Team Work Leads to Winning Teams

Well, I am back. My computer hard drive failed. Call it a nightmare. I was working on my graduate project for my class on Effective Leadership,which is do in January. Fortunately, I was able to recover most of my work and then the hard drive failed again. Today I tried to log into my blogger account and could not, so I am on another computer for the time being.

For the next several days I will be camped out in front of my TV with remote in hand, switching between bowl games and munching on Jeanne's homemade chocolate chip cookies with a coffee cup in hand. Let the college football bowl rush begin. Actually, since Christamas, I have been taking in some of the earlier bowl games. It seems that each year another bowl game is added. Will it ever end? I hope not.

All this leads to this thought morning: winning teams. I have kept this quote around me for a long time. I am not sure who said it, but I liked it. "Individuals play the game, but teams win championships." What are the qualities of a team player? John Maxwell mentions seventeen in his book The 17 Essential Qualities of a Team Player:

Adaptable:

If you won't change for the team, the team may change you.

Collaborative:

Working together precedes winning together.

Committed:

There are no halfhearted champions.

Communicative:

A team is many voices with a single heart.

Competent:

If you can't, your team won't.

Dependable:

Teams go to go-to players.

Disciplined:

Where there's a will, there's a win.

Enlarging:

Adding value to teammates is invaluable.

Enthusiastic:

Your heart is the source of energy for the team.

Intentional:

Make every action count.

Mission Conscious:

The (Big) picture is coming in loud and clear.

Prepared:

Preparation can mean the differencce between winning and losing.

Relational:

If you get along, others will go along.

Self-Improving:

To improve the team, improve yourself.

Selfless:

There is no I in team.

Solution Oriented:

Make a resolution to find the solution.

Tenacious:

Never, never, never quit.

As I watch the bowl games this weekend, I will be looking to see these qualities and listening to the commentators to hear these qualities. I will also be thinking about how I can translate my lessons from football into my daily life and walk with the Lord.

The Call

Elijah had faced the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel and had won. He then fled to Horeb to hide from Jezebel who wanted to put him to death. Alone on the mountain, God appears to Elijah in his moment of despair. A conversation follows. God reveals to Elijah that he is not alone, that there are seven thousand more just like him throughout Israel. In fact, God directs Elijah to leave his mountain hideout and go and anoint his successor.

Elijah obediently follows the Lord's direction (1 Kings 19:19-21). He finds Elisha in a field plowing. Elijah places his mantle upon Elisha. Elisha recognizes what is happening. Elisha goes home and prepares for his future calling. He says his good byes and celebrates by sacrificing his possessions. He then sets out to follow Elijah as his assistant.

Who will rise up to lead God's church? Who am I anointing as my successor? Will I recognize that individual in God's timing? Who am I mentoring and spending time with in order to prepare a future leader? These are good questions for all of us to ponder.

Worthy Leadership Equals Faithful Followership

Jan David Hetting, in his book, Follow Me, wrote, "Worthy leadership flows out of faithful followership." I have been meditating on these words for several days now, trying to digest all that they mean. This morning in my devotions I was reading from the book of Daniel. In Daniel 1, Daniel "resolved not to defile himself with royal food or wine. He chose to live a different lifestyle. In chapter 5, Daniel is able to interpret Belshazzar's dream. In chapter 6, the king that replaces Belshazzar, Darius, appoints 120 satraps to rule the kingdom. Daniel is appointed as one of three administrators over the 120. These words then stood out in my reading: "Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom." It sounds to me like Daniel was worthy of this appointment because he was faithful to God and those whom he served. Remember, Daniel was an exile. He was not in Babylon by choice but by force. Yet, he was worthy of leadership because he was a faithful follower of God.

Merry Christmas

To all my readers . . .

Merry Christmas everyone!

For to us a child is born,

to us a son is given,

and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called

Wonderful Counselor, Mighty

God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of

Peace.

Rejoice! God is with us!

Matt 1:23 NIV
"The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel"-which means, "God with us."

"God with us." Now that is the best message of all for you and I to know. It is not just at Christmas that He is with us - it is 24/7 - 365 days a year; for a life time. Rejoice!

When God is with us it is possible to live out these words found in 1 Peter 3:8-18 in The Message:

Summing up: Be agreeable, be sympathetic, be loving, be compassionate, be humble. That goes for all of you, no exceptions. No retaliation. No sharp-tongued sarcasm. Instead, bless — that's your job, to bless. You'll be a blessing and also get a blessing. Whoever wants to embrace life and see the day fill up with good,Here's what you do:Say nothing evil or hurtful; Snub evil and cultivate good;run after peace for all you're worth. God looks on all this with approval,listening and responding well to what he's asked;But he turns his back on those who do evil things. If with heart and soul you're doing good, do you think you can be stopped? Even if you suffer for it, you're still better off. Don't give the opposition a second thought. Through thick and thin, keep your hearts at attention, in adoration before Christ, your Master. Be ready to speak up and tell anyone who asks why you're living the way you are, and always with the utmost courtesy. Keep a clear conscience before God so that when people throw mud at you, none of it will stick. They'll end up realizing that they're the ones who need a bath. It's better to suffer for doing good, if that's what God wants, than to be punished for doing bad. That's what Christ did definitively: suffered because of others' sins, the Righteous One for the unrighteous ones. He went through it all — was put to death and then made alive — to bring us to God.

God does not promise that life will always be easy - He promises that He will be with us in life. We must just have faith and believe. When the message came to Joseph that Mary was pregnant with God's Son, Joseph had been pondering quietly whether he should divorce her quietly, for Joseph believed that Mary had been unfaithful. The message of the angel assured Joseph that everything was okay. Reading on in the Christmas story we discover that things didn't get any easier for Joseph and Mary. But we also discover in the Christmas story that God was with them. Keep your faith in God and His Son, Jesus. He is with you. Rejoice!

Simeon's Dream

Ever have a period of disappointment? Or a life time of struggle or heartache? How do we get through such times?

Simeon, in Luke 2:21-33, was such a man. He had waited a lifetime for the promise of the coming of the Messiah. He kept waiting and dreaming. He kept praying. He kept expecting. He was now an old man by the time Mary and Joseph brought the eight day old baby Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem to dedicate the Son of God.

God had promised Simeon that he would see the Messiah, the fulfillment of his dream before he would die. I wonder how many times he had prayed, "O lord, when is it going to happen? When is the Messiah coming? How much longer must I wait?" The thing that impresses me most is that apparently Simeon never gave up on his dream or God's promise.

One day he goes into the Temple and he saw the fulfillment of all his prayers, hopes, and dreams. It is the Christ child. The promise of God had been kept. Simeon is now ready to die a happy man. He takes baby Jesus in his arms, after a life time of obedient waiting and hoping and praying; it has been worth the agony of the wait.

I am impressed. Simeon never let "the things as they are" get the best of him. The testing of one's faith is important to our growth and the development of our character. God is bigger than your biggest dream. Don't give up. In the fullness of time God sent His son. In the fullness of time God will answer your prayers.

I read these words this morning in my devotions: ". . . the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn." (Luke 2:6-7 NIV) Notice the words "the time came for the baby to be born." There is a season for everything, so said Solomon (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8). Have faith - keep your faith - rediscover your faith this Christmas season.

My Christmas Gift to You

Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

(2 Corinthians 9:15 NIV)

Probably one word more than any other falls from our lips during the Christmas season. That word is "gift." What expectations do you have concerning the gifts you will receive?

Usually, a gift is exciting to receive. You open it up and exclaim how beautiful it is or how much you always wanted it or some similar comment.

I have received many gifts over the past fifty-five years. Most were pleasing. Most were what I had expected or hoped for. But then, there were a few that were real disappointments. Have you ever received a disappointing gift?

Jeanne on several occasions has asked me what I would like this Christmas. She asks me because she aims to please. She wants to fulfill expectations.

Christmas lists - we all have them. We are willing to give that list to anyone who will listen.

This Christmas, I have another list. It is my request for you to my
Heavenly Father.

At the top of the list is my request for grace. More than ever before I am convinced that I cannot make it myself. I need God's help. It takes grace to bear up under trials and difficulties. Trials, situations, and circumstances change, but grace never changes. Grace delivers and grace bears. Thus, I am asking God to give you grace this Christmas.

My second request is for peace. The war in Iraq and Afghanistan, the continued conflict in the Middle East between countries, and the continued threat of terrorism bears this out. Then also, there are so many shattered and broken relatioships in need of healing. So I am asking God to give His peace to you.

To keep my list short, my third request is for joy. Life is so full and hectic. There are so many around me who are feeling frazzled. Life is robbing many of their joy. But at Christmas we are reminded of One who brings us great joy - the Christ Child!

James wrote: "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows."

If I could give you any gift this year, it would be these three spiritual qualities: grace, peace, and joy.

The Family Tree

It seems that at one time or another everyone becomes interested in their past. We become interested in who in our past played a role in history and in the making of who we are in the present. We look for our roots be researching our ancestry. Sometimes, in digging into the past we discover a bit of history that one wished they never discovered.

Yet, when we open our Bibles to the beginning of the book of Matthew and its introduction to the Christmas story, most people skip right past the geneolgy of Christ. Come to think of it, Did you ever receive a Christmas card with these words? "A record of the genealogy of Jesus Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham: . . . " (Matthew 1:1 NIV)

Why do people skip over these verses? I suspect we all do, for even I have caught myself doing it? After all these are part of the Bible, the inspired word of God. Certainly there is a reson that they were placed in Matthew at the beginning of the Christmas story. Do we skip over the geneolgy because we struggle with the pronouciation? Is it possible that we skim past this list of names because we are lazy or short on time and do not want to make the effort to discover who these individuals are? Do we decicide out of lack of knowledge that this is just unimportant passages of Scripture? We must remember that God thought them important or He would not have inspired, Matthew, the writer to include them. Most people probably only recognize six or less names on the list.

If you will take the time to discover who these people are that are listed, you will discover that this geneology is a lesson on human life; its shortness, its changes; its succession. The list ranges in scope from a patriarch, Abraham, in whom God promised that in his "seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed" to kings such as David to whom the promise was made that the Messiah would come through his lineage, to Joseph, a carpenter, "the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ" (Mastthew 1:16 NIV).

Looking at the list we find several names that one would think would be a disgrace for the Son of God to have in his lineage. To name three, there was Ahaz (2 Chronicles 28:1-5,19,22), Manasseh (2 Kings 21:1-16), and Amon (2 Kings 19-23). How could God allow the likeness of such sinful men be placed in the lineage of Jesus Christ? Because we find Jesus appearing "in the likeness of sinful flesh" but yet without sin.

What really caught my interest was the fact that in this geneolgy were the names of three women and the mention of a fourth to which there is no doubt as to who she was. I find it surprising and interesting that women would be listed in a Jewish pedigree. And of all the women to choose from, four of the most unlikely candidates were chosen.

Tamar - twice left a childless widow. Was betrothed to be married to Judah's son, Shelah. It is thought that she may have been a Canaanite, a condemed race that Joshua had been commanded to destroy. When promises were not kept, she sought revenge by becoming a prostitute and committing adsultery.

Rahab - Also a prostitute and a Canaanite. However, she feared God and helped Joshua and the Israelites.

Ruth - a childless widow. She was a Moabite, a people hated by Jews and forbidden by God to enter the house of the Lord unto the tenth generation. Moabites were the result of incest on the part of Lot's oldest daughter. Yet, Ruth chose to remain faithful to God's people.

Bathsheba - She is not mentioned by mane, but the statement draws attention to her sin of adultery. She was as guilty as David. She undoubtedly used her seductiveness to draw attention to herself as David walked his roof in the evening and was able to look down upon where she lived.

What should all of this tell us? There are no limits or boundaries to God's grace. He can use any and everybody to work out His will.

Kitchen Table Talk

I am at Maine Bean, in my favorite booth, with a fire burning in the fireplace, sipping on a large cup of my favorite coffee, Cabin Comfort, and munching on a chocolate Croissant. As I waited for my laptop to boot up, I found myself reflecting on last night and my time with Joy at the kitchen table. She was sharing with me her report on Moses. This has been a several week project that required her to read Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Dueteronomy in order to do her report. As I read through her report, we would often comment and sometimes discuss her findings or discoveries about Moses. Often mixed into our conversation were other things outside of her project that were more on the personal side. She also shared with me her school schedule and other projects that were due before Christmas break.

It was an amazing and enjoyable four hours together. What made it amazing? What made it enjoyable? The spiritual tone and discussion. It was quality time. The Word of God is a powerful and positive tool in the life of family and friends. I'm proud of Joy. God is doing an awesome work in her life. She is also allowing God to do an awesome work in her.

After having reviewed Joy's work, I am almost tempted to change one of my biblical examples of a leader to Moses, for my graduate work. He had an incredible privilege and calling - to lead the children out of bondage in Egypt and into the Promised Land. It was not an easy task as the children of Israel on several occasions rebelled against him and God. Moses was not perfect either. His passion got him into trouble; he murdered an Egyptian, struck a rock when he was only to speak to it, even wanted God to wipe the children out on one occasion in his frustration with them. But ultimately, he was a great prophet, leader and intercessor. Listen to this testimony of Moses in his final days and hours. What will mine sound like? What will your testimony be?

Dt 34: 1-12 NIV
Then Moses climbed Mount Nebo from the plains of Moab to the top of Pisgah, across from Jericho. There the LORD showed him the whole land — from Gilead to Dan, all of Naphtali, the territory of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah as far as the western sea, the Negev and the whole region from the Valley of Jericho, the City of Palms, as far as Zoar. Then the LORD said to him, "This is the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob when I said, 'I will give it to your descendants.' I have let you see it with your eyes, but you will not cross over into it." And Moses the servant of the LORD died there in Moab, as the LORD had said. He buried him in Moab, in the valley opposite Beth Peor, but to this day no one knows where his grave is. Moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died, yet his eyes were not weak nor his strength gone. The Israelites grieved for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days, until the time of weeping and mourning was over. Now Joshua son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom because Moses had laid his hands on him. So the Israelites listened to him and did what the LORD had commanded Moses. Since then, no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, who did all those miraculous signs and wonders the LORD sent him to do in Egypt — to Pharaoh and to all his officials and to his whole land. For no one has ever shown the mighty power or performed the awesome deeds that Moses did in the sight of all Israel.

You can learn a lot at the kitchen table when God is there with you.

God Speaks

Yesterday during staff devotions our discussion centered around the ways that God spoke to different people in different formats in the Christmas story. God spoke to Zechariah in the Temple through an angel. He spoke to Mary through an angel. He spoke to Joseph through a dream in which an angel appeared. God spoke to Elizabeth through a child in her womb. To the Magi, God spoke through logic and astronomy. To King Herod, God spoke through the religious leaders and teachers (even though Herod's intention was evil). The shepherds were informed by signs and wonders - the glory of the Lord shined brightly around the angels and they heard a great heavenly host speaking.

That devotion has got me to thinking about the various ways that God has spoken throughout the Bible: Moses and the burning bush, Balaam and the donkey, Elijah and the wispering voice. John on the Isle of Patmos heard a voice that sounded like a trumpet. The point is this, that God is not limited to our personal spiritual experience. He is able to Divinely speak through many varied avenues. So often we look at God through the limited lenses of our own spiritual journey or spiritual experience. Could we be limiting God by doing so? Isn't it possible for God to do something totally radical, outside of what we might consider the "norm"? The birth of Jesus to a virgin certainly shook up the religious and secular world 2000 years ago (not to mention the lives of Joseph and Mary). How does He want to shake us today in order to again hear Him?

A Child Is Born - His Name?

A young woman walked into my office yesterday and announced, "We're having a baby." This will be her and her husband's third child. Yet, in the announcement there was pride, excitement and anticipation. I was reminded of her announcement as I read the words of Isaah, the prophet, "For to us a child is born,to us a son is given," (Isaiah 9:6 NIV). It won't be long before these young parents will be discussing the naming of their child to be. Names are important. They mean something. My name means "watchful." Having been a pastor and now district leader, I understand the value of my name. As a minister, I am like a shepherd watching over his flock. That name has meaning, yet, I don't really know how my parents ever decided on the name "Gregory." Did they know my name's meaning? Did they have a seed thought of who I would become? Undoubtedly, God did ,and in His sovereign way, He had a part in my naming somehow.

Listen to names of the child to be born to us in Isaiah's announcement: "And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace." Those names mean something. Those names describe the child that was to be born and was born nearly two thousand years ago. A child whose birth is still being celebrated every year on December 25th. His name is Jesus, "because he will save his people from their sins."

Jesus is our Wonderful Counselor.
Jesus is our Mighty God.
Jesus is our Everlasting Father.
Jesus is our Prince of Peace.

Both Together

This morning I began reading the Christmas story from Luke. As I read about Zechariah and Elizabeth, these words caught my attention: "Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord's commandments and regulations blamelessly" (Luke 1:6 NIV). The testimony of our lives should be that of being upright in the sight of God and blameless. What really caught my attention was the word both. The Message reads, "Together they lived honorably before God, careful in keeping to the ways of the commandments and enjoying a clear conscience before God." What was occurring in this relationship was harmony. This marriage was built on a spiritual journey together. In a world that is filled with broken promises, broken hearts, broken relationships, broken marriages, broken families, God wants to use healthy relationships to reconnect the world to Him. The son that was to be born to Zechariah and Elizabeth would become the one who would announce to the world, "Behold, the Lamb of God."

Ministerial Beatitudes

Earl Creps in his newsletter, The Leading Edge, shared this quote, "Would you agree with me that North America is experiencing a leadership crisis? It is seen at virtually every level of society, the church not being the least obvious. Thom Rainer stated in his newest book, Breakout Churches that 62% of our SBC churches are in serious decline. There is no simplistic answer for why this problem exists, but certainly a major contributing factor is ineffective leadership" (--Richard Harris, The Planter Update, 20 May 2005).

Leadership crisis and ineffective leadership got me to thinking about my graduate course and my present project on Effective Leadership. It also got me to do some digging in my files for a long lost copy of what is called Ministerial Beatitudes. This was mailed from our General Council Secretariat when I was first credentialed as a minister with the Assemblies of God. A truly effective pastoral leader models (lives) the following values:

Ministerial Beatitudes

1. Blessed is the Minister who speaks the truth in love.

2. Blessed is the Minister who is honest with God - with Himself and with his Fellowman.

3. Blessed in the Minister who can say, "I owe no man anything except to love him,"

4. Blessed is the Minister who leads his people to respect fellow Ministers.

5. Blessed is the Minister who will Faithfully discharge his duties among his Own Flock and who will aprreciate the abilities of his fellow Minister to do the same among his flock.

6. Blessed is the Minister who will practice the Golden Rule, and do unto others as he would have others do unto him, in all matters pertaining to Ministerial Relationship, Courtesy, and District Cooperation.

7. Blessed is the Minister who will properly evaluate his relationship and fellowship with his Ministering Brethren.

8. Blessed is the Minister who will appreciate the Ministry of his Brethren and will hold them in high esteem.

9. Blessed is the Minister who makes loyalty a practice of his life.

10. Blessed is the Minister who puts God, and the Work of Gd first in his life.

11. Blessed is the Minister who will take proper care of his physical being, remembering the Body is the temple of God as well as the instrument through which he ministers.

12. Blessed is the Minister who will maintain a Sweet Spirit at all times and under All circumstances.

13. Blessed is the Minister who can smile and be Happy when another is being Praised or Promoted rather than he.

14. Blessed is the Minister who values the time and has learned to budget and Redeem the time.

15. Blessed is the Minister who has learned to Respect and love those in Authority who are over him in the Lord ans to Esteem them highly for the sake of the Lord.

16. Blessed is the Minister who Practices what he Preaches and is first a partaker of the fruits.

I have no doubt that as we live out thee above guidelines that we will see the fruit of our labor and God will say, "Well done." Pastor, minister, missionary, evangelist, lay person, don't be discouraged. Be encouraged. God blesses the faithful. Effective leadership begins and ends with character.

I'm Back

Sorry about the short hiatus. Being on the west coast really messed up my inner clock. It is amazing how settled we can become with routine. That's not always good. Sometimes we need a curve ball thrown at us to keep us on our toes. It's helpful to get out of our comfort zone. I must confess, as much as I liked the warmer weather of Southern California, I found myself yearning to come home to the cold weather of Maine. And did I. This morning we are getting a wintry mix of snow and sleet, along with a bone chilling wind. It's great!!!!! Maybe my lessen for today has to to do with learning to be content and not taking life for granted. Or maybe it should be learning to be content in all circumstances. The apostle Paul learned how to be content with and without. "I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation" (Php 4:12 NIV). He was an individual who never lived within the comfort or confines of life. He allowed or pushed himself to live on the envelope of life in God. "Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." (Php 3:12-14 NIV).

If I am just rambling forgive me, remember that I am still trying to readjust to east coast time. However, maybe we all can learn a lesson about the need for experiencing change.

One final thought this morning. Jeanne and I went and saw "The Nativity" at a local theater while in San Diego. Other than some timing issues, I was impressed with the film. It is a reminder for all who view it what Christmas is all about.

Healthy Team Ministry

I left this past Saturday for my annual Secretary/Treasure conference and will not be back until late Thursday night. This year the meetings are in San Diego. It is amazing how the three hour time difference affects me. About the time that I adapt to this change it will be time to readapt.

On my six hour flight out here, I was able to read the book, Leading the Team-Based Church, by George Cladis. He shares seven attributes of a healthy leadership team approach to ministry. They are the covenanting team, the visionary team, the cuture creating team, the collaborative team, the trusting team, the empowering team, and the learning team.

A great example of team based ministry can be seen in the four who carried the paralytic to Jesus (Mark 2:1-5). Shared ministry can accomplish so much more than a single or lone ranger style of ministry.

Have a great week!

Be a Frog Kisser!

I think I will continue some thoughts on leadership today using the New Testament. There are many excellent examples of New Testament leaders - Jesus being the only perfect one among them. I could have chosen Paul or even Peter. But instead I want us to think about Baranabas. I think he is an often overlooked indidvidual when we look for highly successful leadership models from the Scriptures.

Harvey S. Firestone said it this way about leadership: "The growth and development of people is the highest calling of leadership." Ralph Nader said, "The function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers." Barnabas did both. He developed other people and produced more leaders. We first meet him in Acts 4:36. His real name was Joseph. However, the apostles chose to call him Barnabas. which means "son of encouragement." His name reveals or hints as to his conduct, behavior, and leadership style. He earned the title by giving generously of his time, talent, and resources in order for others to fulfill their destiny. Barnabas is one of my role models. He was clearly a man of integrity and reputation: the Twelve at Jerusalem trusted him.

Christian leaders reproduce themselves. Barnabas taught Paul everything Barnabas knew. Everyone needs a Barnabas, a more mature Christian to teach us all they know. Then in turn Paul took Silas, Timothy, Priscilla and Aquila, and others under his wing and in turn taught them all he knew. We need to gather our Timothy's so that we can teach them what we have learned and in turn they teach others. The highest calling of a leader is to develop other leaders that can out produce his mentor. As a leader, Barnabas was focused on people. You might call him a “frog kisser.” God used Barnabas to touch people whom we might have called “losers” and turn them into princes.

In Acts 11, Barnabas is the one who sought out Paul of Tarsus, brought him to Antioch, and included him in his ministry. Because of Paul’s previous reputation, no one wanted to have anything to do with him. But that did not stop Barnabas from seeing Paul's potential.

In Acts 15, Paul and Barnabas had a heated argument over another loser, John Mark. Barnabas wanted to take Mark along on their missionary journey. Paul had other ideas. Mark had already failed to finish a previous missionary journey. Paul ended up taking Silas. Barnabas took Mark. In later years, Paul wrote Timothy, saying, “Get Mark and bring him with you because he is helpful to me in my ministry.” (2 Tim. 4:11)

Barnabas is an example of a reproducing servant-leader. His life and testimony, describes at least five biblical leadership characteristics that are highly relevant to today: (1) generosity, (2) a relational risk taker (not afraid of developing deep relationships), (3) discerning eye to see potential leadership giftings, (4) Humble (not afraid of becoming overshadowed by his student), and (5) patient with the failures of others who he is helping.

Barnabas was a baton passer. Earl Creps has a great chapter on passing the baton in his book, Off-Road Disciplines. He wrote, "Fretting over the merits of those who receive the baton distracts us from asking if our lives offer anything worth passing on."

Now to settle back and enjoy my coffee at my favorite coffee shop, Maine Bean, and think more about what I have to offer to others.

Passionate Leadership

As part of my project assignment in my graduate class, I am to develop a 10 part lesson on effective leadership. Two of those lessons are to be based on biblical models of leadership. I chose to do one from the Old Testament and one from the New Testament. My Old Testament choice is Nehemiah. I have over the past few week done a lot of reading from Nehemiah . His leadership style centers around what we would probably today refer to as teams and transformational leadership.

Perhaps the greatest observation that can be made about him is his passion for what he was doing. Somewhere I read or heard, "Leaders are people who leave their footprints in their areas of passion." Who said that, I am not sure. But I liked the thought and wrote it in the leaf of my Bible. Nehemiah was passionate about restoring the walls of Jerusalem that had fallen in disrepair. He was also passionate about restoring the worship of God among the exiles who had returned to Jerusalem.

Nehemiah is a model of servant-leadership. This is so needed in our churches and in the world in which we live. People desire leaders who are authentic. Leadership is not about what I get out of leading others but what I am giving back to those who I am leading. Some of the qualities that Nehemiah models for us can be observed in his calling, concern, compassion, transparency, unselfishness, knowledge and understanding of his sitiuation, persistance, and inspiration.

A leader is a person who influences other people to accomplish a purpose. A person can be an effective leader without having a formal title or position of leadership. Some people can also occupy positions of leadership without truly leading.

Bill Gates said, "As we look ahead into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others." Be passionate about influencing others to be all that God intends them to be.

Why are these stats this way?

I came across an article regarding teenagers from the National Study of Youth and Religion at their web site that covers the areas of religious participation, beliefs, faith, practices and experience, sharing faith, evaluations of church, moral views, risk behavior, and civic activities. Here were just a few of their statistics.

Teens who say they cheated in school last year: Protestants - 63% Assemblies of God - 59%

Teens who say they lied to their parents fairly often or quite often: Protestants - 9% Assemblies of God - 4%

Teens who smoke at least one cigerette a day: Protestants - 7% Assemblies of God - 12%

Teens who report Marijuana use: Protestants - 10% Assemblies of God - 10%

Teens who report reading their Bible by themselves once a week or more: Protestants - 32% Assemblies of God - 44%

Why are these statistics this way? Does anyone see anything wrong with them? The National Study of Youth and Religion also reported that less than half of Protestant teens (this number includes AOG teens in the mix) say that church is a very good place to talk about serious issues.

Your Authority Over The Strom

This morning I was reading from Mark 4:35-41, Jesus calming of the storm. He and his disciples had set sail across the Sea of Galilee when a squall rose up. Jesus was asleep in the stern of their boat. In the passage it is noted that other ships were with them. That's interesting, others were involved in their storm too. The water was nearly swamping the boat when the disciples awoke Jesus screaming, "Don't you care that we are about to perish?"

This incident in Mark reminded me of my own experience a few years ago out on Sebago Lake. It was my first year as owner of a small 18 foot bow rider. While out on the lake the weather changed and I was struggling against the wind. Three and a half to four foot waves were crashing over the bow. I was cold, wet, and somewhat scared. I was scared enough to tell everyone on board to put on their life jackets, myself included. We eventually made it back to our cove and the marina. What should have been a twenty minute trip turned into a one and a half hour ordeal. Just as we made it back, the sun broke through the clouds and the wind died down. The water became calm. What a glorious relief we all felt - safe harbor at last.

Bill Johnson, author of When Heaven Invades Earth, wrote in his book, "The only storm you have authority over is the one you can sleep in." We face all kinds of storms in life. It could be loss of a family member, loss of a job, loss of good health. It could be that we are struggling in a relational issue. You name your storm. It is the one that you don't have control over. It is the one you can't sleep through. That's a storm.

Does Jesus care? He sure does. Then why doesn't he he wake up and do something? Have you paused long enough to ask him? Let me say that again. Have you paused long enough to ask him? When you awaken the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, the Onipotent One, the Omnipresent One, the Omniscient One, he will speak to your storm. He will command the wind to "pipe down" and the sea to "settle down." The wind will run out of breath and the sea will become like glass.

Live Wise, Live Well

I read James 3:13-18 from The Message a few days ago. It kind have captured my thoughts for some reflection. I have underlined those words and phrases that captured my initial attention. It reads:

Do you want to be counted wise, to build a reputation for wisdom? Here's what you do: Live well, live wisely, live humbly. It's the way you live, not the way you talk, that counts. Mean-spirited ambition isn't wisdom. Boasting that you are wise isn't wisdom. Twisting the truth to make yourselves sound wise isn't wisdom. It's the furthest thing from wisdom — it's animal cunning, devilish conniving. Whenever you're trying to look better than others or get the better of others, things fall apart and everyone ends up at the others' throats. Real wisdom, God's wisdom, begins with a holy life and is characterized by getting along with others. It is gentle and reasonable, overflowing with mercy and blessings, not hot one day and cold the next, not two-faced. You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor.

My question is, "How do we get along with someone we disagree with, without becoming unkind or arrogant?" Not too long ago we listened to the political parties lambasting each other. Unfortunately it doesn't end with politicians. I have sat in board meetings, church membership meetings and even a church service where Christians have verbally attacked one another over non essential issues. Even sadder, I have counseled families where parents and children have disagreed. In each of these senarios, I have observed the lack of respect all parties involved showed to one another.

James said that "you can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God." Community is an interesting word. It could be a nation, a city, a town, a neighborhood, a church, or a family. The New Living Translation reads this way in verse 18: And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.

Give Thanks - His Love Endures Forever

I will probably not have time to post a blog on Thanksgiving. I will be spending the day with family out of town. So I post my thoughts today. The psalmist expressed at least four reasons for giving thanks in verse three of Psalm 100.

1. The Lord is God. No matter what is happening in and around your life, God still reigns in heaven and on earth.

2. God has uniquely created you. He has made you with a plan and purpose for this life. And just because He has made you, that does not mean that He is done with making you. You are in the process of being completed.

3. You belong to God. That's ownership. Call it security in an unsecure world.

4. You are part of a bigger community. As sheep we get to rest beside still waters and graze in green pastures.

May your thoughts be filled with thankfulness and heart full of joy this Thanksgiving as you meditate upon the words of the Psalmist.

A Miracle of Community Transformatiom

A couple of days ago, I saw a short video clip about the transforming work of God in the city of Alomonga, Guatemala. A few years ago, this city had a high crime rate as the result of drug and alcohol use. Three jails were built to house the criminals and the local officials still had to bus the overflow prisoners to other community jails. It was a place of poverty and no hope. Missionaries were chased out of town. Local pastors were beaten almost to death. But something happened. The few believing Christians began to pray. And suddenly, the city was transformed. The community has closed the jails. There are no criminals to be housed. There is no alcohol and drug abuse. Families are living in peace and harmony. The churches of Alomonga are filled. Even the farm land has been transformed. Whereas, only four truck loads per month of produce were being exported in the past, now forty truck loads per week of produce are being shipped to market. The community now proclaims God loudly and publically. The signs of the citizens belief is seen everywhere in Alomonga. It's a miracle of transformation. Do a google search and read about it yourself. God's word is true, "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land" (2 Ch 7:14 NIV). Who doesn't need the transforming power of God at work in their life?

Another Chance

I watched this past weekend's game between unbeaten #1 Ohio State and unbeaten #2 Michigan. It was a great game. Too bad somebody had to lose. Ohio State won. Too bad these two teams coudn't meet again in the BCS for the national title. Even though I was cheering for Ohio (Yes, I am still a Penn State diehard), Michigan is well deserving of a number two ranking after having lost to the Buckeyes. But pollsters will probably drop the Woverines to number 3 or 4. Which means someone else will get a chance to play for the national title against Ohio in January. Right now my guess is USC. I haven't read any sports news this morning, yet. Personally, I think Michigan is still the best match up with Ohio for the national championship game. Too bad they won't get another chance. It would make for another great game. This all leads me to my thought this morning on another chance.

Jesus had warned Peter that he would deny the Lord three times before the rooster would crow. Peter said it would not happen. But it did! We read about it in the gospels. However, Peter was given another chance. In John 21, we read about Jesus' resurrection appearance along the Galilean Sea. Peter and six other disciple went fishing. Jesus appeared and asked them what they caught. They said they had caught nothing. Jesus then instructed them to cast their net on the other side of the boat and the second miraculous catch occurred in the New Testament.

My focus this morning is on the conversation between Jesus and Peter following that catch of fish (John 21:15-17). Jesus, twice asked Peter, "Do you truly love me." Jesus used the "agapeo" form of the Greek word for love. In other words, he was asking, "Do you love me with a never ending love, an unconditional love?.

Both times Peter answered back, "Yes, Lord, you know I love you." Peter used the the "phileo" form of the Greek word for love. In other words, Peter was saying, "I love you as a friend, that has limits. Somehow, Jesus had disappointed Peter's expectation of the Messiah's identity. Jesus had not fulfilled what Peter wanted. "Lord, you frustrated me. I've gotten angry with you."

A third time Jesus reconciled by asking Peter using the Greek word "phileo" instead of "agapeo" form of the word for love. Jesus asked, "Do you love me as a friend with limitations?" (my translation). Peter responds, You know everything. You understand how I feel. Yes, you disappointed me. I love you as a friend" (my translation). Jesus' act of reconciliation was this, "Feed my sheep. I leave you in the job of shepherd of the flock" (my translation).

Some people choose to go through life alienated, bitter, and distant from others. Some choose to be reconciled. Jesus chose to give Peter another chance. Perhaps you are disappointed with someone and need to reconcile. You can choose to give them another chance. Perhaps you are disappointed with God. You need to give Him another chance. After all, God was not created by man. Man was created by God. Be reconciled.

A Sweet Aroma

As I do each morning, I got up and went downstairs for my cup of coffee and quiet time before the Lord, with my Bible open. The aroma of my coffee and a few sips later, I found myself reflecting on its aroma and contemplating these words:

2 Co 2:15-17 NIV
For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task? Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, like men sent from God.

I breathed these words of prayer in my early morning quietness. "Father, may the fragrance that comes forth in my life each day be appealing to those in whom I come in contact. May I have a refreshing word and a sensitive spirit toward all those who surround my life today. May I be like this cup of coffee."

Now you may not like coffee, but I suspect that even if you don't, there is something about that aroma that still is attractive. As a child, I hated the taste of coffee, but I can still remember the aroma of it in my mom's cup. There was something appealing about the smell, even though I thought it bitter in taste. It was later in life that I acquired a taste for coffee. Could it be that some people need time to acquire the taste of Christ? But in the mean time the aroma remains attractive?

I guess it's time to head off to Maine Bean (my favorite Friday AM stop for coffee) for a large cup of Cabin Comfort and post this blog. Let the fragrance of Christ radiate from you, the vessal or cup or container, which God has always wanted you to be. Have a great weekend.

Living in Anonymity

On Tuesday, I conducted the funeral of a saint. You won't recognize her name. In fact, only those who knew her closely really knew anything about her. Even her obituary revealed little about her life. I will paraphrase it for you. Florence passed away this past weekend at the age of 91. She loved and served the Lord faithfully. She is survived by a sister, a close friend and several neices and nephews. Florence lived in anonymity. What is striking about this woman was her faith. She loved and served the Lord faithfully. While others want to stand out and be noticed, Florence chose to live a quiet faith, that was filled with gentleness and kindness and love. She preferred to serve the Lord in unnoticed ways. Those who testified to her living faith at the funeral spoke of the qualities of faith that go unrecognized today.

Hebrews 11 names many heroes of faith by name. That list includes Abel, Noah, Abraham, Issac, Jacob, Joseph, Gideon, Sampson, to name just a few. But then in verse 39 we read about "others" who also died in the faith. Who were these "others"? We will never find out in this world. They lived their lives in anonymity and died in anonymity. But the writer wanted us to know that there are"others"!

Take heart friends, your kind deeds. gentle words, expressions of love, and faith in Jesus Christ is not forgotten by God. You are among the "others" if you have placed your faith in the Son of God.

Heb 12:1-2 NIV
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Jars of Clay

Text: 2 Corinthians 4:7-18 NIV

Modern medicine and technology seems to be extending life. We like that thought. We all would like a guarantee that we could last forever. Wouldn’t that be great? It amazes me when I meet people who have lived a long life. Recently I had an opportunity to become reacquainted, after 25 years, with Nellie - still alive at 101 years of age. Meeting such people causes me to think that just maybe they are going to live forever. Yet that is not the image that Paul gives us in this passage. If anything, Paul paints a somewhat bleak image of human life. We are like a clay pot or earthen vessel. Pottery, that can crack, get chipped and broken if dropped. Paul is telling us that life takes its toll on our physical strength and stamina. We wear out. The body is made of material that will not last forever.

Paul encourages us to "fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." When the temporary things pass away--and our earthly body is temporary--the eternal treasures of the heart remains. Our faith in Christ is eternal.

This past June, I was able to visit the Holy Land. One of the sites that I visited were the caves of Qumran. In 1947, a shepherd discovered some old clay jars. These old earthen vessels contained the Dead Sea Scrolls, which are a very valuable source of study for the Church today. The jars themselves were not so valuable, but the treasure of God’s word inside was priceless.

In a similar way, we are like clay jars - earthen vessels. The treasure is the eternal glory of God and the unseen things of the spiritual world. The vessel is the outer person which slowly wastes away. Paul says that death and life are both at work in the Christian’s heart. Death is within each of us, because we have sinned. It works its end of destruction and takes each of us down to the grave. But because of our faith in Christ, death does not defeat us. In fact, we have victory over the grave because of Jesus’ resurrection.

We have a choice today of what part of life that we will hold on to. Where is your focus? On the physical or the spiritual? God wants you and I to focus our lives on God and allow Him to mold us and make us into men and women, youth and children who realize that it is faith in Jesus Christ that is of prime importance. We can have a great treasure in this clay jar of ours. And Paul has a word for each of us in the midst of this life, "We are hard pressed on every side but not crushed; perplexed, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed." We need to grasp onto Jesus Christ so that we might deal with the adversities of life and as a result gain that which is eternal . . . faith in Jesus Christ.

Your Finest Hour

Winston Churchill, one of the great leaders of England, said:

"There comes a special moment in everyone's life, a moment for which that person was born. That special opportunity, when he seizes it, will fulfill his mission -- a mission for which he is uniquely qualified. In that moment, he finds greatness. It is his finest hour."

Throughout the Bible we read story after story of individuals who rose to the occasion and fulfilled God's plan and purpose. It was their finest hour. Hebrews 11 has a list of such men and women. Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Issac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel, to name a few. Hebrews 11 also mentions a host of "others." People with no name, only known by God. People who who seized that special moment and found greatness. It was their finest hour.

The greatness of these individuals who are mentioned in Hebrews 11 is found in their faith.

Heb 11:1-2
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for.

Heb 11:6
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Heb 11:39
These were all commended for their faith . . .

Your greatness is found in your faith. It too, will be your finest hour.

The Little Things

This morning, I am again sitting in my favorite coffee shop, Maine Bean, Windham, Maine, enjoying my cofee and relaxing from a hetic three days of traveling some 900 miles by car for meetings. Sipping my coffee, I got to thinking about a statement I heard on the radio last night while driving home.

I heard a radio commentator talk about how a few twenty-five cent washers caused the Hubble telescope to fail. It cost the American tax payers eighty-six million dollars to fix it. That got me to thinking. It's the little things that matter in life. We are always focusing on the big things. But really, it's the little things that makes the difference.

Zec 4:10 New Living Translation
Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel's hand.

When I planted the church in Ellsworth, it began small - two people, Jeanne and myself. After a year it grew to seven. After two years, attendance was eleven, after three years, thirty-five. When I left after five years to follow God's call to new endeavors, attendance was at sixty-five. My point is this, it began small. We can't underestimate little things. They do matter. Today, there is a solid, healthy A/G church impacting the community of Ellsworth. God likes to use small humble beginnings to make a difference. It's the liitle things that matters.

Da 8:9 Amplified Version
Out of littleness and small beginnings one of them came forth [Antiochus Epiphanes], a horn whose [impious presumption and pride] grew exceedingly great toward the south and toward the east and toward the ornament [the precious, blessed land of Israel].

Lk 16:10 New Living Translation
If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won't be honest with greater responsibilities.

"This is a maxim which will almost universally hold true. A man that shows fidelity in small matters will also in large; and he that will cheat and defraud in little things will also in those involving more trust and responsibility. Fidelity is required in small matters as well as in those of more importance." (from Barnes' Notes) It's the little things that matters.

Little mistakes, like with the Hubble telescope, can be very costly. I have often heard a someone say to me, "It's no big deal." It may not seem so now, but what is the long term effect? Think about it, little things do matter.

Passing the Baton

Yesterday, I traveled to Valley Forge Christian College to meet with students and share the credentialing process with them. There were 55 - 60 students present at the meeting. I am impressed with their quality and passion for ministry. We need to do everything possible to prepare our young people to take the baton that we pass on to them. The relay race is not always won by the fastest, but by the team that best passes the baton on to the next runner.

The Apostle Paul was baton passer. He wrote to Timothy, Paul's baton recipient, these words in The Message:

2 Tim 1:3-14
Every time I say your name in prayer — which is practically all the time — I thank God for you, the God I worship with my whole life in the tradition of my ancestors. I miss you a lot, especially when I remember that last tearful good-bye, and I look forward to a joy-packed reunion. That precious memory triggers another: your honest faith — and what a rich faith it is, handed down from your grandmother Lois to your mother Eunice, and now to you! And the special gift of ministry you received when I laid hands on you and prayed — keep that ablaze! God doesn't want us to be shy with his gifts, but bold and loving and sensible. So don't be embarrassed to speak up for our Master or for me, his prisoner. Take your share of suffering for the Message along with the rest of us. We can only keep on going, after all, by the power of God, who first saved us and then called us to this holy work. We had nothing to do with it. It was all his idea, a gift prepared for us in Jesus long before we knew anything about it. But we know it now. Since the appearance of our Savior, nothing could be plainer: death defeated, life vindicated in a steady blaze of light, all through the work of Jesus. This is the Message I've been set apart to proclaim as preacher, emissary, and teacher. It's also the cause of all this trouble I'm in. But I have no regrets. I couldn't be more sure of my ground — the One I've trusted in can take care of what he's trusted me to do right to the end. So keep at your work, this faith and love rooted in Christ, exactly as I set it out for you. It's as sound as the day you first heard it from me. Guard this precious thing placed in your custody by the Holy Spirit who works in us.

Today I travel back north for a committee meeting regarding the future direction for Zion Bible College. The possiblities are promising. The future, should our Lord tarry, is being placed in good hands.

Give It Your Best!!!!

There is a great article in my local paper, the Portland Press, about a teenager that is inspiring. When I was District Youth Director, I would often refer to the youth in our District as my heroes. I would say "You're my hero" and then watch as they light up. Teenagers are still my heroes. In fact my MySpace has a spot to list my heroes. On that short list of mine you will find listed "teenagers" along with pastors and overcomers. The story of Sam is about teenagers and overcomers.

You can read the article, "A Record The Books Will Never See" by clicking on the title. Sam's story is inspiring. It is why I still believe in our youth. It is why still see them as my heroes. They are the greatest resource that our nation and church have.

The story reminds me of Paul's words: "Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day - and not only to me, but to all who have longed for his appearing." (2 Timothy 4:8). Sam was running for personal best. You and I are running for eternal life. Don't give up!

Ted Haggard's Letter

I don't usually post twice in one day. But after writing my earlier post and then reading the news earlier this morning, I thought you might be interested in reading the letter that Ted Haggard and his wife, Gale, each wrote to their congregation. They speak well and would serve all of us well to search our hearts.

Ted Haggard's Statement
Gale Haggard's Letter

What's below your surface?

This weekend's news of Rev. Ted Haggard's admission of immorral sexual failure has disappointed me and most of the evangelical and Christian world. He has been an individual that many of us have looked to for leadership and guidance. We must pray for him and his family, for healing and restoration to take place in his life. We must be careful not to be too quick to judge him. This weekend I found myself looking for answers . . . asking the questions why? and how?

I think the answer lies deep below the surface of our Christian life. I think our Christian world view is distorted. We look at success in ministry and Christian life as having more and being bigger. Rev. Haggard appeared to be at the top from all outward appearances. He was the leader of the National Association of Evangelical and pastor of a 14,000 member church. He has written dozens of books and many more articles. But he failed. His failure was not spontaneous. It was a process that occurred over time, much like David's sin of adultery and murder in the book 2 Samuel.

Peter Scazzero writes in his book, The Emotionally Healthy Church that "most leaders shipwreck or live inconsistent lives because of forces and motivation beneath the surface of their lives, which they have never even considered." It was not what was seen on the surface, it was what was unseen under the surface that sank the Titanic. Only about 10% of an iceberg is seen. Ninety percent of an iceberg is unseen under water.

We must look deep below the surface of our lives. We must pay close attention to that which no one else can see in our lives. There is a link between emotional health and spiritual maturity. The prophet, Jeremiah said, “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? I the Lord search the heart and examine the mind, to reward a man according to his conduct, according to what he deserves.” Scazzero points out that it is necessary to ask the hard questions. For example, “Why am I feeling this way?” or “What motivations are driving me in this situation or circumstance?”

In his book, Scazzero examines what it means to be emotionally healthy and spiritually mature. There are far too many Bible believers who have a great deal of knowledge about Scripture, but little idea how Scripture should be applied to themselves as an emotional being. Scazzero reveals six principles that can lead an individual to emotional maturity. These practices include (1) looking below the surface of our life, (2) coming to grips with the scars from our past, (3) being honest and vulnerable about our brokenness, (4) discovering and accepting our own giftedness and limits, (5) embracing our pain and loss, and (6) living an incarnational ministry as did Jesus.

There are many examples from the Scriptures of individuals who were less than perfect. Among them were Moses, David, John Mark, Timothy, Hosea, Amos, Jacob, Naomi, Paul, Jonah, Gideon, Thomas, Jeremiah, Elijah, John the Baptist, Martha, Noah, Solomon, Abraham, and Peter. It's time for each one of us to look deeply into our own lives and become openly transparent and authentic with ourself and with God. It is not what I appear to be outwardly to others that really matters. It is who I really am underneath the surface that matters most. Our lives must be transformed.

Rom 12:2 NIV
Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Sabbath Rest

We preachers are very busy people. We often are so passionately involved, dedicated and committed to helping and assisting others. In fact there are probably those who think I am a workaholic. I wonder what our neighbors think sometimes of my seemingly never being home until late evening? or being away from home so often? Do they see the work of the ministry as busyness or necessity? A fellow grad student in my last class shared how he had a neighbor who deliberately took time off to spend it with his family. This fellow student one day happened to stop by and strike up a conversation with his neighbor. During the conversation the neighbor mentioned the student's busyness by saying something along the line that if the church kept him that busy he wasn't sure that the church would be such a good thing for his family. Maybe I should ask my neighbor what he thinks of my busyness? Is it a witness or a hindrance to the Gospel?

I read this morning: "By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done." (Genesis 2:2-3 NIV)

Do we rest? God created the heavens and earth in six days. On the seventh day he rested. I am reminded that Jesus also rested. He would take time and set it aside for himself. He would leave the crowds to find quiet times. He would withdraw from the crowds. He made time to be alone.

Are we afraid to rest for fear that nothing will get done? If so, is that a lack of faith on our part to trust God? After all, He is the One who called us and planted us where we are. Is it possible that God wants you and I to take a little R&R? Could a sabbath rest mean going for a walk through the woods? or taking the family on a special outing? or just sitting down by the fire with a good book in the cool of early morning? What is your idea of a sabbath rest?

Have You Washed Your Hands Today?

I was reading from the book of Haggai this morning. Haggai spoke these words to a defiled people.

Hag 2:12-13 NIV
"If a person carries consecrated meat in the fold of his garment, and that fold touches some bread or stew, some wine, oil or other food, does it become consecrated?'" The priests answered, "No." Then Haggai said, "If a person defiled by contact with a dead body touches one of these things, does it become defiled?" "Yes," the priests replied, "it becomes defiled."

The Amplified Version says it this way: "Unholiness is infectious." When I come home from a trip, Jeanne washes all my clothes; clean and unclean that was in my luggage. Her reasoning is this. Clean clothes does not make dirty clothes clean. Dirty clothes rubs off on the clean unworn clothes. The clean clothes even takes on the smell of unclean clothes.

Hag 2:14-15 TLB
Haggai then made his meaning clear. 'You people,' he said (speaking for the Lord), "'were contaminating your sacrifices by living with selfish attitudes and evil hearts-and not only your sacrifices, but everything else that you did as a "service" to me. And so everything you did went wrong.

The world rubs off on us. We are in this world but not suppose to be of it. Are you a friend of this world? In the book of James we read that anyone who is a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. To "become" is a process. How can we avoid that? James gave us an answer. "Submit yourselves, then, to God . . . Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts . . . (Jas 4:7-8 NIV). We need to purify our hearts daily.

Lessons From Football

As a youth I was active in three sports: wrestling, football, and track. I still run, but not as often or as hard. I don't wrestle anymore, except with life issues. However, my favorite sport is football. And although I don't play the sport anymore, I do passionatly watch the game at high school, college and pro level. There have been many influences in my life. However, I must credit football with some major ones.

Football taught me early in life that there is nothing wrong with hard work. I learned that the harder I practiced, the more likely it was that I would get to play the game. I also learned that the harder I worked the more prepared I was for the game (physially and mentally). There is nothing wrong with learning discipline.

Prov 6:6-8 NIV
Go to the ant , you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.

Football taught me lessons about teamwork. I learned early and quickly about getting along with people to accomplish the task of winning. You can check out my blog from yesterday and Monday regarding my thoughts on this. When you think about it, who has really ever achieved success without the help of others?

Football taught me some lessons about rules. If I didn't play by the rules, my team was penalized. Rules are made to be followed, not broken. Rules are part of the game. There are life rules. Break them and your penalized.

2 Tim 2:5 NIV
Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor's crown unless he competes according to the rules.


1 Cor 9:24-27 NIV
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

I no longer play football. It is a sport for younger individuals. But the lessons I learned still apply to me as I journey through this life. Football helped to shape my life.

The Unit

A few weeks ago I attended one of our local high school football games. It just happened that I sat between two fathers of players. They did not know me nor did I know them. However, they did know each other. During the game they would at times banter back and forth with friendly talk. But then when the opponents scored a touchdown on a kickoff return, the father to my right turned toward the father on my left and said, "Your son missed the tackle." I looked at that father whose son had missed one of the tackles that could have prevented the touchdown. The father's expression was one of indescribable pain and loss for words. Almost immediately, without thinking, I turned to the father who was so forthcoming with his criticism and responded, "Ten other players also apparently missed the ball carrier." The father whose son had been criticzed, quietly leaned toward me and said. "Thank you." I looked and saw a man filled with relief. The other father became a little more quiet and less critical during the rest of the game.

The point of my statement to the judgmental father was this: It takes eleven players to play the game. Football is a team sport. The players of the special team unit that was on the field each had an assignment. Those assignments broke down and as a result, the opponents scored. They scored not because of one player's mistake, but because the team play broke down.

I read this morning from 1 Corinthians 12:12 these words: "The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ."

We are so quick to criticize, judge, and blame others for mistakes, failings, and weakness. We blame the President for our nation's predictaments. We blame our fellow worker in our place of enployment. We blame our spouse. We blame our parents. We blame our children. We blame the pastor. We blame our church board. We blame one another, instead of of taking responsibility as a unit.

In Romans 15:1, Paul writes "We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves." Earlier in Romans, Paul wrote "For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others" (12:3-5).

There is a popular TV series on Tuesday night called "The Unit" that I enjoy watching. Each week's plot is based around one secret military special ops unit and their families. This unit understands that their missions can only be successful as they stick together. They cover for one another and also hold each other accountable. The wives the the unit do the same. No one thinks of themself as more important or unneeded. The unit works together to get the mission accomplished.

To paraphrase Paul in 1 Corinthians 12:27: You are The Unit of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it." Last night I watched New England dominate Minnesota in Monday night football. Tom Brady was at his best. But really, he could only be at his best and look so good because there were many other players on offense, defense, and speacial teams that were also at their best. Whenever Brady threw a TD pass, I would notice a lineman or some other player exchange words of encouragement. Brady knows he can only be as good as the guy who is in front blocking for him or the guy who is catching his pass. It's all about the unit.

Esprit de Corps

This morning I was reading from Galatians 5 about our life in the Spirit. The words "let us keep in step with the Spirit" (verse 25) captured my thoughts for a few minutes. Back in the late 60's, I attended a miltary college for a short time. Believe it or not, I enjoyed the early morning drill time as we marched off to chow from our assembly point in front of our barracks. There was something very stimulating about marching in time as a company and integrating with the other companies to form our brigade and continue our march to the mess hall. The synchronization and coordination and timing all came together to form one unified movement of of corps of cadets toward an objective - chow. It was sound of the boots hitting the pavement that I can still hear in my mind that stands out. We were all in step.

Paul, the writer of Galatians wrote, "Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit." Synchronization, coordination, unison - all carry the idea of being in step with God. What do you think? Are you in step? Living by the Spirit produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal. 5:22).

Without Internet Access

How hard it is to go cold turkey without internet access since Tuesday noon. I am now in Springfield, MO, attending some meetings with our General Secreatry, Dr. George Wood. For some reason I hadn't been able to connect to my wi-fi at the hotel, but finally figured out the issue, so here I am. I discovered how edgy and unsettled I was without the ability to email and blog. I felt disconnected. Wow! Think how disconnected and alone I would feel if I were out of touch with God. The most important communication that you and I have is with the One who promises never to leave or forsake us. When there is a feeling of disconnection with God, it is not Him, but you, who have not been communicating with Him. Spend time today reconnecting with God.

The Widow's Oil

2 Kings 4:1-7

"Faith makes things possible; it does not make them easy." - Vernie W. Reed

A woman tells the prophet, Elisha, that her husband who was a faithful servant to him has died and that a creditor is threatening to take his two sons. Elisha asks, "How can I help? What do you have in your house? That second question raises a point. Significance is found in what we do have! So often in our struggles and trial we overlook what we do have and focus only on what we need (or don't have).

Elisha wanted the woman to see what she had and to allow God to use them. In the passage we discover that she still has her house, her two sons, a little bit of oil, and her neighbors. He instructs her to go to her neighbors and collect empty jars, then go into her house with her sons and pour what oil she had into those collected empty jars.

The widow did as she was told. "She left him and afterward shut the door behind her and her sons. They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring." When all the jars were filled with oil her sons told her they had no more jars and the "little bit of oil" in the original container stopped flowing. When the woman told Elisha this, he said, "Go, sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what is left."

What a wonderful story of faith, hope, and provision. In the front of my Bible I wrote this quote a long time ago:

There are no limits with God.

His resources are far beyond your abilities.

Never say, "I can't" without saying, "He can."

Never feel you are weak without knowing that He is strong.

THERE ARE NO LIMITS!

You will never have to hold back because of fear,

for He is with you . . .

You will never have to be defeated,

because His victory is yours . . .

You will never have to settle for the ordinary,

because His life is extraordinary.

- Roy Lessin

The Widow at Zarephath

Three things stand out to me about the miracle at Zarephath (1 Kings 17:7-15). (1) Don't give up! Elijah finds a widow who is gathering sticks in preparation for a last meal for her and her child. She say's she is about to die. (2) Trust God! Elijah tells her, "For this is what the Lord says . . ." (3) Somone is watching after you! God can be seen at work in this miraculous provision. There is always hope for you and I in this life.

Lessons on Waiting

Isaiah 40:31 NIV
"but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."

The KJV uses the word "wait" instead of "hope." As long as there is hope people are able to wait. But the longer we have to wait the weaker our hope becomes. The Bible is filled with examples of people waiting (hoping) in the Lord. David waited more than a dozen years before he was actually anointed king at the age of thirty. Sarah waited twenty-five years before the promise of a child was fulfilled and she was holding Isaac in her arms. Joseph waited over twenty years before he saw his brothers again. Moses waited forty years before hearing God's voice call him to lead his people out of slavery. Esther waited almost twenty-five years before she was able to stand and intercede for her people. Paul waited more than ten years before we knew his ministry to the first century church. I don't know about you, but I find it difficult to wait in this fast pace society that we live in.

There are three promises given to us in this one verse if we wait. Well, actually four.

Promise One: If we wait, we will renew our strength! How? In the following ways . . .

Promise Two: "soar on wings like eagles." Waiting implies a new perspective. The eagle, I have been told, is the only bird that will fly into a storm. Other birds will seek to fly around a storm or quietly sit out a storm in a protected manner. However, the eagle, will stretch outs it powerful wings and allow the power of the wind of a storm to lift it higher and higher until it is above the storm. I like that thought. It is from new heights that we have a new perspective on life. God gives you a new perspective when waiting or hoping in the Lord.

Promise Three: "run and not grow weary." Waiting implies new endurance. I have always enjoyed long distance running. I once ran in a marthon. Distant runners when running look forward to a euphoric moment that is called, "a second wind." It is a feeling of refreshment that comes over you. It is a feeling of floating or renewed vigor. You don't want this moment to occur too soon in a race. "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up" (Galatians 6:9). God gives endurance to those who will wait or hope in the Lord.

Promise Four: "walk and not be faint." Waiting implies patience. Walking implies the thought of patience, not hurrying. We must learn to pace our self. The object is to finish the race. I started out too quickly in my marathon and as a result ended up dropping out after twenty-two miles. I came so close to finishing, but had nothing left in me because I had not learned the pace that was right for me. I was tryining to run at everyone else's pace. Don't we do that in life? We expect others to be where we are. Or be at a different level of maturity. We become frustrated, upset, and impatient with people. God gives patience to those willing to wait or hope in the Lord.

Leadership Lessons From Patton

I might as well continue the topic of leadership since I am attending a graduate class on leadership this week. I draw today's thoughts from a book I read a couple of years ago.

I enjoy reading World War II history. In fact, I have a special interest in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations because that was where my dad served. I have been actively researching my dad’s military life from his induction in May 9, 1942 until his discharge on November 11, 1945. I hope one day to completely retrace his footsteps from basic training in Camp Shelby, Mississippi, through the Louisiana Maneuvers and Desert Warfare Training at Camp Pilot Knob, California to his departure from Newport News, Virginia, to his arrival in Casablanca, North Africa and his participation in the major campaigns to liberate Italy.

In my search for information, I stumbled across an interesting book that had some practical application for us who are in ministry and are desirous of developing our leadership skills. I had never really thought about the qualities that made George S. Patton a highly successful leader until I read the book, "Patton On Leadership: Strategic Lessons For Corporate Warfare." Most people have probably formed an opinion about General George S. Patton from having seen the Oscar winning film starring George C. Scott as the general. Patton is a controversial figure in U.S. history. In spite of his faults, idiosyncrasies and controversies, he is among the greatest and most successful generals in U.S. history. Patton was a brilliant strategist and leader.

Patton had many flaws, but those same flaws made him approachable. For example, he suffered from dyslexia, yet managed to survive the academic rigors of West Point. As were many people of his time, he was a bigot and racist, yet he racially integrated his Third Army when the rest of the U.S. armed forces were resisting. By military standards, Patton was a conservative and worshiped tradition, yet he was the most innovative of commanders and the army’s leading champion of cutting-edge mechanized warfare.

What were some of the good nuggets I collected from my reading?


A leader will lead. We must look like a leader, talk like a leader, be a model leader. A leader is one who can adapt, not just apply, principles to circumstances. Leaders dominate but are not domineering. Patton led his men. He did not rule them. Leaders go the extra mile. They do more than is asked of them. A leader is committed and focused. “To command an army well, a general must think of nothing else” - Napoleon, quoted by Patton in his West Point notebook.


A leader develops a winning attitude. Success is a winning attitude. A leader goes forward. A leader will make every move count. Bill Parcells, coach of the Dallas Cowboys (formerly of the Patriots, Giants and Jets) exudes this. He has turned losing teams into winning franchises.


A leader is a student of learning. Patton was a product of his extensive reading.

A leader manages change. You cannot resist change - successfully. Leaders are able to navigate and lead their organization through change productively. Cultivate the habit of looking at situations from a fresh perspective.

A leader trains, mentors, motivates and inspires others. Invest in people. An effective leader is to busy training their subordinates to be their replacement instead of building a personal empire in order to appear indispensable.

A leader is a communicator. A leader can articulate his mission and goals clearly in a way that those under him are able to comprehend them. Communication is two-way. Be accessible and available.

A leader creates efficiency. A leader knows how to manage time and resources effectively for maximum productivity.

A leader exudes courage and character. Accept accountability for your decisions and demand accountability from others. Failures can be an opportunity for learning and recovery. Successes can dull further action or a drive to greater successes.

Leaders manage the impossible. With God all things are possible.

Empowering Ministry Leaders

I am at Valley Forge Christian College this week for my AGTS graduate class on Effective Leadership. I am looking forward to my time in class discussing leadership with my peers. I will try to do some posting this week but I am not sure how or when I may get around to doing so. So my thoughts this morning turn to empoweing leadership.



Bennis and Mesche in their book, "The 21st Century Organization," define empowerment as "removing bureaucratic boundaries that box people in and keep them from making the most effective use of all their skills, experiences, energies, and ambitions. It means allowing them to develop a sense of ownership over the parts of the process that are uniquely their responsibility, while at the same time demanding that they accept a share of the broader responsibility and ownership of the whole process" [36].



Empowering means "letting go." Leaders of growing churches concentrate on empowering other Christians for ministry. The question is what does an empowering leader look like? What are the qualities of such a person? Here are some qualities to consider.



Empowering leaders are vsionary, relational, modelers, delegators, reproducers, and coaches. Our greatest example of an empowering leader is Jesus Christ.

The Three T's of Relationship Building

Trust

Time

Transparency

When we talk about friendship, we are really talking about relationships. God, family, community, marriage, friendships are all about relationships. Developing relationships is a skill, and like learning any skill, it demands time, thought, and practice.

The idea of one person interacting with another is as old as the story of man. In Genesis, chapter 2, God introduced human fellowship with the creation of Adam and Eve. God said: “It is not good that the man should be alone.” (Gen 2:18). God never intended for people to live all by themselves. They need to associate with others and live in fellowship with one another. In this case God gave Adam a wife, and so began the human race.

Two wonderful Biblical examples of deep and lasting relationships outside of marriage are found in the life stories of Ruth and Naomi and Jonathan and David.

How do we go about establishing meaningful relationships? Listed are some rules from Susan Dietz’s column in the San Mateo Time (November 7, 1979):

1. Don’t cross boundaries that the other person might have.
2. Allow the other person to be himself/herself.
3. Decide which characteristics in the other person you can accept, and those you cannot. To do this, before you enter a close relationship you must be clear regarding your own goals.
4. Try to make it clear to the other person what you are thinking and feeling. To accomplish this, you must understand your own thoughts and feelings.
5. Try not to have irrational expectations of the other person. Do not try to change him/her in major ways.
6. Take responsibility for your own actions and your own life. Make your decisions for yourself and take responsibility for doing so.
7. Above all, be kind, courteous, and respectful.

They are some pretty good suggestions. The book of Proverbs says, "there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother (Pr. 18:24 NIV). Jesus said, "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit — fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. This is my command: Love each other." (Jn 15:12-17 NIV)

The Atmosphere

At the weekly PSU press conference Joe Paterno was asked: What do you remember about last year’s night game with Ohio State and how did that atmosphere of the crowd contribute to the specialness of that night?

Joe Pa responded: "I think the whole environment last year, and I would hope we would have the same kind of environment this Saturday night against Michigan, is one of excitement, fun and the things that are really great to be part of. To be frank with you, I felt the same way when we went out to Ohio State this year. That was a great crowd. They were in it, all dressed in red and you felt like you were part of something exciting. People keep asking me, “Why do you still coach?” Those are the kind of days that you back away and say, “Boy, am I going to miss those when I am home cutting grass.” It is just a whole different environment. I think this Saturday night should be a very exciting, special night. The crowd won’t win the game for us. I will give you a clue. We have to win the game. It isn’t going to come down to the crowd. The Michigan kids are not going to be intimidated by any crowd. They are going to play because they are a good, solid football team. The crowd will help, they will have a lot of fun and it will be great to see all of the white. It makes you feel like it is one of those events in your life that very few people take part in, but it isn’t going to win the game."

Reading Coach Paterno's answer reminded me of another writer's excitement. Hebrews, chapter 12 begins, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us . . . "

And the chapter ends with, "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe . . . "

This life is a journey filled with excitement, challenge, trials, and ultimately victory, if our faith in Jesus Christ is unwavering. Coach Paterno, at age 79, is still passionately in love with the sport. He has faced some hard knocks, but his zeal is still evident. How about you? I love life, in spite of the curve balls and sliders. I love the ministry in spite of interceptions, fumbles, and penalties. It's those TD's, the great plays, the roar of the crowd, the cloud of witnesses that keep the enthusiasm alive within me. Life in Christ is just a totally different environment.

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. (Heb 12:2-3 NIV)