Tag: Ministry

Five Steps to Take in Moving Ahead

Every August, I start over. I begin again.

Charlotte and I have lived in Waco, Texas, for sixteen years this August. During this time, I have worked with one church. My role with this church includes aspects of preaching/teaching, leadership, and care for these people both in this church and outside the church. Each summer, I think and pray about my ministry here in these roles. I think about and plan my preaching/teaching for the next ten months.

For sixteen years, I have been away each July. Two weeks are vacation. Two weeks are spent in study and preparation for the next school year. I usually come back refreshed and ready to go to work. The preparation for this new year actually begins before I leave in July. Typically, I begin working toward this in May.

The following are five steps that I take during the summer to get ready for the fall:

1. Think about what is next in terms of preaching/teaching.

Each summer, I decide on a major series, theme, or text to use the following year. The most difficult decision is deciding upon a text. Generally, I will spend a significant time over the next year in one book of the Bible. This is not necessarily one long series. In fact, it may turn out to be several shorter series.

What goes into this decision? Much prayer over a period of months. I talk with people in our church. I observe the morale and thinking of people in our church. I make no decision based upon one conversation or any one person’s input. Rather, it comes after months of pondering this.  

2. Think about what is next in terms of our overall ministry as a church.

During the summer, I think about what is next for us as a church. Where does God seem to be leading us? What doors are open? What could this church and this ministry look like in several years? This is a time to think, pray, and dream about our future possibilities as a church.

3. Gather and sift through possible resources.

I typically begin collecting resources in May. For example, this next year, I plan to spend some time with our church on 2 Corinthians. Much of this book has to do with the nature of authentic ministry. So, I have been gathering for the last few weeks. I have gathered key commentaries, a number of articles, and some other resources. Lately, I have corresponded with several people, asking them to suggest key resources on this book. I am not looking for a large quantity of resources but rather the best quality resources that might be helpful in preaching/teaching. This week, for example, I have been listening to a podcast of several special lectures on 2 Corinthians. This is early preparation and it takes time.

4. Saturate.

Thirty minutes ago, I read the entire book of 2 Corinthians. I will do this again and again for the next few months. I will read through the book using different English translations. I will also read through the book paying attention to the original language. At some point, I will read through the book underlining key words and phrases. There is no substitute for simply reading and saturating oneself with Scripture.

As I read through the book, I think about the message and possible applications. I think about both my own life and the life of the church.

In addition to the preaching/teaching preparation that I am describing here, I will usually read a couple of books, which helps me think about our church and our ministry here. There are some books that help me look forward. I have been amazed through the years, at some of the books that trigger my thinking, dreaming, etc.

This might be a good moment to mention that I am careful to write down my thoughts, feelings, insights, quotes, etc. from this time period. I am particularly conscious about doing this in July. Whether I think something has any practical relevance or not, I write it down. For example, I might see a commercial on television or read an interesting quote. I write it down if it triggers a thought.

5. Map it out.

By the end of July, I will have spent much time with this material. I intend to have a longer series mapped out and several shorter series mapped out as well. When I go back to my office on August 1, I want to have these plotted on a calendar. Then, I will put a manila folder with the title of each series in my desk so that I can begin collecting ideas, stories, and possibilities throughout the year (or until it is time to begin that series).

Perhaps some of you will find this interesting. Some may even find it useful.

What do you do as you think, plan, and dream about the year to come? Has any practice been particularly helpful?

The Best Is Yet To Come

future.jpgI wish that I could stand on tiptoe and see into the future.  

I can’t do this, but I don’t mind telling you what I think I would see.  If I could look into the future and see the future of the church, I think I would see that the best is yet to come.  No, I’m not referring to the end-times.  Rather, I am talking about the existence and ministry of the church on the earth, embodying the presence of Christ.

I have been a Christian for a number of years.  I have been a minister for several decades.  I have seen trends, fads, dog and pony shows, etc.  I have also seen church quarrels, church splits, immature and sinful church leaders, etc.  Yet, in spite of these realities, I am so encouraged.  I am delighted to be alive in 2009.

Today, I continue to follow Christ, and serve as a minister in a church, with an optimistic spirit regarding the future.  I know that many people long ago gave up on the church.  I am not writing these lines to argue or defend.  Yes, I have discouraging days and difficult seasons.  I have seen much that is disappointing and even discouraging.  Yet, I can honestly say that I see more that encourages me than discourages me.

When I think about the future, I don’t mean to leave the impression that the church will not struggle or even suffer.  Nor do I mean that the future church will not have problems — even serious problems at times.  Yet, I do not take the view that the best years are behind us.  (I am not speaking of a specific group of people or a particular denomination.)  Rather, I am simply voicing my confidence in the work of God’s Spirit through the living Jesus who dwells in his people.

Specifically:

  • I am thinking of a people who take Jesus seriously and whose lives are being changed by him. 
  • I am thinking of a people who have a kingdom vision and a passion for that vision. 
  • I am thinking of a people who value the church whether they meet as a small group of five in a home or as a large group of five thousand in a rented facility. 
  • I am thinking of a people who live obedient to Jesus and who are serious about holy living. 
  • I am thinking of a people whose gracious demeanor allows others to experience authentic Christian community. 
  • I am thinking of a people who have a world vision and who care about the world.  This world vision begins one person at a time. 

 

What do you see that encourages you?  What do you see in your own church or in another church that causes you to feel encouraged about the future?

When Ministry Becomes a Breath of Fresh Air (Part 3)

tree.jpgSometimes ministry is anything but a breath of fresh air.  In fact, it can be life-draining.  It is so important to periodically think about what adds life and joy to what we do each day as Christ-followers.

The following are some basic principles of ministry.  I believe these principles are life-giving as they move us toward Jesus instead of our own agendas.  This kind of ministry is a breath of fresh air because its source is God — not human ingenuity and performance.  (Part one is here and part two is here.)

1.  Mission happens as the world sees Jesus embodied and lived out in real flesh and blood human beings.  (There is still something powerful about both hearing and seeing Jesus incarnate through a group of Christ-followers.)

2.  The world catches a glimpse of God as it sees the submission of believers to Jesus as Lord and the transformation of their lives into a Christlike people.  (When the world is allowed to witness the life change that is experienced through Jesus, they can’t help but be impressed with God himself.)

3.  Church leaders should expect people to change, to become more like Jesus who is Lord.  (Do we pray for "impossible" situations?  Do we expect God to be at work?  When men and women are a part of our church, do we expect them to be serious about being a Christ-follower?)

4.  The Spirit and his transforming power are the dynamic that makes things happen in a church.  (Something is wrong when church leaders talk more about human performance than the power of God.  Something is wrong when working with a group of ministers leaves one burned out, barely seeing the family, and exhausted.  The fundamental dynamic of ministry is not "leather on pavement" but the work of the Holy Spirit in that community.  The Holy Spirit, after all, is God’s forever presence.)

5.  The Spirit enables us to both tell the truth and do the truth.  It is out of the Spirit’s work that we live in reality and not in our false worlds.  (Authenticity is not found in saying whatever or doing whatever.  Authenticity is to be found when we live in the reality of truth.  The Spirit of God empowers us to both tell the truth and do the truth.)

6.  Shepherds move people toward Jesus by being fully authentic themselves.  His grace frees us to be fully present with others.  (Some church leaders are interested in being a part of an authentic church; however, they would prefer that others practice the authenticity.  They don’t want to admit that their own lives are difficult or that they struggle sometimes.)

7.  Men and women mature in Christ in the context of a community of believers in which the Holy Spirit is released to work.  In such a community, we are not content to settle for superficiality.  (We were never meant to mature on our own, alone.  Our faith is to be lived out with others.)

8.  True transformation into a Christlike people includes the transformation of our emotions and relationships. Maturity in Christ is not happening if our relationships are not being impacted.  (Something is very wrong when we see ourselves as a very spiritual people while we keep our wives/husbands and children at a distance.  Something is wrong when we do not allow Christ to transform our relationships, including our marriages and our relationships with our children and parents.)

Which one of these is most meaningful to you?  What would you add to this list?

When Ministry Becomes a Breath of Fresh Air (Part 2)

coffee25.jpgI was exhausted at the end of the conversation!

This particular minister went on and on about his work.  There were no questions, little laughter, and much seriousness.  The way he talked about his ministry and his church was draining.  He spoke about his church as if it was the center of all ministries and churches.  Perhaps you have been a part of these kinds of conversations before.  The one emotion I felt upon leaving this conversation was fatigue.  This ministry sounded exhausting!

I hardly knew this guy.  What I am trying to communicate at the moment is how it sounded to an onlooker.  It seemed like a perfect situation for burnout.

This kind of ministry reminds me of a few lines I read in Leading the Congregation (Norman Shawchuck, Roger Heuser):

We serve a church that honors frenzied activity and long hours.  We are recognized and rewarded for our doing, and not for our being.  That is a condition of our own making.  We want people to see us as busy achievers, the hub of the church’s activity…

If someone calls, would I rather for our receptionist to say to that person, "I’m sorry.  Jim is in a meeting right now.  May I have him call you?" or "I’m sorry.  Could he return your call after lunch?  He is spending the morning in prayer."?

Ministry can be a breath of fresh air.  The following are two truths about ministry.  Each of these reminds us that ministry is more than religious performance or being a professional church leader.  Rather, ministry is about the work of God through the Holy Spirit in the life of a person and a church.

1.  There is a living dynamic in us as the church.  That living dynamic is the Holy Spirit living within us.  That living dynamic, the presence of Jesus through his Spirit, is the dynamic for ministry within the church (Colossians 1:27).  The power of a church is not in its activity, programs, talented people, leadership, money, numbers, etc.  The power of a church is the living presence of Jesus.  Because of this living presence, impossible things can happen due to a church’s ministry (2 Corinthians 5:17-18).

2.  We are to be formed into the image of Jesus.  Something is wrong when someone can be a Christian for decades but is not any more Christlike than she was at the beginning of her journey.  When Christ lives in us and we yield our lives to his rule, we become a people more like him.  Again, the dynamic that enables this to happen is God’s Spirit living in us (2 Cor. 3:18).  

I can’t begin to tell you how much this has helped me.  For so many years, I thought that if I just worked harder, knew more, performed better, etc. that my life and my work would finally make a difference.  What I missed was the dynamic of the living Christ in me.  This is where the power for ministry really lies.

As a result?  Less stress.  Less emphasis on me.  Less reason to get impressed with my self-importance.  Less reason to get discouraged.

(See part 1 here.)

What do you think?  How have you grappled with this in your own life and ministry?

When Ministry Becomes a Breath of Fresh Air (Part 1)

Prayer_Lookout2.jpgMany people read this blog.  People who serve in a variety of vocations read these words.  If you are a Christ-follower, there is a sense in which you are a minister (servant) no matter where you are and no matter what your vocation.  Such ministries are important — very important.

There are others who serve churches in very public roles.  Sometimes you may be referred to as preacher, pastor, minister, etc.  I was thinking today about what I want to remember in this particular role.  Much of what I will suggest is applicable regardless of your role or occupation.

God can use ministers to be a breath of fresh air in a church.  The enabling power for this kind of presence is the Spirit of God.  The challenge, however, is for us to make godly choices regarding our ministry. 

1.  Choose to be gracious.  I spoke with a couple visiting our church about a month ago.  They were from out of town.  They told me a little about their congregation and their minister.  They didn’t say they liked him or didn’t like him.  They simply said, "He’s a bit cocky, you know."  There was not much I could say. 

2.  Teach/preach from the overflow.  Do you preach each Sunday?  Do you deliver a message?  Do you teach a Bible class?  There is absolutely no substitute for reading and studying the Bible.  There is no substitute for being prepared.  This teaching/preaching is a sacred calling worthy of time, effort, and prayer.  Yes, I read widely.  However, in this role I must always be reading something that will help me think about what I will be preaching.  Some shortcuts may come with time and experience.  Other shortcuts (i.e., copying sermons from the Internet and preaching them as my own, etc.) will in fact shortchange the congregation and will be a detriment to the integrity of my ministry.

3.  Love the people in your congregation and community.  If you love these people, they will usually be forbearing and forgiving.  If they sense you don’t love them, then it really won’t matter what else you do.  For a couple of years, a young minister worked with a good church in a smaller community.  His last year there, he berated them publicly and talked down to them.  He made it known to the others on the staff with him that he was frustrated with this church and their backward thinking.  He then resigned and abruptly moved on to a larger church in a large city.  Many people in his former congregation feel like he used them.  Right or wrong, they believe that he came to that church so that he could posture himself to move to something bigger and better.  What struck me as especially sad is that these people felt used by him instead of loved by him.

4.  Be God-conscious instead of self-conscious.  It is so easy to get consumed by ego.  If we are not careful, we will believe that what really counts is to be well-known, to be in much demand as a speaker, and to preach for a church that many people are paying attention to.  As a result of this focus, it is easy to compare, to become jealous, to "keep score," and to crave recognition.  It is tempting to want to become "Christian" celebrities, hoping that people will clamor for our attention.  Far better to remember our calling and aim to please God, trusting that he is enough.

5.  Focus on your own walk with God.  Far too many ministers treat congregations as if they were science experiments.  "Let’s do this to them and see what happens."   Others become far too focused on trying to will the church to do this or that.  Do you know that the very best thing I can do for the congregation I serve is to simply be who God has called me to be.  I do far more good by focusing on my own love for God and for others.  I do far more good by being a godly person who loves his wife and children.

(Again, I think these are useful for those who are not "ministers" as well.)

What else would you add to this list?

Lynn Anderson on Staying Fresh

In the video interview below, Lynn Anderson discusses "Staying Fresh."  Lynn has been very intentional about continuing to grow, learn, and develop throughout the years of his ministry.  Hear these words of encouragement.

(This is the final interview in this series of eight videos.  I hope you have enjoyed these.  I was certainly blessed by his reflections.  Be sure to check out his website at mentornetwork.org)

Motives Do Matter

Button Baseball Authenticity_1.jpgThe "Hi-Life" is a restaurant in the Seattle area that has tied the price of its daily special to the stock markets.  

The other night a nice Italian multiple-layered lasagna, salad, and garlic toast sold for $7.46.  The evening close was 7,460, so the special was $7.46.  Another evening the Dow closed at 6,870.  In January the Dow was about 9,000.  The price of the daily special may go down, but that is not necessarily a good thing.   

It may be a daily reminder of the insecurity of our lives.  It seems that almost daily we receive this message in a variety of ways, “You are insecure. You just thought you were OK!”

Some seek security in the approval or applause of others.  There is nothing wrong with doing acts of righteousness that are noticed and appreciated by others.  Our motives, however, are less than godly when we do acts of righteousness in order to be noticed.  In Matthew 6, Jesus speaks of some Pharisees who are apparently focused on acts of devotion such as prayer, fasting, and giving in order to impress men and women with their spirituality.  They wanted the admiration of people around them.  Apparently, gaining the approval of the men and women around them became more important than the praise of God.  

For years, I ignored this text as it applied to my life.  I was pretty sure that I did not do good in order to be noticed.  I didn’t think this was my motive.  However, I began to reconsider when on certain occasions I felt anger welling up in me.  I recall one particular moment when a person took credit before a church for an idea that I had shared with a few in private. 

I recall an even earlier incident.  Years ago, I was teaching part-time on the campus of a small Bible college.  An employee of the school was a part of the church where I was preaching.  One Sunday, he said some kind words about the message that morning.  He said, "I am speaking in chapel on Tuesday.  Do you mind if I use some of your thoughts?"  I said something like, "Of course, you are welcome to do that.  I am glad that in some way you thought this message might be helpful to some other people."

I went to chapel that Tuesday and heard him speak. Yes, he used much of my sermon; however, he never acknowledged that these were my ideas.  I told myself that this didn’t matter.  I told myself that I don’t preach to get credit.  I told myself that I shouldn’t worry about the compliments that he was receiving afterward.  And the anger I felt grew more and more intense throughout the day.

The issue right now is not whether or not he should have acknowledged the source of some of his thoughts.   The issue that I am reflecting on at the moment is the pride and self-consciousness that was at the center of my thinking and heart.  Regardless of what he did or did not do, my motives were not Christlike.  Rather, my prideful spirit was simmering.

This is important.  I encourage you to think about this.  Why do I minister?  Why do I serve in a church?  Why do this work?  Do my motives come from a heart that desires glory and honor for God more than anything else?  Or, do my motives suggest that my "flesh" is still alive and that my ego is at the heart of much of this?

Are my motives always 100% pure?  Probably not.  Yet, to not wrestle with these questions may be an open door to motives that miss the heart of God.

Now This Can Remove Some Stress!

ifonly.jpgI don’t know what you expected when you left home.  I don’t know what you expected when you, perhaps, graduated from college and started working.  I do know that many of us expected to experience much more zest/joy/passion/happiness (or whatever word you might prefer).  So often, I found myself saying, "If only." 

In fact, I can recall thinking or even saying "If only" when I was still a child.  As I got older and into my teen years, I continued to say "If only."  Here are some statements I can remember: 

  • If only I were in high school.
  • If only I had a car.
  • If only I had a job.
  • If only I had a girlfriend.
  • If only I could move out of my parents’ house.
  • If only I could go to a particular university.
  • If only I had enough money to drive a certain kind of car.
  • If only I had enough money to travel like some college students.
  • If only I had a great job after graduation.
  • If only I could get married.
  • If only we had children. 

Perhaps you were never like this.  Maybe you lived with a sense of contentment and peace.  For whatever reasons, I did not.

I wish I could tell you that all of this never interfered with my ministry.  It certainly did.  Here are a few statements I remember thinking: 

  • If only I could preach for a church.
  • If only I could preach for a certain church.
  • If only I could preach for a large church.
  • If only I could be noticed.
  • If only I could have a ministry that really seemed to matter.
  • If only I could have a ministry that seemed successful in the sight of others.

Now let me quickly say that I would NEVER have uttered any one of these sentences to anyone.  Furthermore, I am not even sure that I consciously thought about these desires.  Yet, I can look back and recall different times in my ministry when I know these desires were in my heart.  I say that with embarrassment.

What helped was reading and re-reading II Corinthians and hearing Paul reflect on his own ministry.  Paul’s reflections reminded me once again that this is a calling not a career.  The goal is not to be able to present a stunning resume to someone hoping that they might be impressed.  Rather, the goal is to yield myself in surrender to what God is doing in Christ.  Passages such as the following remind me that it is God who is at work in Christ and through the Spirit.  Ministry matters not because we are proving ourselves to others.  Ministry matters because God is at work, leading us in triumphal procession in Christ.  We know that much good is being done because the fragrance of the knowledge of him is being spread wherever we are and wherever he is present.

This reality makes life and ministry — as it is at the present — just right.

14But thanks
be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and
through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. 15For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. 16To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task? 17Unlike
so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary,
in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, like men sent from God.

Lynn Anderson on Marriage and Family

Let me encourage you to watch this video.   The length is only 4 minutes, 42 seconds.  The content is outstanding!

This video is a continuation of the interview I recently did with Lynn Anderson.  (These are being posted each Monday.)  Lynn has spent many years encouraging, coaching, and counseling people who are in a variety of roles in ministry.  He has talked with many, many people about marriage and family.  (You can find more of his thinking, on a variety of ministry concerns, at his website Mentornetwork.org.) 

In this video, Lynn speaks candidly regarding the condition of some families today and some of the particular struggles of those who serve churches in various ministry roles.

Lynn Anderson on Sexual Temptation

Each Monday, I am including a clip of an interview with Lynn Anderson on this blog.  In this particular interview, Lynn discusses some issues that are especially pertinent to any church leader (or anyone else).  This particular clip deals with sexual temptation and ministry.  Past videos have discussed "shepherding" and "loneliness."

Lynn Anderson has mentored, coached, and encouraged many church leaders.  I encourage you to visit his website, "Mentornetwork.com" if you have not already done so.  Check out his materials for training "shepherds."  I used this material in our church and found it to be very helpful. 

I would enjoy hearing your reflections on the video conversation and Lynn’s remarks.  What needs to be said in addition to what Lynn has already said?