Hello all,,,,,, I’m back in the saddle on blogging and this site will run parallel with the blog at http//fuelchurch.tv . Stay tuned..
A Christmas Story from Mom
The following story is in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette Newspaper. Sondra LaMar is my mom and I am the little boy in the story.
“Sondra LaMar of Fort Smith keeps a very special memory that embodies the true spirit of Christmas.
It was a difficult Christmas time. Recently divorced, I was aching from shock and my 6-year-old son still didn’t understand how his world had been torn apart. I’d been told to reach out, to think of others rather than myself, so I did.
I called a local nursing home to see how many residents they had. I bought bookmarks from the Christian bookstore, and then my son and I selected candy Kisses and other small items. We sat at the kitchen table, making up individual tray gifts for the residents of the home as I explained that we wanted to bring a little Christmas cheer to the older people who couldn’t get out and shop, but more than that, I told him, Christmas was about giving to others. His small hands went down our assembly line and placed items on pieces of gift wrap. After I folded the wrap over them, he put on pieces of tape, and I tied yarn around each.
When we got to the home, we walked down one side of the entry way toward a central desk, but he kept falling behind. Wrinkled hands were reaching out to touch his shiny, straight blond hair that fell in bangs on his forehead. He’d grin as arthritic fingers patted him.
We got to the desk and my little boy reached up to help lift the box to the nurse, who directed her comments to my son on how much the men and women there would appreciate what he had done. As we went down the other side of the entry, we took our time as he stopped by each person, letting them touch him and rewarding them with grins.
He took my hand and looked up at me with his big blue eyes as we stepped outside, asking, “That was fun. Can we do this again?” And, we did, but that first time more than 30 years ago was extra special because of what it did for both of us.”
(copied with permission from The Arkansas Democrat Gazette by Associate Editor Meredith Oakley)
A Word from the Mine
As the world watches the rescue of the miners in Chile, one such miner has already granted an interview. In the interview, this miner indicated that he was going to continue to mine and that he was born to be in those mines. After more than two months of being trapped in darkness and dirt, this guy is ready continue his job as a Chilean miner.
In ministry, we often find ourselves in the mine ,,,working. And then, just when everything seem progressive, functional and safe, there is a collapse. These collapses can take many shapes. Some of those shapes are the following: An upset believer, financial shortfalls, staff conflicts, half-truths, betrayal, family crisis, burn-out, and church competition.
We see in 2 Corinthians 11 & 12 that Paul went through just about everything one could imagine for that day. Yet in the end, he got up and dusted himself off and he never hesitated from consistently proclaiming the gospel. No matter the suffering, not matter the stress, no matter the betrayal, no matter the pain, no matter the proverbial mine collapse, he forged on in his ministry.
Maybe that is you. The mine has collapsed and you are finally seeing a little light and you are thinking, “I think I will just fade into the sunset and not do this anymore, it’s too dangerous for me and my family.”
Here’s the deal. When the dust clears and the air settles, if you are called to the ministry of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, then you will announce with confidence (confidence in Christ) that I was born for this, I was called to this, I will continue to do this!!!
Pastor, leader, servant, worker, caregiver, miner,,,, hold your head high and know that just like Paul in Romans 1,, that you are under obligation to the gospel,, you can’t ever be at a place where you are not about the business of the Gospel. So when that mine seems to collapse,, know that your God is the rescue giver and that same God is the one who has called you to the mine of preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Death by a Thousand Cuts
You may have heard of the tortuous technique called “Death by a Thousand Cuts.” It has also been called, “Slow Slicing and Lingering Death.” It’s believed to have been a form of execution used in China until it was abolished in around 1905. It was a process of cutting off a piece of flesh one at at time until the individual succumbs to death. Often the process continued after the person had already died, in order to further humiliate and punish even after death.
As I have studied for the C.O.M.P.A.S.S. series and more specifically the message on “Others First”, I have encountered a lot of discusion among the body of Christ and especially other pastors. Our talk turned to the treatment of people that emotionally and spiritually rivals “Death by a Thousand Cuts.” Whether they know it or not, there are “professed” followers of Christ who just pick and pick and pick at people with conversations, comments, questioning, insults, looks, attitudes, etc. And every little thing becomes a cut. And then another. And then another. And before long, unimaginable damage has been done.
Now, I’ve seen a couple of different types of cutters. One type, is the kind of people who are just ignorant of what they are doing. Their upbringing, lack of learning or just not understanding has blinded them to the fact that the things they say are offensive, lacking tact and a cut to the person they are encountering. The other type of cutters are those who vindictively set out to do harm. These people will stop at nothing to make a painful emotional and spiritual death occur for their target. They just about “HAVE TO BE” wolves in sheep clothing, because a “TRUE” follower of Christ would be convicted, repentant and seeking forgiveness if the cuts were not intentional. I was recently reminded how close to home this hits when some people close to me told me about a person at a former church calling and trying to find dirt on me and my family.
So, whether it is purposeful, accidental, or just nonchalantly irresponsible, you need to know, that not putting others first cuts them. Whether it is your friend, co-worker, family, pastor, neighbor, or boss, our goal as disciples of Jesus Christ, in following His lead, it to put “others first”.
The following verses show us that if we are in Christ Jesus, His mind is “ours” as well.
“Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”
(Philippians 2:3-8 ESV)
Biggest surprise of being a leader? Loneliness
One of my biggest surprises in leadership was the loneliness.
Coach Shef – coachshef.com
The more people you have report to you…the lonlier it is.
The more that is expected of you…the lonlier it is.
The more perfect you are supposed to be (hello pastors!)…the lonlier it is.
and…the lonlier you are…the more dangerous it is.
How are are you taking steps so you never lead in isolation?
Ron Edmondson did a great job illustrating these dangers in the following:
I sat with a new pastor recently trying to hold a church together long enough to help it build again. The previous pastor left town, after a series of bad decisions; some the church is still finding out about each new day.
Sadly, I see it all the time. This pastor suffered from the same temptation any pastor faces. His number one problem in my opinion: He was leading in isolation. He had no one on the inside of his life who knew him well enough to know when something was wrong and could confront him when necessary.
Leading in isolation is displayed in numerous ways to the detriment of the organization. I see 7 clear dangers of leading in isolation:
Moral failure – Without accountability in place, many people will make bad decisions because no one appears to be looking. We are more susceptible to temptation when we are alone.
Burnout – There is an energy we gain from sharing life with other people. When the leader feels he or she is alone the likelihood of burning out, emotional stress and even depression increases.
Leadership Vacuum – The leader is clueless to the real problems in the organization and is fooled into believing everything (including the leader) is wonderful. (I wrote about the leadership vacuumHERE and HERE.)
Control Freak – The leader panics when others question him or her. He or she tries to control every decision.
Limits other people – The leader in isolation fails to communicate, invest, and release, which keeps others leaders from developing on the team.
Limits leader – The isolated leader never reaches his or her full potential as a leader, because he shuts out influences, which would help him or her grow.
Limits organization – In the end, the leader who leads in isolation keeps the organization from being all that it can be. Because the leader sets the bar (read more about that thought HERE), if the leader is in isolation the organization will suffer.
Leaders, are you living in isolation? Do you need to get out of the protective shell you’ve made for yourself? The health and future success of your organization depends on it.
(I realize many pastors of smaller churches feel they have no option, but to lead in isolation. You feel you have no one you can truly trust in your church and you have isolated yourself, for various reasons, from others in the community. As hard as it may seem, and as great as the risk may appear, you must find a few people to share your struggles with to avoid these dangers. If you need help, please email me today.)
What would you add to my list as a danger of leading in isolation?
Ron Edmondson - ronedmondson.com
The Awesomeness-Driven Church
The Awesomeness-Driven Church
Jarod Wilson
It is widely repeated that a Korean pastor once visited the United States and remarked at the end of his stay, “It’s amazing what you people can do without the Holy Spirit.”
Yesterday I watched a video of a motocross bike jumping over a pastor on stage. Now, I’m not saying that church or its pastor don’t have the Holy Spirit, but I am saying that setting up a dirtbike track in your sanctuary is profoundly stupid.
What is profoundly stupid is the sheer amount of innovation, creativity, energy, ambition, and astounding levels of human wherewithal that go into crafting the most amazing worship experiences Americans have ever seen inside churches where the gospel isn’t preached. I can say this because there’s only one thing we hold that the New Testament calls “power,” and that’s the gospel.
In Ezekiel 37 we find that well-known prophetic vision of the valley of dry bones. I find verse 8 curious:
And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But there was no breath in them.
Looks alive. Still: it isn’t.
Is this what we’ve crafted with many of our ecclesiastic enterprises? Have we only set loose an army of shiny, platitude-dispensing golems?
Is this also true of even churches with “sound doctrine,” where human ingenuity and personality and tradition reign?
What’s the prescription for the awesomeness-driven church?
Ezekiel 37:9-10:
Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord GOD: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.
The prescription is life-giving proclamation that pleads for the Holy Spirit and his reviving wind. And the result is a church alive, fired with gospel militancy and mobilized for kingdom mission.
Holy Spirit, come.
You can see Jarod Wilson’s blog at:
http://gospeldrivenchurch.blogspot.com
My Better is Better than Your Better
Ok,,,,, first, go watch this commercial and come back,,,,
Now,,, we are in a war for souls right????
Satan is always upping his game to do BETTER than believers at fighting for souls. The porn shop is open 24/7. Drug dealers are available 24/7. And you KNOW his cronies are everywhere you turn, especially in the middle of CHRISTIAN activity.
I’ve got news for him,,,, He may try to do better than believers at going after souls, but because of WHO’S I AM,,,, “Satan,, my better is better than your better.”
Hey person being used by Satan,, I pray for you,, but when it’s war time,,,,my better is better than your better.
Hey Disciple of Christ,,, you can’t earn a single thing with God, because Jesus paid it all,,,, but since HE did pay it all,,, could your better be better for the battle???
Jesus better is better will always be better than all betters because his is BEST…..and if you are a follower of Christ,,, you are MORE than a conqueror in Jesus Christ.
Don’t be used,,, one up his punk self and,,,, be led by the Best!!
His name is Jesus.
If Paul’s Epistle to the Galatians was Published in Christianity Today
from “The Sacred Sandwich” - http://sacredsandwich.com/archives/2781
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Dear Christianity Today:
In response to Paul D. Apostle’s article about the Galatian church in your January issue, I have to say how appalled I am by the unchristian tone of this hit piece. Why the negativity? Has he been to the Galatian church recently? I happen to know some of the people at that church, and they are the most loving, caring people I’ve ever met.
Phyllis Snodgrass; Ann Arbor, MI
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Dear Editor:
How arrogant of Mr. Apostle to think he has the right to judge these people and label them accursed. Isn’t that God’s job? Regardless of this circumcision issue, these Galatians believe in Jesus just as much as he does, and it is very Pharisaical to condemn them just because they differ on such a secondary issue. Personally, I don’t want a sharp instrument anywhere near my zipper, but that doesn’t give me the right to judge how someone else follows Christ. Can’t we just focus on our common commitment to Christ and furthering His kingdom, instead of tearing down fellow believers over petty doctrinal matters?
Ed Bilgeway; Tonganoxie, KS
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Dear CT:
I’ve seen other dubious articles by Paul Apostle in the past, and frankly I’m surprised you felt that his recurrent criticisms of the Church deserved to be printed in your magazine. Mr. Apostle for many years now has had a penchant for thinking he has a right to “mark” certain Christian teachers who don’t agree with his biblical position. Certainly I commend him for desiring to stay faithful to God’s word, but I think he errs in being so dogmatic about his views to the point where he feels free to openly attack his brethren. His attitude makes it difficult to fully unify the Church, and gives credence to the opposition’s view that Christians are judgmental, arrogant people who never show God’s love.
Ken Groener; San Diego, CA
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To the Editors:
Paul Apostle says that he hopes the Galatian teachers will cut off their own privates? What kind of Christian attitude is that? Shame on him!
Martha Bobbitt; Boulder, CO
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Dear Christianity Today:
The fact that Paul Apostle brags about his public run-in with Peter Cephas, a well-respected leader and brother in Christ, exposes Mr. Apostle for the divisive figure that he has become in the Church today. His diatribe against the Galatian church is just more of the same misguided focus on an antiquated reliance on doctrine instead of love and tolerance. Just look how his hypercritical attitude has cast aspersions on homosexual believers and women elders! The real problem within the Church today is not the lack of doctrinal devotion, as Apostle seems to believe, but in our inability to be transformed by our individual journeys in the Spirit. Evidently, Apostle has failed to detach himself from his legalistic background as a Pharisee, and is unable to let go and experience the genuine love for Christ that is coming from the Galatians who strive to worship God in their own special way.
William Zenby; Richmond, VA
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Kind Editors:
I happen to be a member of First Christian Church of Galatia, and I take issue with Mr. Apostle’s article. How can he criticize a ministry that has been so blessed by God? Our church has baptized many new members and has made huge in-roads in the Jewish community with our pragmatic view on circumcision. Such a “seeker-sensitive” approach has given the Jews the respect they deserve for being God’s chosen people for thousands of years. In addition, every Gentile in our midst has felt honored to engage in the many edifying rituals of the Hebrew heritage, including circumcision, without losing their passion for Jesus. My advice to Mr. Apostle is to stick to spreading the gospel message of Christ’s unconditional love, and quit criticizing what God is clearly blessing in other churches.
Miriam “Betty” Ben-Hur; Galatia, Turkey
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EDITOR’S NOTE: Christianity Today apologizes for our rash decision in publishing Paul Apostle’s exposé of the Galatian church. Had we known the extent in which our readership and advertisers would withdraw their financial support, we never would have printed such unpopular biblical truth. We regret any damage we may have caused in propagating the doctrines of Christ.
