of your life and for what do you presently need to trust Him more?

These promises are real -- believe them, claim them, live by them.

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Life Application

List at least three things you need to pray for, and a verse for each that promises God's provision:
___________________________
___________________________
___________________________

http://www.tenbasicsteps.org/english/prayer/step4l5.htm

2011-12-13T14:42:00.000-08:00

The Ten Basic Steps: Lesson 4 - How to Pray with Power

Objective: To learn how to claim by faith the great power available through prayer.

Read: Acts 9& 10
Memorize: James 5:16
1. Power for Answered Prayer
2. Conditions to Answered Prayer
3. Prevailing Prayer
4. Life Application

Jonathon Goforth was a man of powerful prayer. It is said of him that once he felt assured of God's will in prayer, he would continue in the power of prayer until the thing was accomplished.

Andrew Murray, too, was a great prayer warrior. He wrote in The Praying Christian: "The Christian needs strength. This we all know. The Christian has no strength of his own. This is also true."

Where may strength be obtained? Notice the answer: "Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might." (Ephesians 6:10)

Paul had spoken of this power in the earlier part of his epistle to the Ephesians (1:18-20). He had prayed to God to give them the Spirit that they might know the exceeding greatness of His power according to the working of His mighty power, which He wrought in Christ when He raised Him from the dead.

This is the literal truth: The greatness of His power, which raised Christ from the dead, works in every believer. In me and you, my reader. We hardly believe it, and still less do we experience it.

That is why Paul prays, and we must pray with Him, that God through His Spirit would teach us to believe in His almighty power. Pray with all your heart: "Father, grant me the Spirit of wisdom, that I may experience this power in my life."

Pay for God's Spirit to enlighten your eyes. Believe in the divine power working within you. Pray that the Holy Spirit may reveal it to you, and appropriate the promise that God will manifest His power in your heart, supplying all your needs.

Do you not begin to realize that time is needed -- much time in fellowship with the Father and Son, if you would experience the power of God within you?

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Power for Answered Prayer

1.) Read Acts 12:5-18.
How did Peter's fellow Christians respond to his imprisonment? (Verse 5)
What was God's answer to their prayer? (Verses 6-11)
What was their response to God's answer? (Verses 13-16)
How does seeing God answer your prayers in a powerful way change your feelings about prayer?

2.) What do the following Bible references tell you about the qualities God demands in a person for powerful prayer? (Hebrews 11:1,6, Romans 12:1,2, Mark 11:25, I John 3:22, Ephesians 5:18)

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Conditions to Answered Prayer
Why is it necessary to ask in accordance with the will of God? (I John 5:14-15)
Write out John 15:7 in your own words and state what it teaches about conditions to answered prayer.
What is the value of several Christians praying for something as opposed to just one? (Matthew 18:19)

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Prevailing Prayer

During his lifetime, George Mueller recorded more than 50,000 answers to prayer. He prayed for two men daily for more than 60 years. One of these men was converted shortly before Mueller's death and the other about a year later. As in Mueller's experience, we do not always see the answer to our prayers. We must leave the results to God.

One of the great needs of today is for men and women who will begin to pray for things and then pray repeatedly until they obtain what they seek from the Lord.

1.) How long do you think we should pray for someone or something? (Luke 18:1-8)
Why do you think God honors prevailing prayer?
What part do our feelings play in prevailing prayer?

2.) What did the following men accomplish through prayer?
Moses (Exodus 15:22-25)
Samson (Judges 16:28-30)
Peter (Acts 9:36-41)
Elijah (James 5:17-18)

3.) How do these examples help you gain greater confidence to pray? Give an example of what God has done for you or someone you know as the result of prevailing prayer.

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Life Application
Examine your prayer life in light of the conditions for answered prayer. What conditions are lacking for you to have open communication with God? How much do you really believe and trust God when you pray?
Write down one prayer request for which you are having to exercise "prevailing prayer."
List two Scripture verses that you can claim in relation to this prayer request.

http://www.tenbasicsteps.org/english/prayer/step4l4.htm

2011-12-13T14:33:00.001-08:00

The Power of Purpose Driven Prayer
Posted by Mark Parsec on April 10, 2011 at 3:07pm
View Blog

If there is one thing that many Christians long for it is more power in their lives. More power to walk the Christian walk. More power to live a life that is pleasing to God. More power to experience a victorious Christian life. More power over trials and tribulations and temptations. More power over the devil and demons and the principalities of darkness.

Well, I’m here to tell you today that there is Power in prayer. There is wonder working power in prayer! Why? Because prayer is the conduit, the extension cord, the power line that connects the believer to the Almighty Power of God. Just as a light will not come on unless it is plugged into its power source, so also the Christian will not light up unless they are plugged into God through prayer.

If you are struggling with different aspects of your life… If you feel like you are fighting a losing battle… If God seems distant… If all of your hard work and efforts seem to fall short again and again… If your life is flickering somewhere between success and failure… Then it just could be that you have a loose connection. Well, there is power in prayer… plug into God and let Him power your life and see if it doesn’t make a huge difference.

Yet, the average Christian spends less than 5% of their day in prayer. Many Christians struggle with prayer. They say they don’t know how to pray or they don’t have time to pray or they don’t “feel” like their prayers are getting through.

I can’t tell you how many times I have had people come up to me and say, “Pastor, I would pray more but I just don’t get anything out of it.”

You don’t get anything out of it? Ummmm… What are you supposed to get out of prayer? A euphoric out of body experience? A warm and tingly sensation all over your body? A bright light experience? A voice of thunder?

Well… if you aren’t having these experiences in your daily conversations with other people, then it’s not likely that you will have them in prayer. That’s not to say that they can’t happen… but chances are you are approaching prayer with some rather unrealistic expectations.

So, if we are to get real about prayer then we need to understand a few things. First of all, prayer is about conversation with God. Now, a conversation requires at least two individuals whom are preferably communicating back and forth to one another. Yet, so many Christians approach prayer as if it is a one-way street. They do all the talking; usually telling God how to do His job. They say things like…

“God, help me out of this mess.”

“Lord, save me from my problems.”

“Jesus, give me somebody who will love me.”

And on and on it goes… Help me! Save me! Give me!

Now, I might be mistaken, but I thought He was the Master and we are the servants. He is the Father and we are the children. So, shouldn’t we be asking God what it is that He wants from us?

If, therefore, we were to turn our prayers around, they would sound more like this…

“God, how might I be of maximum help to You and others?”

“Lord, how might I be Your instrument in saving the lost?”

“Jesus, how may I show Your love to the unloved?”

Now, if we approach God in prayer this way, by asking Him what His desires are for us, rather than telling Him all of our heart’s desires, He just may be more inclined to listen and respond. That is not to say that God does not care about our desires. He does. But, too many people get stuck in telling God what they want Him to do rather than asking God what He wants them to do!

Jesus understands our sinful nature and the problems that it causes us in our prayer lives. Jesus knows that we have a tendency for our prayers to be selfish, self-centered and self-serving. He certainly told us how NOT to pray in Matthew 6:5-8 when He said…

5 “And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. 6 But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.[b] 7 And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words.
8 “Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him.

So, what do we learn from this?
Prayer should not be a show.

Why? Because a prayer in secret will be rewarded by God openly.

Prayer should not be empty repetition.

Why? Because God knows what we need even before we ask Him.

Yet, some of you are probably wondering, if God knows what we need even before we pray, then HOW should we pray? And that’s a good question. Because after establishing this foundation about what prayer is and is not, Jesus went on to teach us HOW to pray in what we refer to as the Lord’s Prayer.

Now, I need to emphasize at this point that the Lord’s Prayer is a guide on HOW to pray, not a command on WHAT to pray. Too many Christians repeat the Lord’s prayer over and over. But, what did Jesus say? He said, And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do.”

So, why do so many Christians say the Lord’s Prayer over and over again? Because they get stuck. They don’t know WHAT to say because they don’t know HOW to pray. Yet, as we look at the Lord’s Prayer we may discover essential keys in HOW we should pray. In Matthew 6:9-13, Jesus said…

9 In this manner, therefore, pray:

Praise Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name.
Purpose 10 Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.
Plea 11 Give us this day our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
As we forgive our debtors.
Protection 13 And do not lead us into temptation,
But deliver us from the evil one.
Praise For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.[c]

There are 5 specific elements of the Lord’s Prayer… Praise, Purpose, Plea, Protection, and Praise. I believe the order and the substance of the Lord’s Prayer are instructive.

You may have noticed that the Lord begins His prayer in praise and ends His prayer in praise. I believe that is important. Many Christians do not begin and end their prayers with praise. Now, most Christians will make their pleas known to God when they pray and many Christians pray for protection, but few begin and end their prayers in praise. Yet, perhaps even more significant is that the Purpose of our prayers is almost always neglected or in opposition to that which Jesus shows us our purpose should be in prayer. Jesus states the purpose of our prayers in Matthew 6:10,

10 Your kingdom come.
Your will be done
On earth as it is in heaven.

If we are to discover and release the power of prayer in our lives, then it is important that we communicate the purpose of our prayers… That God’s Kingdom Come! That God’s Will be done in our lives! That God’s heavenly purposes are manifested here on the earth. They may not be what we think. They may not be what we want. But, if we love God and trust God then we should want His purpose to be accomplished in us, around us, and through us. We certainly don’t want to get in His way!

We need to pray that God will glorify Himself in us and that He will allow His love and His light to shine through us… for that IS His will and that IS His kingdom on earth… US!

Now, it does not matter what you are going through in your life. It doesn’t matter if you are sick or poor, young or old, or struggling with temptation or sin… we need to pray that we can be instrument’s in the hands of God to accomplish His will and His purpose. And nowhere is this made more clear for us than in the Garden of Gethsemane when Jesus, struggling with the agony that He would soon suffer upon the cross, cried out to God in Luke 22:42, and said…

"Father, if You are willing, remove this (A)cup from Me; (B)yet not My will, but Yours be done."

The Lord’s prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane resulted in His crucifixion and death. But, it also unleashed God’s will to atone for our sins and released the Kingdom of God with power when Jesus was resurrected from the grave and guaranteed that we would not perish but have everlasting life.

What are your needs, wants and desires? Does any of it compare to what God desires? When we are willing to let go of our own ideas about what is best for us and let God have His will and His way in our lives then we release the Kingdom of God on earth with power! So, let us pray with Jesus and say, “Thy Kingdom come. Thy Will be done… Not my will, but Thy will be done.”

http://blogzorg.ning.com/profiles/blogs/the-power-of-purpose-driven

2011-12-13T13:53:00.000-08:00

The LORD makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him (Psalm 37:23 NIV)

Parenting the Lord's Prayer: Purpose Driven Connection

Purpose Driven Connection did a week on Parenting the Lord's prayer, I loved it and wanted to have it on my blog so that I could refer back and you all could to. If you dont get the daily emails from Purpose Driven Connection- I highly recommend it- just go to http://profile.purposedriven.com/managesubscriptionssimple.aspx

Monday, May 02, 2011
Parenting with the Lord's Prayer: Overcoming Insecurity
by Rick Warren

“Our father in heaven …” Matthew 6:9 (NIV)"If God likes me and I like me, but you don't like me, what's your problem?"

The number one problem kids have growing up is insecurity. Our society is trained to compete and compare instead of co-operate. So from the moment a child is born, he or she is taught to compare everything – appearance, achievement, affluence, even athletic ability (remember gym class?).
What we need to teach children from an early age, even before they get into school, is: God is my father, he loves me unconditionally, and he will never stop loving me.
If our children can understand and absorb that truth then, when they are confronted with someone who wants to diminish their self-worth, they can have the confidence to say, “If God likes me and I like me, but you don’t like me, what’s your problem?”
Unfortunately, most kids don’t grow up with that kind of confidence. They grow up under the cloud of comparison, constantly asking, “What does everybody else think of me?”
That’s why it is important to teach children that God is their ultimate, heavenly Father. And they need to understand that God is not like some earthly dads they may have encountered.
So what kind of Father is God? He’s …

Caring. God is a caring Father who loves you and will never stop loving you. Some dads don’t care, but your heavenly Father cares about you all the time.

Close. God is a close Father. Some dads are distant, but your heavenly Father has promised, “I will never fail you. I will never abandon you” (Hebrews 13:5 NLT).
Consistent. God is a consistent Father. Some dads are fickle and moody, but your heavenly Father is never changing.

Capable. God is a capable Father. Some dads are like Homer Simpson; they can’t do anything. But your heavenly Father is capable, able to do all things.
When you teach your children that God is their Father and they choose to become his children, then the issue of insecurity is settled because they will understand that they are loved by the person who controls the universe. And that puts everything else, even dodge ball, into perspective.

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Parenting with the Lord's Prayer: Honoring God
by Rick Warren

“…hallowed be your name …” Matthew 6:9 (NIV)I grew up in a family where we were not allowed to use God's name in vain, but we also we weren't allowed to use the subtle derivatives that are so common – gosh, jeez.

In biblical times, your name represented your character. And, as you study the Bible, you’ll see that God has many names, each representing a benefit of what God promises to do you in your life.

For instance, Jehovah Jireh means “God will provide everything I need.” Jehovah Shalom means “God will be my peace.” AndJehovah Tsidkenu means “God will be my righteousness.”
Over and over in scripture, every name for God represents a basic problem, threat, or emotional illness you have in your life that God can take care of. He is omniscient (all-knowing) and omnipotent (all-powerful) and is “worthy to receive all glory and honor”(Revelation 4:11 NIV).
But one of the most violated commandments in our society today is number four: “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain” (Exodus 20:7 NKJV). Our society constantly takes the name of the Lord in vain. We hear it so often it doesn’t even offend us anymore. But it should! It bothers God.
I grew up in a family where we were not allowed to use God’s name in vain, but we also we weren’t allowed to use the subtle derivatives that are so common – gosh, jeez. I bet you didn’t even realize those are derivatives of God and Jesus. But my parents were firm that we not take God’s name in vain and that we wouldn’t even get close to it because they knew how serious it was to disrespect God in that way.
If we teach our children that God is able to meet all of our needs, then shouldn’t we also be teaching them to honor and respect him? His name included? He not only commands it, he deserves it.

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Wednesday, May 04, 2011
Parenting with the Lord's Prayer: Creating Stability
by Rick Warren

“Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:10 NIV)When you set boundaries with your children, they may push back, but they will also feel secure when those boundaries stand firm.

Study any psychological test and they’ll tell you the most insecure place for a kid to be is at the center of his or her family – controlling all the strings, getting their way in everything.
Kids instinctively know they do not belong in the center of the family; it creates great insecurity in their lives. Where kids find stability and security is in having boundaries. This is true from the moment they are born. We take little babies and wrap them up tightly. It’s called swaddling and being tightly bound gives the baby a feeling of security.
When you set boundaries with your children, they may push back, but they will also feel secure when those boundaries stand firm. They learn that you really do care about them. It’s when children don’t have those boundaries, and feel they can get away with anything, that they begin to question their parents’ love.
In the same way children need to know God’s purpose for their life is part of God’s larger plan. This creates boundaries of identity for them. It let’s them know that life is not all about them.
And in understanding God’s plan, they are able to find the answers to the basic questions of life: who am I? Why am I here? Where am I going? Where did I come from? Does my life have meaning? What is my purpose and how should I live it out? Why is this happening to me?
When you teach a child, “thy kingdom come, they will be done” you are teaching them that God has a master plan for history, but he also has a specific plan for their lives.

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Thursday, May 05, 2011
Parenting with the Lord's Prayer: Don't Worry
by Tom Holladay

“Give us today our daily bread.” (Matthew 6:11 NIV)Praying for our "daily bread" includes everything we worry about on a daily basis – our health, our finances, our schedule, our future, all the things we have to deal with.

In today’s society, our children have a lot to worry about. So it’s our duty to teach them how God can replace their worry with his provision.
Now our normal reaction to worry is to find a way to control the situation. That’s just our nature. We figure if we can control everything, then we’ll never have to worry. But when we try that approach, the opposite happens. We find out that we can’t control everything, so we end up worrying.
The real way to deal with worry is to pray, “Give us today our daily bread.” Praying for our “daily bread” includes everything we worry about on a daily basis – our health, our finances, our schedule, our future, all the things we have to deal with. God says, “If you want less stress in your life, then you have to relax in me and let me give you your daily bread.”
It’s important that we teach our children that it’s daily bread, not weekly or monthly. We want God to give us everything we need for the next five years, just put it in a bank account so we can see it’s there and not worry. But God doesn’t do it that way. He gives us just what we need one day at a time because he wants us to live in a daily relationship of trust in him.
So we need to teach our children three basic truths about God’s provision:
God can meet every need you’ll ever have because he’s God.
God wants to meet our needs, not our greeds, because he’s a loving father.
God will meet our needs as we trust in him moment-by-moment, day-by-day.
And remember parents, you need to practice what you preach!

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Friday, May 06, 2011
Parenting with the Lord's Prayer: Forgiveness
by Tom Holladay

“Forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.” (Matthew 6:12 NIV)We never want to see our children get hurt, but in those moments we can teach them to forgive others.

As a loving parent, you want to protect your kids and do as much for them as you can. But no matter what you do, you can’t prevent your kids from being hurt by others.
Our kids will be hurt by others because the world is full of imperfect human beings. And, as much as we don’t like it, we won’t be able to prevent our kids from hurting other people because they’re imperfect human beings as well.
Jesus has the answer: “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” (Matthew 6:12 NIV).
Notice there are two sides to this. First, “forgive us our debts.” No one is perfect, all of us sin, all of us have gone down a wrong path, made wrong choices, and, as a result, we live with guilt. We’ve disappointed ourselves, and we know we’ve disappointed God.
So how do we deal with guilt? We need to teach our children that the way to deal with guilt is to recognize the forgiveness that God gives us through Jesus Christ. We can confess our sins and know that he is faithful to forgive us.
Then we need to deal with the fact that other people have hurt us, which can leave us with feelings of resentment. God’s answer to that is to replace it with his peace – and that comes from forgiving others, just as God forgave us.
We never want to see our children get hurt, but in those moments we can teach them to forgive others. We can help them understand that, if they hold onto that resentment, it will eat away at their lives like an acid. So teach them to ask for God’s peace and to offer forgiveness to the person who hurt them.

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Saturday, May 07, 2011
Parenting with the Lord's Prayer: Do What's Right
by Rick Warren

“And lead us not into temptation ...” (Matthew 6:13 NIV)God wants us to love the people of this world, no matter who they are, what they've done, or what they believe. But He does not want us to love the world's value system.

It seems that oftentimes we think that God only makes requirements of us without giving us the ability or power to enable us to do it. But that’s not what the Bible says.
The Bible says that God will always give us a way to do the right thing when we are tempted to do the wrong thing. And it is so important that our children learn how to tap into God’s strength and power so they don’t go through life trying to change things by their willpower. Willpower works for the short-term, but God’s power works for the long-term.
“Lead us not into temptation …” (Matthew 6:13 NIV). Your kids are going to be tempted with the same temptations you had, do have, will have. The Bible says they are common to man; we all go through the same temptations – the lust of the flesh (pleasure), the lust of the eyes (possessions), and the pride of life.
You need to teach your children about these three basic temptations, because they are the foundation for everything our secular society builds on. I would encourage you and your children to memorize this verse: “Don’t love this evil world and all that it offers you, for when you love the world, you show that you don’t really have the love of the father in you” (1 John 2:15).
God is not saying, “Don’t love people.” He wants us to love the people of this world, no matter who they are, what they’ve done, or what they believe. But he does not want us to love the world’s value system. And that value system is this, “For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving or everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world” (1 John 2:16 NLT).
So how do we teach our kids to resist temptation after they identify it? Here is God’s way out, “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful. He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. And when you are tempted he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it” (1 Corinthians 10:13 GNT).
So when your kids say, “Dad, Mom, I just couldn’t help it,” you can teach them that God will help them do what’s right if they will trust him.

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Sunday, May 08, 2011
Parenting with the Lord's Prayer: God Protects
by Rick Warren

“… but deliver us from evil.” (Matthew 6:13 NIV)But the things that are out of your control are not out of God's control. So pray!

There is no doubt that this world is becoming increasing unsafe for our children. It is less safe for my grandkids than it was for my kids. And it was less safe for my kids than it was for me when I was growing up. And it was less safe for me than it was for my parents when they were growing up. Remember when you could go outside and play without parental supervision? Ride your bike to the park by yourself?
There are all kinds of problems, sins … wackos, and weirdos out there. And there are all kinds of ways that evil can get to your child in your own home through the Internet, television, and things on their phones like sexting.
So how do you protect your children from evil? Well, unfortunately, you can’t always control everything that happens to your kids because they’re not in your sight all the time, and they won’t be.
But the things that are out of your control are not out of God’s control. So pray! That’s why prayer is so important. You need to pray for your children every day. You need to pray with them before they go to prom and you need to pray with them before the first day of school. You need to pray,“deliver us from evil,” because God’s answer to our fear is his power. He can deliver.

http://delightfulmomstuff.blogspot.com/p/prayerwithpurpose-updates.html

How to Love the Unlovable

2011-12-10T07:03:00.001-08:00

How to Love the UnlovableDoing vs. KnowingIn John 13, it says, “If you know these things you are blessed if you do them.” Does God say if we know He will bless us? No, but if we do, He will bless us.The Bible says sometimes we think the more we know, the better we are, but God says, “No, if you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.” Is it through the knowing that our blessing will come or through the doing? We can know a lot, yet the blessings are going to come through the doing.Agape LoveWhen it comes to loving the unlovable, Peter has some wonderful tips for us.“Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart” (1 Pet. 1:22).This love that they are talking about is a Greek word, agape. That word is God’s love and that kind of love is not determined by somebody’s performance. It is determined by the Father’s command. It is sourced vertically, not fueled horizontally. It is not determined by people’s response to it. It is determined by the Father’s heart. It is fueled by heaven. That is called agape love; that kind of love does not fail.A Fervent LoveHow do you know if it’s agape? The word right before “love one another from the heart” is the word “fervently.” Now, the word fervently means “stretching and straining.” That is Greek for a stretching and straining agape love for one another. There are certain people who stretch and strain our love. That is the quality of this agape love. It can be stretched without snapping; it can be strained and pulled.The Proof of Love is Seen When Your Love is Stretched“Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Pet. 4:8).An agape love is able to cover a multitude of sins. It does not hide it or endorse it, but actually reduces the strength and power of that sin.That is the kind of love that God has for us. God’s love stretches around all of our sins. Does it diminish His love? No, but it is just like when God stretched His love around the world to cover a multitude of sins.Think about the multitude of sins His love had to stretch to redeem the world. Just think of all the accumulative total of everyone’s sin God’s love had to stretch around and encompass. This was not to endorse or ignore sin. God gave us an example of the kind of love that He wants for us, so that we can have a stretching and straining love that goes over sin. Not to endorse, ignore or deny it happened, but in order to reduce the threat of that sin and thus love begins to reverse its effects.Put Your Trust in God AloneNot in man! Put your trust in God alone.Agape love is only possible when you put your trust in God – not in man. There is only one Person worthy to sustain our trust and it is not man. Jesus knew that.“… Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men … for He Himself knew what was in man …” (John 2:24-25).Jesus knew that there was a part of man that was not going to be able to sustain His trust. So He did not trust Himself to man. He entrusted Himself to the Father only, but He said to maintain that agape for others.Maintain an Agape Love for OthersMan is not going to be able to or be worthy of sustaining our trust. They will fail us. Not because they are insidious or evil, but because we are human. God knows there is a part of man that is always going to be on sand and not on cement. So, we must trust God and agape man.“But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you …” (Luke 6:27).Love your enemies with agape love. That is the same love that God has for us that covers a multitude of sins. Agape love is a powerful love.We Can Give People Room to Fail and Still “Agape” ThemWhen I see people stumble, I still agape them because my trust is not in them. My trust is in God.God wants us to be a people after His own heart. We have to understand what Jesus did – He trusted God and agaped man. Then, we will have a love that can stretch and strain. It will reduce the consequences of sin. We become more like Jesus. We will have a love that comes, not based on your response, but a love that is based on the command of my Father. Then we put our trust in God. It doesn’t matter what happens; we know our Father will work this together for good.When we develop a trust in God, we can agape man. When that happens, we will able to have His heart to love the unlovable.http://www.mentoringleaders.com/?p=1354

2011-12-07T12:23:00.000-08:00

Plan B: What Do You Do When God Doesn't Show Up the Way You Thought He Would?
Pete Wilson (Author)

Book Description
Publication Date: May 4, 2010
Learn how God often does His best work in our most hopeless situations.

What do you do with a shattered dream? Or an unmet expectation? What do you do when your life isn't turning out the way you thought it would? What do you do when you have to turn to Plan B?

In Plan B pastor and author Pete Wilson uses real life stories of disappointments and hurts along with the biblical stories of men and women like David, Joseph, and Ruth to help readers come to grips with the truth that they will face situations that in themselves they are completely unable to handle but that in them God is simply trying to get them to surrender their plans so that they can receive His. He identifies our common responses to difficulties and offers hope, helping us to

Understand what God might be up to
See how surrender helps us to receive God's plan
Embrace the community of believers
Reconcile a God of love with a life of tragedy and suffering
Wilson points readers to the cross as not just the starting line but the centerpiece of our story with God and shares that it is there we turn in our Plan B and find the undeniable relationship between crisis and our hope followed by true spiritual transformation. "God wants to live inside the questions" says Wilson and then reminds us that "the cross is proof that He does not always change the circumstance but that He always has a purpose in every circumstance. He will never let go of us. He will hold us and His cross will be an anchor for us."

Praise for Plan B

"What do you do when you wake up with shattered dreams and unmet expectations? Pete Wilson's book, Plan B, offers honest encouragement and spiritual insights when life doesn't go as planned."

-Craig Groeschel, senior pastor, LifeChurch.tv, and author of The Christian Atheist

"If your life is going according to plan, if your pain level is low and your ease meter is high, you probably don't need this book. But for the rest of us, I am glad it's around."

-John Ortberg, pastor and author, Menlo Park Presbyterian Church

"Pete Wilson is a fresh voice for all today who wonder if they've missed God's best life and are relegated to gathering dust. He provides honest hope, a sound biblical base, and real answers. What also touched me as a reader was his warmth and authenticity. A great read for us all."

-Dr. John Townsend, author of Boundaries, psychologist, and business coach

"No matter what you're going through, Plan B will help you get through it. Plan B is a down-to-earth book written by a down-to-earth pastor. Authentic hope is only a book away!"

-Mark Batterson, senior pastor, National Community Church, and author of Primal

"Pete Wilson is a young, dynamic leader with a growing church and a heart to see people reach out and find Christ in the midst of any and every circumstance. His sincerity and desire to disarm some of life's difficult twists and turns with godly perspective will help anyone struggling with life's realities and Plan B."

-Brian Houston, senior pastor, Hillsong Church

"Hope is packaged and sold in many different ways in our society, often wrapped with false promises and an unrealistic view of life. This is why Plan B is such an important book. Pete deals openly and honestly with the disappointments we experience, pointing us to a hope that endures, sustains, and overcomes.

We all know people who have walked away from God because of Plan B experiences, not realizing that these are the moments God uses the most. Pete shows us that we don't have to deny the reality of what we face. We simply need to embrace the reality of a God who loves us and who is greater than our greatest disappointments. After all, His Plan B for our lives is the best plan of them all."

-Jeff Henderson, pastor, Buckhead Church

"Pete Wilson is a tremendous communicator whose warmth and care for people are evident on every page of this fantastic book. Plan B is a powerful resource for the detours of our lives. I wish this book would have been available years ago when some of my Plan As crashed, but I'm so thankful for the wisdom of its pages for my Plan Bs today."

-Jud Wilhite, senior pastor, Central Christian Church, and author of Eyes Wide Open

"While reading Plan B, I cheered, wept, and rediscovered parts of my faith that I'd long given up on finding. Like a conversation with an old friend, Pete Wilson's reflections about God and life are engaging, sensitive, and moving. As far as I'm concerned, if you're working on plan A, Plan B is a good prerequisite."

-Matthew Paul Turner, author of Churched and Hear No Evil

"In a generation that faces ever increasing disappointment with life, this book masterfully reminds us that God is at work and turns everything around for good. As you read Plan B, you will sense the genuine love and concern from a pastor who cares. Well done, Pete."

-Chris Hodges, pastor, Church of the Highlands

"If Plan A for your life isn't working out too well, you're not alone. In this book, Pete Wilson helps you make sense of life's frustrations and disappointments. The stories in Plan B remind you once again that God, who began a good work in you, is faithful to complete it. Pete is a passionate voice for a new generation of Christians. He is a man who lives what he writes."

-Robert Emmitt, senior pastor, Community Bible Church

"Pete Wilson tells the truth. Following Jesus is hard . . . really hard. Plan B is not another book filled with pat answers to life's most painful questions; it is a bold yet gracious exploration of how the love of God sustains when the broken dreams and shattered expectations of life threaten to overwhelm us."

-Ian Morgan Cron, speaker and author of Chasing Francis: A Pilgrim's Tale

2011-11-28T06:36:00.000-08:00

Purpose Driven Youth Ministry

Doug Fields wrote Purpose-Driven Youth Ministry to communicate what he believes are the key ingredients to building a vibrant youth ministry that glorifies God and changes kids lives. The book outlines the essentials for building a healthy, youth ministry that is purpose-driven. If you are passionate about building a ministry that fulfills the five scriptural goals of evangelism, discipleship, fellowship, ministry, and worship, you will discover a proven, team approach that reduces burnout and incorporates the strengths of the church as a whole. The book is a flexible and exhaustive approach to building a healthy youth ministry based on nine components:

Power of God
Purpose
Potential Audience
Programs
Process
Planned Values
Participating Leaders
Parents
Perseverance

This book has been deemed a youth ministry classic over the last several years and has probably sold more copies than any single youth ministry book published. So what? What does that mean? Maybe that it’s easy to understand and it resonates with youth workers’ hearts. PDYM isn’t a program to copy. Instead, the book contains principles to learn, filter through, and possibly adapt into your youth ministry setting. This material has been taught all over the world and makes sense in any setting, culture, denomination, and church. It’s not a program to copy.

http://www.simplyyouthministry.com/resources-adult-leaders-development-purpose-driven-youth-ministry.html

2011-11-27T06:10:00.000-08:00

A Biblical Perspective - 7 Key Principles to Prosperity and Success

By Jeffery Williams

Have you ever wondered?

"What are the Secrets to being Successful?"

Or maybe you thought, "Are there any Key Principles for achieving True and Lasting Prosperity?"

The Bible contains numerous prosperity scriptures that provide insights and instructions for reaching our true potential. When diligently applied, these key principles create a prosperity atmosphere surrounding our lives. I strongly believe that when we are in the right place, doing the right things, with the right frame of mind, then God moves on our behalf.

God's instructions to Joshua, Israel's new leader after the death of Moses, provides us with seven key principles for achieving "Good Success". By applying them to his life Joshua was able to lead the children of Israel to victory after victory as they conquered the land of Canaan.

In four short bible verses, Joshua 1:6-9, these prosperity principles are revealed. As you read them consider these questions:
Can Prosperity be reached on purpose and not by chance or luck?
Could we create or make our own path Prosperous?
What causes "Good Success"?

"Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest." (Joshua 1: 6-9)

Prosperity Principle 1: Be Strong

Strength is developed over time. It takes repeating the same exercises to develop strength. Consistent Bible Study and Prayer are two spiritual exercises we need to practice. In Jude Chapter 1, we are encouraged to build ourselves up on our most holy faith by praying in the Holy Ghost. Remember, as it is in the natural or physical realm, so it is from a spiritual perspective.

Joshua followed Moses for over 40 years before he was deemed ready for leadership of the group, but he exhibited leadership throughout his tenure as a chief lieutenant of Moses.

We must not attempt to lift too much too early. We must start believing God for the penny loafers, before we can trust him to give us "alligator shoes". Strength comes with practice.

Prosperity Principle 2: Have Courage

Just being strong is not enough. Oftentimes, we possess the ability, but lack the resolve to act. Having Courage is about facing our fears and moving on in faith.

Prosperity Principle 3: Listen to Your Spiritual Leaders (Fathers)

God provides us with spiritual Elders or Fathers, those who have already been strong followers of God. They have shown the ability to believe God and move forward. We are encouraged to learn from them and to follow their example. Joshua listened and learned from Moses' example.

Prosperity Principle 4: Study God's Word for Yourselves

Individual Bible Study is very important. Although, others can teach us godly principles, we must remember them for ourselves. Hide them in our heart and Meditate on them day and night. The devil, our enemy, may attack us when we don't have our bible handy or when we can't call someone for help. Then we need to know the Word for ourselves.

Prosperity Principle 5: Follow God's Instructions

Often we know what to do, but we won't follow instructions. Just in case, we maintain a "Plan B" as if God's instructions won't work. Don't turn to the "Right or Left". Stay Focused on God's plan for our life.

Prosperity Principle 6: Start Doing and Make Your Way Prosperous

Once we know what to do, then start doing it. Nike didn't invent the phrase "Just Do IT". God did it first!

This is a walk by faith, not sight or feelings. As we go, we start to charter new ground and to possess new territory in our lives. By going in faith and with a confident belief in God, "We Can Make Our Way Prosperous."

Prosperity Principle 7: Don't Be Afraid or Puzzled

We can't be Afraid or Puzzled if things don't work as soon as we planned.

The bible says, "Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise." (Hebrews 10:35 -36).

We must keep our confidence and wait on God to fulfill his promises to us.

Jeffery Williams has been in Christian Ministry for over 25 years. You can find more of his thoughts and views about Biblical Prosperity Principles at http://bibleprosperityscriptures.com

http://ezinearticles.com/?A-Biblical-Perspective---7-Key-Principles-to-Prosperity-and-Success&id=2707105

2011-11-27T05:43:00.001-08:00

Inheritance Law in the Bible

Deuteronomy 21:

15 Suppose a man has two wives, one whom he loves more than the other, and they both bear him sons, with the firstborn being the child of the less loved wife.

16 In the day he divides his inheritance he must not appoint as firstborn the son of the favorite wife in place of the other wife's son who is actually the firstborn.

17 Rather, he must acknowledge the son of the less loved wife as firstborn and give him the double portion of all he has, for that son is the beginning of his father's procreative power — to him should go the right of the firstborn.

(NET Bible®)

Inheritance is the gray area on the fringe of the capitalist ideal. On the one hand, the right to bequeath is a property right. If you earned it, you have the right to give it to whom you will, including your progeny. On the other hand, defenders of capitalism celebrate equality of opportunity, and decry social justice advocates who call for equality of result. Inheritance violates equality of opportunity; those who inherit a fortune have different opportunities than those who grow up in the projects.

Moreover, those who inherit great wealth often work to undermine the system which gave their ancestors opportunity. The Old Money Club has a history of shutting its doors to newcomers. Science fiction author David Brin has written extensively on the subject, claiming that historically, the political Right has been a bigger enemy of capitalism than the Left. (Personally, I think he undercounts the pre-Marxist Left, but he does make a very important point nonetheless.) For modern examples, check out the conspiracy literature. (No, I do not believe their hierarchical Rockefeller-Rothschild organization for world socialism. But in their quest to support this theory, the conspiracy theorists have gathered many concrete examples of robber-baron scions and their foundations supporting bigger government and less capitalism.)

The Bible resolves the inheritance dilemma in an elegant, and in some ways shocking, fashion.
A Celebration of and Limits on Inherited Wealth

The Bible celebrates inheritance. Israel prospered from Abraham's righteousness. Solomon prospered from David's zeal. The United States prospers from the dedication of our Puritan forebears. The last example is not from the Bible, obviously, but it fits the pattern.

Inherited gifts can remind us to be humble; no fortune is entirely self-made. Furthermore, when God defers rewards to future generations, he tests the faithful. To obey for immediate gain is mere rational self-interest. To obey to bless future generations, however, is to look outside oneself, to exercise benevolence.

Though the Bible celebrates inheritance, it also spreads it out. At least that seems the implication of Deuteronomy 21:15-17. The eldest son does not inherit all. He does get a double share. So if there are 4 sons, the first gets 40% and the other three get 20% each. While this may seem unfair, keep in mind that the eldest is older when he inherits than his younger brothers. He has less time to enjoy his inheritance, and has greater responsibilities that go with his seniority. But still, there is some advantage in being the oldest son.

Compare this, however, with primogeniture, where the eldest son inherits everything. Such was the law during much of the feudal era, an era which was nominally very Christian, yet in reality, less Christian than advertised. Though the governments of the time gave outward obeisance to the Church, they also worked to control the Church, with some degree of success. So for those of you who scoff at Christianity, who think that the Bible has little to offer, and cite the Middle Ages as evidence, note this very important difference between Biblical Law and feudalism. Feudalism is impossible under Biblical Law.

Read the Law above again. It refers to two wives. Rich men could afford more than one wife and/or concubine. Feel free to be shocked and cite it as sexist, but Biblical polygamy was also progressive(!) Polygamy results in many sons. Many sons divide up large estates in a few generations. Future generations must go back to work to stay wealthy even without inheritance or estate taxes. Instead, the family that succeeds, breeds. Consider the effect on the gene pool. Old Testament Law was Darwinian.
Potential Modern Applications

Suppose we were to apply the ancient Law today. A virile superstar such as Magic Johnson would have acquired multiple wives from his vast pool of adoring fans, instead of an unsanitary succession of one-night trysts. Since the Law would require him to service all of his wives [Exodus 21:10], even such a mighty one as Magic Johnson would find his limit, leaving other women available for lesser men. With marriage comes offspring. The future NBA would benefit from a larger pool of Magical sons to recruit from. And with the sons dividing the spoils of a heroic basketball career, we need not fear a future feudal Johnson dynasty.

OK, I jest. Polygamy has its problems, and Jesus deprecated the practice. But it is worthwhile to also see its advantages, lest we scoff at the ancient Law as primitive.

Now to a politically correct modern application: if unearned wealth concentration is the problem, then estate taxes are not the solution. Progressive inheritance taxes are. It is not the size of the estate that is the concern -- as long as the estate was honorably earned. The problem is too much power in the hands of those who did not earn it. If we tax inheritance instead of estates, then a fading tycoon can dodge the tax man by dividing his estate to extended family and even friends. The result would be a broader upper class: more donors, self-funded politicians, and angel investors to choose from.

If we treat each inheritance as a separate event, then the upper classes could conspire to bypass the tax by cross-bequeathing: you name my children and I'll name yours. The remedy is simple. Let each person have an annual deduction to apply to all inheritances and gifts. Deductions not used carry over to future years. If you receive or inherit up to the deductible from one benefactor, it is tax free, but any subsequent gifts/inheritances are taxed at the full rate that year. And the deductible takes a while to build back up for subsequent years.

This arrangement solves the generation-skipping problem as well. Suppose the deductible is $50,000 per year. Joe Money-Bags has 3 million dollars to pass on. He could give it to his 50 year old son with only $500,000 taxable, or his 25 year old grandson with $1,750,000 taxable, or to his 5 year old great grandson with $2,750,000 taxable. These numbers assume no gifts prior to inheritance. Adjust accordingly for gifts. Do note that there is no penalty for skipping a maximum gift tax year, since the deductible accumulates.

The numbers I just used are for example purposes only. I leave it up to the reader to decide on a fair annual deductible, ditto for whether we should have any inheritance tax. For extra credit, you can design multiple inheritance tax brackets with similar accumulating deductibles.

http://www.holisticpolitics.org/GodsWelfareSystem/Inheritance.php

2011-11-11T07:53:00.001-08:00

Person: "Our Father which art in heaven..."
God: Yes,?

Person: Don't interrupt me. I'm praying.

God: But you called me!

Person: Called you?
I didn't call you.
I'm praying. "Our Father which art in heaven..."

God: There, you did it again.

Person: Did what?

God: Called me.
You said, "Our Father which art in heaven."
Here I am...what's on your mind?

Person: But I didn't mean anything by it.
I was,you know, just saying my prayers for the day.
I always say the Lord's Prayer
.It makes me feel good,kind of like getting a duty done.

God: All right. Go on.

Person: Hallowed be thy name..."

God: Hold it.
What do you mean by that?

Person: By what?

God: By "hallowed be thy name"?

Person:It means...it means...good grief,I don't know what it means.
How should I know?
It's just a part of the prayer.
By the way, what does it mean?

God: It means honored, holy, wonderful.

Person:Hey,that makes sense
.I never thought about what "hallowed" meant before
."Thy kingdom come,thy will be done,on earth as it is in heaven."

God: Do you really mean that?

Person: Sure, why not?

God: What are you doing about it?

Person:Doing?
Nothing,I guess.
I just think it would be kind of neat if you got control of everything down here like you have up there.

God: Have I got control of you?

Person: Well, I go to church.,,

God: That isn't what I asked you
. What about your bad temper? You've really got a problem there, you know.
And then there's the way you spend your money--all on yourself.
And what about the kind of books you read?

Person:Stop picking on me!
I'm just as good as some of the rest of those people at the church.

God:Excuse me
.It thought you were praying for my will to be done.
If that is to happen,it will have to start with the ones who are praying for it.
Like you,for example.

Person:Oh,all right
.I guess I do have some hang-ups.
Now that you mention it, I could probably name some others.

God: So could I.

Person:I haven't thought about it very much until now,
but I really would like to cut out some of those things.
I would like to, you know, be really free.

God:Good.
Now we're getting somewhere.
We'll work together, you and I
.Some victories can truly be won.
I'm proud of you.

Person:Look,Lord,I need to finish up here
This is taking a lot longer than it usually does.
"Give us this day,our daily bread."

God:You need to cut out the bread.
You're overweight as it is.

Person:Hey,wait a minute?
What is this,"Criticize me day'?
Here I was doing my religious duty
and all of a sudden you break in and remind me of all my hang-ups.

God: Praying is a dangerous thing
. You could wind up changed, you know.
That's what I'm trying to get across to you.
You called me, and here I am
.It's too late to stop now.
Keep praying,I'm interested in the next part of your prayer..
.(Pause).
Well, go on.

Person: I'm scared to.

God: Scared? Of what?

Person: I know what you'll say.

God: Try me and see.

Person:"Forgive us our sins,as we forgive those who sin against us."

God: What about Ann?

Person:See?I knew it!
I knew you would bring her up!
Why Lord, she's told lies about me,spread stories about my family
. She never paid back the debt she owes me.
I've sworn to get even with her!

God: But, your prayer?
What about your prayer?

Person: I didn't mean it.

God:Well,at least you're honest.
But it's not much fun carrying that load of bitterness around inside,is it?

Person:No.But I'll feel better as soon as I get even
Boy,have I got some plans for that neighbor.
She'll wish she had never moved into this neighborhood.

God:You won't feel any better.
You'll feel worse.
Revenge isn't sweet.
Think of how unhappy you already are
.But I can change all that.

Person: You can? How?

God:Forgive Ann.
Then I'll forgive you
.Then the hate and sin will be Ann's problem and not yours.
You will have settled your heart.

Person: Oh, you're right,You always are
.And more than I want to revenge Ann,I want to be right with you.
Ann, I want to be right with you...
(pause)...(sigh). All right. All right
.I forgive her
.Help her to find the right road in life, Lord.
She's bound to be awfully miserable now that I think about it.
Anybody who goes around doing the things she does to others has to be out of it
. Someway, somehow, show her the right way.

God: There now!
Wonderful!
How do you feel?

Person: Hmmmmmmm. Well,not bad.Not bad at all
.In fact,I feel pretty great!
You know,I don't think I'll have to go to bed uptight tonight for the first time since I can remember.
Maybe I won't be so tired from now on because I'm not getting enough rest.

God: You're not through with your prayer. Go on...

Person:Oh,all right.
"And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."

God: Good! Good!
I'll do that.
Just don't put yourself in a place where you can be tempted.

Person: What do you mean by that?

God: Don't turn on the TV when you know the laundry needs to be done
and the house needs to be picked up
. Also, about the time you spend coffeeing with your friends,
if you can't influence the conversation to positive things, perhaps you should rethink the value of those friend-ships.
Another thing
,your neighbors and friends shouldn't be your standard for "keeping up".
And please don't use me for an escape hatch.

Person: I don't understand the last part.

God: Sure you do.
you've done it a lot of times.
You get caught in a bad situation.You get into trouble and then you come running to me,
"Lord, help me out of this mess, and I promise you I'll never do it again."
You remember some of those bargains you tried to make with me?

Person: Yes and I'm ashamed, Lord. I really am.

God: Which bargain are you remembering?

Person: Well, there was the night that Bill was gone and the children and I were home alone.
The wind was blowing so hard I thought the roof would go any minute and tornado warnings were out.
I remember praying, "Oh God, if you spare us, I'll never skip my devotions again."

God: I protected you, but you didn't keep your promise, did you?

Person: I'm sorry, Lord, I really am.
Up until now I thought that if I just prayed the Lord's Prayer every day,then I could do what I liked.
I didn't expect any-thing to happen like it did.

God: Go ahead and finish your prayer.

Person:"For Thine is the kingdom,and the power,and the glory forever." Amen.

God:Do you know what would bring me glory?
What would really make me happy?

Person:No,but I'd like to know.
I want now to please you
. I can see what a mess I've made of my life.And I can see how great it would be to really be one of your followers.

God: You just answered the question.

Person: I did?

God: Yes.
The thing that would bring me glory is to have people like you truly love me
And I see that happening between us.
Now that some of these old sins are exposed and out of the way,well,there is no telling what we can do together!

©1977 Author: Clyde Lee Herring, 2938 East 84th St., Tulsa, OK 74137

2011-11-09T12:19:00.000-08:00

Memo from God

Ten Guidelines from God...

Date: Today
To: You
From: God
Subject: Yourself
Reference: Your Life
Instructions for following the Ten Guidelines from God
Effective immediately,please be aware that there are some changes YOU need to make in YOUR life.
These changes need to be completed in order that I may fulfill My promises to you to grant you peace, joy and happiness in this life.
I need your full co-operation and I apologize for any inconvenience,but after all that I am doing, this seems very little to ask of you.Thank you.....GOD.

1. QUIT WORRYING:
Life has dealt you a blow and all you do is sit and worry.
Have you forgotten that I am here to take all your burdens and carry them for you?
Cast all your anxiety on Me. I care for you. (1 Peter 5:7)
2. PUT IT ON THE LIST:
Something needs done or taken care of.
Put it on the list.
No.... not YOUR list!
Put it on MY to-do-list!
Let ME be the one to take care of the problem.
I can't help you until you turn it over to Me.
And although My to-do-list is long, I am after all... God!
I can take care of anything you put into My hands.
. In fact, I take care of a lot of things for you that you never even realize!
For nothing is impossible with God!(Luke 1:37)
3. TRUST ME:
Once you've given your burdens to Me,quit trying to take them back!
Trust in Me.
Have faith that I will take care of all your needs, your problems and your trials.
Problems with the kids? Put them on My list.
Problem with finances? Put it on My list.
Problems with your emotional roller coaster? For My sake, put it on My list. I want to help you. All you have to do is ask
. Ask, and it will be given to you.(Matthew 7:7)
4. LEAVE IT ALONE:
Don't wake up one morning and say, "Well, I'm feeling much stronger now, I think I can handle it from here."
Why do you think you are feeling stronger now?
It's simple.
You gave Me your burdens and I'm taking care of them, so don't try to take them back.
I also renew your strength and cover you in my peace.
Don't you know that if I give you these problems back, you will be right back where you started?
Leave them with Me and forget about them.
Trust in Me with all your heart.(Proverbs 3:5)
5. TALK TO ME:
I want you to forget a lot of things.
Forget what was making you crazy.
Forget all the worry and the fretting
But there's one thing I want you never forget.
Please, don't forget to talk to Me !-- OFTEN!
I love YOU!
I want to hear your voice.
I want you to include Me in the things going on in your life.
I want to hear you talk about your friends and family.
Prayer is simply you having a conversation with Me.
I want to be your dearest friend.
Talk to Me daily!
Pray without ceasing...(1 Thess.5:17)
6. HAVE FAITH:
I see a lot of things from up here that you can't see from where you are.
Have faith in Me that I know what I'm doing.
I am in control of everything, even if it doesn't seem like it sometimes from your viewpoint.
Believe Me, you wouldn't want the view from My eyes.
I will continue to care for you, watch over you,and meet your needs.
You only have to put your faith in Me.
Faith is being sure of what you hope for and certain of what you do not see.(Hebrews 11:1)
7. SHARE:
You were taught to share when you were young..
Don't forget that now, the rule still applies.
Share with those who are less fortunate than you.
Share your joy with those who need encouragement.
Share your laughter with those who haven't heard any in a long time.
Share your tears with those need to cry.
Share your faith with those who have none.
Do good and share with others, for with such sacrifices I am pleased.(Hebrews 13:16)
8. BE PATIENT:
I managed to fix it so in just one lifetime you could have so many different experiences.
You grow from a child to an adult, have children, change jobs, learn trades,travel to many places, meet thousands of people, and experience so much.
How can you be so impatient then when you think it takes Me a little longer than you expected to handle something on My to-do-list?
Be Patient--Wait on Me.
Trust in My timing, for My timing is perfect.
You may think I am slow, but remember....I am never late.
I have your best interests in mind and know when the time is just right.
Wait on Me; be strong and take heart and wait for Me.(Psalm 27:14)
9. BE KIND:
Be kind to others, for everyone is fighting some sort of battle and I love them just as much as I love you.
They may not dress like you, or talk like you, or live the same way you do, but I still love them.
I love all My creation
Please try to get along, for My sake.
I created each of you different in some way.
It would be too boring if you were all identical.
Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ, I forgave you.(Ephesians 4:32)
10. LOVE YOURSELF:
As much as I love you, how can you not love yourself?
You were created by me for one reason only -- to be love and to be loved.
I am a God of Love.
Love Me.
Love your neighbors.
But also love yourself.
It makes My heart ache when I see you not loving yourself.
You are very precious to me, don't ever forget that.
I created you to be someone special.
My works are wonderful. I created your inmost being; I knit you together in your mother's womb. You are fearfully and wonderfully made.(Psalm 139:13, 14)
PS:I wrote all of this in a book a long time ago.
It is called the "Bible"
Please try to read it daily.
It will help you to remember all of these things.
I love You...God

GO TO HOME PAGE

© 2000 encourge@aol.com

http://smilegodlovesyou.org/guidelines.html

2011-10-21T18:49:00.000-07:00

Five Tips for Creating a Mentor Program

The key to cultivating exceptional leaders
by Vonna Laue

Things change continually in ministry, for better and worse. One area that seems to have improved drastically over the past 15 years or so, though, is the emphasis placed on mentoring and its role in creating fully engaged employees.

Being good stewards of resources goes far beyond just dollars and cents. Mentoring allows us to be good stewards of one of the greatest resources we have in ministry—people.
Mentoring is the practice of connecting an individual with someone who has “been there and done that.” It can play a key role in the development of a staff member into an exceptional employee or leader. Many people spend more of their waking hours at work than anywhere else, and this can be especially true in ministry. If people only learn how to technically perform their job, they are missing out on a much more balanced, well-rounded approach to their role.

Here are five tips for a successful mentoring program:

1. If it’s just going to be a program, don’t even start it. Doing this right requires commitment and a true concern for staff. Any other motivation will quickly become apparent and may sabotage your efforts.

2. Make sure it’s a good fit for the employee. Arbitrarily assigning someone a mentor may hinder open dialogue. Instead, identify potential mentors and allow individuals to select who they would like to be paired with. Mentors need to be individuals who not only have experience, but are also committed to the organization. Mentors will impact the people they mentor and should care about them personally while also helping them understand their role and potential growth in the ministry.

3. Mentoring relationships should always be same-gender. Not everyone would agree with this position, but it is a distinguishing characteristic between coaching and mentoring. Coaching is focused on the job and its tasks and could result in a male/female pairing, since the focus is solely on workplace issues. Mentoring, however, is more role- and life-related. It would be inappropriate for a female employee to share with a male mentor that she is having difficulty managing the responsibilities of work and home life, and that this is causing a strain on her marriage. For a mentoring relationship to be fully effective, life issues need to be discussed. Mentors are entrusted with trying to help employees grow and develop personally and professionally, and you need to make sure no one is put into a position that could cause them to stumble and damage any of the relationships they are trying to nurture.

4. Make sure both individuals are committed to the process. Mentoring requires a time commitment, and each person needs to be willing to invest in it. If mentors don’t make time to meet consistently, it will be apparent to the individual being mentored that this is not a priority. Likewise, if the mentor doesn’t feel that the individual cares about the process, it can seem like a waste of time. If both parties are committed to the process, the likelihood of success is high. This commitment should be reevaluated annually and any necessary changes, such as new mentor, made at that time.

5. Not everyone is a mentor. Keep in mind that not all individuals—including those in leadership—are designed to be mentors. If mentoring seems like a chore to someone, they probably shouldn’t be involved, and that needs to be acceptable. We don’t all preach. We don’t all handle finance decisions. We don’t all work with youth. We won’t all make good mentors.

The actual specifics of a mentoring program can, and should, vary. Some people find it helpful to have a specific agenda, and may choose to work through a book or study. Others may prefer to just have time set aside to reflect and engage in a genuine conversation. Mentors need the flexibility to determine what is best in their particular circumstances.

Finally, those in leadership positions often find it difficult to identify a mentor. This is especially true for women in ministry leadership, who may be blazing a trail with no one really ahead of them in their organization. If you find yourself in this position, you can identify someone in another organization or through your church who has experience and characteristics you can learn from. Most people will be honored to help someone in this way.

As we serve alongside each other, we can use the gifts and experiences God has given us to help some and accept encouragement from others. How could mentoring work as a way for your ministry team to be more engaged in developing new leaders?

To learn more about mentoring, see the Gifted for Leadership downloadable resource Effective Mentoring and Finding a Mentor.

Vonna Laue is a CPA and partner with Capin Crouse, a national accounting firm for churches and nonprofit organizations. She has put her considerable skills and gifts to work in building the Kingdom both professionally and in her church. Vonna is an editorial advisor for Church Law and Tax Report and Church Finance Today, both sister publications of GiftedforLeadership.com, and she is the co-author of Essential Guide to Church Finances (Christianity Today International).

http://blog.kyria.com/giftedforleadership/2011/07/five_tips_for_creating_a_mento.html

2011-10-21T16:31:00.000-07:00

Life's One Word

Posted on October 16, 2011

Welcome!

In 2004, during an executive planning meeting, a fellow leader asked me, “If one word could be synonymous with your life and ministry, what word would that be?” Without hesitation, I answered “network” or “networking.” ”Network” and “networking” can be summarized in “this one thing I do” in my life and ministry. In the future, those who are not networking will be not working.

In the months ahead, this networking blog will be devoted to highlighting some of the best networking examples in the Global Church and expounding networking principles and practics that will exponentially grow your ministry. I hope you enjoy this visionary journey.

http://www.jamesodavis.com/2011/10/16/lifes-one-word/

2011-10-21T16:30:00.001-07:00

Networking & Partnerships

Posted on October 16, 2011

I have heard often leaders use the terms “networking” and “partnership” in the context of meaning the same outcomes. Yet, this is not the case in business, organizations or ministries. It is my conviction that partnerships, if they develop at all, come after the networking relationship has been established between key leaders. In summary, the stair steps are:
Motivational – Establish Your Cause (Visioneering)
Relational – Enforce Your Commitment (Networking)
Financial – Enlist Your Comrades (Partnership)

When birthing a network, the motive has to be clear; the members have to be committed and the mission must be compelling for all who join the movement. If your network matures to the partnership level, be sure to choose your partners carefully. For example, if two of your partners begin to compete against each other, then your network will develop friction instead traction. Networkers don’t compete; but they complete. Seek godly wisdom along the networking journey.

http://www.jamesodavis.com/2011/10/16/networking-and-partnership/

2011-10-21T16:26:00.000-07:00

The Difference Between Teamwork & Network

Posted on October 16, 2011

It is possible to have teamwork and not have a network. But, it is not possible to have a network without teamwork. Let me explain. When two separate teams from two different organization go out into the game of life, their goal is to defeat their opponents. If they don’t win in the game of life, ministry or business, they are known as a “loosing team.”

In networking, however, the teamwork is not about competing but about completing; not so much about victory as it about vision. The networking leader learns how to build a network of teams who have different roles but the same goal. Our goal is the same as our Lord’s goal. His goal is that everyone on the planet have an adequate witness of the Gospel in their lifetime. Any goal less than “everyone” is not a God-sized goal.

What is the role of your network? Does the vision of your network compel fellow-leaders to step up and add value to one another? Whenever you sense the spirit of competition entering your network remind everyone that it is not about egos and logos but about fulfilling the Great Commission!

http://www.jamesodavis.com/2011/10/16/teamwork-and-networ/

2011-09-08T09:05:00.000-07:00

Calvary Love

by Amy Carmichael

If I belittle those whom I am called to serve, talk of their weak points in contrast perhaps with what I think of as my strong points; if I adopt a superior attitude, forgetting "Who made thee to differ? And what hast thou that thou hast not received?" then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I find myself taking lapses for granted, "Oh, that's what they always do," "Oh, of course she talks like that, he acts like that," then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I can enjoy a joke at the expense of another; if I can in any way slight another in conversation, or even in thought, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I can write an unkind letter, speak an unkind word, think an unkind thought without grief and shame, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I do not feel far more for the grieved Savior than for my worried self when troublesome things occur, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I can rebuke without a pang, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If my attitude be one of fear, not faith, about one who has disappointed me; if I say, "Just what I expected" if a fall occurs, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I am afraid to speak the truth, lest I lose affection, or lest the one concerned should say, "You do not understand," or because I fear to lose my reputation for kindness; if I put my own good name before the other's highest good, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I am content to heal a hurt slightly, saying "Peace, peace," where there is no peace; if I forget the poignant word "Let love be without dissimulation" and blunt the edge of truth, speaking not right things but smooth things, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I hold on to choices of any kind, just because they are my choice, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I am soft to myself and slide comfortably into self-pity and self-sympathy; If I do not by the grace of God practice fortitude, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I myself dominate myself, if my thoughts revolve round myself, if I am so occupied with myself I rarely have "a heart at leisure from itself," then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If, the moment I am conscious of the shadow of self crossing my threshold, I do not shut the door, and keep that door shut, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I cannot in honest happiness take the second place (or the twentieth); if I cannot take the first without making a fuss about my unworthiness, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I take offense easily, if I am content to continue in a cool unfriendliness, though friendship be possible, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I feel injured when another lays to my charge things that I know not, forgetting that my sinless Savior trod this path to the end, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I feel bitter toward those who condemn me, as it seems to me, unjustly, forgetting that if they knew me as I know myself they would condemn me much more, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If souls can suffer alongside, and I hardly know it, because the spirit of discernment is not in me, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If the praise of others elates me and their blame depresses me; if I cannot rest under misunderstanding without defending myself; if I love to be loved more than to love, to be served more than to serve, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I crave hungrily to be used to show the way of liberty to a soul in bondage, instead of caring only that it be delivered; if I nurse my disappointment when I fail, instead of asking that to another the word of release may be given, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I do not forget about such a trifle as personal success, so that it never crosses my mind, or if it does, is never given room there; if the cup of flattery tastes sweet to me, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If in the fellowship of service I seek to attach a friend to myself, so that others are caused to feel unwanted; if my friendships do not draw others deeper in, but are ungenerous (to myself, for myself), then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I refuse to allow one who is dear to me to suffer for the sake of Christ, if I do not see such suffering as the greatest honor that can be offered to any follower of the Crucified, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I slip into the place that can be filled by Christ alone, making myself the first necessity to a soul instead of leading it to fasten upon Him, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If my interest in the work of others is cool; if I think in terms of my own special work; if the burdens of others are not my burdens too, and their joys mine, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I wonder why something trying is allowed, and press for prayer that it may be removed; if I cannot be trusted with any disappointment, and cannot go on in peace under any mystery, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If the ultimate, the hardest, cannot be asked of me; if my fellows hesitate to ask it and turn to someone else, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

If I covet any place on earth but the dust at the foot of the Cross, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

That which I know not, teach Thou me, O Lord, my God.

Amy Carmichael, "Calvary Love," from If, by Dohnavur Fellowship. Fort Washington, PA: CLC Ministries, n.d. Used by permission.

www.bruderhof.com

http://www.holytrinitynewrochelle.org/yourti96592.html

2011-09-06T08:44:00.000-07:00

Daily Thought #30 – morning of August 29th, 2011

Don’t write the ‘Diary of a Wimpy Man’ with your life, Guys!

Be strong. Live strong … God-strong. There is no greater STRENGTH on earth than God’s STRENGTH. And, there is no greater WAY to strengthen yourself than to follow God’s WAYS.

Deuteronomy 31:6 “Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid; for the LORD your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.”

Joshua 1:7 “Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the Law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go.”

1 Kings 2:2-3 “Be strong, therefore, and prove yourself a man. And keep the charge of the LORD your God: to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, His commandments, His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn.”

Isaiah 35:3-6 “Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. Say to those who are fearful-hearted, ‘Be strong, do not fear! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God; He will come and save you.’ Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the dumb sing. For waters shall burst forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert.”

Daniel 10:19 “O man greatly beloved, fear not! Peace be to you; be strong, yes, be strong!”

1 Corinthians 16:13 “Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.”

Ephesians 6:10 “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.”

Don’t WIMP out, Guys! The world is full of spiritually WIMPY men. Choose to be a strong man. The only strong men in the world are those who go in God’s STRENGTH and WAYS.

Be strong … you are greatly beloved!

http://www.globalmensgroup.com/daily-thoughts/

2011-09-04T06:54:00.000-07:00

But can ethically run businesses survive in a today’s tough global market? Can a business have Christian values and be profitable at the same time? Yes, here follows one example.

The R.W. Beckett Corporation (www.beckettcorp.com) was founded 1937 and is now a third generation family business which “endeavors to apply a biblically-based philosophy throughout every phase of its operations”. Its mission is: By God’s grace we will grow, relentlessly improve and passionately serve our customers and fellow employees.

Here are some of the values guiding the business:
Our intention is to be a Christ-centered company.
We will conduct ourselves with dignity, adhering to the highest ethical and moral standards.
We desire to be known as honorable, reliable and trustworthy, always willing to go the extra mile for something we believe in.
Profits are important and necessary, but never at the expense of good, long-term business judgment.
Recognizing there are business cycles, we have a high priority to provide employment stability.
We want to be good “corporate citizens” – active in serving others, helping meet human needs in the community and beyond.
We realize we are not an end in ourselves, but a part of God’s larger purposes. As such, we are called upon to work as “unto Him,” to view our business as a trust and to be wise and able stewards of the trust He has placed with us.

http://www.matstunehag.com/

2011-09-03T18:43:00.001-07:00

Transformation: What Sets the Argentina Revival Apart?
By INGER J. LOGELIN

When the terms "city reaching" and "prayer evangelism" are used, Resistencia, Argentina is often mentioned. In 1990 when Ed Silvoso of Harvest Evangelism targeted Resistencia with united reconciliation and prayer there were only 5,143 believers in 70 congregations, out of a population of 400,000. Silvoso called the city in northeast Argentina, located on the Paran River a "spiritual cemetery." Today he says, "There are over 100,000 Christians in the city, and 220,000 in the province, making it the most evangelical province in the nation. As a result, Resistencia has become synonymous with city transformation and what is pictured in George Otis Jr.'s Transformations Videos has its genesis there." In 1990 the mayor welcomed Ed Silvoso and Harvest Evangelism into the city. Silvoso has now met with the vice president of Argentina who he says, "opened the nation to us." In 1990 in Resistencia he led the president of the leading football club to the Lord which impacted the city. Recently, Silvoso has ministered to the president of one of the world's most famous soccer teams, a man who is also a leading candidate for President. His team of advisors came to Christ. In 1990 Silvoso ministered to native Argentines around Resistencia. He said, "This resulted in revival among two tribes soon afterward." Recently, Chief Jay Swallow from North America, along with chiefs from Africa and the Pacific, set up a council with 12 Argentine chiefs to pray for the healing for the nations. "There are already signs of restoration as hunting, fishing and crops are becoming miraculously bountiful," says Silvoso.

Steps to Transformation
The nation of Argentina has seen a 2,000 percent growth of born again Christians, according to Silvoso. "In 1990 evangelicals in Argentina numbered half of one percent, roughly 200,000 believers. Today, a minimum of 10% of the population, or four million people, are born again, a 2,000% growth. In 1990 the gospel seeds had to be watered with tears as we plowed very rocky ground, but now we walk joyfully carrying bountiful sheaves. Today there are cities where it is difficult for sinners to go to hell because the Church has learned to pastor entire cities." Since the early 1980s, other Argentinean churchwide leaders such as Carlos Annacondia, Omar Cabrera, Claudio Freidzon, Hector Gimenez and Sergio Scataglini have been used by God to draw millions in to the kingdom. What sets this revival apart is their understanding of spiritual warfare which gets to the root of the problem, instead of dealing only with symptoms. United prayer evangelization has become a powerful key to the transformation. As people see dramatic answers to prayer, many come to the Lord. The move of God there has also been characterized by a passion for the lost, and an intentional networking among leaders. Edgardo Silvoso, who was born in Argentina, worked in mass evangelism crusades with his brother-in-law Luis Palau for 11 years. Later while planting churches, he learned the principles of intercession and prayer evangelism. After suffering with an incurable disease for four years, the Lord healed him. In Resistencia he used the biblical principles of prayer evangelism to reach the city. He says, "Implementation of these principles produced church growth of over 1,100% and a significant change in the spiritual climate of the city." Peter Wagner from Fuller Seminary became aware of the transformation taking place and people came from all over the world to see for themselves.

Taking it to the Marketplace
Now the church is taking the kingdom of God to the marketplace. At an international conference sponsored by Harvest Evangelism, 260 foreign delegates and 1,500 Argentines did just that. Silvoso reports staggering results: After receiving Christ, the president of a political party invited Jesus to be head of his party. One of the most influential couples in the nation received the Lord and "invited Jesus to be the CEO of their business group." The founder, president and dean of a leading university "invited Jesus into their lives and onto the campus, acknowledging Him as the Headmaster." "The speaker of the house in the most powerful provincial government received the Lord, and the next day she opened the door of the government to Jesus, acknowledging Him as its head." Silvoso says, "The recent breakthrough in Argentina has exceptional potential because in the same fashion that Resistencia made city transformation credible and subsequently widespread, it could turn the discipling of nations into 'the' premier focus of the Church. Its most unique feature is the salvation of influential leaders who once inside the Kingdom immediately enlist in the nation transformation movement, displaying a willingness, even an eagerness to do extraordinary things for God. "… In Argentina, these new believers did not just accept Jesus in their hearts, they also invited Him into their corporations, political parties, Congress, city hall, etc., because they understood that salvation has come to their house, not just their soul. Because their house -- their sphere of influence -- is so vast, they have been able to open doors for us to minister to the Vice President, to captains of industry, and to politicians. By impacting the marketplace -- the heart of the nations -- God's kingdom became evident in places where until recently the Gates of Hades had ruled unimpeded. As a result of this, today, we stand on the verge of seeing not just one city, but an entire nation transformed. What an awesome prospect!"

http://www.intheworkplace.com/apps/articles/default.asp?articleid=13417&columnid=1935

2011-09-03T18:42:00.001-07:00

Greed in the Workplace
By Word in Life Study Bible

Exod 20:17 17 "You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor." (NIV)

Ps 119:33-36 33 "Teach me, O LORD, to follow your decrees; then I will keep them to the end. 34 Give me understanding, and I will keep your law and obey it with all my heart. 35 Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight. 36 Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain." (NIV)

Prov 11:24-26 24 "One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. 25 A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed. 26 People curse the man who hoards grain, but blessing crowns him who is willing to sell." (NIV)

Prov 11:28 "Whoever trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous will thrive like a green leaf." (NIV)

Prov 12:12 "The wicked desire the plunder of evil men, but the root of the righteous flourishes." (NIV)

Prov 15:27 "A greedy man brings trouble to his family, but he who hates bribes will live." (NIV)

Prov 23:4-5 "Do not wear yourself out to get rich; have the wisdom to show restraint. Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone, for they will surely sprout wings and fly off to the sky like an eagle." (NIV)

Prov 30:7-9 7 "Two things I ask of you, O LORD; do not refuse me before I die: 8 Keep falsehood and lies far from me; give me neither poverty nor riches, but give me only my daily bread. 9 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you and say, 'Who is the LORD?' Or I may become poor and steal, and so dishonor the name of my God." (NIV)

Eccl 4:4 "And I saw that all labor and all achievement spring from man's envy of his neighbor. This too is meaningless, a chasing after the wind." (NIV)

Eccl 4:7-8 "Again I saw something meaningless under the sun: 8 There was a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother. There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. 'For whom am I toiling," he asked, "and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?' This too is meaningless-- a miserable business!" (NIV)

Eccl 5:10-11 "Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless. As goods increase, so do those who consume them. And what benefit are they to the owner except to feast his eyes on them?" (NIV)

Eccl 5:13-20 "I have seen a grievous evil under the sun: wealth hoarded to the harm of its owner, or wealth lost through some misfortune, so that when he has a son there is nothing left for him. Naked a man comes from his mother's womb, and as he comes, so he departs. He takes nothing from his labor that he can carry in his hand. This too is a grievous evil: As a man comes, so he departs, and what does he gain, since he toils for the wind? All his days he eats in darkness, with great frustration, affliction and anger. Then I realized that it is good and proper for a man to eat and drink, and to find satisfaction in his toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given him-- for this is his lot. Moreover, when God gives any man wealth and possessions, and enables him to enjoy them, to accept his lot and be happy in his work-- this is a gift of God. He seldom reflects on the days of his life, because God keeps him occupied with gladness of heart." (NIV)

Jer 17:10-11 10 "I the LORD search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what his deeds deserve. Like a partridge that hatches eggs it did not lay is the man who gains riches by unjust means. When his life is half gone, they will desert him, and in the end he will prove to be a fool." (NIV)

Micah 2:1-3 "Woe to those who plan iniquity, to those who plot evil on their beds! At morning's light they carry it out because it is in their power to do it. They covet fields and seize them, and houses, and take them. They defraud a man of his home, a fellowman of his inheritance. Therefore, the LORD says: 'I am planning disaster against this people, from which you cannot save yourselves. You will no longer walk proudly, for it will be a time of calamity.'" (NIV)

Matt 6:19-21 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (NIV)

Matt 6:24 "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money." (NIV)

Matt 6:31-33 "So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." (NIV)

Matt 16:26 "What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?" (NIV)

Matt 19:23-26 Then Jesus said to his disciples, 'I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.' When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, 'Who then can be saved?' Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (NIV)

Mark 7:20-23 "He went on: 'What comes out of a man is what makes him "unclean." For from within, out of men's hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man 'unclean."'" (NIV)

Luke 12:15-21 "Then he said to them, 'Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.'" And he told them this parable: 'The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.' "Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." ' "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?' "This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God." (NIV)

Luke 18:24-30 "Jesus looked at him and said, 'How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!' Indeed, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." Those who heard this asked, 'Who then can be saved?' Jesus replied, 'What is impossible with men is possible with God.' Peter said to him, 'We have left all we had to follow you!' 'I tell you the truth,' Jesus said to them, 'no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age and, in the age to come, eternal life.' (NIV)

Rom 13:9-10 "The commandments, 'Do not commit adultery,' 'Do not murder,' 'Do not steal,' 'Do not covet,' and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law." (NIV)

1 Cor 6:9-11 "Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." (NIV)

Eph 5:3-7 "But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure or greedy person-- such a man is an idolater-- has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them." (NIV)

Col 3:5-7 "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. 6 Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived." (NIV)

1 Tim 6:5-11 "and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain. But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness." (NIV)

1 Tim 6:17-19 "Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life." (NIV)

2 Tim 3:1-5 "But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God--having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them." (NIV)

Heb 13:5 "Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.'" (NIV)

James 4:1-4 "What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. You adulterous people, don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God." (NIV) I

Jn 2:15-17 "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world-- the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does--comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever." (NIV)

http://www.intheworkplace.com/apps/articles/default.asp?articleid=13410&columnid=1935