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!

"Kingdom Stuff"

In the last blog I told you about my transition of stepping down from being a pastor to giving myself full time to overseeing churches, ministries and ministers. For the next few blogs I will be sharing some things that speak to that group of leaders. However, hopefully, it will be of interest to all who have a Kingdom mindset.

Part I

Lawsuits in the church

Lawsuits in the church, really? Oh, yeah! It happens, and all too often at that. As leaders, what do we do when two members of a church or the Christian community at large come to an impasse over some issue at hand? First, as always we must lead not out of our heads or even from our hearts but by the Scripture. I Corinthians 6:1 tells us, "Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?2 Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters?" Leaders do need to get involved in the issues of division and especially in a local church or organization. It is like a cancer that will spread if not dealt with quickly. However, it is important that we understand the parameters of our involvement. When we are dealing with personal divisive issues between two individuals or groups in the church we are working within the bounds of love, grace, forgiveness and reconciliation. People involved must be committed to these principles or our "grace efforts" won't work. I believe that, as elders or leaders, after prayer, you should offer what you believe to be the will of the Lord. If you sense that among those involved in the division, there is not a willingness to accept your decision and you see them moving toward legal action, you should move away from the process. It is clear to me that our actions in the church only work within the sphere of Biblical principles. It is a matter of "grace vs.. law". If the people involved move toward "law", you need to withdraw. You have done your part by offering what you believe to be the will of the Lord in line with reconciliation. From the moment that the affected, or I may say "infected" parties reject your counsel and move toward a legal settlement, you should be free to step back, love both parties but not be involved in giving advice as they seek a legal settlement. They have made a decision to move from grace to law. Now they are under a different set of parameters, that of the "world's system". From that point on Christian leaders are taken out of the process because all we have to offer is the Biblical order of things. That means no counsel, no going to court and certainly not siding with either party. As elders and leaders, you must maintain a Biblical posture and not take sides.

In our next few Kingdom Stuff blogs, we will address Generational Leadership Transition.

Technical Difficulties!

Not quite sure how it happened but the blog about Generational Leadership Transition was scheduled to be posted on Oct. 6 but it posted today and out of order at that!!!! SURPRISE!

Anyway, Monday you will receive part one to this new series just for you called, "Kingdom Stuff"! Monday's blog will be on the topic: " Lawsuits in the Church".

Things we have learned.





I just stepped down as Senior Pastor of New Covenant Church of Valdosta, Georgia. I moved there in 1980 with my wife and three small children to pioneer a new work in a funeral home. The Lord has blessed us in such powerful ways that it would be impossible to scratch the surface of all He has done. However, in my last message in that leadership role I shared some thoughts on "things I have learned". I thought I would share those points from 28 years of a church family daily walking it out.








Last Message as Senior Pastor of NCC

“The Things We Have Learned”(excerpts)

I. 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 serving as a model; pattern.” We experienced the Lord molding us into a new paradigm, a new model over 28 years ago. Our new paradigm would primarily be one of ending the concept of simply “having church” and seeking to begin to “be the church”. We wanted “practical Christianity”. If it didn’t “work” in a practical way, it wasn’t any good.
We have always sought to be courageous in embracing new ideas. We want to be “innovators and not imitators”. We have always disliked and sought to avoid “fads”.



II. We have learned the necessity of The Centrality of the Scripture - The Lord led us to make sure we held the Scripture high as our guide and as our plumb line. Experience is a wonderful part of our walk with the Lord, but the Bible must be our final authority.



III. We have leaned the necessity of the Spirit Filled Life – From day one our cry has been the words of the Prophet Zechariah when he said, “'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' Says the LORD of hosts.



IV. We have learned that the ministry of Jesus in one of a “hospital to the hurting”. - We have sought to heal men and women one at a time, lead them to a place of wholeness to the point where they could become a part of the hospital healing team to help and heal others.
People are precious to Jesus and they must be precious to us. People must never be a commodity to help arrogant, self serving men fulfill their ministry vision.



V. We have learned to Embrace Diversity. - God sends special gifts to us with which we assist him in building His Church. All kinds of people and all kinds of talents. The challenge comes in walking out community with diversity in practical ways. The key is flexibility!



VI. We have learned to keep the wineskin flexible. – The wineskin is structure. It speaks of government and methodology. Government has always been very important to NCC, yet, we have always sought to hear fresh words from the Lord and have been willing to change or even admit mistakes and start over in areas when needed.



VI. We have learned to move slowly and especially in recognizing new leadership.
We have learned to try to raise up slowly members of our own family that have paid the price to go through our own “feeder system”. Then, we train and practice “slow release”. Our slower pace has proven to be frustrating for some but for the church as a whole, it has been a very healthy thing.



VII. We have learned the principle of Body Life and Ministry
Real relationship formation among our people is critical. Nowhere is that seen and practiced more fully than in our Home Churches(small groups). This is where people can be trained, ministered to and healed, and all within the atmosphere of family.



VIII. We have learned the importance of Body Ownership - People must feel it’s their church, their ministry. We have tried to make this happen by the “decentralization of the home office”. We have operated as “traffic directors” seeking to turn ministry back to our people rather than having people send the ministry to the church office. Ex. “The Priesthood of the Believer”.



IX. We have learned the concept of the Open Church with loving government. - All families need fathers. Our government seeks to give loving, fatherly oversight. Our leadership wants you to be able to live and minister in an atmosphere of freedom and liberty but still operating within the safety of oversight.



X. We have learned the healthy aspect of “Staying Clear” – Nothing will rob you of present day joy and sabotage your future more than a lack of forgiveness. We seek to practice forgiveness, reconciliation and restoration.



XI. We have learned to be liberal givers.

Storms And Sanity

I was watching a special on the vulnerability of Miami to hurricanes. It unnerved me a bit as I just helped my daughter, son in law and granddaughter get settled there. On this special a "young" man was interviewed who said, "I don't even have insurance on my house". Excuse me, but my thought was, "what an idiot"! Why, because I have seen the devastation of a hurricane. Once this young man sees the effects of a category 4 or, God forbid, 5, he will take a totally different perspective. The storm will bring him to sanity. I live 100 miles from the Gulf of Mexico and 100 miles from the Atlantic. I live in a rural area surrounded by a forest and on the edge of a beautiful little lake. I had thought of getting a generator before but then I thought, "why should I spend the money, I'm too far away from the ocean to affect me". Then, 2005 came. I had back to back storms that took out 3 or 4 giant oak trees in my yard that barely missed my house. I was without power for 4 days in one storm and 2 days in another. In the country, when you are without power, you are without everything. No lights, no water and no flushing! I bought a generator. The storm brought me to sanity. I was willing to pay the price.



My son Shane sent me an article by a business leader entitled, "Does integrity pay"? The question that business leaders were debating was brought on by the bottom line. In truth, the storm of our current financial woes have brought them to a place of sanity in saying that yes, integrity does pay. Please understand that when men are swimming in money and prosperity is easy to get, these kinds of questions are rare in the business world. In those times the prevailing thought is that "the end justifies the means". Whatever it takes! No so today. Business leaders, politicians and even clergymen are asking tough questions like, "what does it take to keep us from failing"? Are there certain fundamental principles that we have compromised, like prosperity, that has led to our present situation?



These are good times. These times of stormy and uncertain futures make us all stop and take inventory and hopefully regain our sanity.

It's not about me...REALLY?
I was born as the first child in my family. I was the first grandchild on one side and the first male grandchild on the other side. That's a formula for being very self centered! Oh, believe me, I was disciplined. I was paddled at school and "whipped" at home. Yet, I had already realized that I was "special". No beating could stop the flow of thoughts that said, "you can send roadblocks, but you can't stop me because I have a destiny. I'm not like the rest of you. I dared not say what I was thinking deep within my heart because it seemed so prideful. However, in the deepest recesses of my meditation, I knew I was better than most! It was fed along the way. Grandmother Joiner was my greatest fan. I could do no wrong. I remember Mrs. Minchew in elementary school telling a crowd in my presence while she was directing a play, "give L. A. the part, he'll do anything"! Man, healing, affirmation and personal ignition at the same time.
Now, I know what you are thinking, that's what everyone needs. Everyone needs to have that kind of confidence and self esteem. It sounds good, but while it does reflect qualities of potential leadership, it also speaks of raw material that must be broken and reshaped if God can every truly use it for His purposes. You see that is the kind of thinking that caused men like King Saul to bypass the instructions of the Lord because he was sure that he not only had a better idea, but once God saw how good his plan was, the Lord would surely reward him for his initiative. You see, within that thinking is the powerful deception that it really is about me. It's not!
When Moses died and God was about to take Israel into the promised land through the leadership of Joshua, the Lord required a new circumcision for a new generation. It was a season of "firsts". No more manna, a new method of following God, a new leadership team, a new test of fatih and a new generation. Joshua was a new leader but he had witnessed the old and he had risen from the ashes of the old to be the new leader for a new day. He must be pretty special. Then reality came. Right at that moment a figure appears from nowhere that wasn't a part of the familiar mix. Joshua speaks to the man and says, ""Are You for us or for our adversaries?" Listen carefully to the heart of this message. Joshua only saw two possibilities. He saw that the entire world circled around "us and and our adversaries". It's all about me, my plans and the obstacles to those plans. I'm working for God and I will not be stopped. I will build this church, this ministry, this business and when I'm finished, I will give God all the Glory! What rubbish! What self centeredness! What blindness! The answer came back fast and clear, "NO"! He wasn't about either "you or them". ""No, but as Commander of the army of the LORD I have now come." And Joshua fell on his face to the earth and worshiped, and said to Him, "What does my Lord say to His servant?"
Maybe today you find yourself worn out from the battle. Maybe you are even blinded by the bitterness toward all the opposition. Maybe there is even a hint of anger toward God for not helping you more in your endeavor. Maybe, just maybe, it's time to see clearly that it's not about you nor them. Really, it's not about you! It's about Him and His Kingdom. Why don't we pause now, fall on our faces and worship? Then and only then are we able to ask with hearing ears, "what does my Lord say to His servant"?