Success
Success is defined as "the accomplishment of an aim or purpose." As followers of Jesus we must ask ourself, "whose aim or purpose" are we committed to seeing fulfilled? It seems to me that the journey may be more important to God than the destination. It was certainly important during the Exodus. During that 40 year period, how a generation handled the journey actually kept them from entering their goal, the Promised Land. Along those lines, I have always been troubled by the verse that said, "And He gave them their request, But sent leanness into their soul." (Psa. 106:15) This reveals that God will allow us to insist on having our way until He allows us to go that way. No man ever gets to the point to where he is 20/20 on knowing the full purpose and plan of God. We must all remain open and pliable to being adjusted along the journey. What could make a humble disciple become inflexible along the way? A belief that they have it all together and that they know the full purpose of the Lord. Then, when we are successful doing a thing once we now believe we know how to do it and we can now mass produce what we have accomplished. This is not a formula of success, it is a formula for disaster. God has designed us to live in such an intimate place of fellowship with Him that our direction, even our next step will come out of fellowship with Him. Maturity does not mean that we have arrived at a place where we work in our own strength and wisdom and give God the glory for what "we do for Him." He is not interested!
King David, unlike Saul, is our example of continued desperation in the middle of success. David even in his success on the battlefield continued to seek the Lord for each detail regarding the next endeavor. May we become and remain so wise. It is interesting that the longer we walk with the Lord the more dependent we become. However, there is a place somewhere in the middle between a novice and a sage that seems to be the most dangerous place. It is the place of success, the sweet spot of a career when it all seems easy. That may be the most dangerous place of all. Jesus said, "blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of God". May we choose to be poor in spirit and remain in that posture all the days of our lives, regardless of the appearance of success.
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Monday, April 15, 2013
Where Are You?
I was riding by the Sound near the Gulf of Mexico and I saw this nice sail boat listing to starboard and aground. It could be that it was run aground accidentally, or maybe it was sailed into water that seemed deep enough only to learn it wasn't when the tide went out. (Several great sermons in that last sentence!) Regardless, it was a bad decision based on poor planning. Three of my favorite leadership questions are: 1. Where have we been?, 2. Where are we?, and 3. Where are we going? The three questions require a lot of courage. Too many leaders don't ask them enough because they don't want to face the scrutiny of their directional leadership. If the answers are, "We are where we were and we are going where we are", then that raises concerns. Any organization without a forward moving plan is "dead in the water".
Checking where we have been is always a good thing. We can evaluate the effectiveness of the past and learn from the good and bad of that which is behind us. Those lessons can help us evaluate where we are, what got us here and again, the effectiveness of the now. We can only plan for the future by knowing where we are. Where we are would involve taking inventory. We need to see what we are doing(success and failures), what are our resources and begin to work with those tools. From there we can now make a better plan for our future. A part of moving toward a successful future is correcting the mistakes and/or weaknesses of the present. As a leader your most valuable resources are your people around you in leadership. I recommend spending a "think tank" meeting at least twice a year and ask these three questions, giving plenty of time to discuss each one in the group. Then, apply what comes out of that creative meeting. Keep notes and review what was said in your next such meeting.
I am confident you will see great benefits from applying these simply questions.
I was riding by the Sound near the Gulf of Mexico and I saw this nice sail boat listing to starboard and aground. It could be that it was run aground accidentally, or maybe it was sailed into water that seemed deep enough only to learn it wasn't when the tide went out. (Several great sermons in that last sentence!) Regardless, it was a bad decision based on poor planning. Three of my favorite leadership questions are: 1. Where have we been?, 2. Where are we?, and 3. Where are we going? The three questions require a lot of courage. Too many leaders don't ask them enough because they don't want to face the scrutiny of their directional leadership. If the answers are, "We are where we were and we are going where we are", then that raises concerns. Any organization without a forward moving plan is "dead in the water".
Checking where we have been is always a good thing. We can evaluate the effectiveness of the past and learn from the good and bad of that which is behind us. Those lessons can help us evaluate where we are, what got us here and again, the effectiveness of the now. We can only plan for the future by knowing where we are. Where we are would involve taking inventory. We need to see what we are doing(success and failures), what are our resources and begin to work with those tools. From there we can now make a better plan for our future. A part of moving toward a successful future is correcting the mistakes and/or weaknesses of the present. As a leader your most valuable resources are your people around you in leadership. I recommend spending a "think tank" meeting at least twice a year and ask these three questions, giving plenty of time to discuss each one in the group. Then, apply what comes out of that creative meeting. Keep notes and review what was said in your next such meeting.
I am confident you will see great benefits from applying these simply questions.
Monday, April 8, 2013
"I Could Never Do That!"
I hate the statement, "I could never do that!" When I hear it I often say, "we can do whatever we must." History records many remarkable things happening when ordinary people made the effort to try. On the contrary, if a person has a mindset of " I could never do that", the battle is lost before it is begun. I remember when I first thought about this. About 12 years ago I had eye surgery to correct my vision and gave permission to the surgeon to make my vision mono vision. That means that one eye is for reading the other is for distance. When people heard about this they would say, "I tried that with contact lenses and I couldn't do it." I remember there was a 3-4 week adjustment and then my vision became crystal clear without glasses! I had to pay a small price of aggravation for a few weeks to enjoy 12 years of trouble free vision after.
I think of double amputees running a marathon. I think of artists who become paralyzed from the neck down who learn to paint with their teeth. What do they all have in common? The all came to a place of:
1. Acceptance of the challenge.
They had to accept the reality of their situation and the challenge before them. I remember when my daughter fell from a balcony over 4 years ago and was left paraplegic. I watched her face streaming with tears the first morning after the surgery when she realized the reality of her limitations. The very next day she attacked the challenge with strength. She has never stopped.
2. Courage to do more than is expected.
When my daughter was considering options for rehab she rejected centers where the emphasis was placed upon learning to live with your disability. She chose rather, "Project Walk" in California where the goal was obviously, "walking". I know some would say, "accept your condition and embrace it". I know there is a place for that too but there must be this drive that says, "I know I can accomplish more than is expected.
3. A stamina and commitment to never stop.
I can't imagine the pain and difficulty involved in learning to stand, much less running on prosthesis legs. Yet, there are many doing it as you read this blog. However, there is one thing that none of these heroes possess. There is one luxury none of them can afford. None of them ever allow the thought to linger, "I could never do that!"
I hate the statement, "I could never do that!" When I hear it I often say, "we can do whatever we must." History records many remarkable things happening when ordinary people made the effort to try. On the contrary, if a person has a mindset of " I could never do that", the battle is lost before it is begun. I remember when I first thought about this. About 12 years ago I had eye surgery to correct my vision and gave permission to the surgeon to make my vision mono vision. That means that one eye is for reading the other is for distance. When people heard about this they would say, "I tried that with contact lenses and I couldn't do it." I remember there was a 3-4 week adjustment and then my vision became crystal clear without glasses! I had to pay a small price of aggravation for a few weeks to enjoy 12 years of trouble free vision after.
I think of double amputees running a marathon. I think of artists who become paralyzed from the neck down who learn to paint with their teeth. What do they all have in common? The all came to a place of:
1. Acceptance of the challenge.
They had to accept the reality of their situation and the challenge before them. I remember when my daughter fell from a balcony over 4 years ago and was left paraplegic. I watched her face streaming with tears the first morning after the surgery when she realized the reality of her limitations. The very next day she attacked the challenge with strength. She has never stopped.
2. Courage to do more than is expected.
When my daughter was considering options for rehab she rejected centers where the emphasis was placed upon learning to live with your disability. She chose rather, "Project Walk" in California where the goal was obviously, "walking". I know some would say, "accept your condition and embrace it". I know there is a place for that too but there must be this drive that says, "I know I can accomplish more than is expected.
3. A stamina and commitment to never stop.
I can't imagine the pain and difficulty involved in learning to stand, much less running on prosthesis legs. Yet, there are many doing it as you read this blog. However, there is one thing that none of these heroes possess. There is one luxury none of them can afford. None of them ever allow the thought to linger, "I could never do that!"
Monday, April 1, 2013
Noncompliant God
Many years ago I heard a preacher say that the Gospel message had become man centered. He went on to explain that man had become the center of the universe and God was in orbit around him providing for his every wish. As I write this today, it seems that is the more the case in this day than when it was first spoken. When you go back and read writings of many of the preachers and theologians from 100+ years ago you see a very different perspective of God and His nature. Of course, He was a God of love, mercy, redemption and grace. Yet, it was clear that man's role was to love, enjoy and serve God. As man lived in "right" relationship with God and lived within the protective boundaries of God's Truth, he would be blessed and live a life of purpose and fulfillment. But, if man lived outside the parameters of Truth, no such protection and purpose would be enjoyed.
It seems that at the root of this move away from a Biblical view of God and man is a perversion of the nature, personality and Holiness of God. Man today seems to see God through human understanding only. As a young man I might hear an unbeliever or a novice Christian say, "why would a loving God allow suffering in the world?" Yet, it would be a very rare thing to hear a true disciple of Jesus ask such a question. Why? Because they had a real, living relationship with Him and an ongoing knowledge of the entire Bible. Today it is common place to hear Christians say such things and also make statements about their faith and doctrine as, "I know God would never do this or that because he is a loving God." If you press their belief they will simply say, "I don't believe God would do that!" Their belief is in their perspective based on what they would like God to be and do, not necessarily the Scripture. One of the worst cases of this was a few years ago when a man made an appointment to share some "new revelation" with me from the Bible. He was reading in the book of Revelation and saw Jesus was holding a bow. He said, "this bothered me that Jesus would be holding an instrument of war, a bow, so I realized that it was a bow tie as he was dressed up coming to meet his Bride!" It was all I could do not to laugh in his face! How could he arrive at such a conclusion? First, because he was not reading a regular diet of the Scripture. He was picking and choosing what he wanted to read and listening to teachers saying what he wanted to hear. Secondly, he formed an opinion of who and what he wanted God to be and then proceeded to interpret Scripture based upon that man made image. God is not nor will He become the god we want him to be. HE IS WHO HE IS! God is not a compliant God! We must read the Scripture, Old and New Testament regularly with an open mind and heart and let the Bible tell us what we should believe. We cannot open the Bible with preconceived doctrine and try to find verses to confirm our vision. We may find those verses but they will usually be out of context.
Let us remove ourselves from the altar of our lives and ask Jesus to come and sit in that sacred place. Then, in a place of worship may we serve Him with joy!
Many years ago I heard a preacher say that the Gospel message had become man centered. He went on to explain that man had become the center of the universe and God was in orbit around him providing for his every wish. As I write this today, it seems that is the more the case in this day than when it was first spoken. When you go back and read writings of many of the preachers and theologians from 100+ years ago you see a very different perspective of God and His nature. Of course, He was a God of love, mercy, redemption and grace. Yet, it was clear that man's role was to love, enjoy and serve God. As man lived in "right" relationship with God and lived within the protective boundaries of God's Truth, he would be blessed and live a life of purpose and fulfillment. But, if man lived outside the parameters of Truth, no such protection and purpose would be enjoyed.
It seems that at the root of this move away from a Biblical view of God and man is a perversion of the nature, personality and Holiness of God. Man today seems to see God through human understanding only. As a young man I might hear an unbeliever or a novice Christian say, "why would a loving God allow suffering in the world?" Yet, it would be a very rare thing to hear a true disciple of Jesus ask such a question. Why? Because they had a real, living relationship with Him and an ongoing knowledge of the entire Bible. Today it is common place to hear Christians say such things and also make statements about their faith and doctrine as, "I know God would never do this or that because he is a loving God." If you press their belief they will simply say, "I don't believe God would do that!" Their belief is in their perspective based on what they would like God to be and do, not necessarily the Scripture. One of the worst cases of this was a few years ago when a man made an appointment to share some "new revelation" with me from the Bible. He was reading in the book of Revelation and saw Jesus was holding a bow. He said, "this bothered me that Jesus would be holding an instrument of war, a bow, so I realized that it was a bow tie as he was dressed up coming to meet his Bride!" It was all I could do not to laugh in his face! How could he arrive at such a conclusion? First, because he was not reading a regular diet of the Scripture. He was picking and choosing what he wanted to read and listening to teachers saying what he wanted to hear. Secondly, he formed an opinion of who and what he wanted God to be and then proceeded to interpret Scripture based upon that man made image. God is not nor will He become the god we want him to be. HE IS WHO HE IS! God is not a compliant God! We must read the Scripture, Old and New Testament regularly with an open mind and heart and let the Bible tell us what we should believe. We cannot open the Bible with preconceived doctrine and try to find verses to confirm our vision. We may find those verses but they will usually be out of context.
Let us remove ourselves from the altar of our lives and ask Jesus to come and sit in that sacred place. Then, in a place of worship may we serve Him with joy!
Monday, March 25, 2013
God’s
Requirements of Leaders
At the end of a service a lady walked up to me and
said, “if you don’t give these people what they want, they will leave you and go
to a church where they can get it.” No,
I’m not making that up! What a terrible pressure
is placed upon leaders to be and do that which pleases people. In the verses
below the Lord tells Israel that when they arrive in the Promised Lane they
will want a King like other nations and he gives them guidelines they must look
for in a leader. Let’s look at God’s
requirements for leaders.
Deuteronomy
17:14-20
14 "When you come to the land which the Lord your God is
giving you, and possess it and dwell in it, and say, 'I will set a king over me
like all the nations that are around me,' 15 you shall surely set a king
over you whom the Lord your God chooses; one from among your brethren you shall
set as king over you; you may not set a foreigner over you, who is not your
brother. 16 But he shall not multiply horses for himself, nor cause the
people to return to Egypt to multiply horses, for the Lord has said to you,
'You shall not return that way again.' 17 Neither shall he multiply
wives for himself, lest his heart turn away; nor shall he greatly multiply
silver and gold for himself. 18 "Also it shall be, when he sits on
the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write for himself a copy of this law
in a book, from the one before the priests, the Levites. 19 And it shall
be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn
to fear the Lord his God and be careful to observe all the words of this law
and these statutes, 20 that his heart may not be lifted above his
brethren, that he may not turn aside from the commandment to the right hand or
to the left, and that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his
children in the midst of Israel.
I. They must be God’s choice.
We can’t make our leaders the ones we want necessarily, but the one God
has chosen. You may set them in but they must be one “whom the Lord your God chooses.”(V. 14-15)
II. One from among you.
It is better if they are not a stranger or one not of our customs and
culture. Of course there are exceptions in our day I’m sure, but this was
important to God.(V15) Compatibility is very important.
III. Must not exalt himself above the people. He can’t use his position to accumulate wealth
at the expense of the people.
We could say, he must not see the
people as a commodity. He is truly a
servant to the people set there by God. (V.
16-17)
IV. They must fear God and live and rule according to the Word
of God.(V.18-19)
V. They must walk in true humility and obedience. (V.20)This will prolong your days in
leadership.
Monday, March 18, 2013
No Partiality
Anyone who is asked if they live and lead without partiality would say, "certainly". Yet, it is a great temptation to show favoritism to some over others. Both the Old and New Testaments are filled with warnings about showing favoritism. It seems to be a very detestable thing to the Lord. This is especially true for leaders because our position of leadership is symbolic of the position of the Lord in many ways. Lev. 19:15 tells us, "Do not twist justice in legal matters by favoring the poor or being partial to the rich and powerful. Always judge people fairly."(NLT) From this verse we can see that favoritism toward either the rich or the poor is wrong. Again in 2 Chron. 19:7 we read," Fear the Lord and judge with integrity, for the Lord our God does not tolerate perverted justice, partiality, or taking bribes." There are many ways a bribe may be offered and we must be very careful not to allow special favors in our direction to influence us to prefer one person over another. In the Kingdom of God we must treat everyone fairly. Integrity is major part of our doorway of trust into the lives of people. Maintaining our integrity is in large part protected by our impartiality.
Friendship is something we all need. However, leaders must be careful to keep friendship at a distance from our leadership role and responsibilities. We must be careful to maintain confidentiality and to create around us an atmosphere of safety. Impartiality is a big part of that atmosphere. Let us allow this to cause us to be more aware of the temptation to partiality and to live in the balance of the scales of Godly justice.
Anyone who is asked if they live and lead without partiality would say, "certainly". Yet, it is a great temptation to show favoritism to some over others. Both the Old and New Testaments are filled with warnings about showing favoritism. It seems to be a very detestable thing to the Lord. This is especially true for leaders because our position of leadership is symbolic of the position of the Lord in many ways. Lev. 19:15 tells us, "Do not twist justice in legal matters by favoring the poor or being partial to the rich and powerful. Always judge people fairly."(NLT) From this verse we can see that favoritism toward either the rich or the poor is wrong. Again in 2 Chron. 19:7 we read," Fear the Lord and judge with integrity, for the Lord our God does not tolerate perverted justice, partiality, or taking bribes." There are many ways a bribe may be offered and we must be very careful not to allow special favors in our direction to influence us to prefer one person over another. In the Kingdom of God we must treat everyone fairly. Integrity is major part of our doorway of trust into the lives of people. Maintaining our integrity is in large part protected by our impartiality.
Friendship is something we all need. However, leaders must be careful to keep friendship at a distance from our leadership role and responsibilities. We must be careful to maintain confidentiality and to create around us an atmosphere of safety. Impartiality is a big part of that atmosphere. Let us allow this to cause us to be more aware of the temptation to partiality and to live in the balance of the scales of Godly justice.
Monday, March 11, 2013
Wholehearted Obedience
Numbers 32:11‘Of all those I rescued from Egypt, no one who is twenty years old or older will ever see the land I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, for they have not obeyed me wholeheartedly. 12The only exceptions are Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun, for they have wholeheartedly followed the Lord.’ NLT
It is an easy thing to know God's will and then because it seems so difficult, to begin to reason within ourself and stop short of what these verses call obeying "wholeheartedly". A part of the definition of this word is "to take a hand full or to have wholly". The Lord wants all of us in order to get us to a place where He can expect us to give Him our all. Partial obedience is disobedience! The Scripture is filled with examples of partial obedience and the resulting fruit is loss or defeat. We must continue to remind ourself that God is a God of faith and obedience. We actually prove our faith by our obedience and not by our sermons or talk. As a matter of fact, it is a very dangerous thing to say we are committed to a certain level and then stop short of fulfilling that verbal vow. (Acts 5:1-10) The least of our loss is the loss in that particular area of involvement. From the moment that we back away from a level of commitment that the Lord has called us to make, from that moment our lives begin to disintegrate. We are a covenant of faith people serving a covenant keeping God. To put it in math terms, 2+2=4. In the realm of partial obedience, 2+2=0. There is always a loss when we take a way out that is less than required by God. However, when we obey God wholeheartedly, 2+2=8 or more. There is a multiplication of blessing that comes upon those who obey the Lord without reservation.
Let's examine our lives today and ask Him if there are any areas where we have taken the easy way out. The easy way always says to God, "I don't trust you to bring me through this situation and therefore I must try to fix it myself." If you have compromised your obedience, pause now and ask for forgiveness and get back on track to Wholehearted Obedience!
Numbers 32:11‘Of all those I rescued from Egypt, no one who is twenty years old or older will ever see the land I swore to give to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, for they have not obeyed me wholeheartedly. 12The only exceptions are Caleb son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite and Joshua son of Nun, for they have wholeheartedly followed the Lord.’ NLT
It is an easy thing to know God's will and then because it seems so difficult, to begin to reason within ourself and stop short of what these verses call obeying "wholeheartedly". A part of the definition of this word is "to take a hand full or to have wholly". The Lord wants all of us in order to get us to a place where He can expect us to give Him our all. Partial obedience is disobedience! The Scripture is filled with examples of partial obedience and the resulting fruit is loss or defeat. We must continue to remind ourself that God is a God of faith and obedience. We actually prove our faith by our obedience and not by our sermons or talk. As a matter of fact, it is a very dangerous thing to say we are committed to a certain level and then stop short of fulfilling that verbal vow. (Acts 5:1-10) The least of our loss is the loss in that particular area of involvement. From the moment that we back away from a level of commitment that the Lord has called us to make, from that moment our lives begin to disintegrate. We are a covenant of faith people serving a covenant keeping God. To put it in math terms, 2+2=4. In the realm of partial obedience, 2+2=0. There is always a loss when we take a way out that is less than required by God. However, when we obey God wholeheartedly, 2+2=8 or more. There is a multiplication of blessing that comes upon those who obey the Lord without reservation.
Let's examine our lives today and ask Him if there are any areas where we have taken the easy way out. The easy way always says to God, "I don't trust you to bring me through this situation and therefore I must try to fix it myself." If you have compromised your obedience, pause now and ask for forgiveness and get back on track to Wholehearted Obedience!
Monday, March 4, 2013
Improving Communication Skills
There are many aspects of preaching and teaching skills that can enhance our call to better communicate the Message of the Kingdom of God. Certainly the primary element in this regard is the precious anointing of the Holy Spirit. The anointing is like the wind in that, you cannot see it, but you see the effects of it and you know when it is absent. There are also other more natural things that are important to growing in our speaking abilities. Here are a few:
1. Don't compare yourself to anyone else.
You are most used by God when you are most you! David couldn't wear King Saul's armor and elected to take it off and face the giant, "comfortable in his own skin".
2. Differing Styles
Your speaking style should be an extension of your natural personality. You can learn from others but don't try to be others. Don't seek to change your style so much as you seek to make your style more effective.
3. Spontaneity
Being able to be fluid and natural puts an audience at ease with your presentation. If you are uncomfortable, the audience will be as well. Being relaxed also makes it easier for you to read your audience and be able to make adjustments in your presentation to reach your audience more effectively. Better preparation makes you more familiar with your teaching material and that familiarity makes it easier to be more spontaneous.
4. Notes and Outlines
Let your notes be your friend but don't be married to them. The location and culture of an audience changes from day to day. What worked in Atlanta won't necessarily work in Boston. You have to be able to remain in contact with your senses and the Holy Spirit at all times while speaking, in order to adjust to make your point. Jesus was a master at connecting with his audience.
5. "Closing the deal"
Every time you speak you are "selling" something. It might be a need for a greater devotional life. It might be a call to greater faith, a stronger marriage or an effort to raise finances for an upcoming project. You need to bring people to a place of "taking responsibility and ownership".
1. Don't compare yourself to anyone else.
You are most used by God when you are most you! David couldn't wear King Saul's armor and elected to take it off and face the giant, "comfortable in his own skin".
2. Differing Styles
Your speaking style should be an extension of your natural personality. You can learn from others but don't try to be others. Don't seek to change your style so much as you seek to make your style more effective.
3. Spontaneity
Being able to be fluid and natural puts an audience at ease with your presentation. If you are uncomfortable, the audience will be as well. Being relaxed also makes it easier for you to read your audience and be able to make adjustments in your presentation to reach your audience more effectively. Better preparation makes you more familiar with your teaching material and that familiarity makes it easier to be more spontaneous.
4. Notes and Outlines
Let your notes be your friend but don't be married to them. The location and culture of an audience changes from day to day. What worked in Atlanta won't necessarily work in Boston. You have to be able to remain in contact with your senses and the Holy Spirit at all times while speaking, in order to adjust to make your point. Jesus was a master at connecting with his audience.
5. "Closing the deal"
Every time you speak you are "selling" something. It might be a need for a greater devotional life. It might be a call to greater faith, a stronger marriage or an effort to raise finances for an upcoming project. You need to bring people to a place of "taking responsibility and ownership".
Monday, February 25, 2013
Riding Out The Storm
In a marriage things can start out in this beautiful sunshine of love and honor only to end up in a violent storm of anger and bitterness. I am speaking in generalities here but most of the time a marriage has a time of conflict 24-36 months into the marriage. Marriages that don't have this conflict have either learned to deal with confrontation in a healthy loving way or one of the marriage partners has simply suppressed their opinions and feelings and yielded to their mate. Unfortunately, the latter often only delays the conflict by "kicking the can down the road". When it does finally surface the problem can be even more dramatic. Why 24-36 months into a marriage? Because it usually takes about this long to discover our differences, to try to handle them as best we can in our natural reasoning and conversation and many times come to a place of helplessness. The is critical mass for a marriage. This marriage is about to either rise from this painful place better than ever or end in disaster. Often this is the time to seek a third party like a pastor or counselor to help us see a hope and plan for the future. Yes, there is always a way out through God. Any marriage can be saved "IF" both parties are willing to allow the Lord to deal with each one, with a common commitment to saving the marriage. The first thing that must be done in such cases is remove divorce as an option. In our current culture divorce is as common in the church as it is in the world. Perhaps this escapism mentality is one of the reasons that people find it so easy to walk away from the convenant community of the church as well.
The rip cord called divorce is much easier to pull today than it was 50 years ago. There is no stigma attached to it these days. We just add the phrase "irreconcilable differences" and away we go. However, for the Christian, who has taken a vow before God and entered a Covenant, it shouldn't be so easy. Let me say at this point, I know there are times when there are innocent parties and divorce was forced upon some. I don't cast stones in those cases nor am I speaking of those situations. However, far too many pull the rip cord far too soon. I can't tell you the number people when I asked, "did you do everything in your power to save your marriage", who told me, "not really!" Removing the rip cord as an option improves the possibility of saving a marriage manifold. What a joy it is to watch a marriage in crisis make it through the stormy waters of crisis and arrive at a port much better off than the original day of their wedding. It is possible!
That was a long journey of words to arrive where I am about to take you. The same process is possible in the Church, the covenant community, as well. I have talked to people who have been in 3 or 4 churches in 5-6 years. That is not covenant. It speaks more of a problem in that believer than it does about the churches they left. As in marriage, we need to deal with issues Biblically in our relationships and do all we can, make every effort, at salvaging relationships before we jump ship. If you are struggling with conflict in your church or you know someone who may be at this moment, do all you can to be a peacemaker.
In a marriage things can start out in this beautiful sunshine of love and honor only to end up in a violent storm of anger and bitterness. I am speaking in generalities here but most of the time a marriage has a time of conflict 24-36 months into the marriage. Marriages that don't have this conflict have either learned to deal with confrontation in a healthy loving way or one of the marriage partners has simply suppressed their opinions and feelings and yielded to their mate. Unfortunately, the latter often only delays the conflict by "kicking the can down the road". When it does finally surface the problem can be even more dramatic. Why 24-36 months into a marriage? Because it usually takes about this long to discover our differences, to try to handle them as best we can in our natural reasoning and conversation and many times come to a place of helplessness. The is critical mass for a marriage. This marriage is about to either rise from this painful place better than ever or end in disaster. Often this is the time to seek a third party like a pastor or counselor to help us see a hope and plan for the future. Yes, there is always a way out through God. Any marriage can be saved "IF" both parties are willing to allow the Lord to deal with each one, with a common commitment to saving the marriage. The first thing that must be done in such cases is remove divorce as an option. In our current culture divorce is as common in the church as it is in the world. Perhaps this escapism mentality is one of the reasons that people find it so easy to walk away from the convenant community of the church as well.
The rip cord called divorce is much easier to pull today than it was 50 years ago. There is no stigma attached to it these days. We just add the phrase "irreconcilable differences" and away we go. However, for the Christian, who has taken a vow before God and entered a Covenant, it shouldn't be so easy. Let me say at this point, I know there are times when there are innocent parties and divorce was forced upon some. I don't cast stones in those cases nor am I speaking of those situations. However, far too many pull the rip cord far too soon. I can't tell you the number people when I asked, "did you do everything in your power to save your marriage", who told me, "not really!" Removing the rip cord as an option improves the possibility of saving a marriage manifold. What a joy it is to watch a marriage in crisis make it through the stormy waters of crisis and arrive at a port much better off than the original day of their wedding. It is possible!
That was a long journey of words to arrive where I am about to take you. The same process is possible in the Church, the covenant community, as well. I have talked to people who have been in 3 or 4 churches in 5-6 years. That is not covenant. It speaks more of a problem in that believer than it does about the churches they left. As in marriage, we need to deal with issues Biblically in our relationships and do all we can, make every effort, at salvaging relationships before we jump ship. If you are struggling with conflict in your church or you know someone who may be at this moment, do all you can to be a peacemaker.
Monday, February 18, 2013
Insulation - Part 2
In Search of the Gold!
Last week I addressed the inclination toward "insulation and isolation" as a believer. The Church of the Lord Jesus is a wonderful family of believers. As good as it is, it is still very much a family. Like all families there are varying dynamics occurring within the family that is only seen and experienced "inside" the family. In natural families we are shocked at times to learn that families that appeared from the outside looking in, to be a model, perfect family, were dysfunctional. Working with families in the church world I have come to the conclusion that all families are "dysfunctional"! You might say, "wait a minute, my family isn't!" One of the definitions of dysfunctional is: "not performing as expected". I can tell you that on any given day, the most loving and committed families would be considered dysfunctional. If we are truly honest all of us have had moments when we are glad our families lives weren't shown on a Reality Show! Confrontation is a normal part of relationship. Actually, confrontation is a part of health and growth. The key is learning how to process confrontation, how to navigate the waters of confrontation and come out better and not bitter. Every family has confrontation. It happens in the home AND in the Church.
In the Church we must learn that this confrontation often deals with idiosyncrasies. Idiosyncrasy is described as peculiar or odd. Of course they are peculiar or odd to the one who sees things from a differing point of view or perspective. Maturity is coming to a place of allowing others and possibly even celebrating another person's "idiosyncrasy". Some of the most brilliant minds in history were very odd people compared to their peers. Yet, we are very glad that some around them didn't drive them away. All of us now enjoy many of their contributions. We must learn to have confrontation without conflict.
As leaders, one of the most critical aspects of Body Life within the Church is to get past confrontation and especially past conflict. We must never allow past conflict to cripple us from dealing with future confrontation. Again, confrontation is a healthy part of a developing family at home and in the Church. Healthy confrontation is like mining out a gold nugget from a wall of mud and mire. You will get dirty in the process. It takes a lot of work but understanding that we are working to the end of finding and enjoying the gold makes it a lot easier.
In Search of the Gold!
Last week I addressed the inclination toward "insulation and isolation" as a believer. The Church of the Lord Jesus is a wonderful family of believers. As good as it is, it is still very much a family. Like all families there are varying dynamics occurring within the family that is only seen and experienced "inside" the family. In natural families we are shocked at times to learn that families that appeared from the outside looking in, to be a model, perfect family, were dysfunctional. Working with families in the church world I have come to the conclusion that all families are "dysfunctional"! You might say, "wait a minute, my family isn't!" One of the definitions of dysfunctional is: "not performing as expected". I can tell you that on any given day, the most loving and committed families would be considered dysfunctional. If we are truly honest all of us have had moments when we are glad our families lives weren't shown on a Reality Show! Confrontation is a normal part of relationship. Actually, confrontation is a part of health and growth. The key is learning how to process confrontation, how to navigate the waters of confrontation and come out better and not bitter. Every family has confrontation. It happens in the home AND in the Church.
In the Church we must learn that this confrontation often deals with idiosyncrasies. Idiosyncrasy is described as peculiar or odd. Of course they are peculiar or odd to the one who sees things from a differing point of view or perspective. Maturity is coming to a place of allowing others and possibly even celebrating another person's "idiosyncrasy". Some of the most brilliant minds in history were very odd people compared to their peers. Yet, we are very glad that some around them didn't drive them away. All of us now enjoy many of their contributions. We must learn to have confrontation without conflict.
As leaders, one of the most critical aspects of Body Life within the Church is to get past confrontation and especially past conflict. We must never allow past conflict to cripple us from dealing with future confrontation. Again, confrontation is a healthy part of a developing family at home and in the Church. Healthy confrontation is like mining out a gold nugget from a wall of mud and mire. You will get dirty in the process. It takes a lot of work but understanding that we are working to the end of finding and enjoying the gold makes it a lot easier.
Monday, February 11, 2013
Insulation
Many years ago I went to the Navy's basic and advanced electricity school as part of my training to be a radar man. In working in electricity you have to remove the insulation from a wire before it can be connected to conduct electricity or power from the power source. Insulation keeps the connection from happening. Of course the purpose of insulation is two fold. First it keeps anything except the connection point from receiving the power and diverting the flow and it keeps folks from getting electrocuted! In the Church world there has to be "connectivity" in order for the life of God to be demonstrated. When it comes to relationships the insulation is not a plastic or rubber covering as on wire. Human insulation is caused by repeated exposure to relational elements that caused a residue buildup thus hindering the flow of power. I hope you got that! Simply put, people get tired of the work and hurt of relationships and subconsciously develop an emotional insulation. This doesn't happen quickly or after an incident or two. However, years of traumatic experiences lead a person to "insulate and isolate". Recently my lawn tractor wouldn't start. I thought, "that battery isn't that old". A closer observation found that my battery connection cable had developed a clear coating that stopped the power flow. Solution? I simply took a tool, scraped the coating away exposing the bare metal and presto, it started!
Are you feeling any conviction yet? :) I didn't get this out of a book! I'm an offender in this department. However, the good news is that there is life after cynicism! Jesus is the only one who can sand away the shellac from your heart and get you reconnected so the power can flow in you and through you! Yes, it is a little painful but surgery is painful. Yet, there are times when surgery is just what the DOCTOR ordered!
Many years ago I went to the Navy's basic and advanced electricity school as part of my training to be a radar man. In working in electricity you have to remove the insulation from a wire before it can be connected to conduct electricity or power from the power source. Insulation keeps the connection from happening. Of course the purpose of insulation is two fold. First it keeps anything except the connection point from receiving the power and diverting the flow and it keeps folks from getting electrocuted! In the Church world there has to be "connectivity" in order for the life of God to be demonstrated. When it comes to relationships the insulation is not a plastic or rubber covering as on wire. Human insulation is caused by repeated exposure to relational elements that caused a residue buildup thus hindering the flow of power. I hope you got that! Simply put, people get tired of the work and hurt of relationships and subconsciously develop an emotional insulation. This doesn't happen quickly or after an incident or two. However, years of traumatic experiences lead a person to "insulate and isolate". Recently my lawn tractor wouldn't start. I thought, "that battery isn't that old". A closer observation found that my battery connection cable had developed a clear coating that stopped the power flow. Solution? I simply took a tool, scraped the coating away exposing the bare metal and presto, it started!
Are you feeling any conviction yet? :) I didn't get this out of a book! I'm an offender in this department. However, the good news is that there is life after cynicism! Jesus is the only one who can sand away the shellac from your heart and get you reconnected so the power can flow in you and through you! Yes, it is a little painful but surgery is painful. Yet, there are times when surgery is just what the DOCTOR ordered!
Monday, February 4, 2013
Sharing the Work
In my last Blog we discussed the need to move more away from Old Testament patterns of ministry which demonstrated leadership through one powerful leader to a New Testament pattern of TEAM which Jesus began demonstrating at the beginning of His ministry be choosing a team. That group would follow him, learn under him and eventually do the work under his oversight. The Old Testament in not entirely about the "one man show", there are also excellent examples of team ministry. A prime example would be in what would become known as the "Jethro Principle." This concept comes from the time when Moses was spending his days acting as a mediator between the people and as a counselor in daily matters of life. Jethro, Moses' father in law told Moses after observing his daily routine, "the thing you are doing isn't good. You will wear out yourself and the people." Then he gave Moses the counsel to find men that he could set up over groups of people to do this daily task of counseling and caring for the people. Then he told him the harder cases they can still come to you. Listen to the words that gave clear direction to Moses as to where his focus should lie. In Exodus 16:19-20 Jethro tells Moses, "You should continue to be the people’s representative before God, bringing their disputes to him. 20Teach them God’s decrees, and give them his instructions. Show them how to conduct their lives." Moses would still be involved in caring for the flock, living among them and still active in bringing their needs before God (Prayer), teaching God's Word to them and showing them how to live. That sounds a lot like what the apostles said in Acts 6 when deacons were chosen. The apostles said, "we must not leave our duties of the Word of God and Prayer to get involved in the day to day affairs of life."
The lesson to be learned here are obvious, "share the work"! Now, that doesn't mean you share it with just anyone but those you choose and I might add train. Later Moses had problems with the ones he chose but there is a case to be made that the problems stemmed from his choices and a lack of training to get them on the same page as he. Never rush in choosing leaders with whom you may share the load. Haste makes waste! Almost all leadership problems seem to come out of quickly chosen and ill prepared leaders. Certainly even leaders who start out good can go bad beyond our control, none the less nothing is more important in leadership than choosing and training.
Consider taking a John the Baptist posture here as you seek to "decrease so they may increase". The result will be expansion and success! Share the Work!
In my last Blog we discussed the need to move more away from Old Testament patterns of ministry which demonstrated leadership through one powerful leader to a New Testament pattern of TEAM which Jesus began demonstrating at the beginning of His ministry be choosing a team. That group would follow him, learn under him and eventually do the work under his oversight. The Old Testament in not entirely about the "one man show", there are also excellent examples of team ministry. A prime example would be in what would become known as the "Jethro Principle." This concept comes from the time when Moses was spending his days acting as a mediator between the people and as a counselor in daily matters of life. Jethro, Moses' father in law told Moses after observing his daily routine, "the thing you are doing isn't good. You will wear out yourself and the people." Then he gave Moses the counsel to find men that he could set up over groups of people to do this daily task of counseling and caring for the people. Then he told him the harder cases they can still come to you. Listen to the words that gave clear direction to Moses as to where his focus should lie. In Exodus 16:19-20 Jethro tells Moses, "You should continue to be the people’s representative before God, bringing their disputes to him. 20Teach them God’s decrees, and give them his instructions. Show them how to conduct their lives." Moses would still be involved in caring for the flock, living among them and still active in bringing their needs before God (Prayer), teaching God's Word to them and showing them how to live. That sounds a lot like what the apostles said in Acts 6 when deacons were chosen. The apostles said, "we must not leave our duties of the Word of God and Prayer to get involved in the day to day affairs of life."
The lesson to be learned here are obvious, "share the work"! Now, that doesn't mean you share it with just anyone but those you choose and I might add train. Later Moses had problems with the ones he chose but there is a case to be made that the problems stemmed from his choices and a lack of training to get them on the same page as he. Never rush in choosing leaders with whom you may share the load. Haste makes waste! Almost all leadership problems seem to come out of quickly chosen and ill prepared leaders. Certainly even leaders who start out good can go bad beyond our control, none the less nothing is more important in leadership than choosing and training.
Consider taking a John the Baptist posture here as you seek to "decrease so they may increase". The result will be expansion and success! Share the Work!
Monday, January 28, 2013
"If You're Not Serving, You're Not Growing"!
Christianity was never intended to be a spectator sport. The Church was never intended to be a small group of ministry professionals serving a larger group of inactive consumers. Certainly, as recipients of the ascension or five fold ministry gifts, we are called to feed and care for the flock of God but not as it is modeled in many places today. Many leaders and pastors in particular, have grown weary trying to get the members of the congregation to become activated into ministry and they have settled back into a role of entertaining, comforting and putting out fires as they erupt.
There is a clear confusion in much of the Church world over patterns of ministry. Too many still see the Old Testament patterns of Moses, Joshua, Elijah and Elisha as the a picture of "just what they would like to become!" Problem is, it's not a New Testament pattern. Jesus changed all that. The Cross and Pentecost catapulted the real church, the Redeemed Saints bought and commissioned by the Blood of Jesus into a Resurrected Jesus mode. Rather than camping at the foot of a mountain watching our great leader go up the mountain to talk to God, we are now "Jesus heirs"! We are now empowered and sent out to do His work in His Power, with His Presence and this is promised for all who go and SERVE! Yet, most pastors still struggle with "how do I get these folks off dead center and activated to serve? How do we get some momentum going? Well, let's look at Jesus. What did he do? He preached the pattern, he demonstrated the pattern and he led them to practicing the Jesus Work for themselves. When someone leads a person to Jesus, the are changed. When a believer lays hands on one person and sees them healed, they are changed.
As leaders let's get activated more ourselves in doing the work of Jesus and less of the "keeping the nursery work". Then, pick out a disciple or two to take with you when you go. You will never preach people into serving! You must preach it, teach it and do it. We must disciple the disciples in serving. If only 3 will follow, then go with those 3 and in time others will follow. What produces momentum? The activation of the people brings momentum.
Christianity was never intended to be a spectator sport. The Church was never intended to be a small group of ministry professionals serving a larger group of inactive consumers. Certainly, as recipients of the ascension or five fold ministry gifts, we are called to feed and care for the flock of God but not as it is modeled in many places today. Many leaders and pastors in particular, have grown weary trying to get the members of the congregation to become activated into ministry and they have settled back into a role of entertaining, comforting and putting out fires as they erupt.
There is a clear confusion in much of the Church world over patterns of ministry. Too many still see the Old Testament patterns of Moses, Joshua, Elijah and Elisha as the a picture of "just what they would like to become!" Problem is, it's not a New Testament pattern. Jesus changed all that. The Cross and Pentecost catapulted the real church, the Redeemed Saints bought and commissioned by the Blood of Jesus into a Resurrected Jesus mode. Rather than camping at the foot of a mountain watching our great leader go up the mountain to talk to God, we are now "Jesus heirs"! We are now empowered and sent out to do His work in His Power, with His Presence and this is promised for all who go and SERVE! Yet, most pastors still struggle with "how do I get these folks off dead center and activated to serve? How do we get some momentum going? Well, let's look at Jesus. What did he do? He preached the pattern, he demonstrated the pattern and he led them to practicing the Jesus Work for themselves. When someone leads a person to Jesus, the are changed. When a believer lays hands on one person and sees them healed, they are changed.
As leaders let's get activated more ourselves in doing the work of Jesus and less of the "keeping the nursery work". Then, pick out a disciple or two to take with you when you go. You will never preach people into serving! You must preach it, teach it and do it. We must disciple the disciples in serving. If only 3 will follow, then go with those 3 and in time others will follow. What produces momentum? The activation of the people brings momentum.
Monday, January 21, 2013
A Chat With One of the Greatest Generation
Yesterday, I went to Brantley County,
Georgia and spent the entire day visiting all my kin- folks.
After visiting a few relatives, I went to see my Uncle Alvin Shuman and
Aunt Elizabeth. He's 88 and still cutting firewood and selling it!
He's about the toughest man I have ever known. He's not that tall
but a little bull. His hands look like they are two inches thick and all
rough and cracked. He was kicked by a bull two years ago and it fractured
his leg but as soon as the cast was off he was back growing a garden and
cutting wood. He said, "I feel as good as I did at 40! You
gotta keep going!"(I don't think he's ever been off that farm from his
birth except to go fight the war.)
I have never been around him that much. Not sure why. Anyway, he came out and couldn't see very well so he said, "who is
it?" I told him L. A. Joiner and he laughed and said, "come on
in boy!" We chatted awhile and I said, "tell me about the
war". I knew he had been on a tank over there. Most folks that I have talked to were there in combat 6-12 months. Alvin was there and reenlisted and stayed 28 months.
He was a gunner on his tank. He actually rode the tank ashore
coming off an LST (Landing Ship Tank) at Normandy on D-Day! I never knew
that. He fought all the way through the region including the Battle of the
Bulge, considered the fiercest fighting of the war. He sits and talks
about details like it was yesterday. He told me on one day in the
"Bulge" he fired his machine gun over 3,000 rounds and melted down
five barrels, which would become white hot! They would take it out under fire
and put on another barrel. He said, "I was just trying to tear up
somethin!" He said, “even today when I drive my truck down the road I suddenly feel like I'm back there firing that gun again!” He asked a
VA doctor how long before it went away and the doctor said it will never go
away. You were just a boy when that happened and it is indelibly printed
in your psyche. He has a German helmet, an SS Knife, Two pistols including a
Luger that he brought back as spoils of war. I was fascinated as I sat
and listened. He actually marched in the parade at the liberation of
Paris.
Aunt Elizabeth said (right in
front of him), "one person asked me one time how I lived with him?"
She said, "he's steel, you can't bend steel!" (They celebrated
their 65th
anniversary last year.) I was sitting there wishing all my children were
there. Then she said, "the Brantley Co schools ask him to come speak
to the kids every year and tell them about the war. His first year he
took all his “stuff” and the administration said, "you can't take guns and
knives in there and you can't talk about drinking alcohol." He said,
"what you runnin' here, a cloister for Nuns!"
Then he said, "I wasn't saved the whole time I was over there." I said, "it's just the grace and mercy of God that you made it!" He agreed. He came home with ulcerative colitis. He was in torment with pain. My Great Grandmother Brinkley was a Pentecostal. She brought him an anointed prayer cloth. While he wasn't accustomed to this sort of thing, he said, " I pinned it to my under shorts and wore it every day to work."He then said, "that's how I got healed!"
I wanted to share my experience with Uncle Alvin with you. He's just one of thousands who paid the same price and many more with their lives. We owe these tough old warriors our very lives and prosperity. May we train our children and grand children to give honor where honor is due.
Monday, January 14, 2013
When Average Exceeds the Exceptional
Have you ever looked at someone and thought, "what a gifted person?" We all have. One of the problems that goes along with that thinking is an assumption that without the gift you could never accomplish what the gifted person could. Many of the most successful people in history were normal people with a resoluteness and a focus that wouldn't stop. It's really amazing what normal people can do if they won't stop. A prime example is Steve Jobs: born to an unwed mother, he was fostered out. He never finished college. Armed with sheered determination and hard work, and the refusal to bow down to failure, he overcame obstacle after obstacle. History is filled with just such people. Often the really gifted people never live up to their potential. One reason is that things seem to come so easily for them. They never develop a work ethic. There are a host of extraordinarily gifted athletes who never made it to the top because they didn't have to work at it! I work with preachers a lot. In preaching we talk about the qualifications of great preachers. There is certainly gifting. You can't do anything about that. Then there is the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Yet there is another characteristic that is only determined by the dedication of the individual and that is hard work. I'm not saying that hard work in itself can bring the anointing of the Holy Spirit yet I am saying that ongoing, never stopping learning and applying what we learn to our craft is invaluable. I have seen great and gifted preachers get surpassed by average preachers who never quit seeking God and learning how to better communicate.
Regardless of your daily endeavor making yourself a continual learner and applying what you learn will put you ahead of most people. Most people pursue a goal and get only good enough to meet the criteria to get by and then they quit. You may make it on that philosophy but so many people, and especially in this rapidly changing world, are passed by. Often the "exceptional are exceeded by the average." You may learn from a gifted person but if the gifted person doesn't build on their knowledge and skills they will be left behind and probably become obsolete. Fifty years ago that wasn't a certainty but it is today. You can even do it in your spiritual life. The children of Israel had to gather fresh manna each day. Yesterday's manna would get rotten and no longer produce life. Let's press ourselves to a new and higher level. Let's make our goal becoming all that God will allow us to be according to His will and our willingness to continue to pursue wisdom, enlightenment and understanding. We all may have limits to our accomplishments based on gifting but let's not let our limitations be a lack of ongoing learning and application.
Have you ever looked at someone and thought, "what a gifted person?" We all have. One of the problems that goes along with that thinking is an assumption that without the gift you could never accomplish what the gifted person could. Many of the most successful people in history were normal people with a resoluteness and a focus that wouldn't stop. It's really amazing what normal people can do if they won't stop. A prime example is Steve Jobs: born to an unwed mother, he was fostered out. He never finished college. Armed with sheered determination and hard work, and the refusal to bow down to failure, he overcame obstacle after obstacle. History is filled with just such people. Often the really gifted people never live up to their potential. One reason is that things seem to come so easily for them. They never develop a work ethic. There are a host of extraordinarily gifted athletes who never made it to the top because they didn't have to work at it! I work with preachers a lot. In preaching we talk about the qualifications of great preachers. There is certainly gifting. You can't do anything about that. Then there is the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Yet there is another characteristic that is only determined by the dedication of the individual and that is hard work. I'm not saying that hard work in itself can bring the anointing of the Holy Spirit yet I am saying that ongoing, never stopping learning and applying what we learn to our craft is invaluable. I have seen great and gifted preachers get surpassed by average preachers who never quit seeking God and learning how to better communicate.
Regardless of your daily endeavor making yourself a continual learner and applying what you learn will put you ahead of most people. Most people pursue a goal and get only good enough to meet the criteria to get by and then they quit. You may make it on that philosophy but so many people, and especially in this rapidly changing world, are passed by. Often the "exceptional are exceeded by the average." You may learn from a gifted person but if the gifted person doesn't build on their knowledge and skills they will be left behind and probably become obsolete. Fifty years ago that wasn't a certainty but it is today. You can even do it in your spiritual life. The children of Israel had to gather fresh manna each day. Yesterday's manna would get rotten and no longer produce life. Let's press ourselves to a new and higher level. Let's make our goal becoming all that God will allow us to be according to His will and our willingness to continue to pursue wisdom, enlightenment and understanding. We all may have limits to our accomplishments based on gifting but let's not let our limitations be a lack of ongoing learning and application.
Monday, January 7, 2013
Learning From the Moses/Joshua Transition
The period of leadership transition is one of the most dangerous times for any group or organization. Even when everything is done right there are no guarantees for the future. So many variables exists, from the future faithfulness of the new leader to the cooperation of those called to follow the new leadership, success is just not a given. The world is watching that scenario play out right now with Apple and the death of Steve Jobs. However, while there are no certainties, there are things from the successful transition of Moses to Joshua that we can learn.
Most failures in transition seem to involve time. In essence time is rushed. It usually involves a lack of foresight. You would think that any leader or leadership team would continually be looking faithfully into the future because it is the future into which we are called to lead. Yet, most leaders only look into the future so long as it involves them and their part in the future. It is difficult for leaders to see their group or organization going beyond them. If a senior leader cannot see the success of their organization beyond them, they will leave the group ill prepared for the future. The problem is that the thought of some future transition is painful. Therefore, they bury their head in the sand and pretend the inevitable won't happen. It always does in every endeavor. Back to time. Timing is rushed because the senior leader refuses to face the future transition until age, health or burnout forces the issue. Then, far too late, transition must occur. This process is then rushed and mistakes are made. In a perfect world good leaders are selfless and are always building their organization to succeed without them and beyond them. They are preparing others all along the way.
Moses trained Joshua for years. It is difficult when you read the life and ministry of Moses not to see Joshua present. At every turn Joshua was there serving and assisting Moses. When you start reading in Joshua 1 the transition seems so flawless. You might think that if you haven't read the life of Moses first. There are so many examples in Scripture. The reason it was easier for Joshua to face water to be crossed by a miracle of walking through on dry land is because he had seen it before. He had seen every aspect of leadership modeled before him and it was an invaluable asset.
I have made the mistake in the past of keeping talented people landlocked in a particular job too long because they were doing such a good job. If these people turn out to be your successor, you have damaged them and the group. There are ways to allow people to function in a particular area of service while still involving them in the bigger picture. This is critical for their expansion and the future of the group.
If you are a senior leader, take time to lift your head above the fray and always be on the lookout for potential leaders and spend time preparing them by including them in the larger scheme of things. The day will come when you will be glad you did!
The period of leadership transition is one of the most dangerous times for any group or organization. Even when everything is done right there are no guarantees for the future. So many variables exists, from the future faithfulness of the new leader to the cooperation of those called to follow the new leadership, success is just not a given. The world is watching that scenario play out right now with Apple and the death of Steve Jobs. However, while there are no certainties, there are things from the successful transition of Moses to Joshua that we can learn.
Most failures in transition seem to involve time. In essence time is rushed. It usually involves a lack of foresight. You would think that any leader or leadership team would continually be looking faithfully into the future because it is the future into which we are called to lead. Yet, most leaders only look into the future so long as it involves them and their part in the future. It is difficult for leaders to see their group or organization going beyond them. If a senior leader cannot see the success of their organization beyond them, they will leave the group ill prepared for the future. The problem is that the thought of some future transition is painful. Therefore, they bury their head in the sand and pretend the inevitable won't happen. It always does in every endeavor. Back to time. Timing is rushed because the senior leader refuses to face the future transition until age, health or burnout forces the issue. Then, far too late, transition must occur. This process is then rushed and mistakes are made. In a perfect world good leaders are selfless and are always building their organization to succeed without them and beyond them. They are preparing others all along the way.
Moses trained Joshua for years. It is difficult when you read the life and ministry of Moses not to see Joshua present. At every turn Joshua was there serving and assisting Moses. When you start reading in Joshua 1 the transition seems so flawless. You might think that if you haven't read the life of Moses first. There are so many examples in Scripture. The reason it was easier for Joshua to face water to be crossed by a miracle of walking through on dry land is because he had seen it before. He had seen every aspect of leadership modeled before him and it was an invaluable asset.
I have made the mistake in the past of keeping talented people landlocked in a particular job too long because they were doing such a good job. If these people turn out to be your successor, you have damaged them and the group. There are ways to allow people to function in a particular area of service while still involving them in the bigger picture. This is critical for their expansion and the future of the group.
If you are a senior leader, take time to lift your head above the fray and always be on the lookout for potential leaders and spend time preparing them by including them in the larger scheme of things. The day will come when you will be glad you did!
Monday, December 31, 2012
Are New Beginnings Really Possible?
As a pastor I have seen many, many people through the years go through a true metamorphosis from the inside out. It is the most fulfilling thing about the Christian ministry to me. Oh, I have spent countless hours working with folks who attended meetings but didn't see much apparent change in character. Their situations went from bad to worse and they created much pain and suffering for others along the way. It can be very discouraging and even cause you to become cynical if your aren't careful and deliberate about your mission in life.
What is the deciding factor regarding remarkable change or sad decline in the life of an individual. Much of it has to do with a simple decision. I have seen wealthy people who had the means to go to the finest rehabilitation centers continue the roller coaster ride never experiencing the change. Others who were poor made radical changes that led to success and stable productive lives and became a blessing to others. Again, a true "never turn back" decision seemed to be the common element that decided between success or failure. Christianity is not something that you try. It requires a decision to radical change and a daily pursuit of Jesus. It's not about emotion either. I have seen weeping with puddles of tears at altars and the one crying leave with not a bit of changed behavior. I have seen others walk to the altar without emotion, embrace the Truth and never waiver from the life of a true disciple of Jesus.
The decision is not the power that brings change. The decision of the one in need is like a light switch that releases the supernatural power of heaven into the realm of daily life. As you begin this new year of 2013 let it begin with a decision. Not a decision to try harder but a decision to look to God as your source in every area of life. His power will flood in if you only flip that switch with a decision! Happy New Beginnings!
As a pastor I have seen many, many people through the years go through a true metamorphosis from the inside out. It is the most fulfilling thing about the Christian ministry to me. Oh, I have spent countless hours working with folks who attended meetings but didn't see much apparent change in character. Their situations went from bad to worse and they created much pain and suffering for others along the way. It can be very discouraging and even cause you to become cynical if your aren't careful and deliberate about your mission in life.
What is the deciding factor regarding remarkable change or sad decline in the life of an individual. Much of it has to do with a simple decision. I have seen wealthy people who had the means to go to the finest rehabilitation centers continue the roller coaster ride never experiencing the change. Others who were poor made radical changes that led to success and stable productive lives and became a blessing to others. Again, a true "never turn back" decision seemed to be the common element that decided between success or failure. Christianity is not something that you try. It requires a decision to radical change and a daily pursuit of Jesus. It's not about emotion either. I have seen weeping with puddles of tears at altars and the one crying leave with not a bit of changed behavior. I have seen others walk to the altar without emotion, embrace the Truth and never waiver from the life of a true disciple of Jesus.
The decision is not the power that brings change. The decision of the one in need is like a light switch that releases the supernatural power of heaven into the realm of daily life. As you begin this new year of 2013 let it begin with a decision. Not a decision to try harder but a decision to look to God as your source in every area of life. His power will flood in if you only flip that switch with a decision! Happy New Beginnings!
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