I remember hearing a pastor say one time--"you can not have revival until you have vive." I know what that means. We sometimes have a series of meetings simply because its in our constituion, but there is no revival because we are dead spiritually and not seeking a movement from God.
As I was reading some things today, I thought about that. The GCRTF (Great Commission Resurgence Task Force is meeting in San Antonio. There has been a lot of TALK by many (all of us). Compared to our discussions ABOUT the Great Commission, how much time are we now spending in obedience to it? Yeah - I am sure there will be a lot of discussion. We will probably have some heated debates about proposals related to it. But will we be obedient to it?
Can there be a resurgence if there has not yet been a "surgence?" There is little evidencce of the stats about the church to render a verdict of "guilty" of obedience to the command of Christ. 94% of we evangelical Baptists never share the Gospel. Much of our "growth" in the local church is merely moving the "sheep" into a new pasture as opposed to birthing new lambs.
I shared with the messengers last night a statement that God keeps convicting me of in recent days. There is NO EXCUSE for a Baptist Church to be in decline UNLESS we want to be in decline. There are so many resources available to us. Most of us have been trained and certified in some plan of action to reach the lost, but we fail to go out and reach the lost. I think Jesus taught that obedience to His Word marks whether or not we love Him/are His followers. He taught that IF we would FOLLOW HIM, then He would make us "fishers of men."
With the stats I am seeing, the truth glares us in the face. Simply put, for the kost part, we are NOT following Jesus no matter what we say.
Please join me in praying for revival in the church and a spiritual awakening in our communities. Pray with me for the Lost of our communities. And commit with me to reach out to the lost and share the Good Nedws of Jesus Christ.
"First Friday Times of Prayer" begins Friday, February 5th at TRBA large conferencce room. Come join me as pastors (and bring your friends) to pray for our communities and out churches.
Showing posts with label Love. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Love. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Do Not Grow Weary
If you have been in ministry for any amount of time, there have been times you might describe as "Blue Mondays." A lady named Miss Charlotte that worked with my family when I was coming up as a child often made that statement. But I also remember her constantly singing hymns as she worked around the house and in the fields. She experienced "Blue Mondays," BUT she smiled and praised the Lord in song as she went through the discouragements of her life.
Ever had a "blue Monday?" Let me define it from a ministry perspective. You have already spent 26 hours this week in 5 different hospitals with church members and their families with surgeries and intense/life-threatening ailments; altered all your plans to go with a family in crisis due to a wayward child; counseled three couples with conflicted marriages; drove over to the church at 10 PM because Aunt Susie left her umbrella after church on Wednesday night; decided that since you were there, you would type out the bulletin and run it off and you leave the church office at 1 AM because you need to go back to Duke Thursday morning for open heart surgery for one of those church members you visited Monday while he was having a catherization. You decide to take lunch Friday with your wife because you need to make 2 outreach visits Friday afternoon. While you were out to lunch, a deacon and his wife came to the church office at 12:10 PM and wanted to get into the church to pick up something on their way home. Early Saturday morning, your doorbell rings and it is the deacon chair. He says, "someone complained to him that you were not in the office Friday morning when you should have been. Can you please explain yourself?"
You've hardly had no time to "be still and know God" this week and now the devil has a foothold on what little time you will have to study today. You wonder---how can I stand before these people and proclaim His Word without putting too much of myself in the sermon
Well---here's the answer:
1. Stay true to God's call upon your life.
2. It is physically impossible to be in 4 places at one time.
3. If you were honestly "on mission" do not whip yourself up that someONE complained.
4. Understand that people with an "agenda" can never be satisfied even if you could be in 4 places at one time and they sometimes don't even care about the truth.
5. Trust God and be faithful to His call upon your life.
6. Remove yourself and proclaim His truth - never change your message to pacify or appease.
7. Strive to do daily what God has called you to do in ministry as faithfully as you can and leave the results to God.
8. Think about the people's lives that you have touched in the name of Jesus and forget the critic.
One day recently as I was driving home from a meeting in one of our member churches that night, I recollected the events of the day. I had had breakfast, lunch, visited on the field with, met at SEBTS, been in meetings with, etc. 22 pastors; 2 new church planters; 2 men from BSC about church planting; ran into 3 former pastors while at SEBTS; spoke with a couple of people from BSC about some upcoming events; called a couple of Associational Missionaries about a couple of issues; had several cell phone conversations with pastors, pastor search chairs, etc. I think I counted up more than 35 people from our member churches, plus several others in Baptist life. I chuckled to myself---all I will hear about today is "Dougald was not in the office today."
Sure enough -- that's all I heard about the day. That's OK -- God knows and I know the truth. In eternity, that is all that will matter. Therefore, trust God and keep going forward.
Ever had a "blue Monday?" Let me define it from a ministry perspective. You have already spent 26 hours this week in 5 different hospitals with church members and their families with surgeries and intense/life-threatening ailments; altered all your plans to go with a family in crisis due to a wayward child; counseled three couples with conflicted marriages; drove over to the church at 10 PM because Aunt Susie left her umbrella after church on Wednesday night; decided that since you were there, you would type out the bulletin and run it off and you leave the church office at 1 AM because you need to go back to Duke Thursday morning for open heart surgery for one of those church members you visited Monday while he was having a catherization. You decide to take lunch Friday with your wife because you need to make 2 outreach visits Friday afternoon. While you were out to lunch, a deacon and his wife came to the church office at 12:10 PM and wanted to get into the church to pick up something on their way home. Early Saturday morning, your doorbell rings and it is the deacon chair. He says, "someone complained to him that you were not in the office Friday morning when you should have been. Can you please explain yourself?"
You've hardly had no time to "be still and know God" this week and now the devil has a foothold on what little time you will have to study today. You wonder---how can I stand before these people and proclaim His Word without putting too much of myself in the sermon
Well---here's the answer:
1. Stay true to God's call upon your life.
2. It is physically impossible to be in 4 places at one time.
3. If you were honestly "on mission" do not whip yourself up that someONE complained.
4. Understand that people with an "agenda" can never be satisfied even if you could be in 4 places at one time and they sometimes don't even care about the truth.
5. Trust God and be faithful to His call upon your life.
6. Remove yourself and proclaim His truth - never change your message to pacify or appease.
7. Strive to do daily what God has called you to do in ministry as faithfully as you can and leave the results to God.
8. Think about the people's lives that you have touched in the name of Jesus and forget the critic.
One day recently as I was driving home from a meeting in one of our member churches that night, I recollected the events of the day. I had had breakfast, lunch, visited on the field with, met at SEBTS, been in meetings with, etc. 22 pastors; 2 new church planters; 2 men from BSC about church planting; ran into 3 former pastors while at SEBTS; spoke with a couple of people from BSC about some upcoming events; called a couple of Associational Missionaries about a couple of issues; had several cell phone conversations with pastors, pastor search chairs, etc. I think I counted up more than 35 people from our member churches, plus several others in Baptist life. I chuckled to myself---all I will hear about today is "Dougald was not in the office today."
Sure enough -- that's all I heard about the day. That's OK -- God knows and I know the truth. In eternity, that is all that will matter. Therefore, trust God and keep going forward.
Saturday, January 05, 2008
Shepherd The Flock/Demonstrate Love Towards Your People
Today I was privileged to sit on an ordination advisory council for a young man entering the ministry. Among the questions during his examination was a question concerning his view of one who serves as pastor. As he began to describe his feelings, I was impressed with his maturity.
He spoke of "leading his people" to good pastures in the preaching of the Word. Those the Lord has placed in our care need a proper diet to nourish them in their day-to-day.
He spoke of his being an undershepherd -- and a sheep. God had called and equipped him to the tasks of a pastor but he needed to remember the need for him - as a sheep himself - to follow the Good Shepherd.
He also spoke of the need to "protect his sheep" from the wolves and bears of false doctrine and world views that weaken and destroy the flock.
I was glad that I had the opportunity to participate in this council!
Upon my return tonight, I went to a LifeWay E-zine that had published a little section I had written to bi-vocational pastors. In that same edition was a good article by a man named Bobby Bradley entitled "5 Keys For Loving Your Church." The Good Shepherd loves His Flock -- and we are to love our flock as the undersheperd as well.
He states -- "If you want to be a pastor who will be loved and remembered, then love your church as Jesus loved His disciples." Do you love the members of your church as God loves His flock?
When I first came as Associational Missionary here at TRBA, I visited one of our churches. As Linda and I left the service, we were perplexed. We had just left a church that we loved dearly. Our experience had always been that we loved our people and a part of our hearts remained each time God called us to another place of service. But this man did not love his people. His disdain for them was evident. They had little fondness for him as was evident in the comments they made to us. Within a couple of weeks, this man had left the church. I think we MUST love the people and give ourselves as Christ gave Himself for the church.
If you and I, as pastors can imitate to some degree the love of Christ for His church in dealing with the people entrusted to us, then you will be able to fulfill your mission to that congregation. We should not accept a position of service (or keep such a position)where we can not replicate in some measure the love of Christ towards his people who are members of the church or association we serve.
Bradley went on to suggest five ways for letting your people know that you genuinely care for them. I thought I would simply share them with you:
1. Show your love by the way you preach to them. Communicate the love of God to them from the pulpit and let them see that love in you.
2. Tell them you love them. “I love you, Charlene.” “I love you, Steve.” “I love you Susan.” “I love you, Jim.”
3. Communicate your love to them by the way you listen to their problems or the way you show interest when they are sharing with you something that is important to them. Don’t act disinterested or detached.
4. Don’t be “class-conscious.” Care as much for the poor, the elderly, the lonely, and the forgotten as you do for the influential members of your congregation.
5. Don’t be clannish. Don’t spend your time just with one group or clique in the church. If you do this, you will sow discord among the brethren.
These are simple, concise nuggets of wisdom. Most likely all of us SAY we would concur. However, we should daily strive to insure that we display these principles in our actions among and toward our people.
Every opportunity you have, do something or say something that will make them feel loved by you - as well as by God. Make them understand that they are people of worth, especially in the eyes of God and that it is His desire to be in fellowship with them.
As we begin the New Year, it is my prayer that we will make a new and fresh commitment to the Living Lord Jesus Christ to become the men of faith--the pastors---the undershepherds He has celled us to be in His church.
He spoke of "leading his people" to good pastures in the preaching of the Word. Those the Lord has placed in our care need a proper diet to nourish them in their day-to-day.
He spoke of his being an undershepherd -- and a sheep. God had called and equipped him to the tasks of a pastor but he needed to remember the need for him - as a sheep himself - to follow the Good Shepherd.
He also spoke of the need to "protect his sheep" from the wolves and bears of false doctrine and world views that weaken and destroy the flock.
I was glad that I had the opportunity to participate in this council!
Upon my return tonight, I went to a LifeWay E-zine that had published a little section I had written to bi-vocational pastors. In that same edition was a good article by a man named Bobby Bradley entitled "5 Keys For Loving Your Church." The Good Shepherd loves His Flock -- and we are to love our flock as the undersheperd as well.
He states -- "If you want to be a pastor who will be loved and remembered, then love your church as Jesus loved His disciples." Do you love the members of your church as God loves His flock?
When I first came as Associational Missionary here at TRBA, I visited one of our churches. As Linda and I left the service, we were perplexed. We had just left a church that we loved dearly. Our experience had always been that we loved our people and a part of our hearts remained each time God called us to another place of service. But this man did not love his people. His disdain for them was evident. They had little fondness for him as was evident in the comments they made to us. Within a couple of weeks, this man had left the church. I think we MUST love the people and give ourselves as Christ gave Himself for the church.
If you and I, as pastors can imitate to some degree the love of Christ for His church in dealing with the people entrusted to us, then you will be able to fulfill your mission to that congregation. We should not accept a position of service (or keep such a position)where we can not replicate in some measure the love of Christ towards his people who are members of the church or association we serve.
Bradley went on to suggest five ways for letting your people know that you genuinely care for them. I thought I would simply share them with you:
1. Show your love by the way you preach to them. Communicate the love of God to them from the pulpit and let them see that love in you.
2. Tell them you love them. “I love you, Charlene.” “I love you, Steve.” “I love you Susan.” “I love you, Jim.”
3. Communicate your love to them by the way you listen to their problems or the way you show interest when they are sharing with you something that is important to them. Don’t act disinterested or detached.
4. Don’t be “class-conscious.” Care as much for the poor, the elderly, the lonely, and the forgotten as you do for the influential members of your congregation.
5. Don’t be clannish. Don’t spend your time just with one group or clique in the church. If you do this, you will sow discord among the brethren.
These are simple, concise nuggets of wisdom. Most likely all of us SAY we would concur. However, we should daily strive to insure that we display these principles in our actions among and toward our people.
Every opportunity you have, do something or say something that will make them feel loved by you - as well as by God. Make them understand that they are people of worth, especially in the eyes of God and that it is His desire to be in fellowship with them.
As we begin the New Year, it is my prayer that we will make a new and fresh commitment to the Living Lord Jesus Christ to become the men of faith--the pastors---the undershepherds He has celled us to be in His church.
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