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 Fellowship Among Pastors. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fellowship Among Pastors. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Saturday, January 16, 2010
New Year/New Decade/Fresh Commitment
It is early in 2010. This is a new year, and a new decade. There are many good days ahead for the church as we commit anew to the work that God has called us to do together. Please join me in praying for our member churches and the opportunities ahead to advance the Kingdom.
I wanted to share a few goals for 2010:
1. I would like to see fellowship between the brethren (those who serve in ministry positions in our member churches) grow. I encourage you to participate as often as you can. I honestly believe our fellowship together will strengthen the church. However, my primary reason is simply that I believe WE need the fellowship of others that serve as we do. We NEED one another!
2. As always, we will be working towards better communication. We will use every effort to get the word out. We will use TellBlast, The Navigator, Mid-Stream, a revised Currents of the Tar, FaceBook, and increased sharing of the blogs. To be honest though, communication is a two-way street and we really need you to communicate what we are sharing with the members of your church.
3. It is my goal to have regular times of fasting and prayer as an association - beginning with the pastors. At our Ministers' fellowship in February, I hope to share a schedule. The Lord has convicted me that we need to gather and pray for a revival in our churches and a spiritual awakening among the people of our communities.
4. Using all the above - plus more - I hope to see the churches of the Tar River Baptist Association strengthened in 2010!!
As we pray together---fellowship together---work together, we will accomplish better the life and work that God has called us to do together as a group of churches in this association.
Naturally there are many other things I could share. Many other things I am praying for as your Associational Missionary. As always, I resolve to serve you better in 2010. If I can be of help to you in ANY way, do not hesitate to call on me.
Go ahead and mark your calendars. We have the first opportunity to fellowship together (with our entire families) on Saturday, January 23rd at 9 AM (Ephesus Church). Then, beginning February 16th we will re-group with our Monthly Ministers' Fellowship Meetings at 10 AM at the TRBA Center. Please join us as often as you can.
Over the next few weeks I will be sharing information regarding ways we will be striving to reach these goals (and more)in 2010.
I wanted to share a few goals for 2010:
1. I would like to see fellowship between the brethren (those who serve in ministry positions in our member churches) grow. I encourage you to participate as often as you can. I honestly believe our fellowship together will strengthen the church. However, my primary reason is simply that I believe WE need the fellowship of others that serve as we do. We NEED one another!
2. As always, we will be working towards better communication. We will use every effort to get the word out. We will use TellBlast, The Navigator, Mid-Stream, a revised Currents of the Tar, FaceBook, and increased sharing of the blogs. To be honest though, communication is a two-way street and we really need you to communicate what we are sharing with the members of your church.
3. It is my goal to have regular times of fasting and prayer as an association - beginning with the pastors. At our Ministers' fellowship in February, I hope to share a schedule. The Lord has convicted me that we need to gather and pray for a revival in our churches and a spiritual awakening among the people of our communities.
4. Using all the above - plus more - I hope to see the churches of the Tar River Baptist Association strengthened in 2010!!
As we pray together---fellowship together---work together, we will accomplish better the life and work that God has called us to do together as a group of churches in this association.
Naturally there are many other things I could share. Many other things I am praying for as your Associational Missionary. As always, I resolve to serve you better in 2010. If I can be of help to you in ANY way, do not hesitate to call on me.
Go ahead and mark your calendars. We have the first opportunity to fellowship together (with our entire families) on Saturday, January 23rd at 9 AM (Ephesus Church). Then, beginning February 16th we will re-group with our Monthly Ministers' Fellowship Meetings at 10 AM at the TRBA Center. Please join us as often as you can.
Over the next few weeks I will be sharing information regarding ways we will be striving to reach these goals (and more)in 2010.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Building Up The Fellowship Among Pastors
By now you have heard my views about the NEED for fellowship among those of us who serve as leaders/pastors/ministers of our member churches. I have encouraged us to fellowship together around the table, over a cup of coffee, as we partake of a meal. I truly believe this is an important part of the strengthening of the local church to become more effective in its ministry to the community. However, there are many who have yet to "fellowship" with the pastors in area chuches.
Like the church grows closer and stronger by not forsaking thee assembly, I believe the fellowship of pastors is a key element that we should not ignore. My pastor keeps addressing our congreation with a piercing question, "who is the 2 AM friend that you can call?" Truth is, we who serve in ministry often receive that call, but have no one to call. I encourage us all to become involved in fellowship with area ministers on a regular basis!
I also believe there is a real need for us to meet regularly to share information and experience training/dialogue together. I guess that would be accomplished at a "Ministers' Conference." They tell me that all throughout Baptist Life those type meetings are poorly attended. I hate that for this generation of pastors! I look back to my early years and I treasure the friendships made and support networks developed as a result of our monthly fellowship meetings and those times around the table. I enjoy the times I go off to pastors conefernces, meetings, etc. but there is a real need for us - as local pastors to build up our fellowship. Point is - we need one another! So - again, I unapologetically encourage us to get together over a cup of coffee or around a fellowship meal. And yes, I encourage us to become involved in regular Pastors/Ministers Fellowship meetings.
I hope you go ahead and place the dates on your calendar and strive to be in attendance. I honeslty believe your (and my) involvement will strengthen the churches of the Tar River Baptist Association. Please pray with me in this important matter.
In 2010 TRBA has scheduled the THIRD Tuesday of each month as our Ministers' Monthly Fellowship Meetings. We will be meeting at TRBA Center at 10 AM and conclude by 11:30 AM. We encourage you to continue fellowship after the meeting over a meal - at leasty occassionally.
It is our prayer to have meetings that share relevant information helpful to you in ministry. If you have ideas, please share with me at domtarriver@hotmail.com. Right now, we have several things planned:
Saturday, January 23rd at 9 AM - Pastors and Families Fellowship Breakfast at Ephesus. This is a different time than normal, come and join us. There is no cost, but we do ask that you register with us so we know how much to prepare. I will get more info out later, but PLEASE place this on your calendar and join us if at all possible.
Monthly Ministers' Fellowship Meetings: Beginning Tuesday, February 16th at 10 AM and continuing each THIRD Tuesday of the month. All meetings will be at TRBA Center unless otherwise noted. In the February Meeting we will share detailed information about how TRBA will be involved in "Find it Here" for the next year. Please understand, "Find it Here" is not JUST an effort to get people to church on Easter Sunday 2010, it is an intensive effort to get ALL believers sharing the Gospel and EVERY lost person in North America hearing and having an opportunity to receive that message.
Programs after February are:
March: Learning How To Lead People In A Non-Committed Culture
April: How To Become A Spiritually Healthy, Reproducing Church
May: Associational Missions Emphasis
I look forward to seeing you at these gatherings and encourage you to share ideas so that we can develop programs of interest/help to you.
God Bless!
Like the church grows closer and stronger by not forsaking thee assembly, I believe the fellowship of pastors is a key element that we should not ignore. My pastor keeps addressing our congreation with a piercing question, "who is the 2 AM friend that you can call?" Truth is, we who serve in ministry often receive that call, but have no one to call. I encourage us all to become involved in fellowship with area ministers on a regular basis!
I also believe there is a real need for us to meet regularly to share information and experience training/dialogue together. I guess that would be accomplished at a "Ministers' Conference." They tell me that all throughout Baptist Life those type meetings are poorly attended. I hate that for this generation of pastors! I look back to my early years and I treasure the friendships made and support networks developed as a result of our monthly fellowship meetings and those times around the table. I enjoy the times I go off to pastors conefernces, meetings, etc. but there is a real need for us - as local pastors to build up our fellowship. Point is - we need one another! So - again, I unapologetically encourage us to get together over a cup of coffee or around a fellowship meal. And yes, I encourage us to become involved in regular Pastors/Ministers Fellowship meetings.
I hope you go ahead and place the dates on your calendar and strive to be in attendance. I honeslty believe your (and my) involvement will strengthen the churches of the Tar River Baptist Association. Please pray with me in this important matter.
In 2010 TRBA has scheduled the THIRD Tuesday of each month as our Ministers' Monthly Fellowship Meetings. We will be meeting at TRBA Center at 10 AM and conclude by 11:30 AM. We encourage you to continue fellowship after the meeting over a meal - at leasty occassionally.
It is our prayer to have meetings that share relevant information helpful to you in ministry. If you have ideas, please share with me at domtarriver@hotmail.com. Right now, we have several things planned:
Saturday, January 23rd at 9 AM - Pastors and Families Fellowship Breakfast at Ephesus. This is a different time than normal, come and join us. There is no cost, but we do ask that you register with us so we know how much to prepare. I will get more info out later, but PLEASE place this on your calendar and join us if at all possible.
Monthly Ministers' Fellowship Meetings: Beginning Tuesday, February 16th at 10 AM and continuing each THIRD Tuesday of the month. All meetings will be at TRBA Center unless otherwise noted. In the February Meeting we will share detailed information about how TRBA will be involved in "Find it Here" for the next year. Please understand, "Find it Here" is not JUST an effort to get people to church on Easter Sunday 2010, it is an intensive effort to get ALL believers sharing the Gospel and EVERY lost person in North America hearing and having an opportunity to receive that message.
Programs after February are:
March: Learning How To Lead People In A Non-Committed Culture
April: How To Become A Spiritually Healthy, Reproducing Church
May: Associational Missions Emphasis
I look forward to seeing you at these gatherings and encourage you to share ideas so that we can develop programs of interest/help to you.
God Bless!
Thursday, January 15, 2009
We Need One Another
I know I have said it before. I will continue to say it. I honestly believe we who serve as pastors/ministers in the local church NEED one another. I unashamedly encourage you to become involved in times of fellowship designed to build up our personal relationships.
What do we do when we are in personal crisis? Who do we talk with when someone makes false accusations? Who serves as our "accountability partners" when we are discouraged with our work and determine not to go forward with what God has called us to do? Truth is -- if we find ourselves discouraged and alone, and we have not developed relationships with others, then we are prone to depression; seclusion; and fail to be the men of faith that God has called us to be.
In my 30+ years of ministry, I have only encountered three "evil" persons who worked against me in the work I felt called of God to do. All the others truly felt that they were doing the right thing to preserve the church. I have discovered that people who genuinely fellowship with one another and get to know one another develop a way to work together. Some of you have heard me say that I believe a great deal of controversy in our convention could have been averted if key leaders had just asked one more question instead of "speculating" what the other's motives were. If we know one another better, we would be more likely to ask that one further question.
Now---that would not be true for one who sets out to advance their own agenda and is not really searching for Truth. But, as implied above, those persons are few. I pray more and more of us will fellowship together more and more and strive to work together to advance the Kingdom.
I made a statement the other day in an Ordination Council at one of our member churches. I stated much of what I stated above in my "advice" to the candidate. I told him that my burden for those people that do not strive to have fellowship with others called to this work - in my opinion - if they are not careful will be prone to also forsake their personal relationship with the Lord. I would invite some feedback on that sentiment.
Let me ask a few questions as I close:
1. Who mentored/mentors you?
2. Who are you mentoring?
3. When was the last time you actually shared a hurt/burden with a neighboring pastor?
4. Why did you share with the pastor above?
5. What hinders you from sharing your deepest burdens with the pastor down the street?
6. What do you need to do to remove that hindrance so you can build a relationship with that neighboring pastor?
7. When is the last time you prayed with another pastor one on one?
I think these are pertinent questions. I pray that you will actively seek out others in ministry to fellowship with. I am so grateful to God that He has brought men of faith into my life that I can unload on and share my deepest concerns. I will be honest, there are those in my circles of denominational life that do not know the "real me." But I do thank God that there are those in my circles that I know well enough to know that anything I share with them will be held in confidence and I know they will lift me up in prayer.
What do we do when we are in personal crisis? Who do we talk with when someone makes false accusations? Who serves as our "accountability partners" when we are discouraged with our work and determine not to go forward with what God has called us to do? Truth is -- if we find ourselves discouraged and alone, and we have not developed relationships with others, then we are prone to depression; seclusion; and fail to be the men of faith that God has called us to be.
In my 30+ years of ministry, I have only encountered three "evil" persons who worked against me in the work I felt called of God to do. All the others truly felt that they were doing the right thing to preserve the church. I have discovered that people who genuinely fellowship with one another and get to know one another develop a way to work together. Some of you have heard me say that I believe a great deal of controversy in our convention could have been averted if key leaders had just asked one more question instead of "speculating" what the other's motives were. If we know one another better, we would be more likely to ask that one further question.
Now---that would not be true for one who sets out to advance their own agenda and is not really searching for Truth. But, as implied above, those persons are few. I pray more and more of us will fellowship together more and more and strive to work together to advance the Kingdom.
I made a statement the other day in an Ordination Council at one of our member churches. I stated much of what I stated above in my "advice" to the candidate. I told him that my burden for those people that do not strive to have fellowship with others called to this work - in my opinion - if they are not careful will be prone to also forsake their personal relationship with the Lord. I would invite some feedback on that sentiment.
Let me ask a few questions as I close:
1. Who mentored/mentors you?
2. Who are you mentoring?
3. When was the last time you actually shared a hurt/burden with a neighboring pastor?
4. Why did you share with the pastor above?
5. What hinders you from sharing your deepest burdens with the pastor down the street?
6. What do you need to do to remove that hindrance so you can build a relationship with that neighboring pastor?
7. When is the last time you prayed with another pastor one on one?
I think these are pertinent questions. I pray that you will actively seek out others in ministry to fellowship with. I am so grateful to God that He has brought men of faith into my life that I can unload on and share my deepest concerns. I will be honest, there are those in my circles of denominational life that do not know the "real me." But I do thank God that there are those in my circles that I know well enough to know that anything I share with them will be held in confidence and I know they will lift me up in prayer.
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
Facing The Giants
It's been a while since my last post. I guess you know blogging is not my top priority. Though I am not creating new posts, I hope you know that I daily lift you up on prayer!
When one strives to be obedient to the call of God upon his life as a pastor, there are giants out there. Giants that sometimes appear much larger than they really are because we are simply drained with time pressures, concern for family needs, conflict and criticsms, hospital visits and funerals on top of hospital visits and funerals, preparation for Bible studies and sermons, etc. etc. Few people understand the role you feel. What is a pastor to do?
Well--though this is not an all inclusive list, I think there are some things NEEDED in our lives. First, there is a NEED to "be still" - both to come to know God better but also for the physical rest that is needed. Certainly, there is a need for Bible study and prayer. There is a need for balance in our lives - our families NEED us! And, I believe we also need one another!
I encourage you to join with other pastors in your geographical area for times of fellowship. I encourge you to be a part of the Ministers' Fellowship in their monthly meetings. Such groups strengthen our personal relationships and therefore strengthen the churches we serve.
Know that you are in my prayers and that I am here for you if there is ever a need. Giants can not keep us out of the Promised Land unless we choose to yield to them instead of trusting God.
When one strives to be obedient to the call of God upon his life as a pastor, there are giants out there. Giants that sometimes appear much larger than they really are because we are simply drained with time pressures, concern for family needs, conflict and criticsms, hospital visits and funerals on top of hospital visits and funerals, preparation for Bible studies and sermons, etc. etc. Few people understand the role you feel. What is a pastor to do?
Well--though this is not an all inclusive list, I think there are some things NEEDED in our lives. First, there is a NEED to "be still" - both to come to know God better but also for the physical rest that is needed. Certainly, there is a need for Bible study and prayer. There is a need for balance in our lives - our families NEED us! And, I believe we also need one another!
I encourage you to join with other pastors in your geographical area for times of fellowship. I encourge you to be a part of the Ministers' Fellowship in their monthly meetings. Such groups strengthen our personal relationships and therefore strengthen the churches we serve.
Know that you are in my prayers and that I am here for you if there is ever a need. Giants can not keep us out of the Promised Land unless we choose to yield to them instead of trusting God.
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