"Our greatest qualification for the ministry is the mercy of God." Ajith Fernando

Christian, contextualization means identifying with unbelievers, not accommodating to nominal Christians.

A church built on consumerism will inevitably focus more on meeting demand than making disciples.

"Technique is a terrible substitute for the presense of God." Darren Patrick

Your inadequacy is one of God's favorite tools in accomplishing His purposes (Exodus 3; Jeremiah 1; 2 Cor. 12).

the delicate and dangerous balance between people and programs

"...ministry without heart, even well-financed ministry, is not ministry in God's eyes. A ministry can possess the best equipment, the finest quality of buildings, and the largest mailing list, and still not be doing God's work with quality if people do not remain more important. Excellence defined by standards of appearance is not excellence in God's eyes. I have seen organizations lose effectiveness in their testimony because they developed a reputation for caring more about programs and buildings than people. I have also been in ministries, especially in poorer countries of the world, where the buildings and facilities leave much to be desired, but heart is in the ministry so that people are cared for as a matter of priority. Throwing money at a ministry and paying others to do the church's work while making it look nice is not ministry in God's sight."

- Darrell Bock, The NIV Application Commentary on Luke, p.225

Your Ministry Is Not Your Identity - Paul Tripp

One day I'll probably write my own post on the subject, but it is so easy as a pastor to unknowingly allow allow the locus of your identity to be transferred from Christ to ministry. Paul Tripp writes a great post describing his own experience with that challenge. Important read.

"somewhere along the way we have succumbed to the temptation to displace the foolishness of the cross with the wisdom of strategic planning"

A friend of mine sent me this quote today. Such a good reminder, based on 1 Corinthians 1:18, to trust God's power and wisdom over our own:


"At the moment, books are pouring off the presses telling us how to plan for success, how 'vision' consists in clearly articulated 'ministry goals,' how the knowledge of detailed profiles of our communities constitutes the key to successful outreach. I am not for a moment suggesting that there is nothing to be learned from such studies. But after a while one may perhaps be excused for marveling how many churches were planted by Paul and Whitefield and Wesley and Stanway and Judson without enjoying these advantages. Of course all of us need to understand the people to whom we minister, and all of us can benefit from small doses of such literature. But massive doses sooner or later dilute the gospel. Ever so subtly, we start to think that success more critically depends on thoughtful sociological analysis than on the gospel; Barna becomes more important than the Bible. We depend on plans, programs, vision statements—but somewhere along the way we have succumbed to the temptation to displace the foolishness of the cross with the wisdom of strategic planning. Again, I insist, my position is not a thinly veiled plea for obscurantism, for seat-of-the-pants ministry that plans nothing. Rather, I fear that the cross, without ever being disowned, is constantly in danger of being dismissed from the central place it must enjoy, by relatively peripheral insights that take on far too much weight. Whenever the periphery is in danger of displacing the center, we are not far removed from idolatry." (D.A. Carson in The Cross and Christian Ministry, p.26)


This may seem to be lifting up a false dichotomy between gospel ministry and strategic planning. I don't think that's what D.A. Carson is doing. This is obviously a quote out of a book, from a publisher, and marketed to consumers. There was certainly some strategy in there. But I think the operative words are trust and depend. We should use the wisdom God has given us in strategic planning and demographic research, but at the end of the day we have to trust that the gospel is the power of God for salvation (Romans 1:16). Strategic planning done well will get us to the people who need the gospel but then we must rely on the gospel itself to do its work.

the prime way of honoring God

"This is the prime way of honoring God. We do not so glorify God by elevated admirations, or eloquent expressions, or pompous services for Him as when we aspire to a conversing with Him with unstained spirits, and to live to Him in living like Him." (Stephen Charnock)

In other words, our personal integrity honors God more than our public acts of service.

"Leaders, if you create a culture of fear you will ALWAYS get the answer you WANT but NEVER the one you NEED." John McGowan

Leadership and Isolation

My friend Josh Cahan posted this on his blog. I've noticed that church leaders tend to see themselves as 'leading the church' but not really a part of the church. This quote is such a great reminder that leaders need not be isolated from life of the church.

"It is important that leaders see themselves and are seen by others as part of the church. Professionalism is always the enemy of authentic gospel leadership. Leaders are not a special class set apart on their own, having to face burdensome responsibilities and forced to endure a lonely existence. Leaders cannot be detached. They must be visible believers who live their lives openly in the midst of the believing community." (Total Church by Tim Chester & Steve Timmis)

Video: Persevere

A video I shot for our church's leadership conference. We all admire leaders who have persevered through difficult times, but it's must easier admired than lived out.

The overall idea and creative work is the brainchild of Bobby Morganthaler.

Video: Follow the Follower

Here's another video I shot for our church's leadership conference. It's about the paradox that all Christian leaders live in: In order to lead well, we have to follow well.

The overall idea and creative work is the brainchild of Bobby Morganthaler.

Video: Dream Big

Here's a short video I shot for our church's leadership conference. It's about the power of vision and the necessity for Christian leaders to dream big.

The overall idea and creative work is the brainchild of Bobby Morganthaler.

Why do you believe the church is still so divided racially?

I read a blog post by Pastor Ron Edmonson a little while ago in which he asked, "Why do you believe the church is still so divided racially?" You can read the original post here. I decided to post my response. This is an issue I'm extremely passionate about and my thoughts are a work in progress:

i see the problem at two different levels. one is practical and the other is theological. i put worship style, preaching style, homogeneous church leadership, etc as practical barriers. but i think those are only outworkings of deeper issues.

i'll address the institutional black church for example. in many ways, the black church has been a means of SURVIVAL for black people. one of it's primary functions from the beginning was to preserve African/Black culture and protect/advance the people within that culture. i think that's why you can have so many unbelievers who are still actively involved in the black church. and a lot of black churches still exist for that purpose. it's a core value for the black church--sometimes explicitly so--and i think folks just assume it's ok because that's the way it's been, like artie said.

in light of that, i think it goes beyond the practical factors. i think it comes down to a fundamentally flawed or nonexistent "theology of difference" - be it racial, social, or economic. for example, i don't think most christians can answer the question "biblically speaking, is it ok to embrace ethnic identity?" or "in God's created order, where did race even come from?" now, i don't expect the average person to have answers to that stuff. i didn't for a long time. but i'm hoping that pastors (including myself) will equip our congregations to process race through a biblical framework. because i think that what will filter down is an obvious disparity between how we act/react/feel and what we claim to believe. we have to allow the Bible to critique our presuppositions about race and identity and even our preferences. we have to be willing to admit our prejudices (or at least our ignorance) and allow the Bible to confront them.

i grew up in an all black church in an overwhelmingly predominantly black community. when i graduated from college i went to work for a pretty well-known evangelist in the "CCM-esque" christian world (i.e. white lol) and i got a crash course in all things steven curtis chapman. i remember being the only black guy on our staff in the first few cities i worked and having a really hard time being comfortable around older white people in particular (i think because of images in my head of old white supremacy dudes who were suited by day and hooded by night). i remember being at events where i was the only black guy (and youngest guy period) in a room full of wealthy, influential, older Christian white people and in conversations thinking "you're talking to me but you don't want me here or you wonder why i'm here." i remember being CERTAIN that me and the folks on our staff couldn't possibly have much in common. all of that was rooted in deep-seated skepticism. praise God, He changed me...and i'm glad i did because i wouldn't have lasted now in a predominately white church! lol

two last random thoughts:

1 - i think if we want to invite different kinds of people into our churches, we have to be willing to invite different kinds of people into our homes.

2 - the more exposure i've gotten beyond my preferences, the more my preferences have changed. i like acoustic guitars and romantic jesus songs now. :-)

4 Components to Making Ministry Paradigm Shifts

I found such amazing wisdom in a book I'm reading for class on student ministry. The book is arguing for a radical shift in the way American churches approach youth ministry. But, here is an incredibly wise caution the author offers the reader:

"For some of you, the first three chapters may have convinced you. Now you are ready to jump in, add a bunch of new stuff on the calendar, and get parents on your team. That is admirable but rushed. Most of the student pastors I talk to want the bottom line - programs, practices, ideas and the outward expressions of ministry...We must be principle driven in all we do, or we return to looking for the latest fads and gimmicks." (Steve Wright in his book, reThink)

He offers these four key components to consider when making major ministry paradigm shifts:

1. Prayer - asking God to give us direction, burden our hearts, and empower our efforts
2. Principles - What are the biblical principles that should frame this new ministry paradigm?
3. Prerequisites - What info is needed/what things need to happen before moving forward?
4. Practices - Implementation
   

preacher or leader?

here is an interesting article about the "false dichotomy" between preaching and leading. the writer, Jeff Purswell, argues that for a pastor, preaching is the most effective form of leadership. he writes:

"There is no more powerful or fundamental expression of a pastor’s leadership than the preaching of the Word. At its core, that’s what biblical leadership is: setting forth for our people a biblical vision of God and his purposes, and then calling them to give their lives to it and live in light of it (and outside the pulpit, modeling for them what it looks like)."

i think that's spot on. the question though for every multi-site church that uses video teaching is what then is the role of the campus pastor? i think he answers that in his address to pastors who have "a specialized sphere of ministry" i.e. non-teaching. he says we should be "thinking about how the Sunday preaching can be applied in the life of the church in your sphere."

[click here] to read the full article.

leading and leaving

"Success without a successor is net failure."

- author unknown

credibility

a great quote from Mark Batterson, lead pastor of National Community Church:

"credibility is NOT a byproduct of perfection. credibility is a byproduct of authenticity."

an objective for every meeting

i was reading an article on planning effective meetings and one very basic statement jumped out at me. the author said "every meeting should have a written objective and a written agenda."

i think most of us agree with the agenda part but clarifying (and writing down) the OBJECTIVE is so critical. how many meetings have you planned or simply attended where you had no idea what you were trying to accomplish? you've met, you've talked, you've given updates, but it doesn't lead to any particular conclusion or goal.

i've been challenging myself lately to be much more intentional with my meetings. i'm heading out of town for vacation this week. so yesterday, the written objective for a short meeting with my team was "to make decisions on things that would require my input while i'm gone." clarifying that objective ahead of time was SO HELPFUL! it helped me keep us focused on specific issues that might come up this week instead of drifting into the many other things that, while important, don't require a decision this week.

hopefully instead of more meetings, we can all have more effective meetings.