Calah speaks out (guest blog)

A few weeks back I asked my daughter to write her thoughts about disunity among church leaders. The following are her thoughts...

When studying the Christian church of America one thing that continues to disturb me is the disunity among its leaders. This disunity has allowed men to feel or think that their ministry is more effective or better than others. It is funny because many believe that God's ministry has now become theirs.
This disunity has now stretched into the territory of name calling, belittlement, and judgment of the character passed on by those trying to accomplish the same goal. The question is this: Why do so many pastors get caught in this cycle? Why do they believe that their preaching method is "better" or more "effective" or that they even own it at all? Every member of the church is a minister but not every member is a pastor. A leader of a church must be called by God. If that is the case, those who are passing judgment by belittling other leaders are belittling and questioning God’s judgment.
God has given each and every pastor the gifts he needs to build His kingdom. Some leaders may be great communicators, others might be extremely intelligent, but God specifically called those men to build His Kingdom with those gifts. I think the problem that can be so easily identified is the issue of how God wants his message to be conveyed. Some may feel that a certain Bible translation should be read, or a specific Sunday school lesson should be taught but that is all irrelevant if the church is not living up to what Jesus came to earth to accomplish. And the most obvious answer is there is not a right or a wrong way to preach the message of God's love if it comes directly from the Bible.
The origin of Christianity stems from one source and that is Christ Himself, who lived a life of service, love, and sacrifice. Jesus was a man of broken and lost people. He came to seek and save the lost, not to hold Sunday school at an exclusive country club for only the well-dressed to attend. The church was created to be the hope of the world, to take people out of the grip of death and show them there is everlasting life in Christ.
WE are the hope of the world, and if the church does not stop its name calling and disputing then it will lose its foothold and it relevancy. God is going to do whatever it takes to save his people, but we have to make a choice. Are we going to continue to bicker and belittle each other or are we going to stand together and fight for the God who has called us? I use the word fight because this is a battle for the souls of the lost and broken.

Holy Man

I have a new friend who is a fitness expert. He is a great guy, very smart, and training for an iron man event. (the iron man is a swimming, biking, and running thing) in the course of our conservations he asked me “what do you do for a living?” I love this question. I told him that I was a pastor and he said, “You don’t seem like a pastor”. Wow, is that good or bad?
I pushed on his answer a little and learned a lot. It seems that we pastors have a rap of being aloof and unapproachable. I really don’t know the reason but there is a big misconception. As I pushed I got another enlightening comment. He asked “are you the same with your congregation as you are with me?” It seems that we pastors have a reputation for being “shady”. Tara chimed in on that one with “what you see is what you get”. I think she meant that as a complement.
Ok, to the point, if we are going to lead like Christ we must lead with our lives. The very ministry of Jesus was the incarnation. He came to show us Himself, God in flesh, so that we might know God. I must allow people to know the God who lives in me. I realize that I am flawed and broken and at best God is a blurry image in me, but I must give people my life. Paul, the apostle, said in 1 Thessalonians “we not only gave you the gospel but our lives as well”. Leadership is about relationships. Relationships make life rich.
I have learned from my fit friend that he needs to see Jesus in me before he will see Jesus for himself. It is so sobering to know that I am a Holy Man who carries the gospel. O, if you are a Christ follower, so are you!

Tara is Living her dream

Tara and I are in California at a training event. Not mine but hers. For 27 years Tara has been the one who has followed me around, supporting me as I pursued God’s call. She has been my coach, fan, critic, and best team mate. We are in ministry together. God called us both.
God has given her an amazing ability to connect and build children. So she is opening a gym targeting kids 6-15. (www.fitwize4kids.com) I am so excited for her and I have pledged to do everything I can to help her have the best environment for kids possible.
Yesterday, at the first day of training, we were asked to introduce ourselves. In my normal pride I love to say where I’ve been, what I’ve done, and who I know, but yesterday I said, “I am with Tara”. It was so good to let her shine. Why do I tell you this? Because I believe that for the first time I am beginning to understand what it means to love my wife as Christ loved the church. I think that if guys loved their wives and helped them live their dreams then marriages would thrive.
Is starting a business and planting a church wise. Not really. Will this be a challenging season of our lives? Yes. Once again we are moving to a place that if God doesn’t come through we are doomed. This could be really fun.
Tara loves kids and now she will be building their lives through fitness, nutrition, and the power of God’s love. I am so excited. I am proud to say “I am with Tara.”

felt stupid

I followed a spiritual prompting last week feeling like God wanted me to step into a leadership area. I made a call and made an offer to help. It was uncomfortable and I felt “stupid” but I obeyed what I felt was God’s push. Last night I discovered that the offer I had made had already been fulfilled.
I tell you this, because God wants our obedience over our activity. God is more interested in our response to Him that what we do for Him. Here are some thoughts about promptings and obedience

• A spiritual prompting always lines up with scripture. If it is not in keeping with God’s word it is not God.
• A spiritual prompting is about God and His kingdom not your ambition. When we obey God He often blesses us but the goal is not the blessing
• Usually a spiritual prompting is out of your character. God loves to “push” you through obedience.
• Delayed obedience is disobedience
• Prayer makes me aware. When I am in an intentional prayer mode I can hear the promptings of God.
• God will never ask you to do something that He can’t do. He will often prompt you to do things you can’t do.
• When you are faithful in small things He will expand His prompting into bigger things.
• Remember your now is preparation for your next. Be faithful in the now.
• If you are not hearing from God then you have un-confessed sin or God is about to show you Himself in a different way.

That’s enough for now. This is a topic that needs clarity. What I have discovered is that most believers never sense spiritual promptings therefore they are missing out on the great adventure of following. The key to all of this is to see and seize the God opportunities around us. When I obey God I grow to be more like Him.

God sized dreams

Do you ever think your vision is too small? Lately I have questioned myself regarding vision. I have often asked the question “What would you do for God if you knew you could not fail?” The first time I heard that question was the fall of 1992 at Fellowship Church with my friend Ed Young. Ed had a guest speaker that day named Rick Warren. Rick asked me that question. Although it was in a room of thousands he asked it to me as if we were the only ones there. Rick asked during the early days of the first church I planted. His question has measured my life since. In the past I have had bold answers; in fact I have followed those answers with bold actions. Now, I think I am not dreaming God sized dreams. Here are a few thoughts on God sized dreams …

• If you can do it, it is not big enough
• If God doesn’t come through you will fail
• The dream brings God glory, not you
• The dream keeps you awake
• The dream drives you to your knees in prayer
• You will look foolish to others
• The dream is always about people knowing and loving God
• God’s dream is always about building lives, building people

There are many more statements I could and should list but I won’t. Yesterday I felt that familiar stirring in my heart about something more for the Kingdom of God. That feeling is mixed with excitement and dread. Once again I will see and seize God opportunities. What about you?

Follow up

Yesterday’s post stirred some e-mails my way. It seemed that I hit a nerve. Any of us who speak on a regular basis get the after talk regrets. There is always something we should have or shouldn’t have said. I think we should never be afraid to critique our talks but we need to apply a large dose of grace.
A good friend of mine, Hal Mayer, uses three great questions when critiquing a talk. He asks “what did you do right? Where did you get stuck? What would you do different?” These three questions are a great positive launch point to being a better communicator.
On another thought, as I wrote yesterday I realize that those who complain about going deeper really don’t need me nor my influence. The ones God has sent me to matter too much to become discouraged by the comments of the convinced. I can only serve one master, Jesus Christ. I will spend my life handling “Holy things” with great fear and dependence. I don’t know why God called me to preach, but He did. I don’t know why God chooses to use me, but He does. All I really know is Jesus Christ and Him crucified, dead, buried, rose again, ascended to heaven, and returning in glory. This is the gospel and it has the power of salvation.

Ouch!

Ok, I am going public. I have never claimed to be a scholar. All I have ever claimed is that I love Jesus and I love people. I am just a music guy God called to preach. I am fully award of my lack of understanding and abilities. Every week when I stand to deliver God’s word I do so with great fear and dependence on the Holy Spirit.
Moving to Tallahassee I have been exposed to the “go deeper” crowd. I have caught criticism for being “fluffy”, shallow, and ignorant. This criticism has wounded me. The sad part is that I have allowed it to do so. The saddest part is that it has come from people who don’t know me nor love me. The ones who have made comments are fellow pastors and this is troublesome. Their harsh words have influenced some believers to avoid me and what God is saying through me.
On Friday I was talking to my sweet daughter, Calah, about this and she just gave me some great insight. I have asked her to be a guest blogger on this topic. I look forward to what she says and what you think.
I have made a vow to not to react nor lash out. These people who are being harsh to me are my brothers and I will be a brother to them. I know God is teaching me through this process. I realize that I am just a music guy God called to preach. God shows off best in weak people. Unity in the body reveals the power of God. I always need correction but I don’t really need or enjoy criticism. Ok, I feel better!

My Dad

This week-end is father’s day. This will be the first one without my dad. Dad went to be with the Lord in September of 2007. The days since his passing have been filled with tears, pain, and a deep sense of lose. My dad was my Hero. I don’t say that in some sappy sentimental way but with the true sense of what that word means and conveys.
What makes my dad a hero? Here are a few things …
• He loved my mother, they were married 58 years
• He told his stories, he opened his life to me
• He prayed for me
• He lead me to Jesus
• He set an example of sacrifice and service
• He lived out his faith not just on Sundays
• He treated all of us children differently but loved us the same
• He inspires me to be a hero for Tara, Caleb, and Calah
I could go on; in fact I have in a book about his life. Happy Father’s day dad, enjoy it with The Father!

the "buzz"

There has been much “buzz” in the church leadership world about betrayal. I’ve heard folks called pirates, parasites, and other such names. I have read blog after blog about the plight of church pirates, bad staff, and mean church folks. We are acting like being betrayed is something new. Let me just give you some base line stuff about leading people.
• They are not perfect
• Most people think they know more than they do, including me!
• They will let you down, they don’t mean to but they will
• Some people are just plain old mean
• Satan always has 8 to 10 people in every church he can use to give you grief. When one of them dies or moves he replaces them
• God is the God of folks who hurt you
• God filters everything, so you can trust Him
• You don’t know nor will you know someone’s motives including your own
• The ones closest to you can and will hurt you the deepest
• Loyalty breeds loyalty
• There are three sides to every story one of which is the truth
• Leading people is hard
• Lead yourself the most
I have been leading people for 27 years and I have had my heart broken more than I can count or remember. I have also experienced the joy of seeing God build lives. The thrill of seeing God work is worth the hurt.
One last thing, some of my greatest leadership lessons have come through the pain of betrayal. There have been times and I am sure there will be more times when the pain has made me want to give up but I am called by God to build people. His call compels me. So “Be kind tenderhearted to each other forgiving each other just as God through Christ has forgiven you”.

Golf

I had a great lesson in leadership yesterday. The air condition was off at the office so I decided it was God’s will that I play golf instead of sweating in my office. So I called my buddy, Tara, to see if she wanted to play. She agreed so I made a tee time for 4. We were joined by Jeremy and Rachel (our worship pastor and his wife).
Tara rarely plays and Rachel has never played. Jeremy has skills but they are developing and I am a competitive crazy man. Tara was excited that Jeremy and Rachel were joining us because she knew I would behave. We had a blast. It took us 5 hours to play, but we had a blast.
So what did I learn? Life is not about competition. It is about relationships. If I am competing all the time then I will make someone the winner (me) and someone the loser (anyone but me). No one likes to be the loser! If I can lead people in the context of building relationships and not in the context of who looks the best maybe I can lead rightly. What I must remember that Christ died for me (a loser) so that I might live rightly for His glory. My right living is based on building people. That might be the core of leadership, building people.
O yea, I played the best round I have played in years, but who’s competing?

Ambushed

There have been times in my life and leadership when I have sensed the power and presence of God in a strong way. I know that the spirit of God dwells in my all the time but there are times when I really feel Him moving and using me. Yesterday was one of those times.
I had the privilege of speaking at my “home” church, Thomasville Road Baptist Church in Tallahassee. The pastor there is Curtis Clark. He is a good friend and has been instrumental in the launching of Fellowship of the Hills. We are currently in a series called “One Prayer” that is directed toward church unity. Curtis spoke for me at FOTH and I spoke for him at TRBC.
Curtis did a great job at FOTH. He challenged this new church to be the church, asking people to commit, give and grow. I got ambushed by God at TRBC.
I spoke about seeing and seizing God movements. As I concluded the second service I was leading the congregation in a time of commitment asking them to pray a very dangerous prayer, “Jesus, I am yours”. As I was leading them in that prayer the prayer became very personal. I didn’t expect it. I was doing the preacher thing leading people when the Lord took this to a personal commitment. He reminded me that at 15 He called me to preach; at 33 He called me to plant the first church, then at 48 the second church plant.
Jesus reminded me that I belong to Him alone. I needed the reminder. There has been so many times this past year that I didn’t feel His hand on my life. I felt His hand yesterday. WOW, his hand feels really good! I went to speak at TRBC and God spoke to me! God is good at ambushing.