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11 Practices of Pastors Whose Churches Have Sustained Health and Growth

By
Brian Dodd
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thank you notes for children’s ministry volunteers

Nothing breaks my heart more than visiting a church who once had great momentum, impact and influence, and then when seeing its current attendance, health and condition having to ask, “What happened?” The picture above illustrates this. The parking lot of this once great church is cracked, unkept, has weeds growing in it, and is in desperate need of repair. Sadly, the same thing could be said for this church. The parking lot is merely a visible representation of the church’s current condition. Taking this recent picture broke my heart.

On August 26, I will be celebrating my 15th anniversary serving churches with INJOY Stewardship Solutions. In short, I help pastors and church leaders with leadership development, readiness, generosity, need, timing and how to incorporate capital campaigns into their unique ministry plans.

What is unique about my calling is I only work with growing churches. The most important lesson I have learned over these 15 years is growing churches are led by growing pastors and leaders.

I have also noticed many differences between pastors whose lives and ministries have health over a long period of time and “shooting stars” whose ministries briefly skyrocket and then either the church or the pastor flames out.

The following are 11 Practices of Pastors Whose Churches Have Sustained Health And Growth. You will notice each practice contains a “P.” Some of these will be unpopular but I have seen WAY TOO MANY pastors needlessly fail and I’m sick of it. I want you to be aware of what I am seeing.

  1. Pastors Whose Churches Have Sustained Health and Growth Have Proper Priorities – They place God first, Family second and the Church third. They refuse to sacrifice their family on the altar of increased church attendance.
  2. Pastors Whose Churches Have Sustained Health and Growth Are People of Prayer – They dedicate specified time each and every day to Bible study and listening to God. They have spiritual disciplines which result in calloused knees. And when they stand in the pulpit on Sunday, their congregations intuitively know they have spent time with God and have a word for their lives from Him. This leads to my next point.
  3. Pastors Whose Churches Have Sustained Health and Growth Are Preachers, Not Communicators – This will be controversial but true. I know many people mean nothing negative by this term, but communicators can tend to give a talk, often a TED Talk with a Bible verse. Preachers have a message from The Ancient of Days to give to a certain group of people at a certain point of time in human history for the issues affecting their lives. To have a lasting ministry be a preacher, not a communicator.
  4. Pastors Whose Churches Have Sustained Health and Growth Are Willing to Pivot – They are willing to change. You should never change your core values or commitment to biblical truth but always be willing to change the method of how you deliver ministry.
  5. Pastors Whose Churches Have Sustained Health and Growth Celebrate Personal Holiness More Than Personal Freedoms – This will be another controversial topic but one I see all the time. Pastors who spend more time telling you how many beers they had last week than what they learned last week in their quiet times with God do not last. God honors personal holiness.
  6. Pastors Whose Churches Have Sustained Health and Growth Have a Deep Passion for the Lost – They are more committed to life change and transformation than the transactional components of ministry.
  7. Pastors Whose Churches Have Sustained Health and Growth Show Pity to Others – The definition of pity is “the feeling of sorrow and compassion caused by the suffering and misfortunes of others.” There are times people need a pastor, not their small group leader. Compassionate pastors have hearts that break for the conditions of others. They weep with those weep.
  8. Pastors Whose Churches Have Sustained Health and Growth Have Proximity – A good shepherd smells like his sheep. They are always around their people and staffs. Good shepherds are accessible. Proximity keeps the staff working hard and accountable. So goes the leader, so goes the people.
  9. Pastors Whose Churches Have Sustained Health and Growth Are Dedicated to Personal Growth – Once again, growing churches are led by growing leaders. They are deeply committed to growing spiritually and in the areas of character, competence, chemistry and creativity.
  10. Pastors Whose Churches Have Sustained Health and Growth Love People – People are the only appreciable asset your church has. Everything else depreciates. Jesus thought so much of people He was willing to die for them. Also, here is an interesting thought: If the pastor has some spare time on Sunday morning, where does he or she gravitate? Is it solitude (green room) or people (lobby)?
  11. Pastors Whose Churches Have Sustained Health and Growth Have a Plan – They have a vision and a plan to see it become reality. Also, a failure to plan is a plan to fail.

What are other practices have you seen in pastors who have sustainable ministries?

This article originally appeared here.

As Preparation Increases, Stress Decreases

By
Ron Edmondson
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thank you notes for children’s ministry volunteers

I’ve noticed this principle so many times in my own leadership and in working with other leaders. The more prepared I am to face a situation, the less stress I have in the situation.

Take a Sunday sermon, for example. On the weeks I’m able to spend my whole Wednesday and Thursday preparing, I’m far less stressed when I enter my weekend about the message I’ll be delivering. And, because of that, I discipline myself as much as possible to set these days aside for study.

Of course, that’s not possible every week. There are natural interruptions in life that I can’t and shouldn’t avoid. It’s understanding the principle that is important. Because when I realize the principle I am more likely to work toward seeing it become a reality.

I schedule most of my meetings on Monday and Tuesday. I delegate as much as I can on Wednesday and Thursday. And, perhaps most important, I place on my calendar when I will be studying.

And, this is just one example. It’s also why I use checklists to plan my week and my days. It’s why I am not afraid to say ‘no’ or ‘wait’ to non-emergency situations. It’s why I teach the Jethro and Acts 6 principles of leadership to our church. (Look them up for reference if you need a refresher.)

I’m intentional with my schedule and my life mostly because I’ve learned—the hard way—about this important principle.

Preparation decreases stress.

And, makes me a better leader.

Where do you need to increase your preparation so you can decrease your stress?

This article originally appeared here.

Why Night Time Is Danger Time

By
Dave Jenkins
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thank you notes for children’s ministry volunteers

Night time for many men and women is danger time. Before I got free of my addiction to pornography night time was a dangerous time for me. It was a time when I was tempted, especially after a particularly long day of work, to look at pornography. During this time of my life, now well over a decade ago, I would often sadly give in to the siren call of lust and selfishness.

Perhaps your struggle isn’t with pornography. You might struggle with going to the store or some restaurant to get ice cream late at night, or an extra snack after you’ve already eaten a full meal. Night time as danger time doesn’t have to be restricted to only pornography. Each one of us has specific temptations and points where we are being pressured to cave into temptation.

In my own walk with God, I’ve learned that it’s best at night if I’m alone I leave my phone on my nightstand charging. I don’t pick it up for any reason other than if my wife, mom or a close friend calls. This also ensures that I’m guarding my heart against temptation. In the evening I don’t get on my laptop except for rare circumstances where I have a burning article idea and feel the need to write. My evenings are spent with my wife reading, talking to her, or I’m at some event, or with a good friend.

To guard your heart and protect your marriage, you are going to have to be intentional. If you struggle with sexual sin of any kind in your life, nighttime is danger time. It means that you need help, whether that’s putting your phone on the nightstand or somewhere else in your residence; do it.

Pornography is crippling the lives of many men and women. It is selling them a bill of goods that seems to promise much but at the end of the day doesn’t. Instead, it leaves them bound in the shackles of guilt and shame; instead of in the freedom of hope in the gospel.

To fight for our growth in God’s grace and to stand firm in the Lord, we need to do the following: 1) we need ourselves to be growing in the gospel, 2) we need to understand the place of accountability, and lastly, 3) we need a plan of attack.

Growing in the gospel

First, we need to come to understand that our sin offends God. Jesus didn’t die so we could all have a group hug and join a social club. Instead, He died in the place of sinners and for their sin so they would put their sin to death. Theologians call this progressive sanctification that is daily growing into who we are already in Christ now. In other words, because we are His and He is ours, now we can love God and others as He intends for His glory.

We can see the awfulness of our sin only because the veil that clouded our vision has been removed by God when He replaced our heart of stone with a new heart, with new desires, and new affections for His glory. When nighttime temptation comes is not the time to prepare against the allure of lust. The time to prepare for the siren song of lust is beforehand.

We do this by understanding that if we just cave into the siren song of lust our fellowship with God will be broken. We remain wholly Christ’s, but Christ is not an approver of our sin. Our security remains in Christ, but our fellowship with the Lord is broken because of our sin. This is why 1 John 1:9 tells us we are deceived.

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Research: Americans Turn to God and Generosity After Natural Disasters

By
Ed Stetzer
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thank you notes for children’s ministry volunteers

Disasters, particularly natural disasters, perplex all of us. While some call them ‘acts of God,’ others question why a good and loving God would do such a thing. The fact is, God does not give us all the answers. But, as Christians, we believe that God gives us Himself—and that is why we have faith. Faith is believing God when you don’t have all the answers. But, disasters test that faith—some people draw closer to God, some pull away.

In the wake of the historic EF5 tornado which devastated parts of Oklahoma in 2013, we polled Americans about their interest in God, responding by donating to relief agencies, their trust in faith-based agencies, and whether or not prayer can avert natural disasters.

In response to the question, “How do you feel about God when suffering occurs that appears unfair?” we found:

  • “I trust God more” (33 percent).
  • “I am confused about God” (25 percent).
  • “I don’t think about God in these situations” (16 percent).
  • “I wonder if God cares” (11 percent).
  • “I doubt God exists” (7 percent).
  • “I am angry toward God” (5 percent).
  • “I am resentful toward God” (3 percent).

Highlights from the release:

Interest in God Increases

Nearly six in 10 Americans (57 percent) agree with the statement, “When a natural disaster occurs, my interest in God increases.” Thirty-one percent disagree and 12 percent don’t know. Nearly two-thirds of respondents living in the South agree (62 percent), compared with just over half in the West (54 percent) and Northeast (51 percent). Women, people with a college degree, and those who attend worship services once a week are also likely to be more interested in God during a disaster.

Prayer Cannot Avert Natural Disasters

Despite their increased interest in God following disasters, most Americans doubt prayer can avert natural disasters. Fifty-one percent disagree that praying can avert natural disasters, with a third (32 percent) strongly disagreeing. Still, 34 percent believe prayer can avert natural disasters. American’s in the South (40 percent) are more likely to believe than those in the Northeast (26 percent) and West (28 percent).

The “Join me in praying for…” Social Media Posts

Thirty percent of Americans post on social media that they are praying for specific people or things. Sixty-seven percent do not post topics of prayer on social media and three percent don’t know.

Among those who do post prayers on social media, most take a moment to actually pray rather than consider the post itself a form of prayer. When asked to complete the statement, “If I post a prayer on social media …,” 23 percent say they always take a moment to actually pray and 10 percent consider posting the update to be form of prayer. Sixty-four percent complete the statement by saying they don’t post prayers.

People trust faith-based groups over secular with their donations

When a natural disaster occurs, Americans trust faith-based groups to be more responsible than secular groups with their donations by nearly a two to one margin. Fifty-six percent agree they trust faith-based groups more, while 28 percent do not. Those who live in the Midwest and South, men, and those who do not have a college degree are more likely to trust faith-based charities, while those in the Northeast and Americans ages 45-64 are not as likely.

Almost 60 percent of Americans donate to relief agencies in the wake of natural disasters. Thirty percent donate to both faith-based and secular relief agencies, 15 percent donate to faith-based relief agencies only and 12 percent donate to secular relief agencies only. A third of Americans (32 percent) don’t donate to any relief agencies.

5 Ways to Get Involved in Disaster Relief

By
Ed Stetzer
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thank you notes for children’s ministry volunteers

Here are five key things to remember when thinking about disaster relief.

1. The time to prepare to help in a disaster is BEFORE a disaster strikes. Rushing off to a disaster zone without training or support may make you feel better, but it won’t make the situation better. The Lutheran Disaster Response ministry says this:

It is nearly impossible to predict when or where a disaster is going to take place. It is possible, however, for communities to prepare for what may happen. Disaster preparedness readies us for the unexpected, and it allows for a more organized, timely, and efficient response when disaster strikes.

If you want to help, get your church involved by training in disaster relief now. For example, Samaritan’s Purse has a volunteer network with a list of projects where they are currently involved. Many state conventions affiliated with the SBC provide disaster relief training in a variety of service areas. The Georgia Baptist Convention, for instance, provides training for feeding, childcare, chaplaincy, communications, and cleanup and recovery. Some conventions even have chainsaw school!

2. In most cases, monetary donations are more helpful than volunteers. Yes, we live in a world where some want to DO more than they want to HELP, but at the end of the day that is more selfish than helpful. Ministering to disaster victims should be about meeting their needs, not fulfilling our need to feel helpful. The Salvation Army is blogging regularly about their disaster relief efforts. In a recent post, they explain how you can give:

  • $10: Will feed a disaster survivor for one day.
  • $30: Provides one food box, containing staple foods for a family of four, or one household cleanup kit, containing brooms, mops, buckets and other cleaning supplies
  • $100: Provides snacks and drinks for 125 survivors and emergency personnel at the scene of a disaster
  • $250: Provides one hot meal to 100 people or keep a hydration station operational for 24 hours
  • $500: Keeps a Salvation Army canteen (mobile feeding unit) fully operational for one day

It’s perhaps not as personally fulfilling as delivering a warm meal in a storm shelter, but it is an effective way to help.

3. The best way to support is through established, reputable relief agencies. Relief agencies, or denominations with disaster relief agencies, are already at work before storms like Hurricane Irene even make landfall.

For another example, the Assemblies of God has an agency called Convoy of Hope. They explain its activity this past weekend in preparation for Hurricane Irene:

Convoy of Hope has deployed members of its disaster response team to North Carolina as Hurricane Irene bears down on the East Coast as a Category 2 storm. Disaster response team members will work with the local Emergency Operations Center and rendezvous at the state’s pre-staging location…

“Convoy of Hope strives to maintain the ability to respond quickly and effectively to disasters,” says Jeff Nene, senior director – public relations for Convoy of Hope. “Because of our logistical expertise, partners and strong relationships with government agencies and local organizations we can quickly get help to those who need it.”

In other words, they are already on site making The Weather Channel look late.

4. By giving to agencies already in place, you minimize inefficiency and get resources to the areas of need. For example, Southern Baptists have assigned disaster relief coordination to the North American Mission Board. The NAMB disaster relief site explains, “When you give to Southern Baptist Disaster Relief, 100% of what you give goes directly to disaster relief efforts so your donation goes further. We do not pay salaries or overhead out of those funds.”

Giving directly can be helpful if you have friends and relationships in an impacted area, but it is almost always better stewardship to give through a disaster relief organization. During times of extreme devastation like the Japanese and Christmas Eve tsunamis, the Haitian earthquake or Katrina, relief opportunities pop up all over the place. It sometimes reminds me of “Whack-A-Mole.” The problem is that some of them are bogus, set up on the fly by hucksters using a coffee shop wifi and their black-ops PayPal account. Others are rife with overhead expenses creating what amounts to an organization of jobs where much stays home and little relief is accomplished.

5. Avoid the temptation to load up a tractor-trailer with supplies unless you are connected with someone on the ground meeting a specific request. In the days and weeks following Katrina, so much bottled water was needed we could have exhausted aquifers all over the country. But often a supply trailer becomes a receptacle for “guilt giving” with the resultant broken furniture, dirty clothes and perishable food. It does no good to barrage disaster areas with more stuff that winds up being added to the debris piles. Disaster zones do not need junk brought into them. Again, contact with people on the ground is very helpful to inform what items need to be brought into the area.

I can assure you (as I’ve seen it myself), unsolicited donations end up in piles and needed materials are nowhere to be found. When it comes to disaster relief, don’t follow your heart, follow the direction of those already engaged.

So, help by praying and giving, then get better prepared for next time when you might also get personally involved as needed.

More disasters are coming. They always do. Be prepared, not just for the disaster, but to serve the hurting in these critical times.

Read more about natural disasters:

Billy Graham: God Uses Natural Disasters to Remind Us to Depend on Him and Each Other

Talking to Children about Disaster

My Man and Me

By
Beth Moore
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thank you notes for children’s ministry volunteers

Thirty-eight years tomorrow.

The Story of Beth and Keith Moore

The organist played the wedding march and I stood next to my Daddy in the foyer with my heart pounding like clapping thunder in my chest and wearing an ever so slightly off-white, nothing special wedding dress so as not to be a total fraud. We’d rented the dress for $65 and it never even occurred to me to mind. I come from very modest means and there was no world in which I expected my parents to spend several hundred dollars on a dress. They didn’t have it. And, except for the monthly stresses of bill paying in our home and overhearing my mom on the phone with bankers about overdrafts and loans and mortgages, we didn’t care that we made it by the skin of our teeth. It was normal to us and, for that matter, normal to most of the people we knew.

The congregation of about 200 came to its loud feet with the prelude and almost that many faces looked straight back at me and Daddy. My eyes darted up the middle aisle of that small Baptist church, shifting back and forth from smiling face to smiling face, many very familiar to me despite having been there a few short years. I served wherever I churched because that’s what I was raised to do. Never considered not. That day at Spring Woods Baptist Church in Houston, Texas, my wide-eyed gaze also fell on a few faces of those who filled the front aisles. Family members. And, trust me when I tell you, they weren’t smiling. Every year around our anniversary, Keith and I recount the whole ignominious scene with one another and mock the family scowls and laugh until our sides split. Nothing could have been less humorous on that particular day but the thought that we spited all of them by making it this long brings Keith and me no small glee. We were both in long term stable relationships when we met. I was engaged. He was soon to be. Each of our families loved our significant others. And, in a way I won’t go into trying to explain, so did we.

I’m not sure Keith and I ourselves completely understand why we dropped everything dependable and remotely stable in our lives and flew headlong into one another with all the tranquility of a pair of cymbals. The best explanation is that clamor attracts clamor and baggage attracts baggage and, boy, did we each have some. And then there was just pure chemistry. Had we been married to other people when we met, God help us, I trust we would have either ignored or resisted it or, by that time, never met but the fact was, we weren’t married, we did meet and we did not remotely ignore nor resist one another.

The words “wedding planner” weren’t even in my vocabulary or that of anyone I knew. The woman standing in the foyer with Dad and me on the day of the wedding was one of the very same women who brought a green bean casserole or jello salad every Wednesday night to fellowship supper. When the organ piped up, she nodded her head, touched my shoulder and said “Now.” She’d told us to go slow and Dad and I had practiced the night before but, for the life of me, I was either going to run down that aisle to that man in the tux or my hind end was going to flee to the parking lot where I’d holler like a wild hyena until somebody picked me up and hijacked me to Mexico.

I cannot say that it did not help that Keith Moore was the most beautiful man I’d ever kissed in all my life. Dad and I flew so fast down that aisle that my veil nearly took me to the wind like the flying nun.

A thought which carries impressive irony.

In seconds it seemed, the pastor said to the congregation, “Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Keith Moore.”

And, just like that, the wedding was over. Let the drama begin. And I guess in a lot of ways it’s never come to an end. It’s just a different kind of drama these days for the most part. I’ve been asked many times if I’ll ever write a book on marriage. I don’t expect to. I have no intention of setting us up as some exemplary couple. Keith and I have not had a great marriage. But, somehow, in recent years, we’ve managed to find ourselves in a pretty good one. And I guess it’s fair to say you’ve never met two people happier about being pretty happy.

How to Create Group Clarity

By
Tracey Ware
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thank you notes for children’s ministry volunteers

Imagine these people are attending a new small group, they do not really know each other or have any significant background about one another.

  • Paul – his group experience has been one where the leader did everything
  • Karen and Joe – have never been in a small group
  • Sue – in her last group, leadership was shared around the group with different people having different roles
  • Trevor – has experienced a group where prayer & singing took up 50 percent of the meeting time
  • Gail’s – past group made coffee & dessert their central focus
  • Jim & Leah – have experienced a small group where gossip caused difficulties
  • Kim – was used to a group where it did not really matter if you turned up when the group meeting was scheduled

Would these people automatically have a shared understanding of what might happen in their group meetings? Would they have clarity about how their group might function on any given meeting night?

Each member of this imaginary small group would come with different expectations about what the group might look like and how it will operate. Some may even be a little apprehensive! It is important to make time to talk through and reach agreement about how the group will operate and help each member understand what others are expecting. A helpful time to do this is at your first meeting.

One simple thing I encourage new groups to do is to complete a very short exercise. Hand out a sheet of paper with these questions on it;

  • What would you like to see happen in this group? What steps are you willing to take to make it come about?
  • What would you not like to see happen in this group (gossip, lack of commitment, wasting time etc.).

Ask group members to answer the questions in silence. When everyone has completed their sheet, lead a discussion around those written responses. It is a wonderful way to create clarity at the beginning of your small group journey together. I also encourage the leader to bring into the conversation things that are important to healthy group life (i.e., confidentiality, participation, meeting start, finish times, mission etc.).

I have found this a very successful exercise that empowers groups to create clarity and enables them to develop a list of simple guidelines for their group. I would love to hear your ideas on how you create group clarity!

This article originally appeared here.

How Should Worship Leaders Use Social Media?

By
Bob Kauflin
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thank you notes for children’s ministry volunteers

Some time last year a friend who leads the music in his church texted me to express a concern.

Social media has been on my mind lately. It seems it’s a great tool and a great danger. It can quickly become the “street corner” in Matthew 6. I wonder if the constant postings of ourselves, with great lighting and stuff, may end up being more about us. Some people say “everyone does it,” but I’m wrestling with it as I see young guys in our church family doing it a lot. I want to make sure my motives are pure if I feel led to have an honest discussion with them.

My friend’s humility in approaching this issue was commendable. Social media has become the air we breathe. A generation raised on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat and YouTube thinks nothing of regularly (constantly?) letting others know what we’re thinking, what we’re reading, what we’re listening to, where we are, what we ate for dinner and who we’re hanging out with.

Especially who we’re hanging out with. Selfies with friends are a national past time. And it’s a bonus when we can post a selfie with someone famous. “Check out who I was with!” our social media proclaims. We do it with musicians, athletes, actors and politicians.

Unfortunately, we also do it with Jesus. Only the subtext seems to be, “Check out who Jesus was with!”

It’s the paradox of the worship selfie. When we’re supposed to be drawing attention to the glory of the Savior, we manage to find a prominent spot in the picture.

And it poses a dilemma for those of us in public ministry. It at least raises a few questions.

When does my desire to show others how God is using me become more about me than God?
Should my role as a musician in the church affect my use of social media? If so, how?
Can I promote myself/church/ministry on social media without it being about me?
How do I navigate the expectations of our culture for information and the value God places on humility?

What Are We Aiming At?

If we’re involved in leading congregational worship, our goal is to display the glory of God in Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. That purpose is reflected in verses like these:

Oh, magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together! (Ps. 34:3)
My mouth is filled with your praise, and with your glory all the day. (Psalm 71:8)
They shall speak of the might of your awesome deeds, and I will declare your greatness. (Psalm 145:6)

Social media can blur the lines between magnifying the Lord and magnifying us, between speaking of God’s awesome deeds and our awesome deeds. And if we don’t aim at exalting Christ, it’s easy to take a lot of worship selfies with Jesus. And feel good about it.

If you serve as part of a church’s leadership, even if you don’t have an official position, you’re directing people’s attention to something. But it’s not only when you stand (or sit) in front of them. It’s when you tweet, post a picture on Instagram, write a blog or put something on Facebook. Where are we pointing people’s attention, affections and adoration?

The best we can be is signposts. Signposts are directions, not destinations. No one stops the car on a journey to gaze longingly at the signpost. They take note of where it says to go and continue on their way. So the people we lead should only only be aware of us long enough to know which way their thoughts, emotions and affections should go: to God’s glory in Jesus Christ.

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What’s Your Best Advice That You’d Give to a New KidMin Leader?

By
Lance McKinnon
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thank you notes for children’s ministry volunteers

Yesterday, I was just sitting in my office thinking to myself, what makes KidMin Leaders successful in ministry?

So, I decided to ask the KidMin community that I’m a part of on Facebook a simple question…

“What’s Your Best Advice That You’d Give to a New KidMin Leader or Pastor?”

Honestly, I was blown away by the responses I received, so I decided to compile the 12 best pieces of advice that will make your KidMin successful from KidMin Leaders themselves!

#1 – Listen. Listen to your people. Listen, listen, listen.
#2 – Keep breathing. It’s so easy to get wrapped up in what needs to get done.
#3 – Don’t do ministry alone. Ask for help, accept help!
#4 – Take time to watch and listen. I sat down with two of my Sunday school teachers who have over 50 years of teaching. I asked what works, what would you like to see changed… I spent most of the time listening to them.
#5 – Don’t try to be someone else (mentor, fellow KidMin, predecessor, etc.), be the you who God made YOU to be. Trust His calling and trust His guidance. And build relationships before you try to build programs/events. Learn your kids, families, church and staff. And finally, don’t forget to take care of yourself; physically, emotionally and spiritually.

#6 – I don’t know who this is from but I saw this on Pinterest. It’s my favorite!

image
#7 – Go slow! Don’t try to change too much too fast.
 
#8 – Breath, listen, accept advice and pray pray… 
#9 – God will always provide…especially when you think it is all falling apart.
#10 – Make building a strong team (Children’s Council) a priority.
#11 – Remember WHY you do what you do and keep the mission central to all you do, build a team and train to replace yourself, make time to just be His child and soak in His Word. Network (not compare) with other leaders and share ideas, resources, wins and burdens. Invite your SP to visit your area often and let him know what’s happening/what your needs are. He can be your best cheerleader if he knows what’s happening in your area of ministry. Build strong bridges with other ministry areas, specifically preschool, students, family and worship. Don’t forget ministry happens outside the walls of church, too. Be missional. Just to name a few… 🙂 Most important? Love like Jesus.
#12 – Love-Listen-Love-Lead-Love
There you have it, this is the advice of how 12 KidMin Leaders are successful in ministry.
I encourage you to choose one that really resonates with you and post it in your office, put it on a sticky note on a mirror at home, or make it a wallpaper for your phone (great app to use on your phone is WordSwag) to keep it before you.
What’s your advice that you’d share with KidMin Leaders who are starting out to be successful?
Update
I’d like to thank Phil Waggoner for mentioning in a personal email that we also need to do something else that I believe it is vital to the success of KidMin Leaders everywhere…
#13 – Teach Kids the Importance of God’s Word in Their Lives
This article originally appeared here.

3 Different Views of Restoring a Fallen Pastor

By
Eric Geiger
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In 20 years of serving and leading in the church, one of the most painful and disappointing realities has been watching leaders I respect removed from ministry positions for patterns of sin in their own lives. At the first ministry conference I attended when I was 22 years old, a speaker recounted how he wrote down the names of 20 friends he started in ministry with, and each year he would need to scratch through a name as leader after leader was disqualified for some type of sin. According to the speaker, there were only two names left on the list. I was stunned. I remember thinking about those I was serving alongside, and being filled with an odd mix of concern and confidence—concern for our hearts yet confident that our story would be different.

The confidence part was naïve, prideful and bad theology. Over the years I have learned more and more how we can really “put no confidence in the flesh,” as we are unable to stand strong in our own goodness. In fact, “whoever thinks he stands must be careful not to fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12). “That will never happen to me” is loaded with confidence in self, not reliance on the Spirit. Pride always comes before the downfall.

But other thoughts entered my mind the first time I heard a message about “fallen spiritual leaders” directed toward ministry leaders. Were they scratched through with pen or was it with a pencil? In other words, can a fallen ministry leader be restored to a ministry position?

I have learned that churches and leaders typically hold to one of three different views about pastoral restoration. These views are not about being restored to Christ, receiving forgiveness and being warmly embraced into Christian fellowship. All three of these views would advocate that people who repent should experience restoration into fellowship, but they differ on restoration to pastoral leadership.

1. No restoration

Some leaders believe that when a pastor disqualifies himself, that pastor is permanently disqualified. They point to the high standard of church leadership articulated in 1 Timothy 3—that the elder must be “blameless” or “above reproach,” and advocate that a fallen leader’s sin will prevent the leader from ever being above reproach again. They are not advocating the sin is any worse than other sins in terms of standing before God, but that the sin has ruined a blameless standing before people in terms of pastoral leadership.

2. Immediate restoration

Some leaders believe the leader should be restored to ministry as quickly as the leader repents and is restored to fellowship with the church. They point to leaders in the Scripture who were used immensely by God after committing disqualifying sins. Moses murdered an Egyptian before leading people to freedom. David committed adultery and murder after penning some of the psalms and before penning others.

3. Deliberate restoration

Some leaders believe that restoration can and should occur when the restoration is done deliberately, when there is ample time to observe the sweet fruit of repentance, and when credibility can be restored through a season of learning and counseling. They preach 1 Timothy 3 and believe that blamelessness can be restored.

Of course these are not neat and tidy buckets. Restoration is as complicated as our sin. Many leaders would place adultery in the category of “no restoration,” while placing leading with anger and other issues in the category of “deliberate restoration.” Most leaders believe the “immediate restoration” approach unwise and unloving. It is unwise as leaders are rushed back into leadership without time for new patterns and rhythms of life to be established. And it is unloving to both the leader and church, as people have been harmed and leaders are not ready.

I have had this conversation with several leaders I respect in recent days, wrestling with a longing for consistency in my own heart. While I agree that “immediate restoration” is unwise and unloving, one can, with consistency, hold to both the “no restoration” and the “deliberate restoration” category based on the offense. For example, a pastor is to be both faithful (a one-woman man) and hospitable. The apostle Paul does not advocate for a congregation to remove someone for lack of hospitality, but he does for sexual immorality (1 Corinthians 5). The sins, while both deep violations of the character of God, have differing levels of consequences because they bring differing levels of reproach upon His church. Thus leaders can view each case differently while still being consistent.

These are painful discussions. We want to be like Jesus, full of grace and truth. We want His church to be led how He designed, while simultaneously loving people the way He loved us. Because we will wrestle with the brokenness of our world and our hearts until Jesus returns, it is wise to form your view on restoration.

This article originally appeared here.

Reluctant Leadership Is Better Than Nothing

By
Joe McKeever
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“Somebody ought to do something!”

I was second in line at the traffic light. My lane and the one to my right were all turning left onto Dauphin Street in Mobile. The third lane was turning right.

We sat through through three sequences of lights. Meanwhile, the line of cars behind us grew longer and longer.

Clearly, the light was malfunctioning, but only on our side. Traffic from the other directions was receiving the correct sequence of lights. Our light stayed red.

I was traveling home from a revival in Selma, Alabama, and had stopped for a late-morning breakfast at the Cracker Barrel. After a fairly demanding week with 1,500 miles of driving, I was relaxed now and willing to sit there in the traffic without getting impatient.

But not all day.

Finally, I had had enough. The light was not working and the cars in front of me were showing no inclination to move.

So, I got out.

I stepped over to the car to my right and said to the driver, “We need to turn right onto Dauphin and go down there and make a U-turn.” He nodded and motioned that the problem was the car in front of him.

I was already to that car. As I approached the Camry, I tapped lightly on the rear fender so as not to startle the driver.

The middle-aged lady was clearly perplexed and without a clue what to do.

I said, “Ma’am, let’s all turn right here and go down there and make a U-turn.”

She said, “I was waiting for the light.”

I said, “Yes, ma’am. The light is malfunctioning. Let’s turn right.”

Lastly, I repeated all this to the car in front of me.

We did that, and gradually the long string of cars behind us got the message. As I drove back up Dauphin toward the interstate, I could see the cars moving out of the stalled lanes and clearing out the line.

Otherwise, we would probably have sat there for hours waiting on someone from the city to show up and repair the light.

Someone ought to do something.

Have you heard that before? You have, I know.

It’s perfectly fine to sit there for a bit and wait to see if someone else is going to take the lead. In fact, being the first one to jump up and take charge may not be a good trait. The words “presumptuous,” “impatient” and “impulsive” come to mind.

Impatient people lay on their horns when the driver in front shows the slightest hesitation about moving when the light turns green. I’ve done that, in my younger and more impetuous years.

Continue

The Pros and Cons of the Nashville Statement

By
Megan Briggs
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On Tuesday, August 29, 2017, the Council for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood (CBMW) published the Nashville Statement; it’s a kind of evangelical equivalent to the Catholic church’s theology of the body.

“The aim of The Nashville Statement is to shine a light into the darkness—to declare the goodness of God’s design in our sexuality and in creating us as male and female,” says Denny Burk, president of CBMW.

The statement, published on CBMW’s website and aggressively promoted on Twitter by the Council and by the numerous high-profile signers, has already made waves due to its definitive and conservative stance on sexuality.

What the Nashville Statement Says

The preamble to the statement revisits a common theme the CBMW articulates: Our “post-Christian” culture and the “secular spirit of our age” present “a great challenge to the Christian church.”

Specifically, the statement speaks about a troubling trajectory away from traditional gender roles. “It is common to think that human identity as male and female is not part of God’s beautiful plan, but is, rather, an expression of an individual’s autonomous preferences,” the statement reads.

Following the preamble, the statement lists 14 articles that clarify what the authors believe is a biblical interpretation of what God originally intended for sexuality. Each article contains a “We affirm” and “We deny” sentence or two to articulate the points.

The first article is likely to draw the most criticism from LGBTQ-affirming Christians and from the general culture outside church walls. While affirming marriage is a God-ordained covenant between a man and a woman, it denies “that God has designed marriage to be a homosexual, polygamous or polyamorous relationship.”

In Support of the Nashville Statement

So far, several high-profile evangelical leaders have signed the statement, including J.I. Packer, James Dobson, John MacArthur, Russell Moore, Wayne Grudem, Tony Perkins, D.A. Carson, Albert Mohler, Francis Chan, R.C. Sproul, Sam Allberry and Marvin Olasky.

The sentiment from CBMW is that they’ve been “overwhelmed” by the support they’ve seen for the statement.

According to Russell Moore, president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, the statement serves as a kind of anchor in the midst of a very turbulent and confusing sexual culture. “The Sexual Revolution cannot keep its promises, and the church must stand ready to receive with compassion the many who are in need of a better hope,” Moore says.

In Opposition to the Nashville Statement

Not everyone is on board with the statement, however, including the mayor of Nashville, Megan Barry. She issued her own statement on Twitter, saying the document is “poorly named” and doesn’t represent the city.

Some Christians are also opposed to the statement, seeing it as yet another blanket statement with potentially ostracizing repercussions for those who choose not to sign it for one reason or another. Additionally, some feel it gives Christians license to further marginalize their LGBTQ neighbors.

Others have criticized the timing of the statement.

A group known as the Liturgists, who tend to lean on the progressive side of faith, have issued their own statement in response to CBMW’s. The counter-statement calls into question the timing of CBMW’s statement—a time of turmoil for the nation as we struggle to rescue people from the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey—and the motive behind it. “For far too long, the Christian Church has oppressed and marginalized people because of their gender and/or sexual orientation,” the counter-statement reads.

Wherever your stance on this issue, please comment on it and speak about it with grace and humility, understanding there are people—Christians and non-Christians—who are on both sides.

Do Christians Have a Right to Criticize Joel Osteen?

By
Jesse T. Jackson
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In the last couple of days, people have turned to social media to criticize Joel Osteen and his Lakewood megachurch have come under a lot of fire for not opening their doors immediately to take in evacuees and aid in the relief efforts of Hurricane Harvey. This has caused a flurry of social media blacklash and anger-laced comments towards Osteen and, by association, Christianity in general.

People specifically posted to criticize Joel Osteen and the church when they couldn’t open the church because it was “inaccessible due to severe flooding.” Some Houstonians took to social media to post pictures of the seemingly unaffected church. Osteen then revised the church’s status, saying they would open if the shelters reached capacity. He explained their hesitancy to open the church originally due to the possibility the lower level could flood. Now that the waters are receding, the church is currently housing evacuees.

Briefly, here is some of the back and forth from Twitter:

I am not a supporter or follower of Osteen for my own personal reasons, but I respectfully want to give a word of warning and advice to all the Christ-followers reading this. As much as one might disagree with another person, no matter what the circumstance we have no right to slander or hate anyone. Paul tells us in Ephesians 4:31-32 to “Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another forgiving each other, just as Christ God forgave you.” So as your brother in Christ, I ask you to examine yourself before posting or shouting out anything against anyone without the guidance of the Holy Spirit first.

Since the backlash, Osteen and Lakewood church have opened their doors to provide relief.

Do we have a right to criticize Joel Osteen? I leave you with two thoughts from a non-Osteen supporter:

How much do you know about Joel Osteen’s ministry? Can you wisely speak about it, or are you taking other people’s critical words for it without examining for yourself to be able to accurately discuss or comment on it? While writing this, I was reminded of John’s question to Jesus in Mark 9:38-41 “Teacher,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.” “Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us. Truly I tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the Messiah will certainly not lose their reward.”

Again I am not advocating for or against Osteen’s ministry here, I am simply asking that you use a Biblical lens and prayer before discussing, posting, or commenting on anything.

My last thought:

Is what you are discussing, posting, or commenting then the world will hear us as a very loud, annoying banging cymbal. Paul tells us in his letter to the Ephesians “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” (4:29)

As you process some of what I said above, please read this post and pray through how you might respond. May we always point people to our King and Savior Jesus Christ, the world around us is always watching.

Other posts that might be helpful:

What’s the Problem With Joel Osteen?

5 Ways to Get Involved in Disaster Relief

When Disaster Strikes, Is It Enough to Pray?

Todd Adkins: Why We Struggle to Develop Leaders in the Church

By
Jason Daye
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Todd Adkins is the Director of Leadership at LifeWay. He served for several years in various pastoral roles before coming to LifeWay to develop Ministry Grid and head up the Leadership team. Todd earned his M. A. in Leadership from the Southern Baptist Seminary in Louisville, KY.

Key Questions:

What is the relationship between discipleship and leadership development?

Why aren’t church leaders as invested as they claim to be in developing leaders?

What is a leadership pipeline?

Key Quotes:

“It’s so easy to get so caught up in the work of the ministry that we forget that the real work is the people. We spend so much time doing versus developing the people.”

“The best way to grow your church is to grow your people.”

“We sacrifice the one job we have of giving the ministry away on the altar of excellence nearly every Sunday.”

“Especially in this day and age, if you are a leader and not a learner, you’re going to have a really short shelf life. You’re going to have a tendency to be put in positions where your strengths have taken you farther than your weaknesses can sustain you. And that’s a really dangerous place to be.”

“Leadership development is both poetry and plumbing. It’s absolutely vision that inspires but it’s actually the systems and processes that deliver on the dream.”

“Culture is really shared values. And those shared values occur through common language, and structure and systems really create your culture—they create and reinforce culture.”

“God is a God of systems and order…Systems are not ungodly or unholy.”

“When you look in the Bible, you see two examples of leadership in the church: You see the shepherd and steward.”

“If we truly want to have an impact in our community, we need to be better at developing leaders and people than anybody. Our community should look to us as a place that builds great leaders—not just a friendly place.”

“Odds are we’ve all been in the situation where we were given the keys to a significant ministry before we were ready.”

“Our job as pastors is to develop people. When you get to heaven, your legacy is not going to be something you’ve done; it’s going to be the people that you’ve developed.”

“Leaders understand that their fruit grows on other people’s trees.”

“When we can be self-confident to understand that if we do [leadership] right, we are going to develop people that will pass us. And we need to be cool with that.”

Mentioned in the Show:

MyLeadershipPipeline.com (Enter code churchleaders30 for discount)

3 Ways to Know the Quality of Your Leadership

By
Carey Nieuwhof
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What makes people effective leaders? One of the most difficult aspects of leadership is to know how you’re doing as a leader.

Add a little insecurity into the mix, and it makes things even more complex.

How Can People Be Truly Effective Leaders?

Naturally, you’ll get feedback from your peers and probably get an occasional 360 review (both great practices).

But beyond that, how can you tell how you’re doing? The reality is your leadership is being judged daily. But how accurately do you judge and assess your own leadership?

There’s a way to check that’s much simpler than you might think. By asking yourself three simple questions, you can not only get an accurate gauge of how you’re doing but where you need to improve.

Why This Matters (Leadership and Self-Delusion)

I find a lot of people are not clear on whether or not they are effective leaders.

This falls into two categories:

-Leaders who overestimate how well they’re doing.
-Leaders who underestimate how well they’re doing.

Both are problematic for different reasons. If you think you’re doing better than you are, you’re the last person to realize you need to improve. And if you think you’re not doing as well as you actually are, then you likely have potential you have not yet tapped into. So getting a reasonably accurate check-in on the quality of your leadership is critical to help you lead with all diligence.

How to Deal With Your Disappointment

By
Brian Moss
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Disappointment is an unavoidable reality in life.

Disappointment is when my expectations do not match life’s realities.

Whether it is being overlooked for a position, passed over for a promotion or let down by a loved one, disappointment can really sting.

Disappointment sets off a chain of emotional responses including stress, anger, frustration, discouragement and sadness. Chronic disappointment, if not dealt with, has the potential to evolve into deeper problems such as depression, bitterness, resentment, hatred and despair.

One of the most vivid pictures of disappointment is recorded in Job chapter 6. In the midst of enormous suffering, Job tells his “friends” how he feels about their so-called support:

“My brothers, you have proved as unreliable as a seasonal brook that overflows its banks in the spring when it is swollen with ice and melting snow. But when the hot weather arrives, the water disappears. The brook vanishes in the heat. The caravans turn aside to be refreshed, but there is nothing to drink, so they die. The caravans from Tema search for this water; the travelers from Sheba hope to find it. They count on it but are disappointed. When they arrive, their hopes are dashed” (Job 6:15–20 NLT).

Ever felt that way? You were hoping for refreshing water, but you ended up sucking sand? Yeah, we all have.

So what do you do when we face disappointment?

1. Evaluate your expectations.

Sometimes we are disappointed because we have set unrealistic expectations. We expect someone to behave a certain way “just because”—and then when they don’t, we feel let down. Too often we set ourselves up for disappointment by painting pictures in our mind of what we think should happen—pictures that hinge on unwritten or unspoken expectations. “They should just know” is not a reasonable expectation.

2. Communicate your disappointment.

When we cover up how we’re affected, our heart will become infected. Any negative emotion, when not released, turns toxic. We have to get it out in order to work it out. In fact, it is often this step that reveals unrealistic expectations. Revealing your feeling is the beginning of healing.

3. Predicate your hope on God.

Disappointment is ultimately expecting something that’s not God to be as reliable as he is. Nothing on this earth can be counted on. Not people, not companies, not countries, not even you! Sin started this chain reaction of disappointment. The truth is, we will never be as disappointed as God was when his beloved betrayed him. The only way to stop being disappointed is to stop risking and stop loving which, of course, means we stop growing and we start dying.

Disappointment is inevitable.

Being disappointed is not.

When we shift our faith and trust fully in the one who will never let us down, we discover hope.

“Then you will know that I am the LORD; those who hope in me will not be disappointed” (Isaiah 49:23 NIV).

When you’re let down, don’t stay down.

This article originally appeared here.

4 Things You Can Do Right Now to Launch Groups

By
Mark Howell
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Some strategies take time to work. For example, changing your small group ministry model will make a big difference, but probably a little less immediate.

Running a “turbo group” of potential leaders with the assumption that after they have experienced healthy and authentic community as they’ve participated can lead to a number of new groups…eventually.

The apprenticing strategy, with its potential to allow small groups to grow and “birth” new groups as the number of members grows and the apprentice becomes “ready,” is another slow growth strategy.

On the other hand, some strategies immediately launch more groups and connect more people. Here are my favorites:

Church-Wide Campaigns

A well conceived, well planned and well executed church wide campaign, leveraging the HOST strategy alongside a Small Group Connection strategy, can have immediate impact, starting a wave of new groups and connecting a lot of unconnected people.

Find out more about church-wide campaigns right here.

Small Group Connections

A small group connection is a 75-minute event designed to form new groups and then assist the members of each new group to choose a leader to help them get started. A well planned and well executed small group connection can be used in conjunction with a church-wide campaign but they can also be stand-alone events (much like North Point’s GroupLink strategy).

Find out more about small group connections right here.

Small Group Vacations

The small group vacation strategy can launch more new groups and connect more people as a result of a simple but compelling challenge to leaders and members of existing small groups in your system.

Challenging your existing groups to consider not meeting together as a group for an upcoming series (hence the name small group vacation), but instead linking arms with another couple or a few others and hosting a new group themselves, each inviting a few unconnected friends to join them for the study that goes along with the new series.

Find out more about Small Group Vacations right here.

Short-Term On-Campus Groups

Selecting a compelling and targeted short-term study (for example, Laugh Your Way to a Better Marriage or The New Rules of Love, Sex and Dating) and offering it on-campus with childcare will encourage unconnected people who are necessarily interested in a small group to experience community. Seating attenders at tables together, often sorted by affinity (for example, newly married, young couples, empty nesters, etc.), and allowing them to participate in the discussion over six to eight weeks will often be the test-drive they need to encourage them to continue meeting as a group off-campus.

Find out about Short-Term On-Campus “Groups” right here.

These are just four of the strategies that will immediately launch more groups and connect more people. Need a customized approach? Consider setting up a coaching call with me. Find out how to set up a coaching call right here.

This article originally appeared here.

5 Fun Backyard Games

By
Lindsey Whitney
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Summer gives kids a healthy break to unwind before a new year of learning. Those weeks, though, can drag when the weather gets too hot or too rainy or the days just feel too repetitive. There are only so many museums, pools (indoor or outdoor), parks and sports activities that kids can enjoy until the novelty runs out. And, let’s face it, most kids think their own house is usually pretty boring.

Parents know what happens when kids get bored. Either those dreaded devices come out…again. Or trouble ensues. Sometimes both. When the quiet whispering from the other room leads to screeches of ‘he did it,’ though, you know you’re in trouble. And you’ll likely have a clean-up on your hands.

Pour yourself a piping hot cup of grace, take a breath and get creative. When summer break makes you feel like you’re going to break, lead kids outdoors to explore the many adventures that await them in their own backyard!

Water Balloon Fights

Grab some balloons and fill them with water. Set up forts with old boxes or toys from the garage and let the craziness begin! Set rules and boundaries for kids so playtime doesn’t get too crazy. No aiming for the face. Make sure to clean up the mess afterward, so birds or other animals (like your pets!) don’t ingest the latex.

Host a Beach Party

If you have a kiddie pool, you can create your own backyard oasis. Make some sandwiches and lemonade and set up a fun backyard beach picnic. Eat outside on towels or blankets. Let kids play in the pool with water toys, and if you have a sandbox, let kids make sand castles! Decorate your beach with plants or potted flowers. Or head to dollar stores and buy some fun tropical décor for a festive backyard luau! Kids can don grass skirts and flower leis…you may even hold a limbo competition!

Little Yogis

For some relaxing outdoor exercise, host an outdoor yoga retreat for kids. Grab some yoga mats, put on some calming music and practice kid-friendly postures. The CDC recommends that kids have one hour of physical activity a day, and yoga helps get kids moving while increasing their strength and flexibility. Yoga also helps kids de-stress after a busy day!

Old-School Sprinklers

If the sprinklers are on to water the plants and lawn, let kids get in on the water fun. Put on their swimming suits and set kids free in the backyard. They’ll have a blast running through the sprinklers and chasing each other. The National Wildlife Federation recommends playing sprinkler games like Simon Says and Fill the Cup, which requires players to fill their plastic cup with the sprinkler water (the first person to fill their cup wins!). Get imaginative and think of a few of your own games for kids to play in the sprinklers!

Backyard Olympics

Host the Olympic Games in your own backyard. Create an obstacle course out of toys or sports equipment, host relay races, and see who can jump the farthest/highest. You can also add other competitions like hula hooping or a tug of war between teams. Create ribbons for kids to celebrate their participation and victories. Real Simple also suggests that teams make their own uniforms for the games!

While long breaks like summer vacation may begin to wear down parents—and kids—the time together won’t last forever. Before you know it, you’ll be packing lunches and sending kids off on the school bus once again. Create memories in your own backyard with fun activities that will take kids by surprise…and get them out of the house and active! And don’t be afraid to join in on the fun…you’re never too old for sprinklers!

This article originally appeared here.

The Cool Pastor

By
Josh Teis
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I’ve heard it many times, “a pastor shouldn’t try to be cool.” And I certainly agree, for there is nothing more “uncool” than a man attempting to be cool. But what about those who are naturally gifted in the realm of coolness? What if you are genetically conditioned to have great hair? What if you naturally exude style and cutting edge fashion? Should a man’s superhero jawline, name-brand sunglasses and winning sense of humor be held against him? I’m asking for a friend. ??

Here is the reality—being cool is not the goal—approachability is.

I’m speaking to young men in ministry who often get the two confused and may need to focus on one rather than the other.

Being Approachable Is Being Like Jesus

Luke 18:15-16 And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them. But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me.

The difference between Jesus and the other religious leaders of the day is that Jesus didn’t set himself apart from the people but set himself as part of the people. While the typical fisherman, tax collector, prostitute or centurion would have felt extremely uncomfortable around a Pharisee—they felt completely at ease in the presence of Jesus. Did Jesus try to be cool? NO! But Jesus did try to be approachable. He became a normal man who was raised in a normal home who had a normal job.

II Corinthians 8:9 For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

A pastor should do whatever it takes to relate to the people with whom he is ministering. This is a philosophical choice—one the Pharisees rejected—one that Jesus embraced.

Being Approachable Is Determined by Context

If 90 percent of your community loves NASCAR then you’d better know who Dale Earnhardt was. You might even want to put a #3 window decal on you F-150. In certain parts of the country it’ll make you “cool” or approachable. If 80 percent of your community goes hunting every season then you’d better hit the shooting range a few times per month. In a certain town or county getting a few guns and learning how to shoot might make the difference between a successful pastorate and a failed one. Paul knew this principle:

I Corinthians 9:20-23 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; to them that are without law, as without law… To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. And this I do for the gospel’s sake.

This is why it is so foolish for a young minister to dress like Justin Bieber while pastoring a church in Montana or dress in overalls and a straw hat while attempting to reach the people of Miami. You should know the culture of your mission field and contextualize your dress, speech, hobbies, diet, sports teams and even speaking style to help people understand the message of the Gospel.

A missionary truly does attempt to “fit in” as much as possible so that he/she can be accepted by the people as one of the tribe. From the position of tribal acceptance the missionary can then share the unchanging truths of the Gospel.

Being Approachable Is Evangelistic

Mark 2:15-17 And it came to pass, that, as Jesus sat at meat in his house, many publicans and sinners sat also together with Jesus and his disciples: for there were many, and they followed him. And when the scribes and Pharisees saw him eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto his disciples, How is it that he eateth and drinketh with publicans and sinners? When Jesus heard it, he saith unto them, They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

I love this passage. Do you see how much the average person liked being around Jesus? The newly saved Matthew threw a party and invited Jesus to attend. The place was packed out with average Joes and everyday Janes. People flocked to Jesus everywhere he went because He was kind, gentle and relatable. On the other end of the spectrum we see the Pharisees who were mean, arrogant and judgmental. The Pharisees debated the finer points of the law, compared endless genealogies and rubbed shoulders with political leaders. Jesus spoke to farmers about different types of soil, to shepherds about looking for lost sheep, and to fishermen about the catch of the day.

The Bible says that we are to be peculiar people (1 Peter 2:9). But this doesn’t mean we are to be strange, weird or uncool. Do you know what is truly peculiar? A religious leader who can relate to the common man, this is truly an anomaly. A man of God who steps away from his dusty library and goes to a ballgame with his community, this is beautifully unique. A preacher who is as comfortable talking about comic-book movies as he is talking about eschatological timelines, this is wonderfully strange. You’d be hard-pressed to find a Pharisee that could relate to the average Israeli as well as the carpenter of Nazareth.

I get it. There’s nothing worse than watching someone strive desperately to be cool when coolness is often shallow, phony, and a moving target. So, instead of cool, let’s just shoot for real, genuine, accepting, relaxed and relatable. For if people find that we are relatable they will also see us as approachable. And when they approach us to talk about football, star wars, children, pets, politics, hunting or their favorite restaurant—we will be able to deftly pivot the conversation to the Kingdom of Christ and hope of the Gospel. And that will be pretty cool.

What are your thoughts? Where am I going wrong? Where do you agree? What have I missed? 

This article originally appeared here.

5 Reasons Your Youth Ministry May Never Grow

By
Josh Evans
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We often discuss church growth or student ministry growth. This is a topic of conversation for good reason, because we all are interested in building our student ministry. Here are a few reasons why your student ministry may never grow:

1. Lack of Prayer

This is the biggest part of growth. You must daily pray and ask God to build your student ministry. You must be praying for your ministry to grow. Do not expect any growth (or perhaps the wrong kind of growth) if you are not daily praying over your ministry. Bathe it in prayer, and trust God for the growth.

2. Lack of communicating clear vision

This is oftentimes the biggest problem with growth. You have to regularly communicate vision to the people. It must constantly be in front of the people. Then, you must live out the vision. “If your church does not know where it is supposed to be, then they will attempt to go everywhere and eventually wind up nowhere.”

3. Leadership

Ultimately, it could be a reflection on YOU. Make sure you are a passionate leader. Make sure you are living the Word. Make sure that you are carrying out the vision and communicating it clearly to your people.

4. Selfishness

This can be a reflection upon leadership and the people. Sometimes, God may want to take the church to a place where you do not want to go, but you are still responsible for going in that direction. Do not be selfish and want the church to be what you want. Also, your people must not be selfish in trying to create the church that they want to have. It is not about us, but all about Him.

5. Energy

If you fill the leadership with energy-less people, you will create a energy-less congregation. Be energetic and passionate, and the congregation will follow suit. Create a load of energy every service for the people to desire to come back.

Let’s make sure that we are doing everything that we can to grow our ministry!

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