It happens to me all the time. It is a temptation that just seems to draw me in. Sometimes I see it coming and avoid it. Other times it overtakes me and I fall again. It is the temptation to do what someone else in ministry is doing because it is having results. Perhaps you have faced this temptation also. A really good book comes out written by someone who took a dying church of 2 people to a mega church of 5,000 and actually stayed married in the process. We xerox the plan they used and begin to implement it. A new seminar is promoted as the cutting edge way to achieve growth or health and we sign on the dotted line. Been there? Done that? Me too.
Now do not misunderstand me. I believe it is vitally important to read books and to go to seminars. There is however one thing even more important than seminars and books and systems. Hearing from God for yourself is what is important. Nothing can substitute for getting your vision, your plan and your method from God. Learn principles from others but get your plans from God. Once you have heard from God stick to the plan God gave you.
To be honest the reason it is such a temptation for me to want to just imitate what someone else has done is because that is easier than hearing from God. Hearing from God takes time and costs us something. I am reading a book now that has an excellent plan. On one page the author mentions that he prays one to two hours every day. My tendency (am I alone?) is to want to skip that part and get to the plan part and copy the plan and see God move. Perhaps if we would pay the price and pray and wait to hear from God then God will give us the plan.
Prayer Support
Training Avaliable
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
What is Working for Me
Renewal is contagious. That is good news and bad news. The good news is that once a few people are renewed in their love for Jesus then they infect others. The bad news is that renewal often depends on the leader. If the pastor or leader of a ministry is dry and going through the motions then the contagion of renewal stops like fire encountering water. In the past several months my prayer life had become routine and ritualistic. I did not stop praying but it was a chore. Sort of like reading a text book that you know you have a test on so you read it. I needed personal renewal.
Not long after that I happened to be in a second hand store. While my wife was looking at the clothes in the children's section I went to the book section. I found a little book entitled, "Face to Face: Praying the Scriptures for Intimate Worship" by Kenneth Boa. It was only 99 cents so I picked it up. It sat on my shelf for a few weeks gathering dust. When the new year began I decided to give it a try. Each day has several biblical readings that are put in prayer form that you use as a starting point for prayer. Since starting this book my prayer time has done a 180 degree turn. I now look forward to praying each morning and the time is extended without my realizing it.
The book is great but the book is not what renewed my prayer life. I needed to get away from the routine I had developed for myself and begin a new routine. The book helped me do that. What works for me when I am in need of personal renewal is to change my routine. Here is a prayer from the book:
May I not worry about my life, what I will eat or what I will drink; or about my body, what I will wear. Life is more than food and the body more than clothes. The birds of the air do not sow or reap or gather into barns, and yet You, my heavenly Father feed them. Am I not much more valuable than they? Can I add a single hour to my life by worrying? And why do I worry about clothes? I will consider how the lilies of the field grow; they neither labor or spin, yet not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. But if You so clothe the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will You not much more clothe me? So may I not worry saying "What shall I eat" or "What shall I wear?" For the pagans run after all these things, and You, my heavenly Father, know that I need them. But may I seek first Your kingdom and Your righteousness, and all these things will be added to me (Matthew 6:25-33;Luke 12:22-31).
Pause to add your own prayers for personal renewal.
That is what is working for me now.
Not long after that I happened to be in a second hand store. While my wife was looking at the clothes in the children's section I went to the book section. I found a little book entitled, "Face to Face: Praying the Scriptures for Intimate Worship" by Kenneth Boa. It was only 99 cents so I picked it up. It sat on my shelf for a few weeks gathering dust. When the new year began I decided to give it a try. Each day has several biblical readings that are put in prayer form that you use as a starting point for prayer. Since starting this book my prayer time has done a 180 degree turn. I now look forward to praying each morning and the time is extended without my realizing it.
The book is great but the book is not what renewed my prayer life. I needed to get away from the routine I had developed for myself and begin a new routine. The book helped me do that. What works for me when I am in need of personal renewal is to change my routine. Here is a prayer from the book:
May I not worry about my life, what I will eat or what I will drink; or about my body, what I will wear. Life is more than food and the body more than clothes. The birds of the air do not sow or reap or gather into barns, and yet You, my heavenly Father feed them. Am I not much more valuable than they? Can I add a single hour to my life by worrying? And why do I worry about clothes? I will consider how the lilies of the field grow; they neither labor or spin, yet not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. But if You so clothe the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will You not much more clothe me? So may I not worry saying "What shall I eat" or "What shall I wear?" For the pagans run after all these things, and You, my heavenly Father, know that I need them. But may I seek first Your kingdom and Your righteousness, and all these things will be added to me (Matthew 6:25-33;Luke 12:22-31).
Pause to add your own prayers for personal renewal.
That is what is working for me now.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Don't End up in a Ditch
Someone sent me a link to a television commercial for direct TV entitled Don't End up in a Ditch. The first scene shows a man having difficulty with his cable television service. The announcer says " trouble with your cable service makes you frustrated - when you get frustrated you exercise hard to get rid of the stress." The next scene shows the man playing racquet ball and slamming the ball against the wall. The ball bounces back and hits his eye. The announcer says, "when you exercise hard you injure your eye and have to go to the doctor to get a patch." The next scene shows the man in the doctors office having a black patch put on his eye. The announcer says "when you get a patch on your eye people think you are tough." The next scene shows the man on a bus with the patch on his eye and a gang of trouble makers looking at him. The announcer says, "When people think you are tough they want to find out how tough." The next scene shows the man being chased by the gang and then lying beaten up in a ditch. The announcer says "And you end up in a ditch - so cancel cable and get direct TV".
What is the application? Do not stop praying or you too will end up in a ditch.
What is the application? Do not stop praying or you too will end up in a ditch.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Jesus to Return September 4, 2012!
I hope that got your attention. When ever someone does predict the day of Jesus' return it does get a lot of attention. My reaction when I hear such predictions is that the person making the prediction is obviously a crack pot. I just finished a book which changed my mind. The book is, "God's Strange Work: William Miller and the End of the World." Miller (the father of all Adventist denominations) was a farmer in the early 1800's. He became converted to Christianity. As a result of personal Bible study he become convinced that Jesus would return. He initially did not set a date and did not tell anyone - he did not want to be accused of being a crack pot.
He eventually became convinced that Jesus would return in 1843. He then felt a strong call to warn people to be ready. His doctrine other than setting a date for Jesus' return was in line with orthodox evangelical doctrine of the time.
He was motivated by a deep desire for Jesus to return. He warned people out of a unshakable burden to see as many as people as possible saved before Jesus returned. The book convicted me. I had to ask myself two questions:
1. How deeply do I desire Jesus to return. I confess I live so this worldly - as if this world really is my home.
2. How burdened am I to see as many people as possible saved before Jesus does return. How often do I preach on the return of Jesus.
My take away from the book is simple : Watch and warn but do not set dates. After all he is coming back you know - it could even be September 4, 2012.
He eventually became convinced that Jesus would return in 1843. He then felt a strong call to warn people to be ready. His doctrine other than setting a date for Jesus' return was in line with orthodox evangelical doctrine of the time.
He was motivated by a deep desire for Jesus to return. He warned people out of a unshakable burden to see as many as people as possible saved before Jesus returned. The book convicted me. I had to ask myself two questions:
1. How deeply do I desire Jesus to return. I confess I live so this worldly - as if this world really is my home.
2. How burdened am I to see as many people as possible saved before Jesus does return. How often do I preach on the return of Jesus.
My take away from the book is simple : Watch and warn but do not set dates. After all he is coming back you know - it could even be September 4, 2012.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
The Heart of the Matter
Leading people and churches to renewal is frustrating. Why is that? I remember when I began my ministry as a pastor. I was already 45 years old and I had had an encounter with Jesus that radically changed my life. As a result of that change I left my secular job and went into ministry full time. What else could I do. What else would I want to do? Jesus was alive - He was building His kingdom and He was calling me. Nothing else mattered. I wanted to do nothing else.
When I began my ministry I was certain that everyone who was a Christian would feel the same way I did. Imagine my surprise and frustration when I found that most people did not quite see it the way I did. They wanted to come to church on Sunday but not have this Jesus take over their lives. Over the past 10 years I believe this has been the basic frustration in my attempts at renewing the church. There is a disconnect between a leaders experience of God's call and the followers sense of that same call. That places a great responsibility and task on my shoulders as a leader. My responsibility and task as a leader is to preach, teach, live and pray this radical call of Jesus so other follow. To the extent I am faithful in doing that there will be renewal. If I am not able to do that it will just be church as usual. That I believe is the heart of the matter.
When I began my ministry I was certain that everyone who was a Christian would feel the same way I did. Imagine my surprise and frustration when I found that most people did not quite see it the way I did. They wanted to come to church on Sunday but not have this Jesus take over their lives. Over the past 10 years I believe this has been the basic frustration in my attempts at renewing the church. There is a disconnect between a leaders experience of God's call and the followers sense of that same call. That places a great responsibility and task on my shoulders as a leader. My responsibility and task as a leader is to preach, teach, live and pray this radical call of Jesus so other follow. To the extent I am faithful in doing that there will be renewal. If I am not able to do that it will just be church as usual. That I believe is the heart of the matter.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
My Best Books of 2011
The end of the year is here and many top book - movie - person - etc of the year lists will come out. Rather than a best of list here is my list of some of the books I have read this year that have guided and ministered to me.
The Lost Art of Disciple making by LeRoy Eims - great basic book - reminded me that my call is not that complicated.
The Preacher and the Presidents by Nancy Gibbs - Billy Graham's relationship with US presidents - an enjoyable read
Courage and Calling by Gordon T. Smith - great book on calling to ministry - packed with great insights and advice
Sustainable Youth Ministry by Mark DeVries - helped me in knowing what to look for hiring a youth minister and how to structure the ministry for effectiveness
Justification By NT Wright - an excellent book on Paul's theology - clarified certain things for me
The Divine Dramatist by Harry Stout - an enjoyable biography of George
Whitefield from a very personal psychological point of view
I would be appreciative if you would post some of the best books you have come across this year - maybe they will make my 2012 list.
Merry Christmas and a fruitful exciting New Year
The Lost Art of Disciple making by LeRoy Eims - great basic book - reminded me that my call is not that complicated.
The Preacher and the Presidents by Nancy Gibbs - Billy Graham's relationship with US presidents - an enjoyable read
Courage and Calling by Gordon T. Smith - great book on calling to ministry - packed with great insights and advice
Sustainable Youth Ministry by Mark DeVries - helped me in knowing what to look for hiring a youth minister and how to structure the ministry for effectiveness
Justification By NT Wright - an excellent book on Paul's theology - clarified certain things for me
The Divine Dramatist by Harry Stout - an enjoyable biography of George
Whitefield from a very personal psychological point of view
I would be appreciative if you would post some of the best books you have come across this year - maybe they will make my 2012 list.
Merry Christmas and a fruitful exciting New Year
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Christmas: The Key to Church Renewal
We tend to make things very complicated. There are probably thousands of books written on the subject of church renewal. We study it. We debate it. We spend money on it. Some people even write blogs about church renewal. Yet renewing a church is simple. Church renewal is in fact what Christmas is all about. When the fullness of time came God sent his son to save a lost world. Christmas as many of us will preach in a few weeks is all about God's taking action to save us. Herein lies the key to church renewal - taking action to save the world. Church renewal is all about recovering the purpose of God for a local congregation. As someone said - the world is ground zero and we are the rescue workers. Naturally there are many facets to doing that. However the key is simple. Once we recover the meaning of Christmas in our lives and in our ministries we will begin to experience renewal. Merry Christmas to all.
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