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 ...

Give God Our Best?

I recently watched the movie “Facing the Giants”, and was challenged to give God my best. How exactly do I give God my best? Yeah I know the first fruits and all that, but am I really giving my best? What if I could have tried harder and made better first fruits, or worked harder and made more fruit thus producing more first fruits? Then it hits me my best will never come within miles of touching the shadow Jesus’ best, the Cross. All I can do is try my very best to follow His example, and when I don’t succeed at least I have given it the very best I can. This is really all He is asking for. Thank you Jesus for giving you very best and picking up my slack!

Overcoming Temptation

James 4:7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. 8 Draw near to God and He will draw near to you … (NKJ)

James 4:7 Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. (NAS)

I found this in the Strong’s:
"A Greek military term meaning "to arrange [troop divisions] in a military fashion under the command of a leader". In non-military use, it was "a voluntary attitude of giving in, cooperating, assuming responsibility, and carrying a burden"."

I really think the point James was trying to deliver was the Non-Military use of the word a voluntary attitude of giving in, cooperating, assuming responsibility, and carrying a burden. So if we will voluntarily give in to God. Set our selves against the devil he will take flight from us to avoid danger. This is a very powerful statement which shows how we have authority over the devil through the power of Jesus Christ. In Matthew 4:8 Jesus resisted the devil he left Jesus for a season. So we should expect the same. Resisting the devil is an ongoing thing. Resisting him once will not chase him away forever. Everyday we must renew our minds to the mind of Christ and in doing so we will resist the devil.

1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it. (NAS)

There is a way out of every temptation. It is not the way of escape or the way of surrender, but the way of conquest in the power of the grace of God. We are able to conquer every temptation we are faced with. Paul indicates here that temptation may be enticing, but it is not irresistible.
God WILL provide a way of escape from every temptation if only we will stop and hesitate. I am reminded of a teaching Pastor N taught. If we will listen to the conviction of the Holy Spirit we can avoid the crime, sin, and avoid the time or punishment. I found this while studying this verse on the internet. "God does not save us from temptations; He scours us in the midst of them" We are allowed to be tempted because without them we will not grow in our strength in God. In Hebrews 2:18 the author states "For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted." If you look at this verse in context it is clear that Jesus is who is being referred to here. Jesus faced the same temptation we did therefore he is able to help us overcome these temptation or provide our way of escape.