Team Leadership - Delegation

1. Determine the task to be delegated?

2. To whom will you delegate the task?

3. Training (What tasks need training? Who will train the person?)

4. Details (What are the appropriate limits of authority? What are the time, money, or resource limits for this project?)

5. Express confidence (How will you communicate your confidence in this person’s ability to succeed?)

6. Inform others (Who inside and outside of the team should be informed this person has this particular responsibility?)

7. Check points ( What are the check points to know if the person is on track?)

8. Availability (When will you be available for help while at the same time encouraging independence? Who should the person go to if you are not available?)


Some additional hints edited from “Job Aids” by Mike Lynch and Harvey Lifton, Amherst, Mass.: HRD Press, 1998:

If you can’t establish performance standards or monitor the results, don’t delegate.

Take the time to communicate effectively.

Insist on quality results, not perfection.

Learn to live with differences.

Don’t short-circuit or take back assignments.

AMERICA

O beautiful, for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!

America! America! God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood, from sea to shining sea.

O beautiful, for pilgrim feet
Whose stern, impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!

America! America! God mend thine ev'ry flaw;
Confirm thy soul in self control, thy liberty in law!

O beautiful, for heroes proved
In liberating strife,
Who more than self their country loved
And mercy more than life!

America! America! May God thy gold refine,
Till all success be nobleness, and ev'ry gain divine!

O beautiful, for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years,
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!

America! America! God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood, from sea to shining sea!

Learning To Say "No"


Every leader needs to learn to say two very important words...yes and no. Everyone likes to say "yes", and most people like to hear it as well. The yes word comes with license to proceed. It brings such positive feelings and reinforces our opinions and actions. What a wonderful word..."YES"...just say it out loud now and enjoy the reinforcement it brings. Then, there is the anti-yes word, the word "no". No isn't nearly as much fun to hear as that comforting yes word. No is also much more difficult to say than yes. Think about it, you never struggle to say yes but you may lie awake all night just knowing you have to say no tomorrow. As an example just imagine as a leader that one of those you lead has asked for money to help them through a difficult time. You know their situation and they are a hard worker and you see nothing that should hinder their receiving this gift of mercy. You can't wait to tell them. You might even violate proper protocol and call them late at night just to say that wonderful word, "YES"! On the other hand, if you know the person has wasted their money, they haven't listened to counsel and continually are asking for money without ever changing their patterns, their answer is a clear "NO". It's only 5:30 in the afternoon but you decide to wait until tomorrow to tell them. What a coward!





Leaders all feel the same pressure to please men but good leaders are willing to pay the price of rejection if need be to deal with those they leads with the purity of love that comes forth in true honesty. If a person needs to hear the no word, saying yes is cowardice and betrayal. If a person is due the yes word, the no word is cruel and harsh. A person who really wants truth will welcome the no word if that is the word of the hour for him. He will also know the yes word, if not deserved, is a word of compromise for him.





Jesus was perfect in his communication skills. He spoke the no word when it was needed and the yes word when it was appropriate. In my life, the no word usually comes before the yes word. The no word causes me to stop and evaluate the motives of my heart and not just my intended actions. Then when the yes word comes, it releases me as one now prepared by the no word for success.





Ask the Lord to help you learn to hear the no word as readily as the yes word. Then, ask him to help you become a leader who can say both yes and no as the situation dictates.

Called To Care


I was sitting at the kitchen table drinking a cup of coffee and enjoying the morning paper. My daughter Tarah was only about 5 years old. She decided to start a lengthy conversation in the middle of an interesting article. I kept reading while smiling and nodding as if I was really listening to her. I thought I was getting away with it until she climbed up in my lap, took my face between her little hands and said, "you aren't listening to me". I assured her that I had heard every word. She then said, "then tell me what I said"! I was busted! I had demonstrated a common mistake among people who are called to care. I was hearing but I was not listening. What I was communicating without words was, "what you are saying is not important enough to give it my undivided attention". Another way to say it is, " I don't really care"!





Caring is of the utmost importance. Caring opens the door for the Holy Spirit to use us to enter a person's life with redemptive solutions. Howard Ridings was a man who had a great impact on my life. I was in my upper teens when I first met him. He came to our church once a year to preach a series of meetings. I can't remember any sermons he preached but two things stand out to me. First, he preached with such passion and power. Second, somehow he convinced me that he really cared about me. He would single me out to talk. He was 25 years my senior, old enough to be my father, yet he could connect with me. He seemed to always have time for me and I never felt in the least that I wasn't as important as him. One day I finally realized his secret. He would talk and he words were always directed to me and my life. He had this rare ability to talk for long periods of time and only talk about the other person. I can't remember him ever saying, "I care about you", but you just knew in your heart that he did.





As I think about Howard, I now know that he was exemplifying Jesus. Jesus, though the Messiah, was never too busy or distracted to spend time with people. The crowds loved Jesus and wanted to be with him. They didn't want to be with him because he was God. They wanted to be with him because he was a man, filled with the Holy Spirit, called and on an important mission, but still a man who saw them and cared for them. That demonstrated caring opened the door for a receptive heart in the people that created and atmosphere for miracles. In contrast, the Pharisees seemed to exemplify religious leadership that was too important, too busy and distracted to really care about the common man.





May the Lord help us care and demonstrate that care to others. After all, when you are gone, the sermons you have preached and the buildings you have built probably won't be remembered.

Zeal and Momentum



More often than not, I give warnings about the dangers of zeal. Zeal always, always needs to be balanced with wisdom. It seems that younger leaders are filled with zeal and older leaders are filled with wisdom. Of course there are exceptions to both of these. I know some where the characteristics are certainly reversed. I also understand that there is much Biblical admonition to gain wisdom and I totally align myself with this pursuit. HOWEVER, when wisdom has been gained nothing of value will be accomplished without zeal. I was once told that a battleship could be pushed by one man standing on a dock if the ship was already moving and momentum was occurring. Momentum is often activated by zeal. When King David acted as a simple shepherd boy against the giant Goliath, his zeal activated an otherwise stalled military effort of King Saul. Zeal is such a force of influence. Of course true Christian zeal is not an effort or a decision so much as it is a human response to an inner zeal called the "zeal of the Lord". It is the zeal of Jesus within us that activates and at times explodes to get things off dead center.



You may find yourself today in just such a place of neutrality. Things are safe but benign. "Safe" is not a place where creative things happen. There is little possibility for the miraculous in the harbor of "safety". Columbus had to leave safety to experience the greatness of the discovery of a new land.



I am not saying to run out and act like you have zeal. I am talking about getting in touch with God again in the sphere of expectancy. Dare to believe that He wants to use you and/or your group beyond your past or present, as good as it may have been. Be willing to walk through the plains of discomfort in order to discover the heights of accomplishment. Start by "drawing near to God" and see that he will "draw near to you". Then, listen...listen like you haven't in a long time. Expect him to speak to you. When God speaks new fresh things by His Spirit, Zeal always accompanies those fresh revelations. Then be willing to declare what you have heard and watch your group run with zeal just as the armies of Israel were activated by the zeal of David.

Spirit Directed Ministry
One of the things that can be easily lost in the daily work of ministry is the fact that we are involved in a supernatural endeavor. We are not working in the mundane world limited by human abilities. We have a power within us that leads, guides, empowers and accomplishes far beyond the frailty of the talents of mortal man. Man can accomplish many things in his own efforts. As as was proven at Babel, combined efforts of men can do most anything. However, when the Holy Spirit is involved in the daily life of the Christian leader, the unbelievable can occur. Many times I have gone through seasons where I felt little was happening. I didn't see or feel much beyond the natural world around me. Then I would look back and see how the hand of God had been "directing my steps" even when I didn't have a clue. That is generally how God works in our lives and minitries. It is human to want to experience the whirlwind, it is divine to reveal Godly direction in the still small voice. I am convinced we often walk over answered prayer on the way to the prayer meeting.

What causes us to be so sensitive to the leadership of the Holy Spirit on one day and so insensitive the next? The problem usually stems from a departure from expectancy. Insensitivity and a lack of expectancy is a faith problem caused by a confidence in our own abilities and/or confidence in our worldly systems and methods. We have been taught to confront problems by surfing the internet for solutions derived from others who have solved the same problems or challenges. The problem here is that we can learn some things from the methods of others but their solutions may only prove to be our detour. Why didn't the "steps to success" that I brought back from the conference in California work in Florida? Because we often forget that God is a God of relationship. While we are totally focused on the destination, He is deeply involved in the daily process. It is His intention that every detail that takes us to the destination or ministry goal is a part of daily intimacy with Him. Too often we find ourselves "working for God, quick to give him all the glory, and yet involving Him very little in the details". The results of such ministry activity is a limited, short-sighted vision, diminished true Kingdom expansion and wearniess to the servant of God. The words of Zechariah scream in my ears on a regular basis: "not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit says the Lord".

Perplexed By A False Call
The thought of the Call of God is a mysterious phenomenon. When we examine the Scripture we understand that every Christian has a call as a priest of God. I Peter 2:9 tells us, “ But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light…” This is a call and confirmation to every believer that they are a minister of the Lord. Yet, there are those whom the Lord specifically calls and requires to leave their secular work and worldly ambitions to pursue the full time work of the ministry and to even earn their living by the ministry of the Gospel. Many people don’t know that the Bible speaks of those who are required to earn their living through the ministry. Some in ignorance actually criticize ministers receiving income from the ministry. However, Paul writes, “Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel.” (1Co 9:14)
Since there are those who are targeted by the Lord to fill these ministry roles there are also those who are not. That doesn’t mean that those who are not called to this ministry function are less anointed, they just fill a different need. It would be just as wrong for a person who is not called in this way, to try to make it happen, as it would be for one called to not follow the call. In Mark 5 we are told of the wonderful account where Jesus sets the man filled with demons free. What a powerful testimony? How many of us in ministry would not call this man to follow us for PR purposes and to validate our ministry? Yet, Jesus did not allow him to follow him in full time ministry. He actually sent him home. Here is what Mark writes of the event:
Mar 5:18 And when He got into the boat, he who had been demon-possessed begged Him that he might be with Him. However, Jesus did not permit him, but said to him, "Go home to your friends, and tell them what great things the Lord has done for you, and how He has had compassion on you."

Bible College towns are filled with those who have been called by friends, preachers and mothers, but not by Jesus. They avoid careers and work at menial tasks far below their abilities and often at the expense of their families. Why? They are still waiting on the door to open to the ministry. I believe I can say that most of the time, if the door to ministry hasn’t opened to you after 10-15 years of pursuing it, that door probably isn’t supposed to open. I’m sure there are exceptions to this, but not many. You need to face the possibility that Jesus never called you. You might even be chasing a fantasy. It is the job of the Holy Spirit to get you in position. Effort and desire does not a call make.

We need people in the Kingdom of God who will hear this Call and follow Jesus regardless of the sacrifice or cost. We also must have those engaged in society, working in the secular fields, and giving themselves to assist in the expansion of the Kingdom of God in the local church.

I know this is a hard word but no one seems to be willing to suggest to some that it is very possible that they have misunderstood their love and zeal for the Lord. In truth they have spent too much time disengaged rather than engaged because of a false call. In the end, the will of God is all that matters.

Intimacy or Intimidation


It is easy to see why newcomers to the Christian faith might have some struggles trying to understand the God of the Old Testament and the God of the New Testament. The God of the Old Testament seems so harsh and demanding while the God of the New Testament seems so loving and forgiving. What’s the deal?

Regardless of how different they may appear, the God of the Old and New are the same God. The Old was a preparation for the New. God, from the beginning of time, wanted to live in intimate relationship with man. When man sinned, that sin was a barricade that kept sinful man from enjoying the presence of a perfectly Holy God. Jesus came and died in man’s place and removed the barricade between God and man. Now through the individual’s acceptance of Jesus, man can come with boldness right into the presence of Father God. It is to be a relationship. For all Christians, that relationship should be one of intimacy. Yet, all too many believers seem to live in a relationship of intimidation rather than intimacy.

The great problem here is that intimidation limits and causes the relationship to remain on a powerless plane. The Christian at this level never moves beyond that first level of introduction. Every time he encounters God, he is uncomfortable and gets little from the experience. On the other hand, a person who has an intimate relationship with the Lord is at peace in God’s presence. That connectivity of intimacy transfers spiritual power that leaves the believer on a higher level than before.

The church was built on a revelation that the Apostle Peter received through that connectivity of intimacy, “thou art the Christ”. Jesus said to him, “flesh and blood did not reveal that to you”. As Christians, we need to move beyond “flesh and blood” Christianity. We need to move beyond only keeping the rules and regulations and enter that place of intimacy with the Jesus.

Tiffany Back In Dubai!

We put Tiffany on the plane bound for Dubai Tuesday evening! She just emailed me that she is safely in her apartment there. She finished two months of rehab at Project Walk in San Diego. Project Walk is a great place and I highly recommend it to anyone with a spinal cord injury. The two months was very difficult for Tiffany because of the physical strain but also because of the social separation from her friends. However, she made it and has gained much strength and mobility. She can now walk on a walker most of the time, using the wheel chair as little as possible. Her walking is slow but when you consider that 3 months ago she was in a hospital bed paralyzed from the waist down, it is miraculous! Her company has been great in all this and has assured her that she still has a job.

We had a wonderful weekend before she left for Dubai. Scott, Tarah, Lucia and Shane all came home for a long weekend for some much needed family time that was not in the midst of crisis. With the help of Shane and Scott, Tiff was able to Kayak the Withlacoochee River. She was in the kayak over 3 hours. She also rode behind me on my Honda scooter and made a boat ride in the lake. As parents, it was difficult for Teresa and me to see Tiff helped aboard the plane with wheel chair and walker bound for a foreign country. However, she is now 29 years old and determined to make it work.

As a family, we are eternally grateful to all of you for your love, concern, prayers and financial support during this crisis. To date, all bills have been paid in full because of the gracious giving of friends and loved ones. May the Lord return to you multiplied all that you have given. I also give God praise and thanksgiving for all He has done in and through all this. "In everything give thanks..." He is faithful!

Love and Blessings!
L. A.

Don’t be afraid to preach!

A classic Christian bumper sticker says, “Preach the Gospel and if necessary, use words”. We certainly get it, we need to be living the Gospel among mankind before we have the right to “preach at him”. Or, it would seem. Yet, for those of us called away from secular work and into the Kingdom building work, a major part of our call involves preaching, and yes with words! Today there seems to be a glut of teaching and a famine of preaching. Oh, I’m not simply talking about talking faster and raising our volume, I’m talking about a declaration of Truth. While teaching is certainly a big part of discipleship, it causes people to ponder and gives them room for consideration. Preaching doesn’t really leave room for comparative religion. By definition, preaching is a heralding, a declaring, publishing and proclaiming truth with no options other than the truth being set forth in the Scripture. Of course we need to make sure what we are “heralding as Truth” is in fact, the Truth of the Bible. It’s tempting to “preach” our pet doctrines but maybe we should leave those to our teaching venues.

In California and other States, there is a movement that is called, “teach don’t preach”. The thinking behind this movement is precisely my point. They are calling for Christians to use our Holidays as opportunities to “teach” our beliefs to those in our communities in a passive, non threatening way. That sounds good. There is even a place for that in our Nation. I like to practice diplomacy and enjoy being known as a peacemaker or one who can communicate without conflict. However, when we bring that thinking alongside the commands of Jesus and the very foundation of our mandate to take the Gospel to all Nations, we quickly discover that to preach is in itself an act of confrontation and demands a decision to be made by the hearer.
The New Testament is especially filled with commands and exhortations to get on with the preaching!

I have noticed in my own ministry that when I have actually abandoned my efforts at self preservation and reputation building, and actually let go and “preached the Good News of the Gospel” without compromise, there came into the room a fresh empowering. I could sense it in my preaching and I saw it settling on the audience. It brings a confrontation between the hearer and God Himself. When Peter was facing charges in Acts chapter 4, his answers to the authorities was not teaching. He was not bargaining for his life or reputation. He declared, he heralded, yes he preached, 11 This is the 'STONE WHICH WAS REJECTED BY YOU BUILDERS, WHICH HAS BECOME THE CHIEF CORNERSTONE.' 12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." That is preaching!

Paul challenges Timothy in 2 Timothy 1:7 by saying, “For God has not given us the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” Timothy had a problem of timidity. Then later in this letter Paul gets down to some specifics of Timothy’s struggles when he says in 2 Timothy 4:2, “Preach The Word”! It is time to preach. Don’t be afraid to preach!

How To Take A Vacation
Mark 6: 30 Then the apostles gathered to Jesus and told Him all things, both what they had done and what they had taught.31 And He said to them, "Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while." For there were many coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat.32 So they departed to a deserted place in the boat by themselves.

Webster defines the word vacation as: 1. “leisure time away from work; devoted to rest or pleasure. 2. “a period of absence from work for recreation”. “Recreation” - The act of recreating, or the state of being recreated; refreshment of the strength and spirits after toil; amusement; diversion; sport; pastime.

I. Signs of the need for a vacation:

A. Decision-making becomes difficult (both major and minor kinds).

B. Excessive daydreaming or fantasizing about "getting away from it all."

C. The use of medications just to cope on a daily basis.

D. Thoughts trail off while speaking or writing.

E. Excessive worrying about everything.

F. Sudden outbursts of temper and hostility
G. Paranoid ideas and mistrust of friends and family.

H. Forgetfulness regarding appointments, deadlines, dates.

I. Frequent feelings of defeat and inadequacy.

J. Change in your normal behavior.

II. Personal Characteristics That Brought You To The Crisis

A. Plans day unrealistically

B. First to arrive, last to leave work

C. Always in a hurry

D. Makes no plan for relaxation or recreation

E. Feels guilty about doing anything other than work

F. Sees unforeseen problem as a setback or disaster

G. Is always thinking about several other things when working/Can’t

remain focused.


III. Making Vacations Happen

A. Make vacations a part of your annual planning.

B. Budget in vacations well in advance.

C. Be realistic about your venue.

D. Make a vacation long enough to get past the threshold of relaxation.

E. Plan a vacation that will work best for your family.

F. Don’t over plan your vacation.

G. Leave you cell phone, laptop and beeper at home. (Yes, really!)

H. Plan ahead so that when you leave your job, you leave your work.

I. Learn how to vacation.

J. Take Jesus on vacation with you. (Not your job, and there is a difference)

K. Show this to your mate and ask them to grade you on it! (I just added this at the last moment.)


Closing: Ex. 20: 8 "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work,
10 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates.

Focus
There's an old saying that says, "you can't be two places at once". Another thought like that is, "you can't get to a destination if you are looking in two directions". Focus is a hard thing to maintain, especially in a shaking world. I was taking a tennis lesson years ago from a Pro and after we hit a few balls, he called me to the net and said, "you aren't watching the ball". I said, "certainly I am watching the ball because I am hitting it back to you". He reminded me that there are different levels of focus. One level is seeing the ball but there is deeper level of focus where you see only a part of the ball. In baseball, an average high school hitter sees the ball coming to the plate and sees the stadium as the backdrop. A college player sees the ball as a back drop and sees the stitches spinning as the ball approaches. The great Ted Williams is said to have had the ability to see writing on the ball rushing toward him. As I learned to focus on the tennis ball at a deeper level, I found that my shots became more powerful , more crisp and were more difficult to return by my opponent. As leaders we can't have a casual approach to the Christian life and to leadership in particular. We must get clear as to what we are called to be and what it is that we want to accomplish. What are we wanting to produce in those we are leading. As we see it more clearly and with greater intensity, we will find that our work is much more powerful and our fruit will increase. The question is asked of a leader in Scripture, "how long halt ye between two opinions"? Another case was Moses at the Red Sea. There is a time to hesitate in order to be sure. There are also times when hesitating will cause failure. Let me encourage you to hear this word today. If you are struggling with indecision, get before the Lord in prayer. Hear what it is that he is saying to you. Then, when you hear it, focus on that direction. Don't let anything or anyone cause you to waver from what "He said". Remember, Jesus set his face to Jerusalem and would not be distracted from his focus on his mission.

Stranded in Denver!

I just finished 10 days of wonderful ministry in South Dakota. I flew out this morning with great excitement about getting home! I flew out of Rapid City this morning with snow and ice on the ground but without incident. I arrived in Denver and all was good only to find out that my flight delay problems were not in Denver as one might expect, but in Atlanta! As of now I am schedule to get home in 2 days!!!! I guess there are worse places to be stranded but when you want to get home, nowhere is a good place to be stranded.



South Dakota Ministry

I ministered at Dove Christian Center in Rapid City last Sunday twice. Pastor Gary Johnson is the founder/pastor there. It was a great day with the Lord touching lives and encouraging all of us. Monday I met with the Pastor and Elders of Dove Christian Center for about 4 hours. I give oversight to Dove and have been going there for over 20 years now. I flew out early the next morning for my 2 day trip to San Diego to see Tiffany. (See Tiffany Joiner Updates) I flew back from San Diego on Thursday changing planes in Denver. This is the 4th time I have been in the Denver airport on this trip! When I took off from Denver it was 65 degrees and sunny. An hour later we landed in Rapid City in 12 degrees and it was snowing. We left Friday morning for the Mighty Men's Advance in the Black Hills. When we drove through town the temp was "ZERO"! The Advance was a gathering of Professional Rodeo Cowboys from Texas to Colorado and other men from the here in the West. Timothy Stuen is an ex-bull rider turned preacher. He leads this event each year. The weather didn't stop this group. There were outside games of all kinds in the snow and ice with temps hoovering around 10-12. The meetings were powerful and filled with the enthusiam you might expect from men who practice a profession that only gives them 8 seconds to perform.(Bull Riding). It was fast paced, action packed and anointed by the Holy Spirit. The spiritual momentum grew with each service with men being saved, delivered and filled with the Holy Spirit. It was a powerful time. I enjoyed preaching to such a wild bunch!



It is obvious as I travel that there is a new generation being raised up that is hungry for God and zealous to serve the Lord with all their hearts. The other exciting part of all this is that there is a connection taking place between the young and the old. That is my burden of this hour. I want to see a smooth transfer of the baton from the older to the younger without a disconnect of the older. I see it happening in many places as spiritual fathers and sons are seeing great fruit.

Longing For Home In Denver!
LAJ

Transferred Guilt


"I know you wouldn't want your wife to know about...". Those were the words I heard over the phone many, many years ago as a voice from my past was trying to manipulate my future. Thank God I was able to say, "come on over and we will discuss it with her!" The attack ended. Guilt is a very powerful tool of manipulation. The goal of manipulation is to move you away from God's plan toward some lesser purpose and finally cause you to be immobilzed completely. Of course, my attack was from a real situation from my past. Bringing our sins to Jesus and doing our part to be reconciled to those whom we may have hurt releases us from guilt and shame. There are other kinds of manipulation from guilt that are not as obvious but just as limiting. People who don't know how to handle their own guilt or who are unwilling to assume responsibility for their own mistakes will try to transfer that guilt to others. I call this transferred guilt. Children seem to come into the world knowing how to do this. It is easy for Christians to receive this transferred guilt believing that is what they are supposed to do as Christians from a desire to be nice or sweet. If Christ has set us free from sin and the effects of sin, then it is an affront to the work of Jesus to allow ourselves to come under the power of guilt in any form. The Lord has designed us to live, work and minister in an atmosphere of freedom. Jesus said in Luke 4 that the Spirit of the Lord was upon him to proclaim Liberty to the captives. That liberty was purchases with his own blood so that you and I might live and minister in the perfect liberty of Christ. The world is waiting for us to live and minister out of that freedom and release that freedom to others.

Today

Nothing can sabbatoge today more than regrets from the past and fears regarding the future. To make matters worse, our concerns aren't without cause. We have made mistakes in the past and life patterns suggest that our future may be affected once again. One of the primary lessons of Jesus was to exhort us to live in today. Most leaders understand God's forgiveness. The problem lies in forgiving themselves and releasing the past. The problem of moving on into today with clarity is usually one of a lack of forgiving ourselves or the perceived guilt from others. It is impossible to walk in the success that God intends with these anchors to our past. I saw one Bible School graduate poison his future because he couldn't seem to get beyond his failures as a Christian. It's one thing to get beyond sins of youth, but more difficult to release our sins as a follower of Christ. The wonderful thing about redemption is that the Blood of Jesus is just as powerful forgiving our future as much as our past.

While in Dubai for a month, Teresa and I seemed to experience a new level of "living in today". Circumstances were out of our control. We were helpless in our own efforts to change anything. Our only peace was found in learning the secret of Jesus in living in today. You may be trapped in the swamp of yesterday or immobilized by the "what ifs" of tomorrow. Let them go! It not only is all you can do, it is what you should and must do! A refusal to not trust the Blood of Jesus is an affront to God and a sick kind of pride that says, "the Blood of Jesus forgives all sins but mine". Go ahead and jump into the flowing fountain of the Blood of Jesus with abandon. It is in that abandon that you will find courage and strength to not only face the future, but be the leader the Lord intends you to be.


Mat 6:34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow...

Serve No Wine Before Its Time!

A number of years ago there was an ad for a wine company that said something like, "we will serve no wine before it's time". They were saying that they would allow the wine to age to it's best potential before offering it to the public. Maybe those of us who are preacher/teachers should take note of this. When we get a new revelation there is tremendous pressure to "preach it" at our next opportunity. The best sermons come from our own life experience. Think of a preacher speaking and how it affects you if he says, "so and so says" versus, "I have experienced". It has a totally different impact. People love personal stories. We need to learn to be better story tellers. To do so requires a willingness to be transparent and a willingness to be the object of our jokes, often times. The result will be a richer connection with your audience.



Now, the waiting part. Just as wine matures with age, so do life lessons and sermons. You can have a true revelation from heaven. It may have come while showering or it may have come from the depths of a traumatic experience. Regardless, it will sweeten with age. In truth, it may never have been intended for public consumption. It may be just between you and the Lord. But if it is for sharing, put it aside in a "sermon garden" and let it grow. Let the warm sun of time shine upon it and the rain of meditation water it. Let the process of your own healing and maturity feed it. Examine it from different facets and it will become richer and richer with time. When it is delivered, the impact will be multiplied many times over by allowing it to age in the cellar of your heart. If you do it right, Jesus will be seen in the forefront and you will be in the shadows.

Honor The Past, Pursue The Fututre

In 1993 I found myself facing a different challenge after almost 20 years of ministry, mostly church planting. The Lord had led me to return to my home town and become pastor of my home church. I had never pastored a church I didn't start. I would be taking the helm of a church that was 85 years old! I was used to being the pioneer, recruiting the young zealots and leading the charge to "take this city for God"! Now I would be working with a group of people who had no youth group, no children's ministry and mostly older people. I believe the call to go there was because the Lord needed some "foundational work" done there in an effort to revive the weakening congregation.



I had some understanding of moving to a city, not knowing anyone, or very few, and casting a vision for birthing something new. I had never spoken against another church, but there was the unspoken implication that if the other churches were doing the job, we wouldn't need to plant a new church. Now I would be the old, "other church"! I didn't know what to do. I was out of my comfort zone. I have met Pastors who have said to me, "it would scare me to death to move to a new place and start a new church". I thought, "it would scare me to death to take a church with all it's weaknesses and negative traditions and try to do something new with that"! However, I was now the pastor of a church that had been considered by some, a dying chruch. There had to be change! There had to be a new direction that would seem attrative enough to young people who had the energy to come help us in this resurrection. (I had always said that I like church planting over taking over an existing church because I felt it easier to birth something new, than to raise the dead.)

Herein lies the tension, while I was having to seek to reach a new generation, I still had to be the pastor of an older generation who had been faithful for years and who had paid a great price to give us our launch pad.

As I sought the Lord, I heard very clearly, "Honor the past, pursue the future"! That was it! While I had a burden and vision for the future and a new generation, I had to honor those upon whose shoulders we would stand to build the future. Here is a warning for all new generation, movers and shakers. Be very, very careful how you handle your spiritual fathers and those who have paved the way for you. It would be very easy to believe that because God has given you a vision that you are free from honoring the past. Not true! God is a generational God. One of Absalom's mistakes was his despising his Father and feeling justified in bypassing him to build his own kingdom. It cost him his life.



I am not saying that we should be shackled to the past or in bondage to men. I am saying that we need to be careful in honoring our past and seeking to remain connected when possible in order to have an exponential increase of Kingdom influence.

San Diego Bound!

A number of people have said that they would like to contribute to Tiffany's rehab costs. I deeply appreciate the generosity of everyone during this time of challenge for the Joiner family. Your love and support has been very humbling and encouraging for us. In an effort to operate with integrity and accountability we will not be setting up accounts here in Valdosta at either New Covenant Church of Valdosta or Christian Alliance of Ministries. I want the fund and administration of the fund to be separated from my family and me. New Covenant Church of Tifton has graciously agreed to receive and administrate these funds. All money that is given will be spent on this rehab process and any that is left will be given to a benevolence fund. Because this money will be directed to the needs of an individual, unfortunately, you cannot receive tax credit for your donation. Please send your donation to:

New Covenant Church
2167 Whiddon Mill Rd
Tifton, GA 31793

Payable to: New Covenant Church
For: Project Walk

Thank you again for your love, prayers and support during this time.

Blessings!
L.A. Joiner

Tiffany Update

Thank you for your continued prayers for Tiffany until full restoration is complete. As of today the plan is for Tiffany to fly from Dubai to Atlanta later in the next week. Teresa will meet her in Atlanta and the two will fly to San Diego. She has been accepted at Project Walk in Carlsbad, California. You can check it out at: http://www.projectwalk.org/
Project walk is a pretty hard core program that requires all participants to sign an application saying "they believe they will walk"! That is what Tiffany is looking for. Her international insurance is refusing to pay for the rehab because it is in the U. S. A number of people have said that they wanted to contribute to these costs. I am now working on setting up an account through which donors may give toward Tiffany's rehab costs. I will give you more on that later this week but I wanted to let you know the progress to this point. Thank you again for your love, concern and prayers.

Blessings!
LAJ

The God Of Convenience

Nothing that God ever asks of us involving serving others is ever convenient. It is in the sacrifice of serving that the glory and presence of Jesus is revealed. I think that is part of what Mother Teresa learned in her sacrificed life. It is an easy thing to say, "if you need me, please call." The call will not come. The service will not be performed and no glory will be revealed. As leaders we are called first and foremost to serve others. We can plant churches, build buildings, develop ministry teams, make disciples, even give our money and never break the seal on the bottle of that very expensive ointment called service. It only comes as an inconvenient sacrifice. Many of the miracles of Jesus came when He did not have time to be bothered or when He was on a journey to help someone else. Let us be careful not to miss the God opportunity on the way to a good opportunity. If you planned it and had time to delegate it, it is probably not the service that will release the fragrance of a miracle.

Going back to the Blog!
Tiffany is doing well and still in search of the right rehab center. Therefore, after this update, I will return to my normal blog of assisting leaders in the Church.

Update:
Tiffany is making remarkable changes on her own in Dubai without a formal rehab program as of yet. It is shocking just how difficult it is to get the kind of help you need when these crises occur. I never imagined the pressure and stress of trying to get help for a loved one. I'm beginning to see what so many have been screaming about for so many years, "adequate health care for all". In this country, if you have the cash, you can get the care". If you don't, you are literally on your own. Also, if you are destitute you can get help. However, the middle class often suffer until they spend all they have and then care is provided. I know, I sound like an ad for socialized medicine. I'm not for that but what we have isn't working very well either. Enough politics!

Tiffany is hoping to come to America soon but we are hearing that most programs have up to a one year waiting list! We aren't discouraged (today), and we are moving forward with our efforts to get her in the right place, at the right time, with the right therapists! I would appreciate your continued prayers toward this goal.

My next blog will be back to our Vision with updates from time to time on Tiffany.

Blessings!
LAJ

Tiffany Update
Teresa and I are back in the U.S. We came back Thursday, arriving home from our drive from Atlanta Thursday night. We got up Friday morning, washed clothes and drove to Miami! Yep, that's right! Jet lag, what jet lag!!! Yeah, I'm feeling it, but compared to seeing Lucia for a little late Christmas, it's worth it! We are in Miami as we speak enjoying 80 degree weather and perfect skies.

Tiffany is in Dubai being assited by friends until we can get a handle on her rehab. We were shocked on Thursday to learn that her international insurance company "changed their minds" on the amount they would pay on her rehab. Actually, they just stopped paying. We are grateful for their paying for the surgery and a month in the hospital but now we have the challenge of finding funding and the right rehab for long term therapy. We are looking at a lot of options. Please join us in prayer for wisdom in all this that we will make the right decisions for her best treatment that will determine her future quality of life.

Tiffany is a tough cookie! She is already getting in and out of her wheel chair on her own, meeting her own personal needs, and even pulling up from her wheel chair into her Jeep! No, she's not driving but she's determined to walk again and live a normal life. She's not interested in learning how to live in a wheel chair, she tells everyone. Her active life as a personal trainer, yoga instructor, rock climber and all out sportsman, is definitely working on her behalf. She is doing great in that respect. I asked her one day how she was fighting off depression and she said, "I'll find myself in depression for about 30 minutes and I think, that's 30 minutes off my rehab, so I get out of it quickly"!

Again, thank you for your love, concern and prayers. Hopefully, she will be back here in the States soon for treatment or possibly in another country. I'll let you know. Just stay tuned! Your love for us has been almost overwhelming!

Blessings!
L.A.

Joiner Family Update - Good News!

We have Tiffany at her home!

After almost 4 weeks in the hospital, she's finally home and very happy about it. As a matter of fact, Tiff and I are on her balcony sipping coffee and looking over the Arabian Gulf. It was quite delicate getting the wheel chair over the 8 inch ledge but we did it. It wasn't as tricky as getting her up the 2 flights of stairs to her apartment! She made it up the first flight bumping along on her butt! (Her choice.). Then Teresa and I picked her up by the legs and under arms and carried her on up! We made it! This part of the world, with all it's modern buildings, is not handicap friendly in the least. Hopefully, we will hear today where she is going for rehab. She has told us that she wants us to take our previously scheduled flight home Friday. I think that living on her own for the last number of years makes her want her parents to visit, but not live with her! The therapists that I have talked with confirm that some very independent patients do better in long term rehab without family present. Well, that's certainly Tiff! Even as I am writing this, she sits in her wheel chair shaving her legs with a pan of water with legs on the banister. She picked each leg up and placed them there alone! (She still has little control from the knees down.) She has a strong group of friends surrounding her here who assure me they will take care of her and put her on the plane for rehab. That means we will be home this weekend.
We plan to come in quietly, wash clothes for a day and go to Miami to have Christmas with our little granddaughter Lucia, her Mom Tarah and Dad Scott! We missed her first Christmas, so now we will have it! We will leave there and head toward the CFN meetings at San Destin. I will preach for Jack Hollis on the way on Sunday, Jan. 17. That will be my launch back into public ministry and I will resume my schedule from that point.
Contingent upon where Tiffany goes for rehab and how long she is there, we may make a trip to see her in a couple of months.
I am deeply humbled and grateful for all the love, concern, gifts and prayers of faith extended to our family during this journey to date. It is my prayer that I may be a better servant to the Lord and others because of this experience. May the Lord bless you greatly for your rich generosity and your true Christian love.

Many Blessings!
L. A.

Tiff Update
Thank you to all who are continuing to pray. Nothing really new to report. We are still in the hospital in Dubai. Teresa and I cleaned the apartment and the Jeep for her to come home today but a minor infection has apparently postponed that. She had to buy a wheel chair yesterday and that wasn't too exciting. However, for the present it is a necessary purchase. She's an amazing little lady! She now throws herself in her chair and doing most things for herself. I'm really proud of her tenacity. She is also pressing the Doctors and insurance company to get her into a rehab facility that doesn't focus on learning to live in a wheel chair. She wants to go to a place that specializes in getting athletes back in the game!

I'm learning a lot in all this. (More about that in future blogs.) This Friday Teresa and I will have "lived in Dubai" for a month. Some may wonder if we are afraid here. Actually, I feel safer here than in many American cities. The Islamic laws that govern Dubai sets an atmosphere that make "most" experiences pleasant ones. Today we ran to the Mall of the Emirates, that's the one with the ski slopes you may have heard about. We had to pick up some shoes for Tiff and some items at Carrefore, Dubai's version of Wal-Mart. As we were having lunch in the food court I noticed a sign that said, "please dress respectfully by covering your shoulders and knees". Obviously, this was directed at ladies! It seems that religious laws regarding dress are always directed at women and miss the men, just like the U.S.! Don't worry, there are a lot of Westerners who can't read and they make it look more like the USA.

I'll close for now. Please keep praying for infections to be gone, the right rehab center and the right timing on her departure from the UAE.

Blessings!
L. A.

Quick Update Today
Tiffany is making progress although she is still in the Dubai hospital awaiting transfer to long term therapy. The Holidays have put everything on hold. She has worked diligently several hours each day with the tremendous help of her friend Alvaro Garcia from Spain. Today we even slipped in to the therapy room which they forgot to lock on the Holy Day. We did about a 1 1/2 hour routine on different weight bearing machines targeting her legs. The legs are still pretty non-functional from the knees down but she is working them hard and you can see her getting stronger each workout. I have great confidence that once she gets to a rehab facility the work here will go a long way toward full recovery. Please keep praying for the right facility and that it will be soon. There is a limit to the amount the insurance will pay so we are trying to get her into a center with the "most bang for our buck". It seems that Europe might be the best at this point. We haven't given up on Shepherds in Atlanta but that would require a scholarship. The financial crisis that is affecting the world has limited their income and consequently, the amount of scholarships awarded. I know the Lord has prepared just the right place with just the right trainers to work with her.

Thanks for continuing to stand with us.

Blessings!
L. A., Teresa and Tiffany in Dubai, UAE

Tiffany Update: Happy New Year 2009
Well, we have now been living in Dubai for 2 1/2 weeks. I drive Tiffany's Jeep Wrangler all over the United Arab Emirates. Yesterday we took a day off and drove Shane, our son who ends his Christmas visit today, to Hatta and over the border to Oman. Living and driving here is quite the learning experience. I don't believe there could be a more diverse city in the world than Dubai. It has grown from just over 50,000 in 1969 to over a million now. Even cab drivers say that from day to day it is difficult to keep up with it. The more you travel here, the more you see the tremendous development. I've learned to just get in the "rush" and go for it. Otherwise, you will get run over. The worst thing you can do here in traffic is stop. You just keep moving and you will be o.k.
We still don't know how much longer we will be here. Tiffany's company, Depa International, is doing a great job but the insurance company, which specializes in international businesses, is a letter of the law kind of company. They have a clause that no treatment will take place in the U.S. but Tiff's boss, a lawyer named Robert St. Jacques, is working to get the company to see that the U.S. might be as reasonable as treatment center as say, Switzerland. That means that as of this writing, we are still waiting and Tiff is still in the hospital. She is doing about an hour of therapy each day. She can pull herself up on a tall walker and transfer herself into her wheelchair. At therapy she works out with weights on her upper body, she pulls herself up a big ladder and stretches herself out. While hanging, she can move her legs from side to side by lifting from her hips. She has movement in her hips down to her knees. Some good news is that there is slightly more tingling in her lower legs, feet and some toes. It is very encouraging. Our hope and faith is directed toward her regaining use of her legs so that she will be able to walk , and hopefully, without crutches. That's the goal!

A matter of prayer for now is that the business side of things is moving very slowly. Much of that is caused by the Holidays. Executives in Europe are not in the office and they are the ones who make the decisions. We are expecting to hear any day now the word to get her to a rehab hospital. It could be Europe or the U.S. That's our situation. We are getting up every morning and spending the day at the hospital until bed time, helping her and waiting to hear. We are not spending the night with her as we were the first week or so. The frustration is that it is important that she get into rehab soon. Until that happens, physical progress is very limited. Teresa and I are fine but pretty exhausted in body and mind. We do feel your prayers, concern and love. The Body of Christ and our connection is a reality. Thank you for all you are doing. God is faithful!

Love and Blessings!
L. A. and Teresa

Tiffany Joiner Update
I hadn't intended to use my blog as an update for Tiffany but some have suggested that it might be a good avenue for keeping up with her progress.

As I said in my last blog, Tiffany suffered a severe spinal cord injury on December 11. She fell about 25 feet from her balcony to the concrete below. It appears she was adjusting some hanging lanters on her balcony while standing on a table which flipped. That's all assumption as she remembers nothing of that night. When she landed she also received a serious concussion. While she is battling the spinal injury, it is amazing that there are no organs damaged or more serious head trauma.
It appears she will be here at the International Modern Hospital in Dubai just a few more days. Then she will go to a long term rehabilitation center. The problem is that her health insurance here will not pay for treatment in the United States. We are now trying to find out where they will pay and what that treatment would be like. Tiffany is a very independent person and has made it clear that once we get her established in a treatment center she wants us to leave, so she can be alone to work on learning to walk again. That is difficult for parents but we will abide by her wishes.
Here are some things for which you can join us in prayer: 1. her physical healing. She is paralyzed from the knees down. There has been improvement from the hips to the knees but very little change from the knees down to her feet. 2. The right rehab center with the right staff to work with her. 3. Favor with the insurance company to cover the complete rehab process. 4. Favor with her work. They have been outstanding so far.
These are our present needs. More will be revealed in the next few days. I deeply appreciate all of you who have helped us in so many ways. Family is a wonderful thing.

Blessings!
L. A. and Teresa Joiner

Tiffany Joiner Update
I will use this week to inform everyone about my daughter Tiffany, her accident and her progress after one week.
Tiffany fell from a second story balcony where she lives in Dubai, UAE. She fell about 25 feet. She has suffered a serious spinal injury and has undergone surgery here. They placed screws and plates in her spine. She is presently paralyzed from the knees down. Today was her first time sitting up after the installation of a back brace. It was wonderful seeing her sit up and the joy on her face. They are predicting the rehab will take months and possibly 3 months before she can walk with crutches. The rehab is not covered by insurance in the USA so we are waiting to see where that might be. The Doctor tells me she will be here in this hospital 2 more weeks. We have many questions but are having to take it a day at a time. We have been covered in prayer by many of you and others around the world. We can sense those prayers.

Tiffany is a trooper and working hard. She is surrounded by many friends here from around the world as 80 per cent of those living in Dubai are from many other nations.
I have learned from watching their service to us. We, as Christians often say, if you need anything call me. These guys see a need and just meet it without asking. What a joy. More later. I am attempting to do this on a foreign keyboard so it is very challenging. Love and Blessings, L.A. Joiner

The Things We Have Learned
Since this blog is about equipping leaders to lead, and since much of what I do is involved in the building and the development of the Church, I will spend the next few blogs discussing things I/we have learned about the building of the church.

By way of introduction, it is important to understand that the church is in a process of "building". Jesus said, "I will build my church..." The Apostle Paul speaks of the church and says in Eph. 2:11 "in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit." It is clear that Jesus didn't create the church, in the sense of the church being a finished product after Pentecost. That was only the beginning or the birth of the church. We are called to labor with the Lord to continue to see the church develop according to His plan. Herein is a very delicate area of discussion. We are not called to build "our" church, but His. This sounds simple but how we perceive the ownership of the church will determine how we build. If we are building for ourselves or motivated by leaving our own stamp on it with, "the glory going to God", the we will build something very different from the triumphant church of the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, the things I will be sharing, "The Things We Have Learned", come out of that endeavor to build on earth what we seen and heard from Him.

• We have learned a new paradigm. There has been a lot said these last few years about new paradigms. A "paradigm" is defined as , "an example servings as a model; pattern." When we began 3 decades ago, the Lord made it clear that what we were to assist Him in building was a new pattern. For us that meant we would end an old paradigm of "just having church", and enter the pattern of seeking to be the church. That is not a cliche', but a functional statement. For me it was revolutionary. It meant and end to a "one man show". It meant that John Wesley's cry that, "I set myself on fire and the people come watch me burn was an outdated and dare I say, unscriptural. The new cry must be, "I labor to see the people, the congregation catch on fire so the world can see them burn in the workplace." This would be the beginning of helping the church member enter into realm ministry to God and man. It was in fact, the priesthood of the believer. My Pastor, Ken Sumrall, said many years ago that it seemed to him that about every 50 years the Lord would have to take a group of people back to the "store fronts" in order to break his church back out of religion and into usefulness. (Paraphrased) We must always be open to new models on earth while keeping an eye on the model in heaven. However, God's ultimate plan or model never changes.
• We have learned the necessity of the centrality of the Scriptures. We must keep the Scripture as our guide and allow it to be the primary plumb line. A plumb line is used in building to set the walls, but it is also used later to see if the building has moved from it's original foundation. There are times when the plumb line will require walls to be torn down in order to get them back "in plumb". The more the reason to seek to make sure that we build according to the Biblical pattern to begin with. Many churches are captured and paralyzed by methods and traditions that are far removed from the Bible.
• We have learned the necessity of the Spirit Filled Life. We must build with the words of the Prophet Zechariah ringing in our ears, "not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord." One of the primary reasons that the Lord calls for a new paradigm is because religion leaves God's pattern of the building taking place in the power of the Holy Spirit and turns to the intellectual and organizational powers of man. This cannot be stressed enough and especially to a younger generation who may have never experienced a true season of renewal. In that season the Holy Spirit is the voice of the builder and all who build are determined to hear from Him before any action is taken. I was told as a young "builder" by a seasoned church pioneer, "I have plans in my files that I was taught of how to build a church and Jesus is only a small part of the process". That means that it is possible to build something that looks like the church but in reality is only a powerless man made imitation.

Let us seek His face in order to see His plan before we begin any building in the name of the Lord and let us continue to examine that which we are building to make sure we haven't left His plan and purpose.

Environmentally Unconscious



My son Shane and I spent a wonderful afternoon over the Thanksgiving holidays exploring a primitive area around the Withlacoochee River near our house. I visit the area often and usually see anything from foxes to wild turkeys roaming about. As we walked the river bank near some small rapids, we were enjoying identifying fresh tracks of deer, raccoon and some we didn't recognize. It was like going back in time and I wondered what it must have been like for the first Europeans when they walked these same forests for the first time. Of course, Native Americans had lived here many, many years before the white man ever set foot here. The name Withlacoochee is best translated from the Indian name to "little big water". It was a perfect time except for one thing, man had left his mark. Abandoned materials littered this almost pristine landscape. All along the river and into the adjoining woods we saw fish bait containers, broken fishing poles, and yes, old tires! It all took me back to a different time when I was first aware that this was a crime against nature and in a way against God. The year was 1971 and I had just been discharged from the U. S. Navy. Teresa and I had lived in San Diego, California for about 3 years. While there, we had traveled the West Coast and was so impressed by the state of the outdoors. The rivers were pure, the mountains and the forests looked as if you were the first ones to visit them. As you hike trails in the West, you hear everywhere, "pack it out". It means that whatever you take in, you take (pack) it out. I liked it!

In 1971 we moved from California back to the Southeast. One day I drove my new (old) pickup down to the Satilla River for some exploring. I was stunned! Everywhere I went I saw trash and garbage! Old refrigerators, tires, stoves, all left as a decaying gift to what had been the unspoiled beauty of God's creation. What a crime!

Certainly things have improved in the last 30 years but my visit this past weekend proved that our progress hasn't been enough. I heard about a neighboring county that is following many other counties in closing their trash and garbage drop off sites to the public. I fear we are headed in reverse to a time of trucks dumping garbage and worn out appliances along our rivers, streams and roadways. (I can show you such a place even today!) Protecting our environment must become more important to all of us. We must speak out and yes we must do it in the Church as well. As Christians we have been silent too long. It is as if we felt that Jesus was coming soon and "it doesn't really matter about the earth anyway." There seems to be this unspoken attitude that "it will last as long as it is needed and then Jesus will fix it". Let me suggest that, as the Psalmist wrote, "The earth is the LORD'S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein." The inescapable message here is that we do have a responsibility to be good stewards over this beautiful place we call home.

Life Lessons I Have Learned From Golf

(Recently, I was asked to speak after a golf tournament. These are my points. I thought I would share them with you.)

I. Focus. Keep your head down and your eyes on the ball, has been over used but it still is one of the most important points in golf. In life it speaks to me of “Focus”. It is important that we first, “ keep our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith”.(Heb. 12:2) It also speaks to me about focus on our life goals themselves. You hit where you aim!

II. Satisfied . In golf, you should never get satisfied. Most golfers get to a place of comfort in their game and quit improving. In our walk with the Lord we must never think, “this is good enough”. Phil 3:14 “ I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Be willing to pay the price for improvement.

III. Tentative. I was leaving the golf course one day after a rather bad round and heard another gentleman say, “I was too tentative today”. I knew exactly what he meant because that described my round as well. Tentative means, “hesitant, cautious, uncertain, timid”. In your daily life, you must learn to live by faith and be the opposite of “uncertain, hesitant and timid” . Josh. 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go. (2 Tim. 1:7)

IV. Avoidance. We must face the reality of our condition in order to move to the next level. I have never seen a golfer who wouldn’t turn away from bad shots. We hate to see them. In our Christian walk the same is true. We don’t want to see or admit our weaknesses. Facing our weaknesses is critical to improving.

V. Practice. Most golfers hate to practice. They just want to play! It is a known fact that “practice makes perfect.” The same is true in our faith. In golf we practice in order to work into our game a better swing that will keep us from making costly mistakes while under pressure. It has to become second nature to us. Almost all golfers get into a difficult situation and revert back to old bad habits. The same in true in our daily life. Heb. 5:14 “But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, [that is], those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.”

VI. Coaching. I was beating away on the driving range and an old man from a bench said, “can I ask you a question”? I said, “sure”. He asked, “how do professional football and baseball players learn to play their sport. I thought and said, “coaches”. He said, “exactly”, and that’s the only way you learn to play golf too!” The same is true in our faith. That’s what discipleship is all about. We need a more mature believer to give instruction and oversight and help us mature in Christ. A novice golfer (or Christian) may teach us bad habits that may remain for life.

VII. Commitment. Once you check the wind, choose the right club and get over the ball, you must be “committed to the shot”! You can’t swing in a half-hearted, questioning way. You must see the ball going where you want it to go. The same is true in your Christian walk. We must remain committed to our faith every day for the rest of our lives.

The Kingdom View

One of the most difficult things about the Christian walk is our mindset. While the "new birth" reality occurs instantaneously the moment we receive Christ, we are going to heaven, yet, the mental understanding of that reality is a life long pursuit. We all know that our salvation has nothing to do with our "feeling saved". Thank God! While this is truth, we can't settle in that place of immature thinking and the acceptance of mediocrity. We must always be pushing ourselves to let our minds embrace what God says about us.

The Apostle Paul seems to lace his grace filled writings with the most troubling comments. Several come to mind; the fact that he says in one place "I have learned to be content". On another he says, while rebuking the church at Corinth, "you are acting like mere men". Mere men...aren't we mere men? Obviously not. Once we receive Jesus into our lives and we begin this cohabitation with the Holy Spirit, we are different than natural men. Our tastes and appetites change and yes, our thinking changes. That is what the "renewing of the mind is all about.

When we think of these kinds of things our self-centered motivations immediately make it very personal and we think about personal gain. We think, "that should make my life better or easier". In reality a renewed mind and a daily awareness in this area causes us to think with a Kingdom of God mindset. If a person or a church for that matter, are operating from a Kingdom mindset it will be reflected in the their goals and the church's vision. A church with a renewed mind, one that is not dictated by the tastes and demands of the world, will have in it's forefront worship, righteousness, world missions, evangelism, discipleship, the priesthood of the believer and a caring for the less fortunate. It will be consumed by a desire to do the will of God more than building what it believes is a good thing or maybe a drawing card.

Mere Men...let's give it some thought!

The individual journey

For about a year now, I can't get this "every man has a journey" thought off my mind. I see it everywhere. The more I meditate on it, the bigger it gets. It really brings into play, the sovereignty of God. The fact that God has a plan for each of us on this planet is mind boggling! If that is true, and I believe it is with all my heart, that means I need to be careful just how much I get involved in other's lives.

When I first became a Pastor in my mid 20's, I felt this need to have all the answers for everyone who came to see me. Then there came the revelation and liberation that I did not have to have all the answers for everyone. Truth be told, I knew all along I didn't have all the answers, but the people seemed to think I should so I acted like I did! That's a great pressure. Then came the realization that not only did I not have the answers but I could get in the way of people and their walk with the Lord if I became too involved in their special journey. It has been said that "necessity is the father of invention". I think that all too often we as counselors, pastors, parents and friends get so involved in trying to "help", that we get in God's way and stop the normal process of "necessity". Thus, there is no invention. In spiritual matters we would say that the end result of such spiritual meddling stops revelation or worse hinders growth. There is a place for just groping in what appears to be darkness until you break into the sunshine of a new level of maturity. Like the little chick working to break from the shell of the egg, it is the strenuous effort that not only brings release but the effort itself is a preparation for the next level of living.

We need to step back from the problems of others and pray. Just because I can stop another person's pressure, does that mean that I am supposed to? Yes, we are called to help those around us. However, like the little chick, too much help at the wrong time could kill or dwarf the life that will result from the struggle. Let others have their own journey. Trust the Lord to bring them along in His way and in His time. Be ready to assist them as the Lord leads but let it be out of the true leading of the Lord and not mere human emotion or worse, a desire to control.

Flexibility

The definition of being flexible is "being bent without breaking". I workout pretty regularly but I have always hated stretching exercises. I don't know why, I just hate it! However, the older I get the more important I see it is to stretch. It is important to remain flexible because your body is getting less and less pliable. As you get older you also find that to be true in other areas of life. You don't like to be stretched as much as you used to. You don't like to try new things or hear new ideas as much as you used to. You don't enjoy being around people who are different. That's called getting old! That is why it is so important to work at remaining flexible and open to being stretched by new ideas and new methods.

It is amazing, but younger people can be just as inflexible. They are afraid that if they "bend too much, they will break". Young Christians, regardless of age, for example, are often unable to flex in their thinking in spiritual matters. They aren't sure where the lines of flexibility end and the "breaking" begins. Obviously, it is better not to bend than to break. However, growing in the Lord in a healthy way will bring us to a place of greater flexibility without breaking. We come to a place in our growth in the Lord where we can fellowship with, love and value other Christians who don't believe what we believe about baptism, who don't believe the way we do about church government or possibly even what day we should celebrate the sabbath. We can honor them and fellowship with them without fear that somehow this will weaken our faith.

In essence we are talking about growing beyond being the"weaker brother", as Paul calls it in 1 Corinthians 8. Certainly, we all must go through that period in our development where we cannot bend for fear of breaking. However, there is a place of development where we truly experience a fuller experience of our freedom in Christ. We can love more!

I am not talking about compromising our conscience. I am not talking about violating the Scripture. I am saying that maturity brings flexibility without compromise. The Pharisees were totally rigid in their spiritual vision and their blindness cost them the Messiah. I wonder where you and I might be too rigid at this very moment.

People: A commodity or a sacred trust?


Sitting at lunch a young pastor who was just starting out asked, "how do I keep from seeing people as a problem and maintaining the perspective that I truly want to help them?" I gulped on my iced tea! After 34 years of dealing with people, counseling hundreds and probably thousands, I knew this was a bigger question than he could ever imagine at this juncture of his ministry. It is a problem of maintaining a positive attitude for ministry in the midst of dealing with negative and often hostile circumstances and people, day after day and year after year. The answer has all to do with our goals and desires. If we see ministry as our own family business through which we can obtain worldly goods and put a christian name on it, then we will become most miserable. We will come to despise those who are spiritually in need and resent having to interrupt our lives to minister to them. In essence we will become present day Pharisees. That was the condition of the ministry when Jesus made his pastoral entrance. Spiritual leaders were more concerned with their own needs than the needs of others. Jesus speaks to this condition in Matthew 10:39 "He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it." If a man is looking for his life or his needs to be met in the ministry, he will never find life. If, however, he can learn the lesson of Jesus and lose his life for the sake of Jesus, he finds life in that kind of service. This is the only true way to ensure longevity in ministry. It is in losing that we win. It is only in this "ministry unto Jesus" that we can see needy people as the sheep of the Great Shepherd. If we have a business mindset, the people become a commodity. If we have a Kingdom mindset, they are the children of God and our service to them becomes a life giving sacred trust.

Kingdom Stuff

Part III

Generational Leadership Transition

"The nature of the animal"

Generational transition will occur with or without us. The question is: will I be an active participant in the process. I'm finding that the emerging leaders desire the input and loving direction of the older leadership. That is why I firmly believe that this generation can do what no generation before us has done, make a Kingdom transfer with assets and not deficits. We can pass on a healthy ministry or organization and not one that has hemorrhaged for years trying to maintain. I am certain that is as much a part of our life's call as the call itself. While we can't guarantee what the next generation will do with what we pass on, that is still our responsibility.

In the last blog I mentioned that if a leader will look around he will probably see emerging leaders. Obviously, that will only apply in a healthy situation. In a healthy situation, leaders produce leaders. Let's assume that is the case. From that standpoint, it is the older leader's responsibility to prepare and point the emerging leadership in the right direction while operating in a slow release of responsibility.

If that is not done, the emerging potential leaders will not see any hope of a future under the direction of the older leader, and the seamless transition will not happen. Prov. 13:12 says, "Hope deferred makes the heart sick, But when the desire comes, it is a tree of life". If there is no sign of a true opportunity for ministry transfer to the emerging leader, that lack of hope will "make the heart sick". However, if the older leader will get a plan in place for training, oversight, slow release and final release, it will be "a tree of life". This tree of life will not only be for the emerging leader but for the church or organization as well.

I just did that of which I speak. As the announcement was made that I would be stepping aside, not out, as the senior leader, I could see a new life of excitement and enthusiasm in our congregation. While they have honored me for my role, they are looking to the future with great hope. Of course, I have spent years choosing the right leaders, training them, pointing them and now coaching them. Now my role has changed. I am not the "Father" of the work, now I am the "Grandfather". Had I not made the transition, the "heartsick" option would come into play. That downward spiral looks something like this: the organization begins to lose speed and direction. Members of the group feel the deterioration but loyalty makes them put it out of their minds. In time, emerging leaders may "feel led" to go elsewhere and usually that means starting a new work. The emerging followers will follow the emerging leader. The old guard will point the finger and say, "rebels and traitors". There is some truth in this accusation but there is more truth that the older, non-flexible leadership having been at the root of the problem. The new group is now left to grope around in inexperience without adequate resources. The older group is now motivated, not by Kingdom advancement but by hurts, loyalty and a "faithfulness to the end" mindset.

As I end I must say that I know that my making the transition at my age (60 at my next birthday)is apparently early and was precipitated by moving to an overseer capacity, still the point must be made. Transition must occur by plan of action if we care about posterity. Hopefully, my making the transition earlier gives me a perspective that the potential fears of my later years may not have afforded.

"Kingdom Stuff"

Part II

Generational Leadership Transition

This week I will deal with that challenging and hot topic of bringing the next generation into our sphere in order to have a seamless transition of ministry. The truth be told, very few have ever done it "seamlessly". There are so many fears involved on both sides that obstacles are at every turn. Let's bite off a little today and we will do so each week for the next couple of weeks.

"Passing the Baton"

Gold medals have been lost, not because teams didn't have the fastest runners, but because the baton was passed unsuccessfully. Historically, churches and ministries have made the same mistake. The generation with the baton is doing a great job. For years they are faithful and producing good fruit. Now things are changing. We see them moving from a creative, aggressive visionary mode to more of a maintaining mode. We all know that a maintaining mode is a dying mode but yet when it happens to you, you may not see it.

If that older generation could only look around them in an objective way, they would probably see those serving in the wings that are capable of taking mission to the next generation. This is such a critical point! Those in power have two options: either keep the power or "empower" those in the wings. Of course we don't have time to cover all the details of "how do you know they are the ones" in this blog, but basically we need to know that it will happen to all of us. Yes, you 20 somethings that are standing in the wings and chomping at the bit, it will happen to you and very quickly too! That is why everyone should make this a part of our training and planning. Absolutely every leader above 50 should be working on a transition plan. That doesn't mean quitting, it means moving to a different mode.

I haven't seen a generation in my lifetime pass the baton without dropping it. In truth, most never pass it. They die and let the chips fall where they may. The next generation gropes around in sunshine and shadows making the same mistakes and learning the same lessons through the school of hard knocks. Much could have been avoided and more progress made if only the baton was passed successfully.

Here's the really hard part: in a relay race the one running passes the baton to the next runner and the first runner stops running. In the generational transfer, the older runner doesn't stop, he passes the baton and allows (empowers) the younger runner to run faster than he and yet there remains this heart connection of continuing to pass on the wisdom of the past to the zeal of the future. It takes supernatural humility to do either. The older will see the new runner taking his race to a new level. He will see him do it with a new style that the older runner never saw and hopefully, at a new record. The younger runner must make the decision to look back to the old for wisdom and direction that only experience can bring. He must seek it out!

Join me in being a new generation who is committed to passing the baton correctly! However, you won't without a plan!