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Five Reasons Long-Term Pastorates Fail

By
Thom Rainer
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Please hear me clearly: I am a strong proponent of longer-term pastorates. I love hearing about pastors passing tenure thresholds of five, 10 and 15 years. All other things being equal, I would much rather see a pastor have long tenure in a given church than not.

But recently a member of this community challenged me. He is a longer-term pastor himself, and he candidly and transparently shared some of his struggles of serving so many years at one church. I took his admonition to heart and reviewed several long-term pastorates that did not turn out well. I saw five common themes in their struggles:

  1. The pastor can coast. Because longer-term pastors have earned the trust of members over many years, it can be tempting for them to go through the motions of ministry and leadership. They may also be weary of the ministry and, thus, have little desire or energy to lead the church to a new level.
  2. There can be too much familiarity among the staff. It is not unusual for longer-term pastors to have longer-term staff. It is possible this staff becomes too comfortable with the pastor and the pastor’s leadership. Simply stated, they no longer look at the pastor as their leader as much as they view the pastor as their friend.
  3. The pastor can stay for the wrong reasons. In some cases, the longer-term pastor hangs on for financial security or fear of finding another place of ministry. The call to ministry thus becomes a defensive call rather than a proactive vision-laden call.
  4. Church members can get too comfortable. The longer-term pastor becomes a source of routine and tradition for the members. The pastor becomes a symbol of longevity, stability and change aversion.
  5. The pastor can stop learning. Longer-term pastors must be highly intentional to learn about the world outside their own churches. Because they have been at one church for so long, they can see their particular experiences as normative. One pastor shared with us, “After 12 years at my church, I started learning about other churches, even visiting a new church once a quarter. I was amazed to learn how much had changed in church practices that I had missed the past several years.”

For certain, longer-term pastorates have great advantages. I have written about those advantages and spoken about them on my podcasts several times. But it is possible for a longer-term pastorate to have its own challenges. It seems that those longer-term pastors who avoided these problems were highly intentional in moving in a positive direction.

I would love to hear your perspectives on pastoral tenure, and specifically on longer tenure. Let me hear from you.

This article originally appeared here.

How the Mechanistic Church Replaces the Work of God

By
Nicholas Batzig
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thank you notes for children’s ministry volunteers

Many wrongly view the local church as a social society that exists to meet their needs or desires. On the contrary, the church exists to bring glory to God, to spread and defend the Gospel, to build up and equip the saints unto mutual edification in love and to carry out the good works for which Christ has redeemed a people (Eph. 2:10; 4:11-16). To this end, the Christian life and Christian ministry require personal commitment, sacrifice and diligence. There is always a real danger that believers will grow weary in well doing (Gal. 6:9). When church members cease “giving all diligence” to living out the Christian life (2 Peter 1:5-7), they sometimes start looking for the local church to live the Christian life for them. They adopt a mechanistic view of the role of the church in their lives. When they do not feel as though the church is “working” for them, they grow discontent. Discontentment then often fosters and fuels division. Likewise, when pastors or elders grow discontent in waiting on the Lord to bless His appointed means of grace, they can slide into mechanistic ministry mode—trusting in programs or external accommodations to do the work of ministry for them. This is one of the most difficult issues to expose, since those who begin to do these things are usually not aware that they have begun to do so. It is a subtle and deceitfully sinful mode of operation.

To be sure, we should all have the deepest love for the local church, because the local church is God’s sphere of special, redemptive blessings (Eph. 3:10). We should long to see believers give the better part of their lives to the growth, provision and nourishment of the local church. That being said, God never meant for the church—in its organization, leadership and structure—to live the Christian life for its members. Likewise, God never intended for programs and ministry accommodations to do the work of ministry for its leadership.

Burk Parsons has made the important observation that often “the local church programs its people with so many activities that people have no time left to spend with their families and friends to enjoy life together and rest together—let alone take care of widows and orphans.” It is also sadly the case that the local church has programmed its people with so many activities that many of the congregants have convinced themselves that they are serving the Lord, when in fact they are merely living as ecclesiastical consumers. Whether it is singing in the choir, volunteering in a church food bank, participating in a home fellowship group or serving on a ministry team, individuals can convince themselves that they are living a faithful Christian life because they are participating in one of these or similar programs. It is altogether possible to be involved in activities in a local church without “making every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love” (2 Peter 1:5-7).

I am certainly not against church programs. However, when members of a local church grow discontent because the local church to which they belong is not large enough to have a size-specific or context-specific programs, it often reveals a defect in their own hearts more than it reveals a defect in that particular local church or its leadership. When members of a local church begin to complain because they want some provision or program that God has not commanded in His word, they are manifesting spiritual unhealthiness in their own hearts. Leadership can also fall prey to this pernicious phenomenon in the realm of ministry. Instead of relying on the Holy Spirit and God’s ordained means of grace to convert and sanctify the people of God, the ordained and staff leadership of a local church can begin to look to music, programs, facility accommodations, etc. to do the work of ministry. Here the old adage holds true: “What you win them with you win them to.” If you win people to the crucified and risen Christ, who reveals Himself through the means of grace (i.e. the word, sacraments and prayer), you win them to the Lord Jesus. If you win them with music, programs, advertisement or buildings, you will always have to do better music, have better programs and develop better buildings. God never intended for these things (which in and of themselves are not unlawful or unuseful) to work in the hearts and lives of individuals. They have their place in a local church, but they must never be in the driver’s seat of the Christian life or Christian ministry.

Cryptojacking — The Real Danger of Smart Phones

By
Steven Sundermeier
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Can we talk about cryptojacking? It’s like having that first talk with your teenager about the dangers of smartphone use.

As parents, we all must make the inevitable choice as to when the appropriate age to purchase a cell phone for our kids may be. For me, that was the decision I wrestled with much of the summer. My oldest, now a middle schooler, and a (mostly) dependable kid, was lobbying hard for a phone. At the same time, me — a cyber-tech guy, and a security-skeptical father — couldn’t help but thwart his cause with facts regarding the reality of dangers that cell phones pose. However, in the end, and following a series of solid and heartfelt conversations, we were able to reach a mutual understanding allowing him to be trusted with a phone.

For all of us, owning a phone has inherent physical responsibilities: not losing or forgetting it somewhere, not breaking it or getting it wet, or not exceeding data usage or text restrictions. But in addition to physical maintenance, the latest phones, which now act as our personal computers, also open the floodgates to another level of safety that is not physical but informational if you will: cyber compromises, breaches, and attacks exposing your personal data and confidential information to cybercriminals.

Regarding malicious attacks, not all phones are created equal. Due to Google’s open approach to app sales and a lack of solid-regulation on what can and cannot be developed due to its open source nature, Android-based phones (e.g., Samsung Galaxy) are more highly susceptible to mobile malware and cyber attacks than Apple’s iPhone. In fact, it’s estimated that 98 percent of all mobile malware target the Android OS. But, it is also important to note, (as many Apple loyalists remain in denial), that iOS devices are not completely secure from mobile threats.

The threats posed by mobile malware are many. Mobile malware payloads can include a phone being bombarded with unwanted and often non-kid friendly (suggestive) advertisements; gaining access to your personal email; enabling your phone camera; logging banking and credit card information; tracking and reporting your GPS location; stealing your contacts, numbers, and texts; or locking you out of your device. Honestly, with all the potential nastiness out there, I may need to reconsider the whole allowing a ‘tween his own phone. Some days I wish I weren’t handcuffed to mine!

Earlier this year, I wrote of new emerging malware designed to mine crypto-currency. In these cases, the secret mining of cryptocurrency (a term called cryptojacking) was mainly performed on Windows systems through a means called In-Browser Crypto-jacking. The technique has since cross-platformed on to the Linux side of things as well! More recently, I have seen just as many variations of malware written to perform these same exact attacks on the mobile side of things. Let’s take for example the Monera Malware written for the Android platform. For starters, the Monero-mining app’s icon looks identical to the Google Play Store Update app. When downloaded and permission granted, the app hides itself and starts mining Monero in the background. In addition, prior to performing any activities on the device, the malware will use anti-emulation to bypass detection and automated analysis techniques (i.e., Anti-Virus lab), and if so, it will not perform its malicious duties. The mining process is extremely rough on the device, which will eventually cause the device to fail.

The reason for the increase in mining apps is easy to understand. Until recently ransomware was the preferred method of infection, as the financial return on investment was the greatest. However, with the introduction of cryptojacking, and the idea of using someone else’s system to generate large sums of digital cash, this technique of infection quickly became the ultimate cash cow. What’s more — and by design — ransomware infections are short-lived, while mining malware can reside on a system or device for weeks if not months and go undetected or until the device gives out.

The bottom line is that the amount of mining malware out there is surging, and I don’t expect it to subside anytime soon. These types of mobile malware exploit and make excessive use of a device’s resources. Whether Windows or Mac or on a mobile device, [there] are few signs your device may have gotten compromised by mining malware:

  1. Your device is experiencing unexpected over-heating
  2. Your device battery is continually draining
  3. You notice increased of CPU and RAM Usage
  4. Your system is suffering poor performance
  5. Your device fails

Franklin Graham: ‘I miss my father almost every day’

By
Megan Briggs
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thank you notes for children’s ministry volunteers

Yesterday would have been Billy Graham’s 100th birthday. Friends, family and visitors gathered at the Billy Graham library in Charlotte, North Carolina, to pay their respects.

“I think I’ll miss my father all the days of my life,” Franklin Graham told reporters. Franklin spoke to the media and signed copies of his new book, Through My Father’s Eyes.

Franklin shared a story about a conversation he had with President Donald Trump when his father passed away in February. Franklin says Trump commented Billy “almost made it” to 100. Franklin said his father did make it to 100, if you count the nine months he was in the womb. “We believe life begins at conception,” Franklin explained. Franklin, who endorsed Trump from very early on in his election campaign, said he was with the President the night before, watching the midterm election results come in.

Franklin also told reporters that visitors to the Billy Graham library have more than tripled since Billy Graham’s passing. The late evangelist’s library is also listed as the number one tourist attraction in Charlotte on Trip Advisor. Franklin said the family is committed to keeping the library free. Somewhat jokingly, he mentioned they wouldn’t turn down any donations patrons wished to give.

Turning to memories of his father, Franklin said he remembers him almost every day. In fact, one of the things he remembers about his father is the fact that he often told Franklin he (Billy) missed his own father.

“I think I’ll miss my father all the days of my life,” Franklin said. The director of Samaritan’s Purse said he went to see his father every Sunday for 20 years. Now, he misses asking him questions.

In the video below, Maury Scobee, who served as Billy Graham’s personal assistant for over 40 years, remembers Billy Graham and talks about the late evangelist’s daily routine.

Upturn in Economy Reflected in the Offering Plate

By
Stephanie Martin
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Based on the responses of 1,000 Protestant pastors, many church members are giving at or above last year’s level. In a LifeWay Research survey conducted in late August and early September, 79 percent of pastors said 2018 offerings are matching or exceeding last year’s numbers. More than four in 10 (42 percent) say 2018 giving at their church is outpacing 2017 giving. Only 15 percent say giving is down this year.

As a result of increased giving, more churches also are on track to meet their yearly budget. Seventy-seven percent of pastors report that 2018 offerings have met expectations, and 29 say offerings have outpaced expectations. Only 19 percent say giving isn’t meeting budgetary goals.

Scott McConnell, executive director of LifeWay Research, says these results correlate with news of an improved American economy. “The increases in offerings so many churches are experiencing coincide with what most economists refer to as ‘full employment,’ as well as increased wage growth in 2018,” he says. Retirees also are able to contribute more to churches now, McConnell notes. “Inflation has allowed Social Security recipients—likely some of the most faithful donors in many churches—to receive cost of living increases above two percent for two years in a row.”

Higher giving levels may provide struggling churches some much-needed time to bounce back from the Great Recession, which hit wallets hard at the end of the last decade. But there’s no guarantee the good financial news will continue, McConnell warns. “This could be short-lived, as wage growth adjusted for inflation has been about zero in recent months.”

Not All Churches Are Experiencing Increased Giving

Offering figures vary according to church size as well as denomination. Almost half (49 percent) of congregations with 100 or more weekly worshipers report increased giving in 2018, compared to just more than one-third (36 percent) of smaller churches.

Among denominations, Pentecostals (54 percent) and Baptists (50 percent) report that offerings are up from last year. Fewer pastors of Presbyterian/Reformed (34 percent), Lutheran (33 percent) and Methodist (31 percent) churches say giving has increased.

African-Americans pastors are most likely (42 percent) to say financial contributions are below 2017 levels. They’re also almost three times as likely as white pastors to say the current U.S. economy is negatively affecting their church.

Recent Trends in Church Offerings

LifeWay Research has surveyed pastors annually about church finances since 2009, and this is the first year that more respondents say the country’s economy is having a positive effect, not a negative effect, on their church. Forty-five percent of pastors say the current economy benefits their congregation, 35 percent say it isn’t a factor, and 14 percent say it harms their congregation.

By contrast, in 2010 four-fifths (80 percent) of pastors said the economy was hurting their church. Since then, that number has fallen steadily, LifeWay Research reveals.

“Pastor’s perceptions are finally catching up to the economic reality,” says McConnell, who notes that “most trackable forces in the economy have been positive for several years.” As for recent tax-reform measures, McConnell says, “Pastors are optimistic it will not hurt their church’s finances.”

Many churches experience a boost in financial donations at year’s end. Pastor Rick Warren offers four tips for making the most of your holiday giving campaign.

WATCH Lauren Daigle Bring Christian Music to Late Night TV

By
Megan Briggs
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Christian singer Lauren Daigle made her late night television debut last night on Jimmy Fallon’s Tonight Show. Daigle performed the title track from her new album “Look Up Child”.

“That’s how to do it right there!” Fallon said enthusiastically as he greeted Daigle after she was finished singing.

Accompanied by a band and three backup singers, Daigle wowed the audience with her soulful voice. The song she performed conveys a conversation between a disheartened person and God. Although it doesn’t mention God by name, the implication is there that the songwriter is speaking to God and he is speaking back.

The lyrics for “Look Up Child” are as follows:

Where are You now
When darkness seems to win?
Where are You now
When the world is crumbling?
Oh I, I hear You say
I hear You say
Look up child,
Look up child

Where are You now (where are You?)
When all I feel is doubt?
Oh, where are You now
When I can’t figure it out?
Oh I, I hear You say
I hear You say
Look up child,
Look up

You’re not threatened by the war
You’re not shaken by the storm
I know You’re in control
Even in our suffering
Even when it can’t be seen
I know You’re in control

Oh I, I hear You say
I hear You say
Look up child

As for the intention behind the album, Daigle told Billboard Magazine “I want this to be such a record of joy, such a record of hope, that people experience a childlikeness again.”

Daigle recently weathered criticism for appearing on The Ellen Show, which some construed as an endorsement of the host, Ellen Degeneres’, homosexual lifestyle. Daigle addressed the criticism by saying, “The second we start drawing lines around which people are able to be approached and which aren’t, we’ve already completely missed the heart of God.”

Daigle went on to comment, “I don’t have all the answers in life, but one thing I know is that I can’t choose who I’m supposed to be kind to and who I’m not, because that’s the mission, right? Be who Christ was to everyone as well.”

The reactions to her appearance on Jimmy Fallon’s show tell a different story, though. Several people are commenting on the fact that Daigle, an outspoken Christian, is being applauded for her songs, which speak about God, on a majorly popular secular show. A lot of people see this as progress for the cause of Christian music.

Lauren Daigle on Jimmy Fallon

It will be exciting to see what Daigle does next. She has indicated that she would like to work on some cross-over music in an attempt to “reach people that might not have felt that [the Christian genre] was their home before.”

What Really Strong People Do in Critical Times

By
Joe McKeever
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When I am weak, then am I strong.”  –2 Corinthians 12:10

Jackie called me the other day. He and I were classmates in high school, but we’ve not seen each other in 40 years or more. We soon picked up the conversation like we were together last week.

He said, “Joe, my wife died 10 days ago. I am having a hard time dealing with it. I know you’ve been through this when your wife died. Can you talk to me?”

Wow. Such a courageous thing he did, to reach out and ask for help. I do not have words to say how much I admire him for this. (We talked for 30 minutes and prayed together. Then, I sent him the book on grief my wife Bertha and I wrote last year about the deaths of our spouses of 52 years. I’ve prayed for Jackie ever since.)

Asking someone for help takes courage and strength. I’m well aware it feels otherwise, like we’re at the end of our rope and cannot think of anything to do. But only the truly strong person will ask for help. Most people will suffer in silence and pay the consequences.

Only. The. Strong. Will. Ask. For. Help.

It’s another one of those truths which people call counter-intuitive. That is, it might appear to be a sign of weakness, but it’s something only the truly strong can do. Like yielding to the bully on the highway. A weaker person would give vent to his anger and try to teach that guy a lesson. But the strong person knows no one can teach that guy anything, it’s not worth risking one’s own life to do, and his goal is to arrive at his destination safely. So, he controls his anger and goes forward safely.

Only the strong can stoop and wash the feet of the other disciples (see John 13). Only the strong can submit; the weak will protect his ego and safeguard his image from appearing to be as weak as he truly is.

And only the strong can ask for help. The weak will protect his fragile ego and suffer in silence.

I’m remembering when I was 24 years old and a new student in seminary. During that first semester, I was taking Old Testament, church history, Christian missions and Hebrew. Now, studying Hebrew was unlike anything I’d ever done before. I mean, these people write backwards, right to left! Then, one day after class…

Bill approached me. He was also a new student, but 13 years older. While my wife and I had a one-year old son, Bill and Nita had three children, all in elementary school. He had done a truly courageous thing in returning to seminary at his age and situation in life. Most people would not have gone to that much trouble to prepare for ministry.

Bill said, “Joe, could we study Hebrew together? This stuff is killing me!” And so, for the rest of the semester, a couple of nights a week, Bill and I met for an hour, either in his apartment or mine. It was the best thing that could have happened to either of us. It bonded us as friends, really helped me learn Hebrew (since nothing helps us to learn like turning around and teaching another person), and it helped Bill.

I admire this man—now in Heaven!—so very much.

I wish I had been as strong…

During my first year at Birmingham-Southern College I was trying to take French and having a time of it. I lived in an apartment off campus and knew no students, so asking someone to assist me—which is how you learn a foreign language!!—would have required more courage than I could muster. So, I struggled alone, took four quarters of French, made C’s and learned very little of it. I regret to this day that I did not ask for help.

A short few years later, after college and before seminary, married and holding down a weekday job, I began pastoring Unity Baptist Church 25 miles north of Birmingham. I would drive up Sundays and Wednesday nights and sometimes during the week. Because I’d had no preparation for pastoring in college—I was a history major called to preach as a college senior—I had to reinvent the wheel each week to come up with sermons. It was excruciating.

What I did not know, and wish to this day I’d known then, was that mentors could have been found behind the door of almost every pastor’s office in town. (As a veteran pastor, I cannot tell you the numbers of pastors I have mentored in one way or the other, so I am trying to help people the way I wish someone had helped me.)

Pastors are always glad to help a younger preacher. They are!

But they have to be asked.

And only the strong will be able to pull that off.

Paul said, “I am glad about the coming of Stephanas, Fortunatus and Achaicus, for what was lacking on your part they supplied. For they refreshed my spirit and yours. Therefore acknowledge such men” (I Corinthians 16:17-18). He said, “Timothy, be diligent and come to me quickly… Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me in ministry. And Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus. Bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas when you come—and the books, especially the parchments” (2 Timothy 4:9-13). 

If Paul needed others to help him, what made you think it was a sign of weakness, friend? Ask!!

A golf partner said to Henry Ford, “I read in the paper you bought a million-dollar insurance policy from someone. Why didn’t you buy it from me?” Ford answered, “He asked me. You didn’t.”

Ask and you might be surprised at what you receive.

This article originally appeared here. 

What Role Can Satan and Demons Have in the Life of a Believer?

By
Randy Alcorn
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Someone asked me, I am confused about what role Satan and demons can have in the life of a believer. Can they influence us? If so, how much? Can they oppress us? Can they possess us?

These are important questions to consider. Theologian G.C. Berkouwer said, “There can be no sound theology without a sound demonology.” Some deny the existence of demons, regarding them as mere symbols of man’s inhumanity to man. But even those who believe the Bible tend to develop sloppy demonology. Often our understanding of fallen angels is based more on superstition, tradition and assumptions than on the Scriptures. (For that reason, when I wrote my book Lord Foulgrin’s Letters, I tried to carefully study what Scripture teaches—and doesn’t teach—about Satan and his angels.)

Masters at Deceit, Waging War Against Us

Demons are fallen angels, a high order of God’s creation. They are spirits, and therefore not subject to the sensory limitations of human bodies. They are stronger and far more intel­ligent than we are. While we live in the fog and darkness of the Shadowlands, they live in the spiritual world where there’s a certain clarity of thought even among the fallen.

Though Scripture doesn’t suggest they can read our minds or know the future, demons are certainly aware of much truth that we aren’t. Scripture puts it this way: “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder” (James 2:19). Their modus operandi is to twist, deceive and mislead, but they are intimately familiar with the truth they twist. In fact, they may even quote Scripture in their attempts to mislead us, as Satan did in his temptation of Christ.

Our adversary is the ultimate con artist. Satan is a liar, and demons are masters at deceit. Jesus called him a “liar, and the father of lies.” He said, “He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language” (John 8:44).

I imagine, though, when demons pri­vately discuss the lies they tell us, they openly recognize many of them as just that—lies. Do I mean literally that demons communicate with each other? Of course. They are intelligent beings portrayed in Scripture as rational and communicative. They operate within a hierarchy dependent on issuing, receiving and carrying out orders. They wage war against God, righteous angels and us: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12). Intelligence gathering, strategy, deploying troops, communicating battle orders and reporting on the results of engagement are all basic aspects of warfare.

This is reality, not myth—we are actually being watched, hovered over and whispered to, not only by God and righteous angels, but also by fallen angels, demons. These beings are likely present in this room as I write, and wherever you are as you read. If God were to open our eyes, we would see angels, both fallen and unfallen, as clearly as you see these words on a screen.

But what about the question of whether a Christian can be possessed? First John 5:18 says, “We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one cannot harm them.” This would seem to imply Christians are safe from absolute control or possession, but not safe from significant influence. So no, a believer cannot be possessed, but he can certainly be oppressed and heavily influenced by a demon (particularly as he opens up aspects of his life to outside control and addictions).

Paul took a particular course of action “that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes” (2 Corinthians 2:11). The degree to which Satan outwits us will correspond directly to how informed—or ignorant—we are of his schemes against us.

Big to Us, Small to God

Augustine called Satan “the ape of God.” Martin Luther believed the devil to be so real that he threw his inkwell at him. But Luther also reminded us “the devil is God’s devil.” He encouraged us to jeer and flout the devil because “he cannot bear scorn.”

We shouldn’t take the devil lightly. But we should also realize this roaring lion is on a leash held by an omnipotent and loving God. We must neither underestimate nor overestimate his power. Speaking of demons, God tells us, “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

Nothing must be more infuriating to demons than for us to realize that if we’ve repented of our sins and trusted Christ as our Savior, then the same Lord who evicted them from Heaven dwells within us. He’s infinitely more powerful than they. Through Him we can overcome them.

The devil may be big to us, but he is small to God. The greater our God, the smaller our devil.

More Resources

Here are some further resources on the subject of Satan and demons in the life of believers:

Does a Believer Have Authority over Satan?

Tim Keller’s message on spiritual warfare

Tony Evans Speaks on Having Victory in Spiritual Warfare (check out the two-minute video with Tony sharing)

John MacArthur on the degree to which demons can and cannot occupy or influence believers: Can Christians Be Demon-Possessed?

Here is a question I answered several years ago: Can Satan and Demons Read Our Minds?

John Piper on casting out demons in different ways: Do You Believe We Should Cast Out Demons Today?

Here is a great video reminder from John Piper that the main problem is not Satan, but us. He does not minimize Satan and demons, rather he says we must wage war against not only Satan, but first and foremost the desires of our flesh. I think it’s an important balancing statement.

Finally, a message by John Piper many years ago, dealing with resisting Satan as believers: Resist the Devil

This article originally appeared here.

10 Small Group Strategy Assumptions

By
Mark Howell
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We’ve talked many times about assumptions. If you’ve been along for much of this adventure, you’ve probably read more than your share of articles on assumptions. If the idea of assumptions is unfamiliar to you, I’ve linked to a few of my favorites below.

I’m thinking about my assumptions about small group ministry today because of a question a reader asked me recently. Their question was so obviously the wrong question that it caused to me to wonder why in the world they are doing what they’re doing.

You can ask the wrong question, you know. Albert Einstein famously said,

“If I had an hour to solve a problem and my life depended on the solution, I would spend the first 55 minutes determining the proper question to ask, for once I know the proper question, I could solve the problem in less than five minutes.

Identifying the right question is a critical skill. And that caused me to reflect on my assumptions.

Here is a list of my assumptions (about small group ministry):

1. There is no problem-free solution.

Early on I looked for problem-free strategies. Eventually I realized there are no problem-free strategies. Every strategy, system and model comes with a unique set of problems. Wise leaders simply choose the set of problems they’d rather have. See also, The Pursuit of Problem-Free.

2. Unconnected people are one tough thing away from not being at our church.

Every delay at connecting them puts many of them in jeopardy. Putting off the connecting opportunity in order to line up some timing issue increases the likelihood that for certain unconnected people the window will close. See also,What’s Your Urgency Level for Connecting People?

3. The optimal environment for life-change is a small group.

I know this. And you know this. That’s why we believe small groups must be prioritized. Circles, not rows are where life-change happens. See also, Essential Ingredients for Life-Change.

4. Joining a group in a stranger’s living room is the second scariest move (preceded only by coming to church for the first time).

This makes a safe and familiar on-campus first step out of the auditorium a key to connecting people. See also, How to Calm an Unconnected Person’s Second Greatest Fear.

5. The people with the most connections inside the church have the fewest connections outside the church.

Conversely, the people with the least connections inside the church have the most connections outside the church. This is an understanding that makes HOST a great idea. See also, Exponential Outreach.

6. Every group of 10 has a relative shepherd (and most adults can quickly identify the person they’d be willing to follow).

In a Malcolm Gladwell sense, everyone can see very quickly who the leader should be. See also, How to Connect People No One Else Is Connecting.

7. The leader of a group only needs to be a step or two ahead of group members.

Even Jesus didn’t look for Jesus Jr. See also, Top 5 Signs Your Church Really Wants to Be a Church OF Groups.

8. I need to make it as easy as possible to begin “leading” and nearly automatic that the new “leader” step onto the leadership development conveyor belt.

I’ve longed believed the first part of this assumption. The second part is a more recent add-on that is a critical understanding. See also, Steve Gladen on Saddleback’s Leadership Development Pathway.

9. Whatever we want the members of a group to experience, the leader has to experience first.

This makes coaching or mentoring an essential ingredient for any small group strategy. Coaching is only initially about teaching technique. It is primarily about doing TO and FOR the leaders whatever you want the leaders to do TO and FOR their members. See also, The End in Mind for an Effective Coaching Structure.

10. Prioritizing the launch of new groups connects the largest number of unconnected people.

Prioritizing the needs of existing groups connects the fewest unconnected people. See also, Are You Prioritizing the Launch of New Groups?

What question was so obviously the wrong question?

The essence of the question was, “Have you written anything on how to best connect people with (existing) leaders? One of my greatest issues right now is connecting people on a Sunday with (existing) leaders.”
What makes that the wrong question? Easy. Emphasizing connecting unconnected people with existing leaders (who already have groups) leads to connecting the fewest unconnected people. Prioritizing the launch of new groups (via a small group connection, GroupLink, etc.) leads to the connecting the largest number of unconnected people.
This article originally appeared here.

4 Leadership Lessons From Jesus

By
Andrew Stucker
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I recently read an article titled “The Top 28 Greatest Leaders of All Time.” The list included excellent candidates such as Napoleon, Nelson Mandela, George Washington and Martin Luther King Jr. Without a doubt, every one of these individuals is well deserving of being considered one of the greatest leaders of all time.

Surprisingly, the list did not include Jesus. How many other people have been able to turn the world on its head in the span of only three years and also manage to take 12 of the least underwhelming individuals and train them up to lead His cause once He was gone? One would think Jesus should have been able to fit somewhere in the list of 28.

In the familiar story of Jesus feeding the five thousand in Matthew 14:13-21, we see a great picture of the way Jesus led and the way we ought to lead, too. Here are four leadership lessons from Jesus.

4 Leadership Lessons From Jesus

1. Jesus Was Willing to Be Interrupted

The story starts off by noting Jesus was desiring to be alone. He wanted to be in a desolate place by Himself after hearing the news about the tragic death of John the Baptist. This seems like a fair request. His cousin had been brutally killed and all He wanted was to be alone and not bothered for a few minutes. However, the crowds followed Him, and rather than becoming angry or frustrated, He looked on them with compassion and healed all their sick.

Leaders emulating Jesus need to do the same. There will always be people who are in need and we will have already made our own plans. However, this interruption provides Jesus with a great opportunity for ministry. Often the interruptions in life are God sent movements to be a part of His work.

2. Jesus Was Willing to Do the Work

After healing their sick and teaching them throughout the day, it became late in the evening and the crowds became hungry. The disciples encouraged Jesus to send them away to find food before they had a hungry mob on their hands. However, Jesus says to His disciples, “You give them something to eat.” This almost seems like a cop-out. It appears as though Jesus is too good to wait on tables so He pawns the task off on the lowly disciples. Yet, we’ve already seen Jesus is willing to roll up His sleeves and work. He will touch their sick. He will spend hours teaching them. He spends the day with them even when He needed some time for himself. He is not above the task.

Leading like Jesus means the mundane tasks are not above us. Leaders don’t pawn off work merely because they don’t want to do it, or they feel they are too good for the task. Leaders lead by example and lead through service just as Jesus did. True leaders are willing to be in the trenches and do the work with their followers.

3. Jesus Was Willing to Bring Others Along

Despite His willingness to do the work, Jesus did not attempt to do everything on His own. He trained and developed those around them. When the only solution the disciples could find was to send the crowds away, Jesus challenged them to do something greater. He is willing to stretch and strengthen those around Him.

As leaders, are we developing those around us? Do we take the time to empower others to take part in the ministry we are already doing? Are we willing to be patient with those God has placed under our leadership in order to help them dream and see that God may be up to something bigger than they can imagine? Unlike Jesus, we are not able to do everything even if it were our desire. If Jesus was willing and ready to build up leaders around Him, we should be doing the same.

4. Jesus Was Willing to Do What Others Could Not

Jesus gives leaders a pattern to follow. He was willing to do the work, He was willing to bring others along, and when they couldn’t quite come through He was willing to do what they could not. When all the disciples could manage to scrounge up was a meager five loaves of bread and two fish, Jesus did the impossible and multiplied the food. Jesus did not rebuke the disciples for not finding enough food or coming up with a better plan. He honored their genuine effort.

Just like Jesus, leaders are willing to graciously pick up the slack where plans have fallen short. There is no need for harsh rebukes or stern lectures making people feel less than valuable. When those around the leader have made honest and deliberate efforts, the leader is willing to accomplish what others could not.

Emulating Jesus

While individuals like Napoleon and George Washington likely have numerous leadership traits we can learn from, there is no greater leader than Jesus. Emulating Jesus makes a leader worth following. It may take time and effort and some extra energy we would rather not exert, but when we lead like Jesus and allow ourselves to be led by Jesus, we see more accomplished than we ever thought possible.

This article originally appeared here.

6 Deadly Lies We Believe About Church

By
Nicole Cottrell
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“One hundred religious persons knit into a unity by careful organization do not constitute a church any more than 11 dead men make a football team. The first requisite is life, always.” -A.W. Tozer

1. Church is optional.

Ah, the lone believer, hell-bent on staying out of a church community for one reason or another.

They were burned, chastised or mistreated.

And I get it. I, too, was a solo “Christian” trying to call a five-minute quiet time and a snippet of Scripture “church.” I know what it is to be community-less and long for (but never actually believe it could happen) a spiritual family, where brethren would lay down their life for one another—reminiscent of the book of Acts.

Oh yeah, but then, through a series of painful life-altering events (another post for another time), I came to see church was not optional because, I was, in fact, the church.

When scripture refers to the church as “the house of God,” “the Body of Christ,” “Christ’s bride,” it is referencing a people. The ekklesia, in Greek. It is not a place or a building, which leads me to…

2. We go to church.

Those in the church have long believed we go to church.

But, as stated above, if we are the church, then this can’t actually be true. We don’t actually go to church on Sunday.

What we do instead is assemble where other members of the church happen to be, and we usually sit in a pew and listen to someone preach from the pulpit. This is not church.

You are the church.

3. The church exists to reach the lost and unsaved.

It was not so long ago the Lord really clarified this point for me.

In the Christian culture of “doing social justice,” “living missionally” and “loving the unlovely,” it becomes easy to view the church as a vehicle in which to reach the unsaved.

However, this is not the primary function or purpose of the church. The church exists for the believer—to equip, edify and empower the saints. To manifest the body and life of Jesus Christ.

I know this might rub some people the wrong way, but if so, I encourage you to re-examine the scriptures. You may be surprised. I was.

4. A small group or Bible study is a perfectly acceptable replacement for “church.”

Oh, I fell hard for this lie.

I remember pastors enthusiastically telling me if I had to choose between Sunday morning service and my weekly small group, I was to choose the latter. My small group, as it was explained to me, was actually church.

Those pastors…they were trying. What they meant, or should have meant, was a small group was more like church.

But there was one big problem. We wrongly think…

5. Hanging out with a group of individuals, just like us, is church.

Sadly, what small groups, home groups and many Bible studies have taught people is a group of our peers gathered together is church.

When Jesus refers to the “family of God,” I don’t think a twentysomethings Wednesday night fellowship/hangout/thing is what He had in mind.

Families are made up of all kinds of people in all stages of life. There are moms and dads, brothers and sister, infants, cousins and even a few loud-mouthed crazy uncles (you know who you are).

Church is, and should be, all of us. All the time.

6. We must grow the church.

In the consumer-driven, “bigger is better” culture we find ourselves in, many Christians have come to falsely believe it is our responsibility to build the church.

We think we do the growing. But 1 Cor. 3 teaches that, while some of us plant and others water, it is God who causes it to grow. We are “coworkers belonging to God,” allowed to fully in building [sic] His church. God is responsible…and I find that comforting.

Do you agree or disagree with my list? Have you fallen for any of these lies about church? What would you add to the list? Let’s hear it! 

Wesleyan Covenant Association of the UMC Poised to Leave Denomination

By
Megan Briggs
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The charismatic arm of the United Methodist Church, the Wesleyan Covenant Association, is making a plan to continue to operate out from under the UMC. Whether the WCA will end up using this contingency plan depends on how the vote will go in February concerning the denomination’s position on homosexuality.

“The adoption of the One Church Plan, with the changing of the definition of marriage and the changing of ordination standards, would be untenable and would force us to lead in the formation of a new expression of connectional Methodism,” a statement from the WCA reads. In other words, if the UMC adopts a plan that will significantly alter its historical stance on homosexuality, the WCA will leave.

A group of 2,500 WCA members met at Mt. Bethel United Methodist Church in Marietta, Georgia on November 2nd and 3rd and passed four resolutions. Delegates representing 125,000 people in 1,500 churches convened at the WCA’s first global legislative assembly. Those in the WCA appear to be of one mind concerning the UMC’s ongoing debate on how to handle homosexuality in the church.

Under The One Church Plan, the statement that says homosexuality “is incompatible with Christian teaching” would be removed from the United Methodist Book of Discipline. Additionally, the plan would place the decision to perform same-sex weddings up to individual churches and the decision of gay ordination up to annual conferences. The One Church Plan is the plan, among a few options, that the UMC’s Council of Bishops recommends.

What the Wesleyan Covenant Association Wants for the UMC

In contrast to the Council of Bishops’ consensus, the WCA is in favor of The Traditional Plan with some modifications submitted by Dr. Maxie Dunnam. “The Traditional Plan with modifications is in accord with the teachings of Scripture, tradition, reason, and experience. It alone provides measures to uphold the UM Church’s discipline and polity, supports the perspective of the majority of the global church, and is generous in its provision towards individuals, local churches, and annual conferences that can no longer abide by it,” a statement from the WCA reads. The group is encouraging UMC delegates to vote for this plan come February at the General Conference.

The WCA is also pushing for a “gracious exit” option to be extended to congregations that wish to exit the UMC following whatever decision is made at the General Conference in February. The WCA advocates such congregations should be allowed to keep their property and assets while funding its “proportionate share of unfunded pension liabilities within its annual conference” and continuing to pay off any outstanding loans it may have with the UMC. In other words, dissenting congregations should be given every opportunity to “thrive in a new ministry reality.” Additionally, with Dr. Dunnam’s modifications, an annual conference wishing to exit the denomination would also be given a $200,000 grant to help pay for transitional expenses.

The Plan Most International Methodists Embrace

The Traditional Plan is arguably the one most United Methodists across the globe endorse. Delegates from African nations, Korea, and Russia were present at the WCA meeting. South Congo Area Bishop Kasap Owan said “Africa will not walk away from Christ. If you bring us another teaching on marriage, our churches will be empty. But if you are faithful to the word of God, the church will grow.”

“Jesus was protected in Africa,” Owan said. “Africa will remain the place to protect the Gospel.”

On its website, the WCA says it “connects Spirit-filled, orthodox churches of Wesleyan theology and their members.” At the meeting this weekend, the Rev. Madeline Carassco-Henners said the DNA of the Wesleyan movement encompassed the “charismatic nature of revival that even shocked Wesley.”

Whatever the outcome of the vote in February, the WCA is gearing up for changes. Whether they will remain in the denomination or begin the work to gracefully exit, they are determined to practice Christianity as they believe God would have them. Even if they have to form a new denomination, they will continue to follow the principles of Wesleyanism and traditional marriage.

The WCA’s announcement comes on the heels of a large UMC congregation announcing it will leave the UMC, regardless of how the vote in February goes.

Churches Risk Non-Profit Status to Make Political Statements

By
Stephanie Martin
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As the contentious midterm elections approached, some churches pushed legal boundaries by displaying campaign-related signs and slogans. Although U.S. tax code prohibits churches and other non-profit organizations from engaging in politics, IRS enforcement in that area has been lax, experts say.

Adding to the concerns of community members and local officials, several churches that broadcast political messages also served as polling places. On Election Day, for example, a roadside LED sign outside Providence Bible Church in Monroe, Virginia, flashed the words “Vote Jobs & Safety Not Mobs & Crazy”—with the first portion in red and the second in blue. Almost 2,000 citizens cast their ballots at the church.

When she arrived to campaign nearby for Democratic candidates, Sharon Jackson contacted the county elections board about the sign. Within a few hours, the message disappeared. Jackson said it was “inappropriate, partly because [the church is] a place to vote.”

James Dean, in the area campaigning for Republicans, said the sign “didn’t mention any parties or names.” However, it echoed the #JobsNotMobs hashtag used by President Trump and his supporters.

Tuesday in New Port Richey, Florida, where The Grace of God Church serves as a polling place for Pasco County, the church posted on Facebook a photo of a sign reading “Don’t vote for Democrats on Tuesday and sing ‘Oh how I love Jesus’ on Sunday.” Commenters cried foul, while the page administrator wrote, “God’s dedicated property does not change on the first Tuesday of [November] every two years,” adding, “I’ll risk losing our [non-profit status] and honor our sacred rights to free speech.”

Brian Corley, the county elections supervisor, said his authority ends 100 feet from a polling place, meaning a Facebook post is essentially “private property.” But the pastor’s refusal to remove the post means the facility won’t be used as a future polling place, Corley noted.

More Examples of Election-Related Advocacy

Neighbors of Crosspoint Community Church in Missoula, Montana, were unhappy about campaign-related signs displayed on the church’s front lawn. “I think the church should be a neutral field,” says resident Rodger Clixbi.

Crosspoint pastor Bruce Speer says his congregation takes a pro-life stance, calling it a “key moral truth.” He adds, “We are not Republican or Democrat. Our party is Christian. It wouldn’t matter if it was a Democrat; if he was pro-life, we would support him.”

A sign outside First Conservative Baptist Church in Jacksonville, Florida, prompted an online petition to revoke the congregation’s tax-exempt status. The lighted sign reading “Vote no on all amendments, yes on DeSantis” (the Republican running for governor) prompted resident Cate Dobbins to launch a petition on Change.org. It accuses the church of “continually and purposefully” violating the law about 501(c) (3) organizations.

The IRS Code Is Clear but Rarely Enforced

About non-profit organizations, the Internal Revenue Code prohibits “directly or indirectly participating in, or intervening in, any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for elective public office.”

Churches that post political messages are clearly violating U.S. tax code, says law professor Anthony Johnstone, yet they may not face consequences. “That’s an area of federal tax law that the IRS has not shown much interest in enforcing, particularly in recent years,” he says. Plus, signs generally represent a fairly low level of political engagement, Johnstone notes.

To avoid risking non-profit status, however, churches and pastors are advised to steer clear of messages that convey support for a particular political party or candidate.

Bryan Loritts: White Evangelicalism and the Hope I See

By
Jason Daye
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Bryan Loritts serves the Abundant Life Christian Fellowship of Silicon Valley, California, as the Lead Pastor. Pastor Loritts co-founded Fellowship Memphis in 2003, and later founded The Kainos Movement. In addition to writing several books including Saving the Saved and Insider Outsider, Pastor Loritts serves on the board of trustees for Biola University and PineCove Christian Camps. 

 

Key Questions for Bryan Loritts:

– How should we approach the discussion of white privilege?

– You have said before that preachers should preach the gospel before they preach on race. Why do you feel that way?

– What is your take on the “social gospel”?

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Key Quotes from Bryan Loritts:

“Any good hermeneutics professor will tell you it’s impossible for us to approach the text—do hermeneutics, study the Bible—completely divested of our own biases and presuppositions.”

“The problem with white evangelicalism is not that it has an accent, but that it fails to see its accent because it has always been the home team here in America.”

“I refuse to demonize anyone with privilege. I do think people need to be called out on their stewardship of it.”

“The Black church was birthed out of rejection.”

“I don’t think privilege in and of itself is the problem. I think the poor stewardship of privilege is the problem. After all, Jesus was the most privileged individual to walk the face of the earth. He was God in the flesh—doesn’t get much more privileged than that.”

“The 10 richest Americans are 100 percent white. U.S. Congress as of right now is 90 percent white. Our governors are 96 percent white. Our top military advisers are 100 percent white. U.S. House Freedom Caucus: 99 percent white. Our current U.S Presidential cabinet: 91 percent white. People who decide what T.V. shows we see: 93 percent white. People who decide which books we read: 90 percent white. People who decide which news is covered: 85 percent white. People who decide what music we listen to: 95 percent white. People who direct the top 100 grossing films of all time–worldwide: 95 percent white. Full-time college professors: 85 percent white. Teachers: 82 percent white.”

“You and I can’t have a relationship until I am able to bring all of me into the light and a part of what that means is the ethnic me…It’s almost impossible to have relationship with a person who’s easily offended all the time.”

“On the one hand, what I need from minorities is to understand Ephesians 6, and that is we wrestle not against flesh and blood. White people aren’t the enemy, and so we’ve got to come at this believing the best. From the other side of the table, [what I need] is for our white brothers and sisters to have a little bit more resolve and maybe to hear some things you don’t want to hear but you need to hear if we’re going to have an authentic relationship with one another.”

“The idea of social gospel, social justice has been hijacked by our friends on the left. Just like evangelical has been politicized as well.”

“Systemic injustice and racism in America was the careful and well-thought-out intentional plan that went on for several centuries in our nation’s history, and [in order to undo it], it’s going to take the same intentionality, working in the opposite direction, times a thousand.”

“We are making progress. And I believe that while we’ve made enormous legislative leaps, that the next step is the church has got to step in as the people of God, armed with the spirit of God. We have the cure for what ails us—holistically, but especially in the area of race. And we need to start doing life with one another.”

 

Links Mentioned in the Show:

Insider Outsider
“White Is NOT a Four-Letter Word” 
John MacArthur and the statement on social justice
Martin Luther King Jr.’s Letter from a Birmingham Jail
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
BryanLoritts.co

Bryan Loritts on ChurchLeaders:

Bryan Loritts: Be Careful Trusting in Your Circumstance
Thanks, Dad, for Not Always Showing Up

Life in the Spirit Isn’t Just ‘Doing’ Differently, but ‘Being’ Different

By
Jared C. Wilson
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It is a typical scene in countless households in our day. After dinner time, the kids have wandered off to their rooms, and Mom is staring down a sink-load of dishes while Dad snuggles into his easy chair, remote control in hand. Mom isn’t just tired of washing the dishes every night. She’s tired of nobody seeming to notice. She’s tired of nobody offering to do it for her. So she decides to broach the subject with her husband.

“Do you think you could wash the dishes this time?” she calls sweetly from the living room door.

Dad tries not to look too inconvenienced by the request. “Um, sure,” he replies. “I’ll do it in the morning before I head out. I just want to relax tonight.”

Mom sighs. “I want to relax tonight too. But I won’t be able to relax until the dishes are done. I don’t like to leave them overnight.”

“I know. I’ll do them. You don’t have to worry about that. I’ll just do them in the morning.”

“I would like you to do them tonight, please.”

They are at an impasse. But it’s not really about the schedule or divvying up of household chores. It’s about honor, really. And appreciation. This man’s wife isn’t really all that concerned that he wash the dishes; she wants him to want to wash the dishes, to be the kind of person who looks after her and knows what would serve her rather than first thinking of himself.

And of course, both husband and wife want the other to think this way. But how do we get there?

Life in the Spirit Isn’t Just ‘Doing’ Differently, but ‘Being’ Different

You have likely discovered in your own life, whether you’re married or single, whether you have kids or not, that nagging doesn’t really work. The best nagging can accomplish is reluctant behavior modification. But what we really want is not for people to begrudgingly do certain tasks, but be the kind of people who don’t have to be asked, right? If nagging worked, it wouldn’t be called nagging!

Behavior modification versus heart change is exactly the kind of dynamic at play in Paul’s letter to the Galatians, especially when he gets to the bit on the fruit of the Spirit in chapter 5. In this session, we’re going to see his teaching on grace, works and personal transformation to obedience in the light of the gospel. There’s no nagging in sight!

What does that dish-burdened wife really want to see in her husband? Not dutiful acceptance of burdensome chores. No, what she really wants to see is a man living according to the reality that he is not a single man deciding at any given moment when to act married, but that he is “one flesh” with his wife, that he is united to her in covenant, and that he should therefore act according to that reality. To want to wash the dishes is what would honor and cherish his wife, and therefore to want to wash the dishes is how a husband acts like a husband.

It is a spiritual principle for all of life that doing flows from being.

That is, we always behave according to who or what we think we are at any given moment. You can’t get away from this concept in the pages of Scripture. Biblically speaking, this means that when we are embracing our identity in Christ, the power of Christ enables us to live accordingly. This means that the power of our obedience and the source of our holiness is not our own efforts, but the effort of the Spirit applying to our lives the finished work of Christ. It’s God who works in you to will and to work (Phil. 2:12-13). Your good works were ordained beforehand (Eph. 2:10). The same gospel that empowers our conversion empowers our sanctification (Titus 2:11-12, 1 Cor. 15:1-2, Rom. 8:30). It is Jesus who both authors our faith and perfects it (Heb. 12:2). It is God alone who is faithful both to start the work in us and to complete it (Phil. 1:6).

Why Youth Pastors Need to Multiply Leadership

By
Kevin Boer
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How do you know if you need to multiply leadership? Does any of this sound familiar? Exhausted, alone and too many people are coming at you for too much stuff.
The weight of responsibilities is dragging your shoulders to the dirt.
If only there were others to share the burden.

If this is you, then you are not alone. About 4,000 years ago a great spiritual leader was gently rebuked by his father-in-law as he wrestled with the same struggle. In Exodus 18, Moses is seen sitting from dawn until dusk, judging the exhaustingly wide range of grievances of his people. His father-in-law, Jethro, told him to stop doing it the way he was doing it and instead start multiplying leaders. Read the account in Exodus 18:13-27.

But how do we do this?

Visualize the Bigger Picture

Moses could only see all the problems of the people he was leading. But Jethro told him to take another look—a 30,000-foot view. Take some time to take a step back and see the bigger picture in your life and community. God may be calling you to a greater purpose and He wants you to listen to Him. Dare to wait on Him expectantly and ask Him to make you the leader He intends for you to be. Then allow him to transform your leadership of others.

Prioritize Leadership Development

Jethro told Moses, “The work is too heavy for you alone.” When I was in my first youth pastorate, my senior pastor gave me a helpful word picture when he shared with me the gardener’s dilemma: “Do I water all these plants, or do I build a sprinkler system?” Doing construction on a system ignores the urgent, but builds long-term capacity and fruitfulness. Prioritize by taking time to build the leadership of your staff, your students and yourself.

My friend Travis Sybert just celebrated 20 years as the junior high pastor at North Coast Church in Vista, California. He chose to develop leadership in junior highers and now he has one of the biggest volunteer staffs in the nation. Students from his ministry are now youth pastors at other churches across the country. He has a weekly program called “Salt and Light” where more than 80 middle school students grow in their character and develop leadership skills.

Individualize care for your flock.

The solution for Moses’ workload was to select capable leaders, who then could care for the needs of the people. It is the same advice that the Apostle Paul gave to Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:2, “Entrust the ministry to reliable people…”

Each of us has the capacity for going deep with only a few people. Even Jesus selected just 12 disciples.

Here’s a suggestion: Make a list of those in whom God is calling you to invest. Then determine what needs they have in order to thrive as leaders.

Getting Started

When you make leaders it will be like the words of Jethro in Exodus 18:23: “If you do this and God so commands, you will be able to stand the strain, and all these people will go home satisfied.” Notice that the end game for Moses wasn’t feeling needed by or vital to the people, but meeting their needs. Spreading himself too thin was not meeting the most important need.

You may need help in getting this process going. When I need help in leadership development, I go to Randy Davis, the national leadership director/chief ministries officer for National Network of Youth Ministries. Randy recommends Leaders Made Here by Mark Miller. Check out this quote from the book, “A leadership culture exists when leaders are routinely and systematically developed and you have a surplus of leaders.”

May God give you the same surplus in your ministry as you follow His principles!

This article originally appeared here.

Three Ways Lottie Moon’s Calling Was Centered in Christ

By
Daniel Yang
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Given what I know about Lottie Moon from reading her missionary letters and seeing her through the eyes of historians, it’s safe to say she wouldn’t like being the focus of this article, but I think she would agree with what it says. Hopefully…

Lottie Moon is most famously associated with the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering® (LMCO), an offering that she helped start by sending letters from China to her constituents in the States. Her challenging words and inspiring message paved the way for a special offering collected in December that funded the appointment of new missionaries.

But it was not just her words that affected change; it was that coupled with her example—a life fully devoted to Christ. As I study the life and ministry of Moon, I see three primary motivations that drove her with Christ-centered passion.

A Calling to Christ, Not Self

Lottie was raised in a life of privilege. She was well-educated, excelled in academia and was acutely aware of the challenges women faced, especially on the mission field. When she received her call to foreign missions at the age of 31, she knew the difficulties she would encounter as a single woman on the field.

She was not opposed to marriage, but she also would not let her singleness stop her from faithfully following her calling. Her relationship with a former Baptist professor, Crawford Toy, is well documented, but there were two things about a relationship with Toy that caused conflict: calling and theology. It’s rumored that Toy sought appointment as a missionary to Japan at one point. Moon, discerning God’s clear focus for her to serve in China, did not oblige.

Furthermore, and more importantly, was Toy’s leaning toward liberal theology. Moon, the strong-willed, conviction-led woman that she was, could not reconcile Toy’s stance on evolution with the veracity of Scripture. She chose faithfulness to God’s Word over matrimony. When asked if she had ever experienced romance, Moon replied, “Yes, but God had first claim on my life, and since the two conflicted, there could be no question about the result.”

“She trusted God’s sovereignty, knowing the God who calls men and women to the mission field is the same God who brings a husband and wife together.”

Moon didn’t see singleness as a detriment to the work. She trusted God’s sovereignty, knowing the God who calls men and women to the mission field is the same God who brings a husband and wife together. Instead of forcing something she desired, she trusted God and sought to be used by him where she was. On July 7, 1873, Moon was appointed as a single missionary to China at the age of 33.

A Calling to Christ, Not Comfort

Moon’s first few years in China were rough, but nothing compared to the hardship that would come. Even during the first Sino-Japanese War (1895), Moon would make regular trips to rural areas to share the gospel, learning that evangelism was the work she came to love. Believing she could have a greater impact to share Christ, she gave up access to Western comforts in urban China to move inland, where she was likely the first foreigner with whom the locals had ever interacted. There, she engaged in pioneer evangelism—sharing the gospel with people who have never heard it before. It was a bold move for a single woman at that time.

She took on the living habits of the local culture—another revolutionary move—by wearing Chinese robes and leading a simple life. After a while, the insults of “foreign devil woman” began to fade, and she was accepted as the “Heavenly Book Visitor” who “loved us.”

“She was driven by the joy of knowing she was fulfilling God’s purpose on her life.”

She had every opportunity to eradicate hardship by withdrawing from the field and returning home, but that was not God’s call on her life. Instead, she doubled-down, by God’s grace, and gave away all she had to tend to the physical and spiritual needs of the people. She was driven by the joy of knowing she was fulfilling God’s purpose on her life, saying, “Surely there can be no deeper joy than that of saving souls.”

A Calling to Christ, Not Fame

Lottie was laser focused on the spiritual needs of the people, not on the circulation of her name. If she would have had a Twitter handle, her constituents in the States would have woken every morning to a feed lit up by requests on behalf of the people she served. Her focus was on others, not herself.

Her goal was action, not popularity, unless it meant the renown of Christ. This type of sacrificial giving was lived out daily in a context that most of us will never understand. She faced poverty and hardship at every turn, and it was Christ who sustained her.

She was motivated by a God-centered, God-given and God-inflamed passion to name Christ where he had not been named. Her charge to the church was not “come and be like me,” it was a charge to remember the sacrifice of Christ who “paid it all.”

Lottie knew she had been saved by the grace of God and that her life was not her own. Her calling and motivation was centered in Christ. She was driven by her love for Christ and a passion to see his name known. For 39 years, laboring in China, Lottie embodied the spirit of LMCO—Christ-centered sacrifice that fuels the work of missions.

This article originally appeared here.

Small Group Leaders and Divine Appointments

By
Roger Carr
-
thank you notes for children’s ministry volunteers

Philip was having significant success as a pastor in Samaria. But an angel of the Lord told him in a dream to go on a trip through the desert. He did, even though it meant leaving a growing ministry and without knowing why God asked him to follow the strange request of taking a desert road.

On the trip, Philip met an Ethiopian official who was in charge of all the treasures of the Ethiopian Queen. The official was highly trusted and of significant status. He was sitting in his chariot reading Isaiah.

Philip asked the official if he understood what he was reading. The answer was no. He needed someone to explain it to him. Wasn’t it great that Philip just happened to be there? Philip then presented the gospel message to the official who believed and was baptized! (Acts 8:25-39)

If the Bible didn’t state that God prompted Philip’s trip into the desert, many would believe the meeting of these two was coincidence. But it didn’t happen because of a chance encounter. It was a divine appointment.

What Is a Divine Appointment?

A divine appointment is simply a God-directed meeting that happens at the right time and place for a specific purpose. It usually appears like it is a coincidence, but is really a Godincidence.

With a sovereign God, there are no coincidences; there are only God-incidences.”

Dr. David Reagan in Living for Christ in the End Times

A divine appointment happens at the right place and at the right moment. Not only did Philip show up where the official was at, but he also showed up when the official was desperately wanting someone to help him understand what he was reading.

There is a purpose at the center of a divine appointment. The official’s life was forever changed once he understood the gospel and became a follower of Christ. That was a purpose of that divine appointment. But there may have been an even larger purpose not shared with us. The Bible doesn’t discuss what spiritual impact the official had after salvation. Based on the trust and stature he possessed, he may have influenced a chain reaction of life change in many others.

Do Divine Appointments Show Up in Small Groups?

Most small groups are populated by a process that appears to select members at random. Recruiting events match people interested in joining a small group with groups that are open. Friends, family, neighbors and strangers are all asked if they are interested in joining a group. But even with the seemingly random process, it is clear that the selection of members for a group are not random. God is in it.

I am amazed at how God consistently brings people together in small groups who need and support each other.

I have seen a group member dealing with an illness rare enough that only one person in the entire church should be experiencing it. But when the person opened up about it, two more people in the group said they had experienced or were experiencing the same thing. This phenomenon is not just reserved for health problems. I see the same thing over and over with things like dreams, passions, family issues and work problems.

It is not a coincidence you are leading the specific people who participate in your small group. It is not a coincidence that the specific members making up your group are connecting with each other. Divine appointments are a part of your small group.

How to Capture Divine Appointments

There are lessons we can learn from Philip’s experience. If you want your group to be a part of God’s divine appointments, consider the following three actions:

Pray

Philip already had a successful ministry before God sent him out into the desert. This did not happen without covering his ministry in prayer.

Pray for the spiritual development of your current members. Pray for God to bring in new members who will connect in extraordinary ways. Request God reveal His purposes for bringing your group together.

Be Obedient

Philip was obedient to what God asked him to do. It didn’t matter how inconvenient or crazy the request was. It also didn’t matter if he knew the reason why.

Unconditional obedience to what God asks allows your group to be a part of divine appointments.

Encourage Vulnerability

Did you notice the vulnerability of the Ethiopian official? He admitted to Philip that he needed help understanding what he was reading. That vulnerability provided an opening to fulfill the purpose of the divine appointment.

Create a safe environment in your small group that encourages your members to be vulnerable. Make sure the discussions in your group stay confidential. As the leader, be vulnerable with your small group first and set the example. As members open up, your group will discover many different purposes God had for bringing the specific people together in your group.

Be sure you pay attention to the divine appointments God sends to your small group.

Question: How have divine appointments been a part of your small group experience?

This article originally appeared here.

5 Reasons Charismatic Churches Are Growing (and Attractional Churches Are Past Peak)

By
Carey Nieuwhof
-
thank you notes for children’s ministry volunteers

Notice this lately?

If you look at almost any growing church led by younger leaders, it definitely tends toward the charismatic—expressive worship, more emotional delivery in preaching, an openness to the work and activity of the Holy Spirit, and generally a warmer, more enthusiastic and expressive gathering.

And…a lot of the churches that lean toward a more charismatic expression of their faith are filled with young adults and Millennials.

Meanwhile, many leaders in attractional churches are finding it harder and harder to reach new people over the last few years. While not universally true, some have stopped growing, or at least seen a slower growth rate than say five or 10 years ago.

Please hear me. This is not “we’re right you’re wrong.” This is a learning together post. Actually, both the charismatic and attractional movements have contributed massively to reaching millions of people. There is much to learn from each other.

Critics have no place here, but learners do.

So what’s happening? Well, culture changes and what people respond to changes, too. The church should change with it. While you should never change the mission of a church (it’s eternal), you should definitely adapt the method.

Churches who love the method more than the mission will die. It happened in the 1950s, in the 1970s, in the 1990s, and it’s happening today. What was effective a decade ago isn’t always effective today. Leaders who live in the past end up dying to the future.

While you could argue that there’s a major difference in theology between charismatic and non-charismatic churches, I don’t think the differences are that big for the purposes of this blog post anyway.

The big shift is happening in how churches express themselves on the weekend and conduct their weekend experiences, moving from:

  • anonymity to a sense of belonging
  • engagement of the heart, not just the head.
  • more variety of services than three songs and a message
  • more passionate expressions of worship
  • additional space during the service for prayer
  • more thought in the service to the engagement of emotions beyond “hey we’re excited you’re here” (welcome and upbeat music) and “here’s something to think about” (the message)

As I outline here, churches that miss cultural change become irrelevant. After all, the gap between how quickly you change and how quickly culture changes is called irrelevance.

Personally, I’m behind any church that’s doing a great job leading people into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ.

So, in the interests of learning and growing together, here are five reasons more charismatic churches are growing, and attractional churches are moving past peak in the current culture.

1. THE FOYER MOVED

One of the great (and helpful) assumptions behind creating attractional churches is that Sunday morning is the first experience with church.

Guess what? That’s no longer true.

Now, almost everyone who attends your church for the first time has already been to your church…online.

That’s the case whether you have a completely amazing online experience, a killer website and an on-point social media presence, or whether you have a website from 2008.

Trust me, people who are interested in Christianity or your church have already checked you out long before they visited you. And if you have an online service, they’ve been with you for at least a week, and sometimes months or beyond.

Not convinced they’re checking out your channels? Well, there is the Internet. Trust me: If they have spiritual questions, they’ve googled their way to spiritual answers (good or bad answers) long before they set foot in your door.

All of which means…the foyer moved.

Over dinner recently, I had a great discussion about this with the senior leadership team at CrossPoint Nashville. We talked about how attractional church isn’t as effective as it used to be (both CrossPoint and Connexus, where I serve, have been changing along the lines of this post for a few years now), when CrossPoint’s Creative Arts Director, Drew Powell, simply stated that the foyer had moved. That completely crystallized something I was trying to put my finger on for years now. Thanks, Drew, for the clarity.

So yep, that’s it: The foyer moved.

The implication? When someone shows up at your church now, they’re likely to want a little more than they did a decade or two ago when their first visit was truly their first exposure to your church or to Christianity. They’re ready to go a little further somewhat faster because they’ve already taken their first step.

Will you still end up with some people at the back with the arms crossed wanting to hide out in the dark? Of course.

But you likely have more who want to sample something real, who want to experience something different, who are ready to engaging faster.

That doesn’t mean you should bring them into a complete insider experience that’s impossible to understand or access. But it does mean they’re likely hungrier for more than they were a decade ago.

Do Everything in the Name of Jesus: What’s Inside This Often-Used (Over-Used?) Verse?

By
Jen Oshman
-
thank you notes for children’s ministry volunteers

And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:17)

This is one of those verses that appears everywhere. You see it on chalkboards, t-shirts, coffee mugs, even tattoos. It’s so present that it feels cliché—co-opted, even, by popular culture. Kind of a pithy proclamation of, “Hey, I’m not living for myself. I do everything for Jesus.”

It’s one downfall of our consumer culture. So many things—even biblical, God-honoring things—have been turned into knick-knacks. Their ubiquity depletes them of power. Seeing them often, we run the risk of blowing off this verse and others like it: “I can do all things through Christ,” or “For I know the plans I have for you,” or “With God all things are possible.”

But before they were bumper stickers and hand-painted on reclaimed barn wood, they were God’s very words. The Creator and Sustainer of the universe spoke them into existence. He whispered them to you and me through their appointed human scribes. They were breathed out for our good and God’s glory.

Colossians 3:17 says so much more than, “Hey, let’s live for Jesus” (though if that’s all it said, and if we pondered that message in and of itself, it would pack a mighty punch). In the context of Paul’s letter to the young church at Colossae, this verse is a call to live from a foundation of gospel-centrality. With the past, present and future in mind, this verse calls us to live in light of the gospel.

Appreciate the Past: Give Thanks to God the Father through Him

The second half of the verse tells us to give thanks to God the Father through Jesus. We are reminded that God is indeed our Father. He is the one who gives “to all mankind life and breath and everything” (Acts 17:25). He is the Father “from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named” (Ephesians 3:15). We are not self-created, nor self-existing. We have a Father who granted us life and gives us everything we need. He created us and sustains us. Through this verse Paul reminds us to thank our good God.

But not only is God our Father, he’s also our redeemer. When Paul says to give thanks “through him,” he means Jesus. We are to thank the Father through the Son. It is our faith and hope in Jesus, the beloved Son sent on our behalf, that grants us access to the Father. In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul said “for through him we both [Jews and Gentiles] have access in one Spirit to the Father” (2:18). We can approach our Father through the Son and thank him for life and salvation.

This posture of remembering who made us and remembering who saved us lays a foundation of gratitude. As we walk in awareness that we are not responsible for our own life and breath, nor our right standing before a holy God, we walk in humility and thankfulness. The routine acknowledgement that we exist and know God by grace alone leads to gratitude.

Act in the Present: Whatever You Do, in Word or Deed

The foundation of remembering and giving thanks, afforded to us through the Son from the Father, gives us the motivation and basis for how we are to speak and act today. We are creatures, brought forth by a good Creator who wrote us into his story and wrote our stories, as well. We thrive when all that we say and do flows from that ultimate reality and we suffer when we depart from it.

Paul reminded the Corinthians, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). As the blood-bought and adopted children of our Father in heaven, we are called to be his ambassadors, a reflection of him to a watching world. Jesus not only purchased our salvation, but the right to inhabit whatever we do.

We are vessels, jars of clay, living sacrifices. And, we do not belong to ourselves, but to our Lord in heaven. We have been “crucified with Christ and [we] no longer live, but Christ lives in [us]” (Galatians 2:20). As we remember the past with gratitude, let’s live in the present, “working out [our] salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in [us] to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose” (Philippians 2:13).

Aim for the Future: Do Everything in the Name of the Lord Jesus

Finally, “everything” in this verse denotes a sum. What will be the sum total of our lives? What will our appreciation of the past and our acts in the present add up to in the end? The call to do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus lifts our eyes to the future and requires us to ask ourselves, “What—or who—am I living for?”

Paul said in another letter to another church, “Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). Who is getting the glory in our lives, God or us? He will not share his glory (Isaiah 42:8). How can we make sure we are living for him? Here are some ways:

  • Evaluate your plans and dreams and goals and ask yourself, and the Lord through prayer, if they are aligned with his Word, his will and his character.
  • Put to death whatever is earthly in you (Colossians 3:5), waging war against your sinful habits.
  • Put on new, godly habits such as compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, patience, bearing with one another, forgiving each other, putting on love, letting the peace of Christ rule in your heart, and letting the the word of Christ dwell in you richly (Colossians 3:12-16).
  • Take all your thoughts captive so they obey Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5).

May God himself grant us fresh eyes to see his eternal Word. May we guard ourselves against becoming complacent and even cynical in our consumer culture, which commodifies Bible verses. Even when we see God’s Word sprinkled here and there—on a bumper sticker or a tattoo or a chalkboard—may we dwell on it and be transformed by it.

It is his Word, after all.

This article originally appeared here.

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