History is punctuated with incidents of dark days, tough times and uncompromising courageous leaders. We will briefly examine several of them. Their courage and effectiveness will establish two principles; (1) God always has a remnant faithful to Him, and, (2) God always accomplishes His purposes through leaders who live and serve to honor Him. Do you meet this profile? Are you a leader who is capable of bringing Reformation?
Gideon faced his struggle in dark times with 32,000 men. Too many God said. 22,000 departed, 10,000 remained. Too many God said. Take them down to the water. 300 lapped like a dog. Now I will deliver Israel (Judges 7).
Hezekiah faced the incessant taunts and bellicose threats of Sennacherib. He was given the option of making a bargain. He chose rather to pray and trust His God (2 Kings 19:15). 185,000 Assyrian soldiers "woke up dead" (2 Kings 19:35)!
Asa served when Israel had been a long time without the true God, without a priest to teach and without the law (2 Chron. 15:3). He heard the voice of the prophet and 'took courage'. He removed the detestable idols and God gave them rest on every side (2 Chron. 15:15).
"When principles that run against your deepest convictions begin to win the day, then battle is your calling, and peace has become sin; you must, at the price of dearest peace, lay your convictions bare before friend and enemy, with all the fire of your faith" (Abraham Kuyper, Dutch Theologian and Prime Minister, 1837 - 1920).
Does the church in America need Reformation? 2% are growing numerically by conversion growth. 14% are growing numerically by transfer growth ( sheep (sic) swapping). That means that 84 % are ????? Further, how many churches/ministries even make any attempt to measure Transformation (Rom. 12:2)? This is the principle focus of ministry = make disciples fully formed in the image of Christ!
What qualities are required to lead in this fashion? I will mention three that are essential.
Courage - the capacity to trust God unconditionally and serve with Kingdom priorities.
Compassion - truly love God's people as He does and lead as He would. Lead not lord.
Perseverance - stay on course regardless of the odds (Gideon), the threats (Hezekiah) or the apparent impossibility of the task (Asa).
Pastor, do you see the urgent need for reformation? What would you share with your fellow servants as we fight the good fight?
Showing posts with label leadership. Show all posts
Showing posts with label leadership. Show all posts
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Integrity in Communications
The Psalmists asks in Psalm 15 - - Who may dwell in your sanctuary? . . . who keeps his oath even when it hurts (v.4).
This is not an article that seeks to conform everyone to a single communicaiton profile. This is an article calling people who are leaders at various levels in the body of Christ to honor Him. Let me elaborate for just a moment.
If your Voice Mail message tells the caller that you will call them back and you do not, you have just lied. You are not obligated to return calls unless - - you tell the caller you will. If you tell the caller you will, then you must or you bring shame to the LORD you claim to serve. Further, most callers are not served in any meaningful way by a return call 9 days later! Another stinker is your secretary asking if she can transfer the call to your Vocie Mail. The caller then hears a message that says - - 'Sorry, this message box is full'. How many months has it been since this task was completed? Further, what does this say about you as a Leader?
Leadership is largely a matter of trust. Failure to honor communication protocol is a violation of trust and thus a significant detriment to your ability to lead. If your Voice Mail message tells the caller you will return their call then do it. Do it within 3 hours. If you do not intend to respond to emails in any timely manner, send those who serve with you a message telling them that you simply do not correspond via email. What you cannot do is keep people hanging. They don't know if you received their message. They don't know if you did receive it but are not willing to respond for whatever reason. They don't know if you died!
Bottom line is this. Let your 'Yes' be 'Yes'. Have a communication protocol that honors Christ and abide by the parameters you used to shape that profile. If you do not return calls, put that on your Voice Mail message. At least the caller knows what to expect. Ministry will be much more satisfying if everyone has and applies good ethics in the realm of communicaitons.
This is not an article that seeks to conform everyone to a single communicaiton profile. This is an article calling people who are leaders at various levels in the body of Christ to honor Him. Let me elaborate for just a moment.
If your Voice Mail message tells the caller that you will call them back and you do not, you have just lied. You are not obligated to return calls unless - - you tell the caller you will. If you tell the caller you will, then you must or you bring shame to the LORD you claim to serve. Further, most callers are not served in any meaningful way by a return call 9 days later! Another stinker is your secretary asking if she can transfer the call to your Vocie Mail. The caller then hears a message that says - - 'Sorry, this message box is full'. How many months has it been since this task was completed? Further, what does this say about you as a Leader?
Leadership is largely a matter of trust. Failure to honor communication protocol is a violation of trust and thus a significant detriment to your ability to lead. If your Voice Mail message tells the caller you will return their call then do it. Do it within 3 hours. If you do not intend to respond to emails in any timely manner, send those who serve with you a message telling them that you simply do not correspond via email. What you cannot do is keep people hanging. They don't know if you received their message. They don't know if you did receive it but are not willing to respond for whatever reason. They don't know if you died!
Bottom line is this. Let your 'Yes' be 'Yes'. Have a communication protocol that honors Christ and abide by the parameters you used to shape that profile. If you do not return calls, put that on your Voice Mail message. At least the caller knows what to expect. Ministry will be much more satisfying if everyone has and applies good ethics in the realm of communicaitons.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
What kind of faith do you have?
Jesus asked a probing and straight forward question. When He comes again, will he find this kind of faith on the earth? What kind? The kind that always prays and never acts badly in difficult circumstances. The kind that does not become weary, or tired of doing the work of the kingdom. The kind that holds out successfully. The kind that does not give up, does not become discouraged and does not lose heart!
So pastor, the question to you on this May morning is this -'What kind of faith do you have'? Peter, writing in the midst of some profoundly difficult circumstances, tells us that we have been birthed into a 'living hope'. The application is this pastor. God will use YOU as His instrument to bring Transformation to the ministry in which you serve. Are you willing to surrender and do what is required to see Transformation birthed where you serve, or, are you SKEPTICAL?
"Beware in your prayers, above everything else, of limiting God, not only by unbelief, but by fancying that you know what He can do. Expect unexpected things 'above all that we ask or think --Andrew Murray
"To the man who prays habitually (not only when he feels like it-that is one of the snares of religion-but also when he does not feel like it) Christ is sure to make Himself real." --James Stewart
How would you rate your "Persistent Prayer" quotient on a scale of 0 -- 10?
So pastor, the question to you on this May morning is this -'What kind of faith do you have'? Peter, writing in the midst of some profoundly difficult circumstances, tells us that we have been birthed into a 'living hope'. The application is this pastor. God will use YOU as His instrument to bring Transformation to the ministry in which you serve. Are you willing to surrender and do what is required to see Transformation birthed where you serve, or, are you SKEPTICAL?
"Beware in your prayers, above everything else, of limiting God, not only by unbelief, but by fancying that you know what He can do. Expect unexpected things 'above all that we ask or think --Andrew Murray
"To the man who prays habitually (not only when he feels like it-that is one of the snares of religion-but also when he does not feel like it) Christ is sure to make Himself real." --James Stewart
How would you rate your "Persistent Prayer" quotient on a scale of 0 -- 10?
Monday, March 31, 2008
Are you a hearer and a doer?
Well Pastor, do you hear and do what the Scripture says, or, are you a hearer only?
Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock (Matt. 7:24, ESV).
Jesus speaks with profound clarity. The one who hears and does builds a house that survives the ravages of the storm. By implication, if you merely hear, the house you build will be reduced to rubble by those same storms. There is a very important parallel in this account for local church ministry and for those who profess to be Leaders. The 'house' in this analogy represents the lives of God's people. Jesus has immense concern for these people. He has given Leaders the resources necessary to produce Transformation which is clearly the goal (Col. 1:28).
If you merely know about Transformation, but do not offer and implement the ministry structures and venues that God uses to produce the image of Christ in the lives of His people, you are forming sand castles rather than fortresses. You are focused on those things that matter least. You are producing disciples who are shallow, impotent and subject to every influence the culture throws at them (Eph. 4:11-16).
So what has been your experience? What would you share with other pastors about glorious victories or even lessons learned as you make this journey?
Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock (Matt. 7:24, ESV).
Jesus speaks with profound clarity. The one who hears and does builds a house that survives the ravages of the storm. By implication, if you merely hear, the house you build will be reduced to rubble by those same storms. There is a very important parallel in this account for local church ministry and for those who profess to be Leaders. The 'house' in this analogy represents the lives of God's people. Jesus has immense concern for these people. He has given Leaders the resources necessary to produce Transformation which is clearly the goal (Col. 1:28).
If you merely know about Transformation, but do not offer and implement the ministry structures and venues that God uses to produce the image of Christ in the lives of His people, you are forming sand castles rather than fortresses. You are focused on those things that matter least. You are producing disciples who are shallow, impotent and subject to every influence the culture throws at them (Eph. 4:11-16).
So what has been your experience? What would you share with other pastors about glorious victories or even lessons learned as you make this journey?
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