Do Not Gloat Over Me My Enemies

While I was in the hospital a good friend of mine, Craig, gave me a verse which encouraged me and my whole family. Micah 7:8, “Do not rejoice over me, O my enemy. Though I fall I will rise; Though I dwell in darkness, the Lord is a light for me.” (NAS) Here I was in one of the darkest moments in my life and I hear this scripture. Micah is telling his enemies not to gloat over him because he is down. He tells us he sits in darkness, but the Lord is his light. Here he is surrounded by his enemies arrogantly gloating over him about his failure and his condition and he is still able to proclaim God is his Light. I felt like God was telling me to ignore all of my enemies, everyone telling me to expect the worse, and focus on His light of truth and He would pull me through.

Church Life Lessons Part III

Part Three of Church Life Lessons

Indecisiveness

Because we will not take ownership we spend to much time trying to plan out how we should reach the lost instead of digging in. People are dying and going to hell everyday while we decide what the best way to reach them is. We need to step up to the plate, take a swing, and hit it out of the park. You might take a strike on the first pitch, but you’ll never get the strike if you stand at the plate first.

Poor Accountability for Performance

The church is lacking in accountability period. It’s not just on performance good or bad, but the things we keep tucked away and hidden. My wife and I have started a new thought process, “If it’s out in the open satan can’t use it against you.” This is not an easy concept in a society of isolationism where there is a computer and TV in every room. We have allowed ourselves to become isolated from our spouses and family. How can we ever expect someone at church to hold us accountable when we won’t allow our families in? The only way to achieve true accountability is to be apart of an in your face community of close members. We need people who are not afraid or embarrassed to ask about our personal lives. God did not design us to loaners through life. We have been connected to some from the day we where conceived, just take a look at your naval to remind you of that.

Church Life Lessons Part II

Part Two of Church Life Lessons

Misalignment with Vision

Garlinghouse was quoted as saying "We are separated into silos that far too frequently don't talk to each other. And when we do talk, it isn't to collaborate on a clearly focused strategy, but rather to argue and fight about ownership, strategies and tactics.” We have allowed ourselves to become isolationist totally oblivious to what God’s master vision is.

Relying on Outside Hires

Too often we rely on someone else. I know in my church I see a lot of the same people doing it all. I once heard it said 20% of the people do 80% of the work in a church. To many times I hear people say God hasn’t called me to that ministry. I know because I used to be one. If we look at the Great Commission Jesus was not selective in who is called. If it involves reaching people then you are called.

No Defined Ownership

It is hard to get anyone to take ownership in anything they are told to do. Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, told us to go into all the nations and make disciples for Him. Its that simple.

Continued ...

Church Life Lessons Part I

I first wrote this as one large blog, but a good friend of mine Andy Zook said I might want to break it up. So I did.

I was reading a blog by Tony Morgan, a pastor at Granger Community Church, entitled “Leadership Lessons from Yahoo”. It talked about an internal memo from Brad Garlinghouse, a Yahoo senior vice president, which was published in the Wall Street Journal a couple of weeks ago.

Tony began to discuss how if Yahoo, one of the world’s largest internet company’s can have these types of issues how can these lessons benefit our ministries. I really had to agree with him, and then the Lord began to challenge me with this.

We as a church and church goers really can benefit from this as well.

Lack of Focus

We sometimes lose focus on what our main objective in life is. This of course is the Great Commission.

Matthew 28:18-20
18 Jesus came to them and said:
I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth! 19 Go to the people of all nations and make them my disciples. Baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, 20 and teach them to do everything I have told you. I will be with you always, even until the end of the world. (CEV)

Our focus really can’t get any clearer than this. Go into all the nations. Jesus didn’t say go where we feel comfortable. He said into ALL the nations. Jesus was very politically and religiously incorrect with the things he did, and the people he reached out and touched. We should live by his example.

Continued ...

God Check

Tonight I was reading a blog by Scott Hodge, and he was encouraging everyone to test their Internet speed and post their results as a comment. I thought this was a fun idea, so I tested my Internet connection and posted my results. I noticed how the men where boasting about their Internet connection speed as if this made them more of a man. It was at that point I heard the small still voice say when was the last time you bragged about the number of souls you saved from the pit of hell. Now don't get me wrong I am by no means judging Scott for this fun post. I don't thing God was telling me we should brag about the souls we save, but rather when was the last you where able to brag about saving a soul. Anyway I thought this was a fun way for his readers to connect, and God also used it to check my spirit.