JimEvans.tv

Living in Harmony

2012-02-14T13:45:00.000-05:00

Harmony is the opposite of unison. It appears to me that the church world has mistaken unisonfor unity, but Christianity produces unity through harmony. Harmony is a combination of differentsounds that blend together to create beautiful, moving music.

The message to the church at Corinth begins with thischallenge and then spends the remaining chapters dealing with the fruits ofdisharmony and selfishness. Without this underlying foundation, all attempts at addressing issuesand problems become futile.

God describes “living in harmony” as being of one mind,united in thought and purpose. These three foundations allow the church to stay on course during thestorms of life and the challenges of opposing voices. (see 1 Corinthians 1:10)

One mind . . . Philippians 2:1-8 describes the attitude or mindset we need to have in order to harmonize our diversity into the beautifulmusic God designed the church to make. We are to be unselfish (not seeking a solo part) and be humble (acknowledging the value of the other instruments in the orchestra). Jesus was entitled to everything because He was God, but Hesurrendered everything in order to do what He was sent to do. His mind, motive and heart-of-hearts wasnot to manipulate life for His own comfort or advantage, but to surrender Hislife to God’s purpose and the advantage of others. What isyour motive for doing what you do?

United in thought . . . Philippians 4:4-9 challenges us to be intentional in what we think about. There is plenty of negativestuff, uncertain stuff and potential peril to dwell on or worry about. The marketplace, including the newsmedia, feeds on this tendency to see the glass half empty. God says to vent to Him (read pray) and be thankfulHe is on our side. Fix yourthoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, andadmirable. “Fix” means to consider,count on and focus on. It means tobuy into God’s view of things rather than the world’s view.

United in purpose . . . Philippians 3:7-14 describes how weare to set all things aside in the pursuit of Christ and the journey He hasplanned for us. Christ had onepurpose. (see Luke 19:10) Heempowered us for one purpose. (see Acts 1:8) And He gave the church oneassignment. (see Matthew 28:18-20) All the other benefits of being born again are to be attractions to that one purpose.

The church is a collection of diverse people who are humblylaying aside their personal preferences and focusing on God’s powerful,positive work in a fallen world in order to present the good news of thelife-giving, life-changing opportunity found in Christ.

First Corinthians chapter one ends with these words: “God has united you with Christ Jesus.For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right withGod; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin. Therefore,as the Scriptures say, “If you want to boast, boast only about the LORD.”

This may very well determine the difference between Churchianity(unison) and Christianity (harmony). May the world be attracted to Christ through the harmony Hecreates in His church. What kind of music is your church making? We get more concerned about the style of music on the platform than the kind of music we are making as a church body. That's a subject for another blog.

Ask the Right Question

2012-02-08T06:38:00.001-05:00

I had the privilege of serving at Barefoot Church in NorthMyrtle Beach, South Carolina where we averaged about 300 baptisms eachyear. The church grew to over 2000people in a little over five years. Myrtle Beach is a popular vacation area for pastors (hear golf) and Ihad opportunity to talk to a lot of pastors who visited our church because theywanted to see their church reaching more people.

Theyall had a similar question: “What are you doing that is reaching all thesepeople?” My response was always, “You are asking the wrong question.” If most churches did what we did itwhere they live it would be really weird. The right question would be, “Why do you do what you do?” We do what we do because we want toreach people who avoid the church or the gospel because they have had a badexperience in church or have heard negative stuff about the gospel.

Becauseof this strong “why,” our "what" becomes creative and intentional. We will do anything short of sin to getthe gospel to people and people to the gospel. We don’t do stuff to be cool or because “everyone is doingit”. We do what we do because itproduces the outcome of why we exist. Too many churches are counting nickels and numbers and trying to findgimmicks to increase both. It’simpossible to keep up with that kind of strategy.

Thequestion is: “Why does your church exist?” The next question is: “What can you do to accomplish why youexist?” The focus is on the vision(why). The measurement is theoutcome (saved lives). Theever-changing, creative, intentional methodology functions between these tworealities. If what you are doingis not producing why you exist . . . you must change what you are doing. No exceptions.

Don’tworry about what others are doing. Focus on what you are doing. Why are you doing it? Whatis the outcome? Keep doing whatyou are doing and you will keep getting the same outcome. Own the outcome . . . go back to the“WHY” . . . and prayerfully, creatively figure out the "what". Then . . . surround yourself with ateam and figure out how you are going to do what you have to do to accomplish theunique mission God has given your church.

Readyto begin? Contact us at: www.refocusedministry.com

The Potential Found in Existing Churches

2012-02-06T12:27:00.000-05:00

Weneed to start a discussion about the state of the existing church inAmerica. I am not suggesting thatwe start ragging on churches or playing the comparison game. I am not into pointing out a negativereality to demonstrate that I am not a part of that reality and I am certainlynot professing to have all the answers. I do have a heavy heart and urgent concern when I read statistics, talkto struggling pastors and visit stagnant churches.

Accordingto George Barna , 3500 – 4000 churches close their doors each year and half of all churches last year didnot add one new member throughconversion growth. (TwentysomethingsStruggle to Find Their Place in Christian Churches) Statisticsfrom The Condition of the Church in America, complied by AndyMcAdams state that:

Only 15% of churches in the United States are growingand just 2.2% of those are growing by conversion growth (as opposed tocompetitive growth from other churches)

Agood argument can be made for re-planting or refocusing existing churches inorder to advance the gospel in America. Here are just a few advantages existing churches have:

1. Most existing churches own their facilities

2. Existing churches have a core of people alreadygathered together

3. Existing churches have their 501c3 status andall the organizational red tape done

Whyis it so hard to see existing churches restored to their biblical purpose andvision? I have severalsuggestions:

1. There is a group of people who have claimed the churchas their own and have lost all understanding of the nature of the Church andChrist’s headship and purposes for it.

2. It is often hard for those involved in an organization tounderstand how they got to where they are and how to get to where they knowthey ought to be.

3. The thought of change evokes fear, which leads toresistance, threats and negative forecasts. (and sometimes costs the pastor his job)

4. There is a spiritual battle and the gates of hell areset against the church.

5. The evil twins of Pride and Denial refuse to take theradical steps necessary to address the problem and recruit outside help.

Isee a bright future for many existing churches in America as they refocus,restructure and renew their biblical vision and purpose. ReFocused Ministry exists to advancethe gospel by helping pastors and churches refocus on their vision andpurpose. Contact us if we can beof assistance to your church.

Restoring Vision and Purpose

2012-02-05T12:32:00.000-05:00

After a season of vision and purpose most churches fall intothe plateau or decline of maintenance mode. This can happen to what we term as “contemporary” churchesas much as it can to “traditional” churches. It can be true of a church of 100 or a church of 1,000. You can determine if this has happenedto your church by asking a few simple questions:

1. Can most people state the visionstatement of the church?

1. Are you comfortable with allowingpeople to leave the church?

2. Is your annual per-convert-cost under$10,000? (vision and purpose canbe measured)

3. Are you seeing at least one new faceevery weekend?

If you answered “no” to any of these questions there is agood chance that you have drifted into maintenance mode.

Awell-defined and communicated vision declares a destination and defines the waywe are going to get there. It is attractive to many, but it also repelsmany. If no one is saying, “whatyou're doing is just not for me”, you probably do not have a well-defined andcommunicated vision.

Awell-defined vision eliminates and says no to more activities and programs thanit chooses. A clear vision says noto good things so that you can focus on great things.

Jesushad a clear vision statement. Itis stated in Luke 19:10. “For theSon of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.” This defined the places He went,the people He engaged, and the controversy He endured. It allowed Him to say “no” totemptation in the desert and “yes” to the cost of the cross in the garden.

Thechurch at Ephesus experienced an exciting, launch when the apostle Paul broughtthe gospel to their city. (1Cor16:8-9) A generation later, God sent a message to them in the book ofRevelation and pointed out that they had drifted into maintenance mode. They were doing everythingcorrectly. They “defended thefaith”, knew who the bad guys were and worked hard at “church”. But they had drifted from theiroriginal vision and purpose, which was to rock Ephesus with the gospel of JesusChrist. They had lost their love for God’s gospel vision. They had stopped doing what they did atfirst. (Rev 2:2-5)

Ittook an outside messenger to help the church at Ephesus define theproblem. Paul helped the church atCorinth see its problems. Hecoached Timothy when he was challenged with the difficulties of God’s call onhis life. James encouraged theJewish converts who were scattered by persecution. If you sense that you have entered into maintenance mode, itmay be time to call someone to put some objective eyes on the ministry.

Theexciting news is that vision and purpose can be re-established and a localchurch can once again experience the excitement of seeing God use them totransform lives and advance His kingdom.

Pruning is Crucial to Continued Health

2012-01-27T18:43:00.000-05:00

I remember the time my dad decided that the overgrown, gnarly ash tree behind our house needed pruned. Some might say what he did went beyond pruning. He cut the tree back to its core trunk and about four or five main limbs (stubbed off about three feet from the trunk). Everyone figured the tree was not going to ever come back. It became the talk of the neighborhood. Eventually the tree began to show signs of life and grew back into a beautiful shade tree for our dog pen and the outhouse that sat directly next to it.

Pruning is used to encourage trees to develop a strongstructure, to increase fruit bearing and to reduce the likelihood of damage during severe weather. The same can be said about the ongoing pruning of organizations. The growth-life expectancy of a church is ten to twenty years. Most churches plateau at that point unless they remain intentional about their mission and vision. That only happens when there is an ongoing pruning of out-dated programs, methods, decor, ill-placed staff and organizational structure that drain and distract from the mission and purpose of the church.

Pruning is contrary to the nature of things. Healthy trees and organizations will do some self-pruning as they grow, but left unmonitored, both trees and organizations will grow into cumbersome plants that use up all their energy to survive while producing very little fruit. They even become dangerous as limbs break off and fall, causing damage as they fall and disease where they tore off the main tree.

God sent a message to several churches in the Book of Revelation that had been around for a while and had developed some problems. He suggested some pruning and restoration of the mission and purpose of the church. In Ephesus the business of doing church distracted them from doing "what they did at the first". (prune what distracts from evangelism) In Pergamum there were wild branches that sprouted into immorality and political maneuvering. (prune them) In Thyatira there was toleration of wrong teaching and immorality advanced by a strong, popular person. (prune it, risk the uproar) In Sardis there was a hidden deadness and an appearance of being alive. (prune out the dead so there can be real life) In Laodicea there was the stagnation of lukewarmness and comfortable pride. No waves . . . not hot . . . not cold. (prune the hypocrisy)

These letters sound pretty harsh . . . sort of like what my dad did to that old ash tree. But God says, I correct and discipline everyone I love. (prune) So be diligent and turn from your indifference."

It is really great that leaders are planting new churches and branching out into multi-site campuses, but I think, with the proper pruning, many existing churches can be restored to healthy fruit-bearing bodies that once again advance the life-transforming Gospel of Jesus Christ. What do you think?

Do you know what happens to an old orange grove if you just let it go natural? I do. (next time)

Stop-and-Start - God's Change Plan

2012-01-24T13:33:00.001-05:00

Tony Morgan has a series of "stop and start" articles that I have been following. It is a good reminder that God is not a “stop” God. He is a “change” God. Ephesians 4 reminds us that you don’t change by stopping, but rather by putting on or starting something different. For instance it says a liar is still a liar even when he stops lying. He is only changed when he starts telling the truth. Likewise, a thief hasn't changed when he stops stealing. He is changed when he starts giving.

My big stop/start this year is: Stop worrying and start worshiping. I love the way people break into worship in the midst of the horrors of the Book of Revelation. It is because they see things differently. The things are the same for everyone, but taking time to consider what is happening in the context of God is what leads to worship. The church should be seen as a people of worship, not a people of worry.

Some of the other stop and start things could be: Stop comparing and start sharing. Stop saying negative things and start saying positive things. Stop watching television and start walking in the neighborhood. Stop drinking soda and start drinking water.

Things usually don't change because we stop doing something. Change comes when we start doing what we ought to be doing. What kind of things do you need to stop and start this year?

By the way, this year I am committed to stop watching pastors and churches struggle and to start helping them refocus on God's purposes and power in their lives. If you want to join me in this effort check out this website and contact me.

Conducting the Ministry

2012-01-18T12:00:00.000-05:00

Being a pastor is much like being the conductor of an orchestra. God has called us to engage people in ministry, not just to do ministry ourselves. Ephesians 4:11-12

God has written a heavenly symphony for the church to orchestrate. It is a symphony that will move the souls of men and women. Each member of His church has a role to play in that symphony. Each has a certain melody to add to the piece. In an orchestra each member must be attentive to their part and submissive to the whole score or symphony as the conductor leads it. Ephesians 5:15-21

Pastors are conductors of the orchestra of saints . . . allowing each one to participate and helping each do their best. Rehearsing the score, building leadership in each of the sections, cuing the parts, setting the tone and enabling this group of individual musicians (Christians) to make music (live their lives) in a way that touches hearts and attracts attention to the composer (God). 2 Corinthians 3:2-6

Pastor, don't try to be a one-man-band that pleases the audience. Church member, don't try to write your own score. Get excited to participate in the symphony God has written for your church. Remember, God has written a symphony unique to your church and it is your privilege to perform it before a watching world.

LIFEGUARDS AND PASTORS

2011-12-21T10:01:00.000-05:00

I recently received a note from a family going through a very challenging time. They are very committed Christians struggling through a difficult and confusing season. In the course of seeking some counsel from me, they wrote:

" (name omitted) met with our pastor somewhat recently, sharing his being overwhelmed and the pastor didn't offer to even pray for him. Our pastor himself is discouraged some (or at least was at the time) and struggles with being overwhelmed."

My heart broke. It broke for this couple who are seeking guidance and wisdom. My heart also broke for the pastor, who is like the lifeguard in the waves who is unable to save a struggling victim because he is on the verge of drowning, himself.

Someone who has responsibility for others must first take responsibility for themselves. We live near the ocean where lifeguards face tremendous challenges. They must understand the purpose of their role and the responsibility it carries with it. They swim in the waves . . . train in the rip tide . . . maintain their fitness . . . and stay in shape so they can help those who are unable to win the battle against the waves and pull of the ocean. They realize that if they do not stay strong, the same waves that threaten the lives of those they are called to protect can take them out also.

The condition of the pastor will directly affect the condition of the church. Matthew 10:24 When pastors are in trouble or struggling, it can be expected the church will also. When pastors lose focus and become overwhelmed, the church will also. Pastor, look at your church . . . you might be surprised at how much it reflects the true condition of your life or heart.

My heart has broken over the condition of the church in America for many years. God has convinced me that my heart must break for the pastors, because the church will not be rescued if the lifeguards are in such bad shape that they risk losing their own lives in their attempt to rescue others.

If you are burdened to help pastors be refreshed, renewed and refocused you may want to "like" this page and partner with ReFocused Ministry.

Suffering Servants of God

2011-12-14T13:24:00.003-05:00

What kindof personal pain would cause a 42-year-old pastor to abandon his family, hiscalling and even life itself? Members of a Baptist church in Hickory, N.C., areasking that question after their pastor committed suicide in his parked car inSeptember.

Those whocounsel pastors say Christian culture, especially Southern evangelicalism,creates the perfect environment for depression.

Pastorssuffer in silence, unwilling or unable to seek help or even talk about it.Sometimes they leave the ministry. Occasionally the result is the unthinkable.

Expertssay clergy suicide is a rare outcome to a common problem. But Baptists in theCarolinas are soul searching after a spate of suicides and suicide attempts bypastors. In addition to the September suicide of David Treadway, two others inNorth Carolina attempted suicide, and three in South Carolina succeeded, all inthe last four years.

Being apastor — a high-profile, high-stress job with nearly impossible expectationsfor success — can send one down the road to depression, according to pastoralcounselors.

“We setthe bar so high that most pastors can’t achieve that,” said H.B. London, vicepresident for pastoral ministries at Focus on the Family, based in ColoradoSprings, Colo. “And because most pastors are people-pleasers, they getfrustrated and feel they can’t live up to that.”

From anarticle published by Pastoral Ministry and Bi-vocational Office, a groupconcerned about pastors in the South Carolina Baptist Convention.

ReFocused Ministry is called to serve God's servants so they can complete the call of God on their lives. We are making a difference in the lives of God's leaders so they can make a difference in the world. If God tugs your heart and calls you to partner with us contact us at:

www.facebook.com/refocusedministry

refocusedministry@yahoo.com

843-685-0070

Pastors Face Perils in American Churches

2011-12-10T11:39:00.001-05:00

I have been increasingly challenged by the condition of the church in America and American Christianity in general. Recently I have been exposed to some statistics that either are the result of that condition or the cause of it . . . or maybe a combination of both cause and effect. (There may be some physicist out there challenging that possibility, but bear with me.) What I want to do in this blog is expose you to what I am discovering about the condition of pastors, both through statistical data and through personal experience.

Here is some statistical stuff (gatheredfrom such organizations as Barna , Maranatha Life and Focus on the Family )

· 1500 pastors leave their ministries each month due toburnout, conflict, or moral failure.

· 33% felt burned out within their first five years ofministry.

· 23% have been fired or pressured to resign at leastonce in their careers.

· 57% would leave the pastorate if they had somewhereelse to go or some other vocation they could do.

· 45% of pastors say that they've experienceddepression or burnout to the extent that they needed to take a leave of absencefrom ministry.

· 90% feel unqualified or poorly prepared for ministry.

· 90% work more than 50 hours a week.

· 94% feel underpressure to have a perfect family.

· 50% feel unable to meet theneeds of the job.

· 40% report a seriousconflict with a parishioner at least once a month.

· 40% of pastors say theyhave considered leaving their pastorates in the last three months.

· 70% do not have someone theyconsider a close friend.

· 90% feel they'reinadequately trained to cope with ministry demands.

Here is what is being reported:

According to the New York Times (August 1, 2010), "Members of theclergy now suffer from obesity, hypertension and depression at rates higherthan most Americans. In the last decade, their use of antidepressants hasrisen, while their life expectancy has fallen."

Here is what a friend recently wrote to me:
"After the pulpit committee told us they felt there needed to be a new face in the pulpit, we realized we were done ministering. We decided the best we could do is leave blameless before God, that is what we did. Many were upset that we left and nearly all the church does not speak to us."

No one ever said the ministry would be easy, but the cause for these statistics is not cultural persecution or the rejection of the Gospel, it is a result of the institutionalization of the church, the franchising of Christianity (churchianity) and the professionalization of ministry (seeking a career rather than answering a call).
It's great that we send our pastors cards in October to show our appreciation, but how about praying for your pastor on a daily basis . . . or something even more radical . . . consider coming alongside him and ask him how you can help reach your community for Christ. It may be as simple as cleaning the building, serving in the nursery, inviting your neighbor or letting him know you have his back.

A JOURNEY WITH GOD REQUIRES FAITH

2011-12-07T09:03:00.000-05:00

Sometimes it feels as though the Lord has given me His undivided attention. Everywhere I turn I see a message from God or a confirmation of His direction. This has been happening to Joan and me from the very day that we realized God was changing our future by changing where we did ministry.

At the end of November, "The Word for You Today", (a daily devotional) began a series of topics on how to respond when being unemployed and how to have faith when your work environment changed. It was like God was writing just to us! How many people can this topic relate to?

Then a friend directed us to a place that ministers to pastors who are burned out or between ministries. Technically, the place hasn't officially opened yet. We spent four days hearing from the Lord in almost spooky ways. BTW . . . This is an awesome ministry being run by a great pastoral couple.

On December 1, the devotional directed us to Joshua 1:1-6 with the reminder that we can rely on God's direction even when it seems that other things have to happen first. Other messages have continued to direct us as we are directed to Ecclesiastes 11:4 (conditions will never be perfect), Hebrews 11:1 (faith just flat out knows and continues on), Hebrews 11:27 (provisions come as we move forward . . . stop waiting for them and keep moving) and now today we looked at James 2:17 (if you have faith then why aren't you doing what you believe).

As I spoke with friends when it became evident that God was doing something different in my life I can remember saying, "I have email, Facebook, text messaging and a host of ways for the Lord to communicate to me. Why doesn't He use them?" I now realize that God is speaking through His Word, friends, circumstances and His presence in my heart. I also realized that there might be someone who reads my blog that is looking for God's leading also. You may need the same confirmation that God doesn't hide His will from His children. He is speaking all the time . . . we just need to be willing to listen and obey.

I just read this from a friends blog today: "When God gives you a word it's going to take your faith to move in it. Your faith is a muscle that God wants to work that will bring him pleasure. He has pleasure in stretching your faith. Ask Abraham when God told him to move to a place not knowing where he was going. God had a promise for him but it was only manifested by his obedience in what God said. You will never be able to enter in a new season in your life without a challenge from God."

Consider Psalm 46:10. Know that God knows. Know that God cares. Know that God loves you. Know that God is in control and you can move forward with confidence as you obey and do what you now know. Strong faith is developed as we exercise faith in what we now know in our daily lives. What are you going to do today that requires faith?

A NEW CHAPTER BEGINS

2011-11-30T10:07:00.001-05:00

Joan and I are beginning a new chapter in our lives. We have sensed God's release from Barefoot Church and are awaiting a new assignment. Just to end all opportunity for gossip and attack, I have the highest respect and love for Barefoot Church and Pastor Clay Nesmith. It is a place where I healed and grew over the past five years. It is also a place where God used me to accomplish significant ministry in people's lives and for the body at Barefoot. It was a very good chapter.

I have been aware of he God's nudging for some time. A love for ministry in general, a great love for Clay and Kim Nesmith, being involved in a growing and edgy ministry and the comfort of the known made the decision very difficult, but God began to apply more and more situational evidence of His leading.

What does this new chapter mean? I am not fully sure. This is day one of putting one foot in front of the other to see where God is leading. Joan and I are spending the next couple days at The Healing Place, a pastoral retreat in High Point, North Carolina. We are attempting to listen to God. I am sensing that God is going to move me into an area of my strength for this final sprint to the finish line. I am excited and ready to be plugged into a team of men where my positional strength on the team will advance the gospel, invade the gates of hell and change the culture from darkness to light.

What I know is:
1. God has something significant in mind. 1 Timothy 1:6-11
2. We are already seeing God reveal His direction through people, situations and His word.
3. This blog will become an big part of my ministry. God has given us so many friends all over the world and has encouraged me to be an encouragement through this technology.
4. Colossians 4:3 is still our guiding ministry verse and I appreciate those who have prayed for us over the years.
5. Joan and I are very blessed and God has shown us His faithfulness through 36 years of marriage and ministry.

I invite you to partner with us in ministry through your prayers, insights and friendship. Some of you have been with us since the beginning and I can say with Paul, the apostle, thank you.

David Wilkerson Moves On

2011-04-28T06:45:00.007-04:00

Yesterday David Wilkerson, founder of the Times Square Church and author of The Cross and the Switchblade, died in a car accident in Texas. On the day before his death he wrote these words:

"To those going through the valley and shadow of death, hear this word: Weeping will last through some dark, awful nights—and in that darkness you will soon hear the Father whisper, 'I am with you. I cannot tell you why right now, but one day it will all make sense. You will see it was all part of my plan. It was no accident. It was no failure on your part. Hold fast. Let me embrace you in your hour of pain.'”

He died in a car accident that he himself would say, in his blog, was no accident. Death has no sting and the grave no victory to those who live in Christ. Check this out.

What will your view of God, eternity, existence on earth and our hope in Christ be on the day before you die?

Just thinking

Promote...Reflect...Self Control...Sound Faith...Honor God

2011-04-18T16:57:00.007-04:00

Here are some very quick thoughts on Titus 2:1-3. Been meditating on these verses. They are the most recent I have memorized. Nothing profound just some thoughts:

Titus 2:1 a) “Promote the kind of living” . . . we are to be concerned about lifestyle . . . b) “that reflects wholesome teaching” . . . our lifestyle has a source . . . it is the reflection of our worldview, attitude, thinking and belief system . . . modeling the world's lifestyle doesn't make much sense, if you are a Christian.

2:2 a) Exercising self-control takes effort and discipline . . . b) respect is something you earn and become “worthy of” . . . c) When we possess “sound faith” we are controlled by (filled with) love and patience.

Question: Does my love and patience reflect the soundness of my faith? Just sayin’

2:3 a) Women can live in a way that honors God or dishonors him . . . putting down others or drinks is not very lady-like . . . be a good influence.

Wow!

Encourage and Exhort

2011-03-30T11:43:00.002-04:00

Titus 1:9 reminds us that we have a duel responsibility as leaders. We are to encourage Christians and to exhort (encourage, urge, nudge) or "show those who oppose God's message where they are wrong.

We are not called to oppose those who oppose God's message, but rather to show them where they are wrong. There seems to be a persistent "we and them" problem in the church. We label people, pick teams and battle for social and cultural yardage on a temporal playing field. We fight battles of our own making and alienate those who oppose God's teaching rather than attempting to correct them and show them where they are wrong.

I wonder if the first part of this verse is the reason we tend to huddle up and build walls around our "Christian culture" rather than participating in a lifestyle of encouragement and exhortation or helping people find the Way. The first part of the verse says a leader "must have a strong belief in the trustworthy message he was taught" . . . then he will be able to encourage others and show those who oppose it where they are wrong.

Once we get our head around the implications of God's message to us, maybe we will be able to live with godly confidence and minister with bold compassion. Our mission is not to defend the faith but to proclaim it.

Just Thinkin'

Self-indulged

2011-03-17T13:52:00.005-04:00

Self-indulged leaders are not hard to find. This is the opposite of servant leadership and is an embarrassment to the Christian faith. Christ, who was certainly equal with God, humbled Himself to exemplify servant leadership.

Paul writes to Titus in Titus 1:7 and reminds him that when he is appointing leaders in the church he needs to look for men who are not arrogant, self-willed or presumptuous. He should not recruit men who are hot tempered, given to drink, brawlers or greedy.

Most of these behaviors are by-products of this first quality of being "self-indulged. authádēs (an adjective, derived from autós, "self" and hēdomai, "to gratify self, be indulgent") – properly, a person who gratifies self, i.e. fixed in self-pleasure (engrossed in self-interest). I like to think of it as a person who is "automatically hedonistic" in their outlook and behavior.

At least two lessons here. First, God doesn't want us to appoint just anyone to leadership. Secondly, if things aren't going so well as a leader, maybe we ought to check and see if we have crossed one of these leadership lines and guardrails.

Just Thinkin'

BLAMELESS?

2011-03-15T16:49:00.003-04:00

Titus 1:6 says that church leaders should be blameless. There are other lifestyle issues mentioned in the verses that follow, but this word really challenges me. I don't know about you, but I sometimes mess up . . . I can rightfully be blamed for failing to call someone or loosing my temper or letting my foot get too heavy on the gas pedal.

This is the same word that is used in 1 Corinthians 1:8 and Colossians 1:22 in the context of how we will be when the Lord returns and how we are positionally before Him now. It even uses the word "holy" in the context of blameless. Can anyone qualify to be a Christian leader?

The word has to do with being accused or called into account. It would be used of one who is attempting to deny messing up. This attribute describes someone who is quick to own up to mistakes and has nothing hidden that he can be accused of. Someone who strives to be innocent of wrong doing or inappropriate behavior.

I might reword it to say, "A Christian leader should have transparent integrity and be exhibiting a lifestyle that is being transformed toward his positional standing before God." Christian leaders aren't perfect . . . they know it . . . and, by God's grace, they are disciplining themselves to be above reproach.

Just Thinkin'

Vision Drift

2011-03-14T16:00:00.004-04:00

As Paul begins to get to the reason for his letter to Titus he starts with a reminder to Titus concerning his purpose for being on the island. The work on the island wasn't complete.

This reminds me that it is easy to forget the purpose for our work. Acts 1:8 and Matthew 28:18-20 remind us that God has a purpose for us. He left us on the planet so we could complete the work here.

We can do a lot of good things and have our doctrinal ducks in a line, but if we drift from the vision of announcing the Gospel and seeking the lost we are doomed to meaningless religious activity. Revelation 2:1-7 is a warning to a church that needed to "Turn back to me and do the works you did at first."

As a church planter I know that the "first work" for a church is to gather the saints to reach the lost. Build a team of fisherman who are totally focused on taking the Gospel to everyone. That first work must continue to be the chief work and the purpose for every other work.

God didn't leave you on an island, but He did leave you on the planet with a mission and purpose. Are you engaged in it or have you drifted and become preoccupied with the things of this world?

Just Thinkin'

Grace and Peace

2011-03-08T09:01:00.004-05:00

Titus 1:4 speaks of the unique kinship of believers who share a common faith and the resulting new life it brings. This is more than just a leader instructing a co-worker, this is a family member working with another family member striving to serve the Father.

However, the words that jump off the page to me are "grace and peace." These are commonly paired together and grace always precedes peace. Many say grace is unmerited favor from God, but I see grace revealed in a much more dynamic way in the New Testament. Grace is often equal to God's power or working that enables us to live out what He has called to engage.

For instance look at 2 Corinthians 12:8-10 where God defines His sufficient grace as His power in our weakness. Or consider 1 Corinthians 15:10 where Paul admits that what you see in his life is God's grace working through him. Ephesians 2:8 reminds us that it is God's work, power and favor that saves us when we believe.

I am reminded that when I acknowledge and trust God's grace I can then experience His peace. This is where this verse took me. What about you?

Just Thinkin'

God's Timing . . . My responsibility

2011-03-07T17:15:00.005-05:00

Titus 1:3 is full of stuff, just like each verse. The first thing that jumped out at me was . . . "And now at just the right time he has revealed this message . . ." God's timing is always right!
Romans 5:6 says, "When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners." NLT

1 Peter 1:10-12 says that the prophets were confused about the "when" of God's promises, but when the time was right, God did what He promised. I need to trust in the "just-the-right-time" attribute of God and stop being anxious. Philippians 4:6-9

The second thing I see is my responsibility to focus on my part of the work . . . which is to "announce (this message) to everyone. It is by the command of God our Savior that I have been entrusted with this work for him." God has revealed the Gospel and I am entrusted to announce it to everyone.

What "jumped out at you" in this verse? Ready to meditate on Titus 1:4-6 this week.

Just Thinkin'

Living Confidently

2011-03-02T11:01:00.005-05:00

Moving on to Titus 1:2 . . . Still talking about this Truth that shows us how to live godly lives . . . now it says,

"This truth gives them confidence that they have eternal life, which God—who does not lie—promised them before the world began."

Learning the Truth . . . recognizing it as God's Truth . . . getting acquainted with it by living it and walking in it will give us confidence . . . expectation . . . boldness as we rest in the reality that we have eternal life. This same word is translated "expect" in 1 Corinthians 9:10.

Confident, growing Christian living comes from engaging in and living by biblical Truth. (Not just knowing it.) We have been sent to proclaim the life-giving, life-changing Gospel and to teach people to engage in biblical Truth. This will result in confident Christian living like Peter and John exhibited in Acts 4:13.

Well, I have Titus 1:1 & 2 memorized . . . how about you? What has God shown you as you meditate on these verses?

Teach them to KNOW the Truth?

2011-02-28T15:11:00.008-05:00

A couple friends have taken on a challenge of memorizing the book of Titus. This is a great leadership book and well worth the effort to memorize it. Their challenge took me back to a time when I memorized the book of James. The process opened the book to me in way that nothing else can. I have decided to memorize Titus, also.

I am not sure how many people still follow this blog . . . especially since my last post was in August . . . but I have decided to journal a few thoughts and discoveries that I make as I put this book to memory.

I only made it part way through the first verse before I came across an interesting phrase . . . I am using the NLT, but am also visiting the Greek, amplified and others. The end of verse 1 says . . . I have been sent to proclaim faith to those God has chosen and to teach them to know the truth that shows them how to live godly lives. (NLT) . . . or . . . to stimulate and promote the faith of God's chosen ones and to lead them on to accurate discernment and recognition of and acquaintance with the Truth which belongs to and harmonizes with and tends to godliness, (Amplified)

It's more than just teaching . . . it is teaching with a goal of having people really "get it" to such a degree that it shows up in their lifestyle. That's a challenge that will take God-size creativity, commitment and confidence. What have you been sent to do? It's probably bigger than you think.

Want to memorize Titus with me? Three verses a week for 15 weeks. It's going to be great!

Free Corrective Eye Surgery

2010-08-02T09:25:00.009-04:00

Why is it so hard for us to see what is so obviously wrong? Why do we struggle to see our next step? Why do people wander aimlessly through life without purpose or passion?

Proverbs 29:18 says, "Where there is no vision, people perish." I deal with people everyday who have a vision of what life should be like, but they don't see why they will never experience that life because they are self-centered, self-directed and near-sighted.

Maybe the New Living Translation puts this verse into a more accurate translation. It says, "When people do not accept divine guidance, they run wild. But whoever obeys the law is joyful." Our fleshly, selfish, fallen vision is corrected by the Word of God. Look at James 1:19-25, 2 Timothy 3:16

True vision is "seeing things from God's point of view." We are witnessing the perishing of people who are willfully rejecting divine guidance and yielding to the selfish desires of their flesh. Why can't people see why they are perishing? Marriages fail, destructive habits continue, talents are wasted and lives are ruined because people refuse to view life through the corrective lens of God's Word and accept the divine guidance it offers.

Ignore the Bible and perish. Know the Bible but don't obey it and perish with guilt. Know the Bible and obey it and find victory, peace and joy. Having a hard time making sense out of life? Can't see why you are where you are? Does the future seem blurry? God offers free corrective eye surgery, if you are willing. Maybe it all starts here.

Just Thinking.

Called to Reach not to Keep

2010-06-14T09:26:00.010-04:00

Churches can unconsciously move from a biblical agenda of proclaiming the Gospel and reaching the lost to an organizational agenda of pleasing people and keeping everyone happy. Everything leadership does should equip the saints to reach the lost, not to please the crowd to prevent the loss. When Jesus was confronted about people leaving because what He was saying bothered some, He didn't try to change, but He gave others the opportunity to leave if they wanted.

God is responsible to keep people. As a matter of fact, He said that He will not lose anyone. Why do people leave? First, some people have an agenda that is not the agenda God has laid on the leadership of the church. These may be good people that God will use elsewhere. The incident between Barnabas, John Mark and Paul is an illustration of good people going in different directions because of different agendas.

Some people leave because they don't know God, even though they profess to know Him. These are folks who want God on their terms and will continually run from the truth. Either way, trying to keep people with different agendas or lost religious people with personal agendas is not healthy for the church (and especially leaders).

We are called to reach people with the Gospel and to train up others to reach more. God is responsible to keep those who have turned to Him. The departure of people is never fun but it is a reality of ministry. If Christ's ministry had a back door, why do we think that our ministry will not. When people leave it may be a time to reflect and inspect, but it is not a call to change agendas.

Church leaders fail to be fishers of men when they become keepers of the aquarium. While we are spending our energy pleasing the 90, we fail to reach the 9,000 at our doorstep who have not heard the Gospel. A great awakening will come when we become "reachers" and stop trying to be "keepers".

Just Thinking.

Rolling Very Fast - Uphill

2010-02-17T12:56:00.005-05:00

Moving at a high rate of speed can be very exciting, sometimes intimidating, sometimes overwhelming and sometimes scary. Generally, when I think of going fast it involves going downhill (That's the only time I went fast on my bicycle ride from Maine to Georgia). I grew up near Maple Grove Drag Strip and know that you can also go very fast on a flat quarter-mile strip of asphalt.

Rarely do I think of going fast uphill, and yet that is exactly what is involved in a rapidly growing ministry. Going fast uphill has its challenges. You are fighting gravity (the status quo). It takes above-average energy to keep up the pace. When you let off the gas things slow down very quickly. Finally, the thought of a never ending climb can become overwhelming and discouraging.

There is a Haitian proverb that comes to mind today. "Never look a mountain in the face or it will slay you. Watch where you are walking and you will climb the mountain." Paying attention to. . . being engaged in . . . and even enjoying the present, while pressing on to the future is the secret to rolling very fast - uphill.

Just thinking . . .

Maxwell House Christian

2009-09-28T08:14:00.004-04:00

Paul references the drink offering when he describes his Christian life. (The life he was given through the sacrifice of Christ for his sins. Ephesians 2:1-10) His reference was a reminder that his life was a continual offering being poured out to God.

With each morning and evening sin offering, a drink offering was poured out to God. (Exodus 29; Numbers 28). The only mention of the drink offering which did not accompany a sin offering is found in the account of Jacob's reconciliation with Esau in Genesis 35:14.

It would seem that the drink offering represents the joy as a complement to reconciliation. Paul poured out his life as a joyful complement to the reconciliation he found in Christ. As the old coffee commercial said, "Maxwell House coffee is good to the last drop." Paul's life, as an example to us, was good to the last drop also. There was no retirement mentality in Paul. His life, until the day Christ called him home, would be an offering of joy and thanksgiving for the reconciliation he found in Christ.

Monday School

2009-08-22T15:56:00.004-04:00

Why is it that many Christians seem to be hypocritical in their lifestyles? Why is it so hard to live what we say we believe? Is what we learn from the Scriptures on Sunday not relevant or practical to use in life on Monday?

The bus ride to Monday School is very short. It boards in our head and travels only 18 inches to our heart. Barefoot Church is opening a Monday School for the next four weeks that will be in session to help Christ followers establish the habit of making Sunday's lesson a part of our lives.

Sunday's lessons are intended to be lived so that they can produce the fruits of Christian character, conduct, ministry and blessing. Want to get a degree in Christian living? Check out Monday School.

Monday School

2009-06-15T09:25:00.008-04:00

It could be that our pastor struck on one of the biggest problems facing the church in America. We have been so influenced by the scientific atheism of our culture that we often divide the "spiritual" from the "secular". We are all about what we learned on Sunday, but then comes Monday and we play by a different rulebook.

This may explain the absence of light and salt in the American culture. We need to take what we learned in Sunday School and apply it in the classroom in Monday School. The classroom may change from the church building to a workplace, home, market or school, but the lessons continue to be the same: You shall know the Truth and the Truth will set you free.

I learned two things today because I decided to continue to apply what is being taught to me on Sunday: (Value Potential and a new understanding of "if you say so, Lord" from Luke 5:4-6.)

1. Since we learned about potential on Sunday, my mind was evaluating reaching my potential. As I prayed and began "looking for direction", I ran across an article that reminded me that discipline is the pathway to potential. I "heard" a clear challenge to my heart concerning my need to step up my discipline.

2. My mind has been spinning about all the stuff that could be done and should be done. I found a second lesson today that will shape the rest of my week. "Do well with what you have"

I have my assignments for the week. "Refocus on discipline" and "Eat what is on your plate before you ask for more."

What have you learned in Monday School as you apply what you learned on Sunday.

Paying Attention to the Roots

2009-03-30T10:40:00.008-04:00

I know. It sure took me long enough to get back here and followup on my ramblings about "The Fruit of Ministry." I have been digging, praying, watching and pondering what matures Christians and attracts the lost to the gospel. (And I spend a lot more time on Twitter and Facebook.) Someday I'll have to tackle the effectiveness of blogging. I'm not even sure anyone benefits from these random blogs. Maybe a free frap at Starbucks for everyone who comments would reveal how many people this reaches.

Back to the topic of fruit. We would all agree that the fruit of ministry is new and mature Christ-followers. However, we often measure certain programs to evaluate the success of our efforts. Small groups is often one of those programs. But, I know churches where the percentage of participation in small groups is huge and yet the fruit (new converts and mature Christians) is minimal. I know other churches that are rocking the planet with new converts and excited mature Christian servants and yet have a very small percentage of their attendees engaged in organized small groups.

I am convinced that whenever we focus on anything other than true fruit (new converts and maturing Christians) as an evaluation of ministry, we begin to manipulate the plant rather than nurture it. I transplanted two dogwood trees last fall. I love dogwoods and would love to have them in my yard, but I also know that the odds of them making it through the transplant trauma are slim. I was about to declare them dead when my wife pointed out a couple green buds breaking out. I immediately drove in a fertilizer plant. I can't make my dogwoods grow but I can nurture them and trust that dogwoods know how to be dogwoods.

Do we have that same confidence in the church? Why do we get hung up trying to manipulate the plant rather than focusing on nurturing the roots?

What do we do at the root level? 1. Feed the plant (Peter, feed my sheep). Teach God's Word, biblical principles, and the unique ministry vision of your particular church. (Ours is Hospitality) Stay organic, watch out for filler and toxic additives. 2. Loosen the soil. Create an environment that encourages, equips and enables all Christians to be engaged at some level. Sometimes our organizational soil becomes so hard that it stifles root growth. 3. Provide adequate water. Encourage people regularly. Refresh them with encouraging words, special times, etc. Don't let the plant wither and become weary from lack of encouragement.

What do small groups look like in your church? How many people are engaged in volunteering and serving? HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE COME TO CHRIST SO FAR THIS YEAR? It's cool and natural to observe the plant with its leaves, branches, buds and stuff, but the real issue is whether it is producing fruit.

Remember the care we take at the root level becomes evident at the fruit level. Let the rest of the plant grow as it sees fit. Some plants are leafier, others have more branches, others are taller, but the purpose for the plant (church) is to bear fruit.

I'm thinking. What are you thinking?

Inspecting the Fruit of Ministry

2009-03-09T11:48:00.005-04:00

I just had someone in my office discussing our small group ministry. The obvious questions were asked. How are they going? How are you training leaders? What do you mean when you say small groups may not be what you are striving for?

Yeah, I did say that. Risking a personal visit from Andy Stanley and other small group gurus, I am beginning to question the concept of organized groups with organized curriculum being the focused means of maturing Christians. There is a vast difference between doing life with other Christians and doing a small group with other Christians.

Before I go any further, let me clarify that I do believe small groups are a tool for maturing some Christians. Some people thrive in them and others see them as another night out in a contrived setting.

Back to my original statement: "Small groups may not be what we are striving for." We are looking for mature Christ followers.

It appears to me that serving with other Christians in a ministry team may have just as much influence on maturity as the traditional small group. I have also seen families and individuals "pal-up" and participate on the journey together in a way that matures them as individuals.

Sometimes we focus on parts of the plant and forget that the fruit, and all the parts, come from the root of the plant. The care we take at the root level is evident at the fruit level. The church is like a plant. Small groups, ministry teams, outreach teams, connected friendships & large group gatherings may be part of the plant (sort of like leaves, branches, buds, blooms, etc.), but the fruits of the plant are new and maturing Christ followers.

I think there are three things we do at the root level that will nurture the church and produce great, mature fruit. I'll discuss that in the next post. My questions today are: "Can we assume that a small group is where Christian maturity takes place and should we measure the fruit of the ministry by the health of our small groups?"

Maybe I am suffering from "sour grapes syndrome" because our small groups ministry is not textbook or significant when compared to the size of our church, or maybe God is showing me something.

Just Thinking. Appreciate your feedback.

Order in Organic Environments

2009-03-04T14:10:00.005-05:00

The term "organic" has become a big part of our vocabulary in recent years. It can evoke many different images. Living, growing, natural, real and healthy are only a few of the adjectives that could describe organic.

I am all about organic because the opposite would be dead, artificial, forced or constrained. Organic stuff takes work, but not the kind of work that organized programs take. Organic must contain some sort of order, too. How do you create "organic" environments in ministry and manage the organic in such a way that it continues to have a life of its own, but still maintains direction and purpose. Wow! That sentence competes with the apostle Paul's run-on sentences.

You know what I mean. Organic growth needs a proper soil and environment. It also needs water, fertilizer (Remember you can burn something with too much of this stuff.) and care. We need a balance between form and freedom. My natural inclination to err on the form side rather than the freedom side, but my faith walk wants me to give more trust to God so He has freedom to do His stuff.

I believe the "body life" we all speak and write about may be right under our noses. Maybe we need to stop trying to organize, design and program what God wants to be a natural part of the DNA of His church. I want to pay more attention to the soil and the environment and less to trying to make the tree grow.

I haven't gotten my head totally around what the looks like, but progress is being made. I know the climate can not be harsh or polluted. The soil needs to be plowed and prepared. Consideration must be given concerning what you are planting. Some plants require more attention than others. God makes stuff grow.

I'd sooner work in God's field than labor in a church factory.

Just Thinking.

Contentment During a Recession

2009-02-16T10:08:00.011-05:00

We are driven to have more. It began in the Garden of Eden. God gave everything to mankind except for one tree. Guess what. We had to have it all. This desire robs us from enjoying what we have, being thankful, and living content lives. Contentment doesn't come naturally. It is something we must learn. I am still trying to learn this lifestyle. Check it out!

Here are some things we can learn from this passage:
Learn to Relinquish
Be WILLING and ABLE to live on almost nothing. We are trying to figure out how little we need to live with. (We stopped our cable TV, Internet, and land-line phone.) It's actually becoming an enjoyable challenge.

Learn to Embrace.
Be able to receive blessings. STOP trying to explain why you have what you have (God sometimes chooses to bless us.) and STOP telling people how poor you are. Poverty is not a virtue, but contentment is.

Learn the Source of all you have.
Since contentment doesn't come naturally, it must be aquired super-naturally. WITH CHRIST I can be poor and content or I can manage a bunch of junk and be content.

Learn to Share.
Sharing is a "sweet smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God." God provides FOR you and God provides THROUGH you.

Learn to Trust.
The Scriptures say, "And this SAME God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus."

I love the conclusion of the matter: "Now all GLORY TO GOD our Father forever and ever! Amen." Live to God's glory, in a recession or during prosperity, in good times and in bad times.

Something worth learning.

Thoughts on Suffering

2009-02-12T10:44:00.005-05:00

I serve in an area of ministry where I continually counsel and console people who are facing difficult, painful, and overwhelming situations. I thought that maybe someone who reads my blogs (there has to be at least six or more people) might be interest in what the Lord has shown me.

James 1:2 - 12 has four important verbs in it that help me in times of suffering.

“Consider” What is God doing?

“Know” What do you know about God?

“Let” Allow God to do what He wants.

“Ask” Ask God what He wants you to do.

Sounds simple, but taking time to meditate and pray over these four verbs will do more than anxiety and panic.

Just some thoughts.

Why?

2009-01-17T11:23:00.008-05:00

"Why" is an important question to ask. When the "why" is identified it serves as a motivational factor (yahoo for why we do it), a goal setting factor (what do we need to do, because of why we are doing it), and an evaluation factor (is why we are doing this being realized by what we are doing).

Yesterday Joan took down our Christmas tree. It has 1500 lights on it. (Horry Electric will notice a loss in draw on the power grid.) It is a tedious and time consuming job. Halfway through taking it down and packing up each part, she said, "Tell me again why we do this." (I am the wrong person to ask because I have no "why" for this one.)

We did come up with some "why's" that even helped me appreciate the inconvenience and clutter a tree produces. Our family gathers each year for Thanksgiving at our place. Our grandsons stay overnight and help put the tree up the next day. They love it. It is making memories and tradition that are important to our family. Joan loves the environment the tree produces. She can sit for hours just looking at the tree. (For me it is sort of like looking directly into the sun.) Once we discussed the "why" of the tree, we completed the task of putting it away and look forward to spending the day after Thanksgiving with our grandchildren.

Sometimes it is good to ask, "Why?" We are in the middle of asking that question at Barefoot Church right now. I anticipate that when we revisit why we do what we do that we will do it with more energy, excellence, excitement, and expectation.

Why do you do what you do?

Fishers of Men/Keepers of Aquariums

2009-01-15T21:49:00.004-05:00

Fishers of men (evangelists) and Keepers of the Aquarium (pastors) seem to be the classifications of two activities of the church on planet earth. One activity is to go into all the world preaching the Gospel. (Fishing for men) The other activity is to teach believers everything that the Lord has instructed. (Feeding the Fish) We often call this two-fold challenge the Great Commission.

The "work of the ministry" is to seek and to offer salvation to those who are lost, but the responsibility of leadership is to equip the saints for the work of the ministry. An ideal church functions with both these gifts. Stretching to reach the lost and committed to training believers.

Evangelism is the first work of the church. Check out a church that stopped doing "the first work". The second work is to equip the saints to do the first work. The church often complicates what God has made very simple.

Are you intentional about sharing the Gospel and fishing for men and women? Are you intentional about teaching others everything you know about God and how to become great fishermen?

I'm pretty passionate about packing the aquarium full of fish before the Lord arrives. That means we must prepare a lot of people to go fishing.

Just Thinking.

Techno Outreach

2009-01-08T09:26:00.006-05:00

****** Parker wants to be contacted. Here is the info:

Name: ****** Parker

E-mail: *******_2000@yahoo.com

Comment: I am on your website and want to know more information.

This is just one of many people who are being pointed to Christ by Barefoot Church and are located way outside our physical borders of ministry. Technology has knocked down the borders of ministry outreach.

There is a swelling number of organizations realizing that the geographic or distance barriers that once defined the limit of their impact are gone. We see: Doctors Without Borders, Teachers Without Borders, Engineers Without Borders, Lawyers Without Borders (oh, boy), and a host of others. There's even Mothers Without Borders who address the global orphan crisis.

Thinking outside the box has taken on a whole new meaning as we leverage new technology to become a church with no borders. Old technology allowed us to broadcast the Gospel via radio. New technology enables us to minister to people and expand the Body of Christ as never before.

Thinking outside the box means more than being creative in our communication and local outreach. We have to begin to think globally (outside the borders) and become a church without borders.

Hey, want to experience a global community environment? Join us at Barefoot Church on Saturday nights at 6:00pm, Sundays at 9:00am and 11:00am and Tuesday nights at 7:30pm.

I'm focusing more and more on riding this wave in my ministry responsibilites here at Barefoot. I have changed this site's address to be easier to find and use. It is now found at: JimEvans.tv. Hey, I even have a MacBook on the way. (You've got to do what you've got to do.)

Remember, the earth is the Lord's and everything in it. THINK GLOBAL. LEVERAGE TECHNOLOGY.

Recruit and Train

2009-01-05T09:16:00.003-05:00

I get very annoyed when I hear: "Churches like yours . . . (meaning churches where lots of people are coming to Christ, the music rocks, and the excitement is equivalent to the Super Bowl) . . . are very shallow in doctrine. I have to assume they mean that a large number of our people could not name all twelve tribes of Judah or quote the five tenets of Calvinism. This may be true, but in my experience as Care Ministry Pastor, I see people at their true life level. They are having dynamic life change and are exhibiting evidence of conversion that drives them to desire to know more and more about the God who loves them and gave them new life.

To set the record straight let me point out the environments we have intentionally designed for Christian growth. 1. We are very intentional about the main worship teaching. By intentional I mean that there are no less than 80 man hours put into every message. (much more most weeks) Every week people are challenged by God's Word in a way that impacts their daily lives.
2. We are very intentional about Community Groups. We have designed an environment that encourages people to do life together and seek to grow through fellowship and bible study. 3. We are very intentional about serving. We create environments that encourage and enable everyone in the church to serve. It is through serving that people grow, not merely through learning. 4. We are very intentional about encouraging our people to share their faith. We create an environment of invitation because you really haven't learned anything until you share it with someone else. Hundreds of people don't come to Christ unless hundreds of people are sharing Christ.

We are now adding an opportunity for our local and online people to attend an online Community Group called "Basic Training". Each Tuesday night at 7:30 we will be online, teaching bible study methods through Romans and Ephesians.

This Community Group has three purposes: 1. Excite people about God's Word and their need of it. 2. Excite people about doing life around God's Word with other people. (Thus feed into new Community Groups) 3. Declare the basis of our salvation (Romans) and what it means to be IN Christ. (Ephesians)

Basic Training is not a response to the accusation that "churches like ours" are shallow, but rather a demonstration that we do whatever we have to do to do what God instructs us to do. Basic Training is a response to all the new converts God has seen fit to give us. It is a way to channel people into the three environments of Barefoot Church: Worship/Community Groups/Service and Sharing.

Shallow? I think not. Maybe dynamic is a better word to describe "churches like ours."

Just thinking.

NEW!

2009-01-01T10:53:00.009-05:00

"New" is a great word. I love to drive a new car. (It only happens when I rent one at an airport.) Someday, probably this year, I will have to get a new computer. I appreciate the one I have now, but am looking forward to some of the upgrades of a new one. (Probably fall prey to the Apple fad.)

On May 30th I will get a new family member when my daughter marries the guy who has been showing up at our house for the past couple years. I am glad that I have never had to get a new wife. Mine has stuck with me for 33 years. (Big reward in heaven for her.) We got married on New Year's Day in 1976. On our anniversary we are always focused on the new year ahead of us. More couples ought to live year by year, they soon mount up.

Today the word "new" got me a little more excited as I considered the new lives that the Lord gave many people at Barefoot Church over the past year. My new life in Christ never gets old. That is the cool thing about what God makes new. I can get a new car, but it will become old. As a matter of fact, every new thing I get in this life becomes old. But, when Christ gives new life, it is eternal and never becomes old. Someday we will be given a new heaven and new earth that will never become old. (The environmentalists will be out of work.)

Last year we did a lot of new stuff at Barefoot, but the only thing that we did that won't become old is introducing people to a new life in Christ. I am sure God will lead Clay to a lot of new things in 2009 also, but the one thing that will never get old is sharing the life giving, life changing Gospel of Jesus Christ.

There is a part of me that really gets excited about new stuff, (I know, that sounds very carnal, but you know it is true about you, too.) but the most exciting new thing ever is the new life God gives to those who put their trust in Christ. What new thing will you get excited about in 2009?

Hey, want to start out the new year with some Basic Training? Check us out on Tuesday nights at 7:30pm on the Internet.

Fear - The Quiet Killer of Leadership

2008-10-21T10:41:00.003-04:00

As we noted before, pride is a hindrance to leadership. It limits our potential by not allowing us to utilize people who may do it better than us.
Secondly, fear is a hindrance to leadership. This is noted in how many times God has to tell His leaders in the Bible to "be of good courage." (Don't be afraid.)
Sometimes we are afraid of the responsibility and ministry that we face, like Joshua.
Sometimes we are afraid of people and what they can do to us.
Sometimes we fear what people will think and we fail to share the gospel.
Sometimes we fear death, aging and the unknown.
When we fully understand God's love for us, fear will not hinder us any longer.
Does fear hinder you? Remember courage is not the absence of fear, courage is the ability to do what is right inspite of our fears.
Be of good courage!

Three to Get Ready . . . (cont.)

2008-10-19T15:30:00.009-04:00

Well!! That was quite a break! Really. . . there are seasons when everything seems to come at you and discipline goes out the window. I just encountered such a time. Staffing changes, out of town trip, blood clot, and a reflective mood broke my routine for a couple weeks. Anyway, it is always exciting to restore discipline with the added growth that comes from the inclined terrain of challenges.

I will address the other two hinderances to leadership this week. I just wanted to let you know that I am back from a little personal retreat and looking forward to what lies ahead.

Breaking the routine and getting a little off schedule isn't always a bad thing, as long as you are able to grow from the experience and return to the discipline.

Three to Get Ready . . .

2008-09-17T15:38:00.004-04:00

Over the past several weeks I have been really intrigued by three things God showed me that can really hinder a person's ability to lead. They are not talents or knowledge. They are three internal things that alter your emotional stability and your reaction to situations.

God had just shown me the impact of these three things on my life when the gun went off on one of the hardest decisions I have had to make. I'm going to share these three things with you one-at-a-time because they each stand alone and deserve individual attention.

The first one is Pride: Pride is the need for recognition, credit or praise. It is also the inability to take criticism. The first part of pride will make you a starving idiot if you are in a culture where praise is not shoveled out. The second part will leave you wounded and bleeding if you are in an environment where authenticity and excellence are valued.

If we don't overcome Pride we will remain hungry and hurt. If we are willing to be humble we will be content to serve before an audience of One and receive corrective criticism as an ingredient for growth.

Pride doesn't always parade itself in a puffed up attitude. Sometimes it hides in the depth of our heart, hidden and undetected, but still affecting our ability to lead and grow.

Check it out.

Golf Lesson 6

2008-08-23T07:09:00.004-04:00

Ryder cup coach, Tony Jacklin, offers this advice to team coaches: Pair players who will inspire one another.

Personal chemistry and project requirements should play a role when leaders put together a team. I made one of my biggest leadership blunders by trying to deny this principle. I figured that if two people were qualified and available that they would be able to function as a team.

Paul decided that John Mark was not the best choice for the team he was building to go on a mission trip. When there is a known problem, even a temporary tension, it is best for the ministry to avoid teaming those people up. John Mark and Paul did team up later under different circumstances.

What do you consider when you are putting together a team to accomplish ministry? A good coach will consider how the team members will encourage or discourage one another.

Just Thinking.

Golf Lesson 5

2008-08-21T17:34:00.006-04:00

Ben Crenshaw, 1999 Ryder Cup winning coach, give advice to team coaches. He says, "A good captain is a good listener. You have to listen to what the players and the caddies say. They're reacting to the golf course nd breaking it down. I was all ears the whole week.

The same is true of ministry leaders. We must be all ears as we interact with those who serve with us. They are reacting to the area of their ministry and breaking it down. Getting the proper input "from the field" is crucial to making wise strategic decisions.

Are you listening as you are leading? Where do you receive your feedback that allows you to make wise stategic decisions? Note: Crenshaw listened to the caddies, too. All those engaged in the work have important information that could be the difference between victory and loss.
Just thinking.

Golf Lesson 4

2008-08-21T17:03:00.009-04:00

Billy Casper, 1979 winning Ryder Cup coach, had this to say about coaching a winning team: Remind them what the Cup is about.

He showed the team old Ryder Cup footage and comments from previous winners. Sort of like staying in the Word, where we are reminded what God's mission is all about. It is good to visit past footage of God at work and hear the testimonies of those who have gone before us.

As a coach, it is important to remind our team what the mission of the church is all about. Our mission is certainly more important than bringing home a trophy for beating the European team at golf.

How often do you take time to really embed the vision in your team? Maybe video testimonies of changed lives. Old footage of where God has brought you from. Current footage of the mission field at the doorstep. Billy Casper would say, "Remind them what it is all about."

Just Thinking

Golf Lesson 3

2008-08-21T15:22:00.005-04:00

The Ryder Cup is one of the few events that takes people from an individual sport and makes them into a team. Ryder Cup coaches have a real challenge. European coach, Seve Balleseros (probably didn't have to tell you he was a European coach), lead his team to victory in 1997.

His advice to team coaches is: Don't be afraid to bench your stars. No matter how good someone is, there are times and situations where they need to take the bench. This is a real test as to whether someone is a team player or not. Can you look objectively at the goal of the team and put it before personal participation and glory?

Do you ever change up who you pull into the room or take along to the conference depending upon the bigger team goal? Do you bench a star when he or she is sideways in their walk or having a period of being off the mark? If you are not afraid to bench the star, it will help in the star's personal development, it will help in team development, and it will send out a major signal that you are serious about the vision.

Just Thinking.

Golf Lesson 2

2008-08-21T14:53:00.005-04:00

I want to continue sharing some leadership principles I learned from Ryder Cup team coaches. This one, from Tom Watson, is crucial:

Be Prepared to Improvise. He said we must match up the team players, have a strategy for offense and defense, and prepare for the event. Five minutes into the game, throw all that stuff aside and do what you have to do.

This doesn't mean you don't follow what you planned. It means what you planned should not paralyze you when something unexpected shows up, and it will. Moving from being an individual player to a team player also increases the variables that are out of your control and beyond the scope of any plan, no matter how well it has been thought out.

Is your team prepared to improvise on the fly. It will release the event and allow it to reach its full potential because it will not be restricted by the fear of the unexpected and the limitations of a plan.

Just Thinking.

Golf Lesson 1

2008-08-20T06:50:00.007-04:00

I don't play much golf. I love it, but time and money prevent me from playing. I do read golf magazines and watch the golf channel to keep my game sharp for the few times I go out with out-of-town visitors.

I have found several good leadership principles in golf magazines. With the Ryder Cup coming up, I am especially interested in things the team coaches have to say about leading and motivating guys who play as individuals all season long and now must play as a team. I thought I would share a few over the next couple blogs.

Ben Crenshaw, coach of the winning 1999 team, says: Don't over strategize. "Give them a candy bar and a sandwich and tell them to play well. You don't want to tell them too much. Don't overboil it."

As a person with a temperament that leans toward strategizing, I really need to take that to heart. Trust the talent, adjust on the fly, and keep it simple.
Somewhere between "wing it" and "perfect it" is a leadership style that aggressively pursues excellence.

Just Thinking.

Conflict

2008-07-17T07:26:00.004-04:00

Conflict often arises from a breakdown in communication or differences of opinion, perception, or understanding. Where people are, conflict happens.

Conflict is not a call to arms, it is a call to prayer, creativity, re-evaluation, and discovery. Through conflict, you may discover a better way to communicate, an exciting option that had not been considered when there was no pressure, or you may find out God had other plans.

Being of one mind, one vision and one heart does not mean there will be no conflict. It means that when conflict arises, it is not personal, it is because two people with one mind, one vision and one heart see things differently. This is the catalyst of creativity and the mine from which the diamonds of God's will are discovered.

It is God's faithfulness and sovereignty that Paul uses as an appeal to not let conflict become a negative agent in the church. The Bible reminds us that the real boss is the Lord. 1 Corinthians 1:9 says, "God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord."

Conflict should not provoke quarrels. It's not about getting our own way.
Finally, let's love one another as brothers and sisters and leverage conflict as an opportunity for growth.

Just thinking.

Helping People Get Back on Track

2008-07-15T14:04:00.003-04:00

At some time we all get off track or behave in a way that is unacceptable. Lately, I have seen many hurting people reaching out for help. Many are very fearful and guarded because they have witnessed how people deal with people who have problems. Sometimes good people become overcome by sin. Sin happens!

Check this out:
"Dear brothers and sisters, if another Christian is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other's troubles and problems, and in this way obey the law of Christ. If you think you are too important to help someone in need, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important." Galatians 6:1-3 (emphasis mine)

Who are you aware of who could use some help? What are you doing to help them back on the right path?

Exposed

2008-07-14T09:37:00.004-04:00

I'm pretty psyched about the upcoming series. We live in a world of "what happens behind closed doors doesn't matter," but it does matter. The irony is that there is nothing closed or not exposed before the Lord.

Check it out:
"For the word of God is full of living power. It is sharper than the sharpest knife, cutting deep into our innermost thoughts and desires. It exposes us for what we really are. Nothing in all creation can hide from him. Everything is naked and exposed before his eyes. This is the God to whom we must explain all that we have done." Hebrews 4:12-13

What would happen if we all lived with an awareness of our lives being exposed to God 24/7?

Just thinking.

A Life-Stabilizing Worldview

2008-06-23T09:38:00.007-04:00

Wow! Revisiting the life of Job is humbling. By the time I finish the first chapter my head hangs in shame. Talk about a bad day! Four people showed up to announce bad news. One guy told Job all his oxen and donkeys were gone. Another came to announce that he had lost all his sheep and shepherds. A third came to say that all his camels and servants were gone. The final messenger brought the worst news. He said that all Job's children were at his oldest son's house and the structure collapsed, killing everyone.

If one person shows up at my office with bad news, like, "your computer can't be fixed", it rocks my world.

Job wasn't without feeling. He tore his clothes, fell to the ground and felt all the grief, pain and sorrow that life had thrown at him. What he demonstrated was a life-stabilizing, biblical worldview about himself, stuff and our existence. Check it out:

“I came naked from my mother’s womb, and I will be naked when I leave. The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord!”

Later, he set his wife straight by asking her if we should only accept good things from the Lord and never anything bad. It is recorded that he did not blame God and did not do anything wrong as a result of his horrible circumstances.

Behind the scenes the Devil and God were taking notes. The Devil claimed that Job worshipped God because God made his life easy. God said Job would worship Him no matter what his life looked like. Ouch!

How tough is your world right now? Are you able to worship God with the same integrity as when things are going good?

No Matter What Happens, Do This

2008-06-18T10:29:00.005-04:00

There is a lot of stuff going on around us. Some of it is good. Some of it is bad (at least from the way we see it at this time.) Some of it is painful. Some of it is confusing. All of it calls for our engagement or reaction.

In my time with the Lord this morning this one passage leaped off the page as though it was a neon sign: "Above all, you must live as citizens of heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ." Philippians 1:27

Paul was in prison. Christianity was under attack. Divisions were evident. The future was unpredictable. Paul moves to the bottom line. . . God has redeemed us from the curse of the fall, come to indwell us and companion with us while we are on earth, given us His Word as a comfort and guide and sealed our eternal state with Him in glory.

So what was that problem again? God's people should come off like the kid who found the candy, the gal who got the engagement ring, the lost child who was reunited with his parents in the mall, the guy who won the lottery. No matter what is happening, live in the context of what God has done through Christ on your behalf. It might even raise some kingdom questions!

No matter what happens today, kick up your heels a little. You have reason to rejoice, and again I say, rejoice.

God Does Want Your Ear

2008-06-11T10:11:00.005-04:00

I was spending some time in Nehemiah this morning and licking wounds over some sniper damage I received this weekend. It was good to see that Nehemiah faced snipers, too. I then did my blog reading. This morning, Perry Noble shared how God used a trip to Chic Fil A with his toddler daughter to speak to him.

I don't know if you read the comments to your favorite blogs, but I like to go there. God seems to speak in the strangest places and many times through people we may never personally meet. (Snipers save your bullet. I am not talking about extra-Biblical revelation.)

This morning I reviewed the comments to Troy Grambling's post from Monday. Stephen Guschov, a guy I'll probably never meet, reminded me of a quote I read years ago. It was a blessing to be reminded of this great reality about snipers and critics:

"It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, and comes short again and again (but) ... who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat."THEODORE ROOSEVELT, 1910

Are you listening for God to speak to you today?

Who Do You Count On?

2008-06-10T18:07:00.003-04:00

What an interesting day. I have been working at a voting poll all day. It is amazing to me how we put our future hopes in who is going to hold a political office. I am not against voting. It is an opportunity to have some influence on our culture, but I really am somewhat cynical when it comes to putting any hope in politicians.

The future is in the hands of the Lord. History has shown that He is the One who raises up nations and puts down kings. Check out Hannah's prayer!

Counting on the Lord takes all the anxiety of watching and participating in the American democratic system.

Who are you counting on?

Milestone Days

2008-06-05T10:49:00.003-04:00

Today is one of those "milestone" days in our family. Our youngest son is graduating from high school. We spread out child rearing over a thirty year span. We had two boys and then eight years later had a daughter and then another son. Our oldest is 30 and our youngest is 18.

When Matt was born, I remember thinking that I would be on a cane by the time he graduated. It is amazing how time passes and how different our future is once we arrive there.

Matt is at a new stage in his life and Joan and I are entering a new stage, too. I took my last drive to the school yesterday. Our schedule will no longer revolve around a school schedule. August and September will be weird this year. Time marches on.

Today is one of those days that cause me to be amazed at life in general, and how God is at work in the midst of it all. I like to mark milestones. They represent both completion and new beginnings. Tonight marks a Commencement for Matt and for his parents.

The Lost Book

2008-06-04T11:21:00.007-04:00

In 2 Chronicles 34 God has given us a record of King Josiah's life. The kid became King when he was only eight years old!! It was said that he was straight up with the Lord and his didn't waver to the right or the left in his walk.

When he was 16 he began to really seek the Lord and four years later he started tearing down the places of idolatry in Judah. This guy was radical!!

He also ordered that the temple be repaired. While they were cleaning up, they found the "book of the law of the Lord given by Moses." The place must have been like my daughter's bedroom gets. You'll always find something that was "lost" when she periodically cleans.

In verse 19 it says that when the king heard the words of the law, he tore his clothes. God's Word really rocked his world. Check out verse 27. His reaction to God's Word moved God to bless him in spite of the condition of the world and others around him.

It seems that Josiah was a great God follower who was all about doing the right things but the real dynamic in his life came from personal interfacing with the Word of God.

Man, what a difference between the first half of this chapter and the second half. The first half is all about a great God follower doing great religious stuff. The second half, after finding God's Word, is all about a righteous servant of God who is intimately engaged in a relationship with the God of the Bible. In the first half, Josiah had an influence on Judah. In the second half, he rocked their world with God. The difference was "the Book."

My world sometimes gets so cluttered with deadlines, projects, pressures and great ministry stuff that I neglect personal quality time in the Book with God. I'm always in the Bible to do ministry but sometimes I fail to be in the Bible for me. It's a sad thing when the Bible becomes "the lost book", especially when you are a church leader.

Just Thinking.

Blogging is Mental Jogging

2008-06-03T16:37:00.003-04:00

Well, I almost ran out of time today, but just as in other disciplines, I had to make time for this blog.

I hear people, especially non-bloggers, saying, "Why?" Well, I am a communicator and a strategist. My mind is what I use to serve the Lord. The discipline of attempting to contribute something of worth to the blog world is vital to my continuing development.

I got up this morning and knew that this was my bike riding morning. Not my favorite exercise, especially when it is foggy and damp. I made myself get on the bike and start peddling. There was a satisfaction in the discipline and there are long-term rewards for the exercise.

In the same way, I want to experience the exercise and discipline of blogging five days a week. I am curious. Why do you blog (or take the time to read blogs)?

Frustrated but Growing

2008-06-02T18:03:00.002-04:00

Man!! I can't believe how hard it is to commit to this blog! This is my second relapse this year. It seems like the tyranny of the urgent, the slave master of circumstance, and the demons of demands are holding me captive.

I have been successful in establishing a great morning discipline routine. I have lost weight, lowered my blood pressure (doc took me off the meds), lowered my colesterol (took me off those meds too), and found time to be quiet before the Lord. This was a challenge in the beginning, but now it is something I look forward to. I missed a couple days last week while recovering from food poisoning and couldn't wait to get back.

My problem now lies in navigating the active terrain of daytime demands. In the morning, everyone is sleeping. I have no human pressure requesting my time or questioning my priorities. By God's grace, I have conquered a great area of my life and am certain God will enable me to grow in my daytime disciplines also.

Here is what He brought my way today as I once again ran out of hours before projects: "If everything is important, then nothing is." OUCH!!

This week I have to determine what is important and say no to all the rest. Urgent does not equal important. Circumstances do not determine what is important. And demands are not what makes something important. I want to commit to five blogs a week. How hard can it be to chissel out thirty minutes a day to exercise my mind and discipline my agenda?

Is blogging important? We'll deal with that tomorrow.

Being Transformed

2008-05-14T10:48:00.006-04:00

Early Christian philosopher, Augustine of Hippo (354-430), proposed that to drive out the bad—those habits or qualities we don’t want—we need to focus on the good—those habits, qualities or strengths we do want. (Sounds like Ephesians 4:20-32)

There seems to be some support for this in current studies of neuroplasticity. Our brain physically changes—makes new connections—based on what we pay attention to; it moves in the direction of our most dominate thoughts.

We literally change our brain consistent with that which we spend our time thinking about.
God made our physical bodies and brains. This may be why he says that we need to change the way we think and what we think about. Check out: Romans 12:1-2 and Philippians 4:8-9.

When we do dumb things or live outside of the abundant life God has offered, maybe the biblical response ought to be, "What was I thinking?" And, possibly the best assistance we can offer others is to challenge them with, "What are you thinking?"

By the way, what are you thinking? It is shaping your brain!

Meetings!

2008-05-08T13:30:00.008-04:00

This has been a week of meetings! For two days it was literally back-to-back meetings. I tend to not enjoy meetings unless there is an atmosphere of energy, creativity and challenge. There must also be at least one clear takeaway or I end up with a non-consumer version of "buyer's remorse."

I thought I would review some of the takeaways from this week. Sort of a therapeutic exercise for me, but maybe something that will encourage you.

Here are some of the more significant takeaways:

1. Vision drives solutions. (Core leadership meeting)
2. Our "faith brand" is hospitality.* (Staff meeting) *(Takeaway of the Week Award)
3. We're serving in the Dominican Republic in October. (Outreach Director Meeting)
4. Breaking confidence has consequences. (Personal Staff Meeting)
5. Making Christ famous takes a lot of gifted leaders. (HR Meeting)
6. God uses churches to challenge and encourage one another. (C3 Debriefing Meeting)
7. Helping people function within their sweet spot is challenging. (Personal Staff Meeting)
8. God is really awesome and powerful! (Community Group Meeting)

How are your meetings going?

Lovin' Fridays!

2008-05-02T07:50:00.004-04:00

I am outside messing with the yard, planting a couple trees, killing yard pests, feeding plants and generally having a good time.
At least I assume this is how Friday will go. Our office is now officially closed on Fridays. Yahoo! I'm loving a weekend day on a weekday before the crowds come. Especially now that we are "in-season" in Myrtle Beach.

Actually, right now it's Thursday and I am sitting at my desk, ready to take a lunch break. I'm wondering if Blogger really does have the "scheduled blogs" feature working like they said they do.

If you are reading this on Friday, the feature actually works!! This will be a great way to blog during those creative times and release them in the future.

It's suppose to be sunny and warm today. Maybe I'll take a motorcylce ride to cool off this afternoon. (Did that!)

See you Sunday.
Oh, well! This is being posted on Sunday because the scheduled posts feature apparently does not work yet. I am told by Blogger it will soon be released.
Today was awesome. There was an energy in the air that was a God-thing. God is so good. He is at work in the lives of people.
God is doing great things at Barefoot.

Community Groups

2008-05-01T11:15:00.005-04:00

I've been praying about what role Community Groups play in our vision and how they should be administrated. The evolution of my vision for Community Groups has been a long and sometimes challenging road. I know that they are not the goal line in our strategy. In other words we do not believe that our goal is to get everyone into a small group. Our goal is given to us in Ephesians 4:11-12. We are to be equipping people for service.

Community Groups can play a vital role in that equipping. Last night, at our Community Group, part of our time was spent sharing how some of the serving is going and hearing testimony of how individual lives have been blessed and strenghtened in serving. The small group environment is a great place for encouraging each other in our growth toward service.

If we are to be like Christ, He said He came to serve, not to be served. As Leadership Development Pastor, it is my passion to see people grow and develop in their leadership. There are several environments and ingredients that encourage that growth. Over the next couple blogs I want to hit on some of them. Sunday/Small group/Service?

Got any comments or insights?

Streak of Days

2008-04-30T13:16:00.005-04:00

This has been a great streak of days.

Wednesday - Saturday: A whirlwind of work being done around the facilities by a swarm of volunteers. It is always great when God's people get involved in working together.

Sunday: Ed Young's visit on Sunday was great. We were challenged to Wake Up and Commit. If you attended the first and evening services, you were challenged to wake up. If you attended the second morning service, you were challenged to commit to what God has called you to do. I don't know if there is any significance to that or not.

Not to take anything away from Ed, but the evening beach baptisms were the highlight of the day, the icing on the cake, the climax of the celebration. Thirty-five people publicly identified with Christ through baptism!

Monday: The C3 Conference was a great time of fellowship with pastors and challenges from Ed Young. It was just one of those days where you sense the vastness of what God is doing.

Tuesday: A great pastors meeting followed by a great leadership meeting. A race to get the Sermon Studies Series posted for Tuesday night groups . . . posting the leadership blog . . . helping a young family with some benevolence needs . . . a rendezvous with Joan in Loris to pick out a bed for some guests that will be coming next month.

Today: Working on the weekend message . . . getting ready for Community Group tonight . . . working on a Tanzania mission trip for July . . . finishing up a benevolence case . . . working on Community Group/serving strategy . . . phone calls . . . realized that I hadn't blogged for a week . . . and feeling like I am not getting anything done.

Have you ever had a streak of days like that? They came almost instantly after I began to desire to focus on the rhythm of my life and walk. I feel completely out of rhythm at this time, but I trust that the Lord is using this streak of days to show me the urgency of the desire He has placed on my heart for godly rhythm.

How is your rhythm?

Corralled by God's Love

2008-04-24T13:28:00.006-04:00

I had a young couple come to my office today for an application for financial assistance. They didn't come across as people who lived a lifestyle of financial dependence. As we began to talk they revealed a sequence of events that brought them to this crisis. The future is beginning to look a little brighter but the challenges of the past three months brought them to this humbling encounter with the church.

I prayed with them and reminded them that money was a minor thing to God. He can often use it to cause us to look up, look in, and look around. It was like blinders were removed from their eyes! Seriously! They said they no longer cared what the church was able to do for them financially. They were no longer focused on the electric being turned off, the eviction notice and the other personal challenges they were facing. They said, "We would have come here to hear this even if we didn't have these problems." (The question is: Would they have?) They left encouraged and committed to making Christ central to their lives, marriage, work, and life.

God corrals us like wild mustangs into the narrowness of hardship in order to draw us closer to Him. Our peace, joy and hope are found in God's ever-present, caring love for us. It is always there, but sometimes it gets out of focus because we have chosen to focus on the hardship.

What are you focusing on today?

Compassionate Confrontation - Final Entry

2008-04-22T08:00:00.005-04:00

I am so tired of competition and grumbling in the church. I can understand it in religious cults who have to prove who is right about how to please God, but in the Body of Christ, which is the true church, there should be unity. This is still a passion button for me.

By the way, this is the last of the excerpts from the book. I just got into some of these topics as I picked it up a couple weeks ago for a revisit.
No, there is no real logic as to how my brain functions. I'm really into Maxwell's Laws of Teamwork right now as well as reading through the Bible with some friends on Wednesday nights, which is really exciting.

Taken from page 164:

"Camps and confusion must end if we are going to allow the world to see the witness of a resurrected Christ. We are called to love the brethren and lay down our lives for them. This is how the world is to know that we are Christians.
I have many Christian friends who hold different doctrines in non-essential areas. We disagree, but we are not disagreeable. I believe there is a correct interpretation of Scripture. Two opposing views may both be wrong, but they can not both be right. I want to know what is right, so I listen to opposing views and continually search out the Scriptures.
One of the drawbacks of not associating with camps that have differing views on non-essential things is that we are not driven to the Scriptures, and we remain confident in our own traditions. A tradition is a preference that becomes an assumption that it is no longer questioned. Some believe that even the Scriptures must yield to a tradition. “I know that’s not what the Bible says but we . . .”
The disciples were accused of transgressing the traditions of the day. Today they might be charged with standing on the platform in church with no coat and tie, or using the wrong version of the Bible, or raising their hands during a worship service. Jesus asked the Pharisees why they transgressed the commandments of God for sake of their traditions. You see, our traditions often take the same profound significance. We run around judging others who do not walk by our traditions, while we stumble at walking in accordance with the Scriptures that say, love your brother. They even warn that the absence of love for the brethren may be a revelation of an unregenerate religious condition. (1 John 3:13-16)
If we can not have honest debate in the church family, how can we expect to engage a lost culture in debate?"

I hope this series of posts have been challenging to you. These truths always help adjust my focus and attitude. I pray they have done the same for you.

Compassionate Confrontation 5

2008-04-21T08:00:00.005-04:00

Showing love to even our enemies is a real challenge and yet it is a hallmark of being a true Christian. I recently revisited this topic. Here it is:

Taken from page 141:

"Compassion must be the essence of our response. Compassion comes from the Hebrew “racham” which means to love, to pity, or to be merciful. Jesus was moved with compassion when he saw the multitudes because He saw them as lost sheep with no shepherd. (Matthew 9:36) I am of the persuasion that if compassion fails to move us then we should not move. Stay put until you can see the situation the way the Lord sees it. Take time to commune with God, and ask Him to give you eyes that see as He sees.

We are quick to respond in order to win the battle, gain the spotlight, or voice our opinion. Remembering that the battle has been won, Christ deserves the spotlight, and our opinion does not really count will help us keep things in perspective and temper our response. When Christ responded to us while we were yet sinners, He sacrificially responded out of love for us with a desire for our benefit. (John 3:16) May our compassionate response model that of our Lord and Savior."

Think about it. (For information on the book, check out the Compasionate Confrontation 1 blog.)

Compassionate Confrontation 4

2008-04-18T08:00:00.007-04:00

Taken from page 125:
"If I tell you that I will give you a million dollars if you jump from an airplane with no parachute, you will probably decline the invitation because of the assumptions you have about the possibility of surviving such an event. If you met someone who was a new millionaire because he took the offer, you would be full of questions and ready to reevaluate your first opinion. When he explained that the plane was sitting on the ground, and he jumped into an airbag, you would sadly acknowledge that your assumptions had kept you from becoming a millionaire.

This is what we are facing today in the church. The lifestyle the Bible describes is so contrary to what the world assumes will work that people daily turn down God’s invitation to spiritual riches and blessings. Asking people to love their grumbling spouse, antagonistic neighbor, or personal enemy makes about as much sense as jumping out of an airplane with no parachute. Telling people that giving and forgiving are the way to blessing may get an “amen” on Sunday, but most people sitting in the pew doubt that it will work in the real world they face on Monday. Our worldview is how we live – not what we profess. It reveals what is in our heart not what is in our heads. The church is so much like the world because it assumes the same things as the world."

Think about it. (For information on the book, check out the Compasionate Confrontation 1 blog.)

Compassionate Confrontation 3

2008-04-17T08:00:00.008-04:00

Taken from page 112:
"Why does the world rejoice when one of God’s people falls? Most of the events that become scandals in a Christian leader’s life are commonplace in the lifestyle of the world. There was little fuss made as five different men stepped forward to claim that they fathered the child of Anna Nicole Smith. The world has come to accept infidelity, drug use, and other immoral behavior as normal, except in the life of a professed Christian. I believe there are two reasons for this paradox.

First of all, all mankind was made in the image of God, and there is a natural guilt that sin brings to every person. The defense mechanism for guilt is to justify the action through pointing to the failure of others, especially those who attempted to make you feel guilty. A professing Christian who falls into public sin gives others a short reprise from accusation and serves as a balm to their guilt. Remember Satan is “the accuser of the brethren.” Look at what the angels say as he is cast down to the earth during the final days of God’s prophesy. "Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, who accuses them before our God day and night.” (Rev 12:10-11) The only hope the world has is for God’s people to be wrong. When God’s people fall, it gives the world some hope that the message they proclaim has fallen also. "

Think about it. (For information on the book, check out the Compasionate Confrontation 1 blog.)

Compassionate Confrontation 2

2008-04-16T08:00:00.005-04:00

Taken from page 90

"Our confidence must be in God and His Word alone. We cannot put confidence in the same things in which the world puts confidence. The world trusts money, power, politics, and security. These are the things they turn to when they are threatened. As Christians we cannot compromise God’s Word in order to gain money, power, or large numbers of supporters.

This is why the “take back the culture” agenda has been virtually powerless. The fact is that we never owned our culture. Christians often fall prey to the illusion that the politicians and majorities control the American culture, but in reality they are merely a barometer of the American culture. They are not controlling the American culture, but their self-centered desire to stay in office, their hypocritical attempt to please the religious right, and their attempt to hold the party base by dancing around controversial issues represents the American culture. Truth be known, we are all amateur politicians trying to win acceptance by those around us while attempting to carryout our desired agenda."

Think about it. (Check out the Compasionate Confrontation 1 blog for information on the book.)

Compassionate Confrontation 1

2008-04-15T07:48:00.003-04:00

Over the next few blogs I want to revisit a topic that is dear to my heart. As the world gets crazier and crazier, as it begins to manifest its end-times image, it will affect how we walk and how we respond. The next few blogs will be excerpts from my book.

Please. I am not hung up on my book. As a matter of fact, I wouldn't mind the opportunity to edit it one more time. The book was written out of a passion that has been stirred from the unique experiences God has given me.

I hope you will enjoy and be challenged by the excerpts. You can order the book from Amazon.com by using the link on this blog or "while supplies last" I will send you an autographed copy for $10, including shipping. (This would involve sending a check made out to me with your address. Not for everyone, but who knows, maybe your grandchildren will find it neat that you have an autographed book from that crazy preacher who lived in North Myrtle Beach.) Send to: Jim Evans - 620 Seth Lane, Longs, SC 29568.

Taken from page 89:
"We cannot control the culture, but we can change our response to it. We have seen many times where a proper Christian response to a situation has allowed God to impact the situation and to glorify His Name. There are other times that God has allowed His children to suffer and even be martyred to declare His judgment on the wicked and to glorify His Name. The problem we often face is that we try to do what only God can do and neglect to do what is expected of us. It is God’s responsibility and privilege to change things and judge the wicked. It is our responsibility to respond like Christians to situations and the wicked."

PS Sorry to those who subscribe to this blog and got a weird posting. It was totally accidental.

Lessons from a trip

2008-04-12T19:35:00.012-04:00

Just got back from a 670 mile bike ride on my Vulcan Classic. Great trip up to Kitty Hawk, down the Outer Banks, a 40 minute ferry ride over to Ocracoke Island and a 2 hour ferry ride back to the mainland.

Top: Landmark at Ocracoke Island celebrating the killing of Blackbeard, a crazy pirate who would place two slow burning matches in his hair to give the illusion of smoke coming out his ears. Talk about "blowing smoke" in order to build an image.

Next: We visited a lighthouse. They built a duplex house for the lighthouse keepers. This meant there was always someone there to keep the light burning to guide ships into the harbor. Duplexing ministry positions will also ensure continuous coverage and growth.

Bottom: This is a statue of a man celebrating the Wright brothers' first flight. He didn't work on the plans, experience all the failures, face the pressure of nearly quitting, or take the risk of failure, but his life was changed because two guys got a vision for what others thought was impossible. It must have been cool for this guy to have been there, but imagine what the day was like for the Wright boys!

Lessons: The folly of blowing smoke. (pirate trick) The advantage of duplexing ministry positions. The excitement of doing something others think is impossible.

It was a great trip. Wish you could have been there.

Chew Your Food

2008-04-09T07:11:00.006-04:00

I've been losing weight and getting healthy. It all started when I read a blog about how discipline bleeds. If you can discipline one area of your life, it will bleed into other areas.

The only time I can totally control my agenda is early in the morning. So . . . I get up at 6:00, do 20 - 30 minutes on my Total Gym, eat a healthy breakfast and greet the family at 7:00.

I have done away with two blood pressure meds and am maintaining great blood pressure. I am feeling great. I learned something about eating. We need to chew our food over and over to get the best results from it and to avoid gaining unwanted weight.

If we spent more time chewing on God's Word rather than just gobbling it down on Sunday, we might find that our spiritual health becomes better, too. We now have a place where you can "chew" on what is served up on Sunday.

Hey, eating with a few friends rather than by yourself is another secret of healthy eating. Why not join a Community Group (or form one) that does life together and chews on what God shared on Sunday through Clay?

Just Thinking.

Building Community

2008-04-09T06:51:00.004-04:00

Monday we made a critical change in our Monday noon staff meeting. I believe it will prove to be one of those changes that will be noted as an historic event.

We normally meet on Monday at noon to have: opening prayer, weekend scorecard, upcoming events, and closing comments. Then it back to work. This week during our pastors meeting (which takes place earlier), we discussed the need to pray together and to eat together as a staff.

Community groups are the core of our church life because doing life with others is vital to a healthy Christ centered life. Jesus gave us the example of doing life with His disciples with prayer, fish fries, community projects and intimate Scripture lessons.

Sharing in prayer, food, Bible study and service is at the core of building community. Who are you having lunch with today?

Just Thinking.

Enjoy the Walk

2008-04-04T11:32:00.004-04:00

Troy blogged today about the natural tendency to slow down when we reach or even exceed our initial goals. There is a inherent momentum when we begin something. There is also a slowing down that takes place when it is taking longer than expected to reach a goal.

I climbed a lot of mountains in Haiti . . . not quite as steep as the one on this blog . . . and sometimes became weary after the first four or five hours. Periodically we would stop for a break. I would ask if we were getting closer. "No, the village keeps moving away from us. Here's your sign." I knew that!

My friend, Pastor Beril (Bay-real) Pierre-Louis shared a Haitian proverb with me. "Never look a mountain in the face. Watch where you are walking and soon you will reach the top." That proverb didn't change the mountain but it sure changed me. I began to enjoy the walk without the anxiety of staring the mountain in the face!

Growing weary in well-doing? Don't look the big picture in the face. (Necessary for planning.) Walk with intention where you are and you will arrive at your destination in God's time. (Necessary of execution.) Enjoy the walk, it's half the fun of getting there.

Just Thinking.

Thresholds

2008-04-03T16:44:00.009-04:00

This graph was done by Kathy? somebody. I want to give her credit for challenging me about excellence.

The chart speaks for itself. It would seem that those who excel are those who continue to push their ability when others are content to do enough to get by. The "Kicking Butt Threshold" is also referred to as the "Passion Threshold."

This is in business lingo and I don't attain to being an "expert" at following Christ and serving but I do relate to the phrase:

"I'll keep pushing myself. There's always some way to do it better." Reminds me of Philippians 3:13.

How about you?

Just Thinking.

Seasons

2008-03-27T11:16:00.006-04:00

I rode my motorcycle to work this morning. I ride it all winter, but this morning it was actually enjoyable. I am looking forward to spring, summer and fall. Sorry winter, you're not my favorite.
I love to ride, but I have to admit, sometimes it is not as fun as other times. I put a pair of Metlzer tires on a couple weeks ago. What a difference! Man, I thought the way it rode before was "what it is." I'm now wondering what else I have come to expect as "just the way it is."
Sort of like life. Different seasons/always room for improvement.
Loving a new Thai restaurant I discovered. It's called Thai Season. My wife and I have missed Thai food ever since leaving West Palm Beach. They have great food! It's located just south of Dick's Pawn on 17 in North Myrtle Beach. Say hi to Jan, Kit or Sak and tell them Jim sent you. I have a selfish motive for helping make their business successful. If you ever have the need to schedule a lunch meeting with me, it will be at the Thai Season at the right/front corner table which has been named "Jim's corner" by Kit.
Enjoying the season, enjoying improving, lovin' the Thai restaurant.
Just Thinking.

Generations

2008-03-24T09:40:00.010-04:00

Easter Sunday was great! God worked in the lives of many people. I was so blessed to see people walking forward to declare that they were letting go of their ropes and trusting Christ to save them. The power of the resurrected Christ was all over the property!

I watched as many "20-somethings" moved down the isle. Some with tears, some with a look of relief, some with a look of discovery and determination. This is the generation that is the product of my generation.

I am presently reading through the Bible with a group of friends who meet at our house every Wednesday night. We are watching the generational shifts that took place in Israel's history from the time they left Egypt through the period of the judges (we read through Judges 7 today). Judges 2:10 leaped off the pages this morning and pricked my heart.

A generation grew up, who knew neither the Lord nor what he had done for Israel. My generation had a remnant of information about God available to us. The next generation had none and the recent generation (students) are even further removed from a knowledge of God and what he has done on our behalf through Christ.

The generation of Judges 2:10 was under the affliction of their own choices but Judges 2:18 says the Lord had compassion on them as they groaned under those who oppressed and afflicted them. And He sent leaders to save them out of the hands of their enemies.

May the Lord give us compassion, courage and wisdom as He calls us to take the Gospel to the next generation.

How do you look at the next generation?

Just Thinking

Promises, Promises II

2008-03-21T09:33:00.006-04:00

Yesterday's blog was different. It was sort of a peek inside my weird head. I got a "?" response from some anonymous guy or girl. I can see how the blog could be confusing. The "Wow! God keeps His promises" could be read as a discovery of something new. It was surely not a discovery on my part, but rather a strong reminder that the surety of life is found only in God.

This morning as I finished Joshua, he gave the same reminder to the leaders again. (Joshua 23:14) When I focus on what God has promised, we gain a new perspective on the problems and disappointments that life often throws our way.

Things that came to mind this morning:

"And I am sure that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on that day when Christ Jesus comes back again." Philippians 1:6 Praise the Lord for continuing to create the new man in me. What a project!

"The Lord isn't really being slow about his promise to return, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to perish , so he is giving more time for everyone to repent." 2 Peter 3:9 God's all about seeing people saved before He returns. That's what I should be all about, too. Sometimes we get so caught up in baby sitting the saints that we neglect taking the life-giving gospel to the lost.

Which of God's promises rock your world today?

Just Thinking

Promises, Promises

2008-03-20T11:10:00.006-04:00

I don't know about you, but I put little stock in people's promises. I have spent the past month trying to get a tracking number for a transmission I ordered on e-bay. Last night I finally told the seller to cancel the order and return my deposit, which he took on March 3rd.

For the past three weeks he has promised to call me back six times and never did. He promised I would have a tracking number within three days of my order, never got one.

He is just the most recent disappointment I have had with trusting people to keep their promises.

You know what; this has probably dulled my expectations when I read of God's promises in the Bible. Today, at the end of my reading through the Bible schedule, I encountered was this verse:

Joshua 21:45 -- "Not one of all the Lord's good promises to the house of Israel failed; every one was fulfilled."

Wow! God keeps His promises! My mind immediately began to rehearse all the great promises I find given to me as a believer in Jesus Christ. It's going to be a great day. With what God has promised, it's going to be a great every day.

I needed that reality check today as I begin to look for another source for a transmission. Maybe I'll find someone I can trust.

Just Thinking

Healthier Together

2008-03-19T10:21:00.004-04:00

One of my ministries includes guiding people into Community Groups and plugging them into authentic relationships where real ministry can take place. This is not as easy as it sounds. People often see church as a place to fulfil their duty to the God who saved them and to learn more about God and the Bible.

God describes church as a body where every part functions with and for the other parts. Check this out: (discovered in Andy Stanley's Creating Community)

Researchers have found that most isolated people are three times more likely to die than those with strong relational connections. People who had bad health habits (such as smoking, poor eating habits, obesity, or alcohol abuse), but strong social ties lived significantly longer than people who had great health habits but were isolated.

So, it is better to eat Crispy Cremes with good friends than to eat broccoli alone.

That's why the Krispy Kremes at Barefoot Church are safe to eat.

Just Thinking.

I'm Back

2008-03-18T16:16:00.005-04:00

I am so sorry for my lapse. I have lots of excuses but no real reasons. I am like a cook with many pots on the stove. I seem to get focused on several things that are demanding my time and then loose sight of the things that don't call me or show up in my office. It is a privilege to be serving what God is cookin' up!

My internal conviction about neglecting my blog started last week, but today "I got the call." Not from God, but from Clay. Accountability is great!

Good things are happening here. We had a powerful time at NewSpring! The whole thing was FLAMBOYANT! (Sorry, Tony, a little late with the word.)

Easter is coming up with three services. I would imagine that we will see over a hundred people believe on the resurrected Christ for salvation. Can't wait.

I'll be back on a regular basis now. The move to the new office is nearly complete. We have Internet, praise the Lord! Phones are on the way. God is good.

Pray for a great move of God as we present the risen Christ to our world on Sunday.

Later.

Eclipes

2008-02-21T09:45:00.007-05:00

We had some stellar excitement around our house last night after our small group gathering. Everyone ran outside to see the lunar eclipse. We had been told by the weather man that it would be too cloudy for us to see, but there it was, clear as could be.

Sooo. . . I am about to blog on a subject that is "as old as the hills", the unusual circumstances that make a lunar eclipse happen.

We all know that the moon has no light of its own. It is a hunk of rock or cheese, depending upon your educational background. When we see it "shining" in the sky it is because the light from the sun is being reflected from its surface.

A lunar eclipse takes place when the earth gets between the sun and the moon. You can watch it happening as darkness slowly blocks out the brightness of the moon.

Hey, this isn't just a lunar happening. The same is true of us as Christ followers. We have no light or life of our own. Whatever shines about us is a result of the reflection of Christ in our lives. When we allow the world to get between us and the Son we eventually experience a spiritual eclipse.

People who are observing our lives can see the process as clearly as we can see a lunar eclipse taking place. The moon really has no choice. It is doomed to follow a predetermined orbital sequence that is totally predictable. We do have a choice. We can stay close enough to the Lord that the world has no place to get in the middle.

Lunar eclipses are kind of cool to watch. Spiritual eclipses are a tragedy and a heartache to watch. How much have you allowed the world to shadow and dull the Lord's light in your life?

Just Thinking about eclipses.

Fathering a Vision Builds Dynamic Relationships

2008-02-15T10:14:00.011-05:00

I am wrestling with the concept of team building in my responsibilities as leadership development pastor. We all need to find people to do the work that a growing ministry requires. I can develop org charts, develop leadership roles and training, and recruit by gifts and abilities, but a true movement of God creates growth that far exceeds the capabilities of these tools.

It seems to me that Christ gave us some insight into team building in his relational paradym as seen in Mark 3. He said that those who were engaged in the will of God were his brothers, sisters, and mother. Those who were engaged in His vision were His family.

The relationship between leaders and followers becomes as strong and dynamic as blood relationships.

Good leaders have a vision: better leaders share a vision: great leaders invite others to join them in spreading this vision. Movements create bonds between people who have never met but embrace a common vision.

It seems that great leaders are so pregnant with vision that it requires them to birth it in other leaders who in turn birth it in others. Every "job" in the church should be driven by the vision not by the present need. Vision entergizes. A person filled with vision will do what is necessary to advance the movement in fulfillment of the vision.

How pregnant are you? Are you delivering vision or building a church? Sharing your vision will create a monument. Implanting your vision in others will create a movement. How big is your visionary family? Who are your brothers, sisters, and mothers ?

Changing lives that change the world by helping people take steps toward God to begin a journey with Christ. What a great vision!!

Just Thinking.

Recruits/Volunteers

2008-02-14T10:56:00.014-05:00

I am excited to see that 17 people raised their hand to join the Outreach Team here at Barefoot. I am just as excited to realize that there are many other leaders in the church who received names of individuals who have stepped forward to become part of the Team. Most of them were recruited on Sunday as Clay shared why Teamwork is one of our core values.

When I served in the Army we were referred to as "recruits." In reality there were two types of recruits. One recruit was drafted and ordered to report for duty. Another recruit was a volunteer soldier who wasn't forced to join. I was one of the latter. Throughout my tours in Vietnam my mother would remind me that my "number" had not been drawn in the draft and I would not have had to go fight. It was hard to deal with the realities and difficulties of waking up in a war zone for over two years, but I can't imagine how hard it would be if I had been forced to be there because I was drafted.

I am sure some of the volunteers that I will be calling will sooner or later say, "What have I gotten into?" Serving has its issues but God honors those who volunteer to join His Army. There is a spiritual warfare taking place and God is asking His children to report for duty to rescue the perishing. When God wins and the victory celebration begins I am sure many will say, "I wish I had volunteered when I had the chance."

What a privilege it is to be a part of what God is doing here in North Myrtle Beach! To the new recruits, I say, welcome. You just joined a band of brothers and sisters who are out to change the world by loving God, loving people, and proclaiming the Gospel of Christ in the spiritual war zone of this world. Report for duty. Serve with honor and courage. Be excited about whatever assignment the Lord has given you.

Celebrating Serving.

Christian Org Charts

2008-01-31T11:49:00.000-05:00

Man, I have been suffering from severe "blog-block" combined with extreme time demands. Just when I was committed to finding "rhythm" in my life, I was knocked over by a giant wave of urgency and out of control activity. Now that I have my head above water again, I am going to swim parallel to the shore for a while to get free from the rip tide.

This is not the subject of this blog, just an explanation, ok, excuse for my absence over the past week. I have still been reading some other stuff that is really great. Check out Perry on criticism and Troy on rhythm and discipline (rhythm was back on January 31). "Stuff Worth Your Time" (on the right sidebar of this blog) is just that. Click a few and you'll be challenged and blessed. Here goes the blog topic:

As a leadership development guy I am becoming increasing intrigued with the dynamics between structure and vitality, or maybe form and freedom. We certainly need structure. Imagine your body without bones. You would be a blob. "Hey, I want you to meet my pastor, Blob Jones." (Sorry, pretty corny. One of those days.) By the same measure if our bones become rigid we are unable to move. Meet Rigor Mortis, our pastor of finance.

The Body of Christ, i.e. the church, can suffer from the same problems. Movement can be impeded by stiff, cumbersome structure and can be impossible without the organization and leadership that structure provides.

Recently Clay suggested we turn our org chart upside down. His vision is that we serve the people under us, not vice versa. God's work, the church, is at the top. God's servants, us, are at the bottom. This is a great concept but I am having a hard time making the intention of our organization show up in the structural diagram.

One way to understand the chart is to see that when God designs His org chart He puts the responibility of service on the one who higher up on the visual org chart. In the home, His org chart flows: Husband, wife, children. You certainly don't want to invert that! But look at the role of the husband. It's all about the wife and in chapter six, the children, too.

The Corinthians misread their org chart and functioned like the Gentiles who saw leadership as lordship. The person above someone else on a Christian org chart has been placed there to enable the person below them to reach their full potential and assist them in accomplishing what God has called them to do.

Hey, guy at the top, when you look up, what do you need from the people or person over you? The people below you need the same thing.

Just thinking.

Besides all this . . .

2008-01-29T10:40:00.000-05:00

Pardon me while I get a little pitiful. I'm going to go ahead and do this blog because I want to encourage anyone who is experiencing pain as a Christian leader. Check it out!

Pain can be external or internal. I have often said, "I would sooner take a physical beating than endure the emotional pain that ministry often produces." Physical wounds can be numbed and bandaged. Maybe I even like the fact that many people come to comfort and sympathize with you when you are bandaged or bruised. However, when we are bleeding inside, it often goes unnoticed.

After thirty years of ministry you would think that a person would get used to the pain of dealing with people. Surely the scars of experience should numb any new injuries. Knowledge and experience should guard a veteran's heart and prevent this pain. Paul talked about his external and internal pains as he wrestled with Christians at Corinth. He recorded this testimony:

"Five different times the Jews gave me thirty-nine lashes. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. I have traveled many weary miles. I have faced danger from flooded rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles. I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the stormy seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be Christians but are not. I have lived with weariness and pain and sleepless nights. Often I have been hungry and thirsty and have gone without food. Often I have shivered with cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm.
Then, besides all this, I have the daily burden of how the churches are getting along. Who is weak without my feeling that weakness? Who is led astray, and I do not burn with anger? " 2 Corinthians 11:24-29

This morning I am wrestling with some of that pain. God has reminded me that He could let my heart become calloused to prevent the pain. Or I could avoid being used by Him and thus avoid the pain. When given these two options, I am able to put the pain in perspective. The Scriptures teach us that to know Christ is to experience both His power and His suffering.

I think I'll go see Rambo this afternoon.

Periods. and Question Marks?

2008-01-24T15:33:00.000-05:00

The other day, in a note, I witnessed a person pouring out their heart and some of their conclusions about life. What was interesting is that almost every statement ended with a period & a question mark. As I considered this oddity, I realized the openness of this person's life.

As finite people, we can never securely put a period behind a conclusion we have drawn about life, people, or the world around us. Unless we are willing to follow our periods (personal opinions) with question marks, we are not available for growth.

Throughout Matthew chapter 5, Jesus told the religious people that what they felt they had fully understood about God's law was not the final thing God would have them understand. They had put a period on their knowledge of God and failed to continue to seek to know Him and to find the Truth that would set them free.

As a church, we are a bunch of people who have discovered the Source of our answers, but are still growing in our understanding of the answers. We all have questions and God has answers. We will never fully understand the final answer to life's questions while we are still in the corpse of this flesh, even though God has revealed them in His Word. Ours is a pressing on, ever growing, from glory to glory relationship with our God and Savior.

Putting a question mark at the end of our understanding is not to say we cannot know something but it does remind us that there is more to know.

May this be a year of growing in our knowledge of God and not the year we groan in what we think we know. My prayer.

Just Thinking.?

Encouragement is Contageous

2008-01-23T10:58:00.000-05:00

Sometimes there just doesn't seem to be much rest between challenges. As leaders, the conflicts we are facing often affect the morale of the whole team. All this is not a new or unique thing. The Scriptures record similar environments for God's servants hundreds of years ago. Here is what Paul experienced as he dealt with issues at Corinth and throughout the region of Macedonia:

"When we arrived in Macedonia there was no rest for us. Outside there was conflict from every direction, and inside there was fear. But God, who encourages those who are discouraged , encouraged us by the arrival of Titus. His presence was a joy, but so was the news he brought of the encouragement he received from you. When he told me how much you were looking forward to my visit, and how sorry you were about what had happened, and how loyal your love is for me, I was filled with joy! " 2 Corinthians 7:5-7

Check it out!

Ministry can be stressful. (Stay healthy.)

Conflict has impact on team morale. (Stay close to your team.)

God is the encourager of His servants. (Stay close to God.)

God uses us to encourage one another. (Be an encourager.)

Thorns in your flesh can turn into tools in your hand when God is at work. (Don't take issues personally.)

Encouragement is contageous. Let's see what happens when an epidemic of encouragement breaks out in the church.

Just Thinking.

Be Still

2008-01-18T09:06:00.000-05:00

Man, I can't believe how this year is starting off! It seems that I do not have a moment of quiet lately. I keep saying that it is only temporary but I fear that it will become as temporary as the "temporary" fix done in home repairs that often is never completed until the house is sold.

There is so much going on and so much lying ahead that it is hard to be still. And yet, in stillness we find renewal, wisdom and strength. I know a lot of people who read this blog are caught in the same rushing currents of the river of life. I thought I would share some thoughts on taking time to be still:

Samuel told the people of God, "Now stand here quietly before the LORD as I remind you of all the great things the LORD has done for you and your ancestors. " 1 Samuel 12:7 This alone is a great reason to be still!

"But you will not even need to fight. Take your positions; then stand still and watch the LORD's victory. He is with you, O people of Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out there tomorrow, for the LORD is with you!" 2 Chronicles 20:17 Have any struggles you are facing tomorrow? Know it is the Lord who will deliver you, as you yield to His presence in your life and the situation.

We all know that: "God is our refuge and strength. A very present help in trouble." Psalms 46:1 But the psalmist also says, "Be still and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." Psalms 46:10

The story is told of two birds sitting on a tree limb, watching people anxiously scurrying to and fro. The one bird looked at the other and said, (I know birds don't talk. Bear with me.) "Why do people run around with such anxiety?" The other bird replied, "I don't know, maybe they don't have a heavenly Father to watch over them like we do." Matthew 6:24-34

Trying to be still.

Together

2008-01-09T10:26:00.000-05:00

Recently I have been increasingly conscious of the interpersonal struggles that emerge as a church grows and as strong personalities are recruited for leadership. My heart is grieved and actually experiences pain when I see darts and defensive posturing among God's children, especially leaders. We fall short of God's desire for us. Remember what God modeled for us in the Scriptures?

"And all those who had believed were TOGETHER , and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions, and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need. And day by day continuing with ONE MIND in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals TOGETHER with gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved." Acts 2:44-47

We will always be dealing with issues and conflicts as people and especially as leaders. Paul, the apostle, was a leader that had to deal with some of the "junk and funk" (Clayism) of doing life with people. It appears as though people haven't changed much. He had to remind the people he was working with that he was all about them.

"Make room for us in your hearts; we wronged no one, we corrupted no one, we took advantage of no one. I do not speak to condemn you; for I have said before that YOU ARE IN OUR HEARTS TO DIE TOGETHER AND TO LIVE TOGETHER. Great is my confidence in you, great is my boasting on your behalf; I am filled with comfort. I am overflowing with joy in all our affliction." 2 Corinthians 7:2-4

Everyday we can build up or tear down. We can encourage or discourage. We can brag on someone or we can backbite someone. We can be filled with comfort or filled with anxiety. We have joy in our afflictions or let our afflictions rob our joy.

Let's get it together.

Serving with Authenticity

2007-12-30T23:27:00.000-05:00

What a great service we had at church Sunday morning! We finished up our Wish series with a challenge to get real with God and with ourselves about how we live. Hundreds of people responded to what the Lord said to them about positioning their lives in a way that they could serve the Lord with authenticity in 2008.

We looked at Joshua 24:14-28. We all are familiar with Joshua's declaration: "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord!" This challenge caused the people of Israel to reconsider what they were saying (possibly their heart's desire) and how they were living (probably their fleshly desires).

Joshua did not accept the immediate positive response of the people. They all said, "Hey, we're all about serving God." (My paraphrase.) Joshua said, "You can not serve the Lord." He reminded them that God was holy and jealous (24:19) and that He wasn't one to mess around with if you are not authentic in your walk before Him.

The best part of the challenge came in the alignment of Joshua's challenge, God's character, and the people's desire to serve the Lord. After Joshua's challenge, the people replied saying, "No, we are determined to serve the LORD!" Joshua said, "You are accountable for this decision, you have chosen to serve the LORD." "Yes," they replied, "we are accountable."

"All right then," Joshua said, "destroy the idols among you, and turn your hearts to the LORD, the God of Israel." (It's time to make some lifestyle changes if you want to authentically serve the Lord.) The people said to Joshua, "We will serve the LORD our God. We will obey him alone."

Soon after this occasion, Joshua died. But, the record shows that: "Israel served the LORD throughout the lifetime of Joshua and of the leaders who outlived him — those who had personally experienced all that the LORD had done for Israel." It wasn't about Joshua or being an Israelite. It was all about God and serving Him.

On Sunday, hundreds of people responded to the challenge to put away their idols and realign their lifestyles in order to serve the Lord with authenticity this year. It isn't about the preacher(s) or the church. It's all about God and serving Him with authenticity.

What a way to end 2007! Moving into 2008 with a group of people who are positioning their lives to authentically serve the Lord is beyond exciting. For many, this is a major turning point in their lives. How appropriate it is that Clay will be kicking off 2008 with a series entitled "Turning Point."

Ready for 2008!

Celebrate in 2008

2007-12-22T11:54:00.000-05:00

I can't help but anticipate great things in 2008. If we truly believe and act upon the fact that God's Word has answers to our wishes and desires, we will see God show His faithfulness. One verse keeps coming to my mind at this time:

"Then the word of the LORD came to Jeremiah the second time, while he was still confined in the court of the guard, saying, 'Thus says the LORD who made the earth, the LORD who formed it to establish it, the LORD is His name, 'Call to Me, and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know." Jeremiah 33:1-3 NASB

Check out the phrases, "while he was still confined", "the Lord who made the earth . .", "call on me and I will answer you." Ever feel confined in the court of this world? Have you considered Who we are dealing with? Where do you turn when you need answers? If we googled God's Word as much as we google the Internet we would find "great and mighty" answers.

We may have limited vision, God does not. We may have limited wisdom, God does not. We may have limited resources, God does not. We struggle for answers to life's challenges. God says if we will call on Him, He has the answers.

The "Wish" series has called us to trust God in a way that will totally change our lives and the world around us. We are right on the mark with our vision of "changing lives that change the world."

You don't want to miss the last two challenges of the series. If you can't come to church, check it out on the website.

Celebrating.

Adjust or Do It Differently?

2007-12-20T19:11:00.000-05:00

I love "wow" moments. Those times when something becomes so clear that you are almost embarrassed for not having seen it before. It's almost as amazing as those patterns you stare at that turn into detailed 3-D images.

Yesterday I had one of those moments in Mac Lake's office. Clay NeSmith, Joel Wilson and I went down to see Mac for some wisdom on better development of our Community Groups. We went away with a whole new way of looking at small group and leadership development. It was one of the most exciting paradigm shifts that I have made in a long time. Mac had gone back to the Ephesians 4:11 & 12. (The Bible is a good place to go when things don't seem to be working.)

In it he found the key to a process of perpetual leadership training that blows my mind in its simplicity and effectiveness.

Leaders are not people who improve upon things that are not working correctly while accepting less than desired outcomes. Leaders are people who expect the desired outcome and are willing to totally break away from the traditional way of addressing the problem in order to achieve it. They search the Scriptures until they yield up their wisdom and instruction.

We are just finishing up our "Wish" series. The big idea is: "People have wishes. God's Word has answers." Question: Do you wish things were different in your life or ministry? Search the Scriptures until they yield up what you are looking for.

I am so . . . . . looking forward to 2008! Have a blessed and joyous Christmas season.

A Real Team Player

2007-12-18T19:22:00.000-05:00

I wouldn't call myself a football fan, but I do enjoy a good game. Being from southeastern Pennsylvania, I became interested in the showdown between the Eagles and Cowboys on Monday night. It was an ok game and I cheered for the underdog Eagles.

With just over two minutes left in the game, I witnessed one of the most unusual moments I have ever seen in football. Brian Westbrook, running back for the Eagles, broke out with a twenty-four yard run toward the end zone. One yard from the end-zone he dropped his knee to the ground and the Eagles took possession at the one yard line. The Eagle's quarterback took the snap and let the clock run out, assuring Philadelphia the win.

Fantasy football fans are still upset! Westbrook denied himself a touchdown on his personal stat report and denied fantasy football players the points they could have received in their crucial 15th week battle. He also assured his team the win. He prevented the Cowboys from getting possession of the ball by eating up the time rather than stopping the clock with a touchdown, kicking the extra point and then kicking the ball back to the Cowboys.

Apparently Westbrook wasn't thinking about his personal stats. He was thinking about how great it would be for the Eagles to beat the Cowboys. He could have a personal victory and risk a team loss or he could take a personal loss and assure a team victory. In this day of career athletes it was refreshing to see a true team player.

Sort of reminds me of Philippians 2:3-4. "Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind let each of you regard one another as more important than himself; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others ."

As we begin 2008, I pray that the success of the team takes precedence over personal accomplishment in the church. Need more conviction read on down to verse 18.

Looking forward to 2008!

What Does a Christian Look Like?

2007-12-16T17:32:00.000-05:00

"You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. For the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith toward God has gone forth, so that we have no need to say anything. For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come." 1 Thessalonians 1:6-10 NASB

These Christians had such an outstanding testimony that Paul didn't have to say anything about what happened when he took the Gospel to them. The evidence was obvious. This is one of the simplest descriptions of what a Christian looks like.

A Christian is someone who worships God and not the idols that the world is seeking. They serve God. They become kingdom builders rather than earthly dwellers. They live life in anticipation of the literal return of Jesus Christ.

A Christian looks like someone with a new focus (God), a new lifestyle (serving God) and a new hope (Christ's return). These traits of conversion go beyond dress and religious activity. When the world looks at us, is this what they see? Is the fruit of the Gospel so obvious in our lives that "it speaks for itself"?

Just Thinking

Watch God Work

2007-12-14T16:00:00.000-05:00

I'm making my way back home. I finally have access to the Internet and am beginning my re-entry preparations. One of the things that has been on my mind and in my prayers has been the need to put 4.5 tons of canned food in a pod that is parked in front of our church. When I left, there might have been 400 lbs tucked in the corner. We really asked our people to stretch during this holiday season! I confessed to the Lord that our planning may not have been the best but His name was on the project and His people were engaged. I knew this was going to be an opportunity for God to show up big-time. And He did!

Our student pastor, Chris, had the students pull together an offering to purchase canned goods. They collected $200. While they were checking out at the grocery store, a man asked what they were doing and was moved to give them another $500 to get some more. God tells us to bring what we have and He will show up with what we need. I pray this is a life-changing event for our students!

One man brought a half ton of food in his pickup, which caused another group to do likewise. When I called today, I was told that we now have over 3 tons of food and Sunday is still coming. The best way we can provoke others to good works is to step out ourselves. That truckload of food did a truckload of ministry beyond providing food for Helping Hand.

Service in the name of the Lord gives God a showcase and gives His children a grow-place. Want to get involved in what God is doing? Bring an arm-load, trunk-load or truckload of canned goods to the church before Sunday night. Monday, the pod will be delivered to North Strand Helping Hand.

Rejoicing!

It's Monday and Sunday is Coming

2007-12-10T21:53:00.000-05:00

Did you ever start one of those weeks that lays out before you in such a way that the light at the end of the tunnel is the next worship service? As I write this blog I am sitting in the Myrtle Beach airport waiting for my 8:55pm flight to leave for Atlantic City. The flight is now scheduled to leave at 10:25. The people who were going to pick me up at 10:00 in Atlantic City have put a car in the parking lot and gone home.

My mother is scheduled to have a serious surgery on Tuesday morning in Reading, Pennsylvania. I found a cheap flight on Spirit Airlines and will have to drive a couple hours after landing to get to her place.

It seems like a long time since I woke up this morning to a new day, with new Scripture, and new blogs. I was really blessed and challenged by Flamingo's podcast! (Check out Monday's.) Leaders need to check this one out. It was interesting to find that Clay chose to use the same podcast at our leaders meeting.

We separated the Chirstmas gifts piled up in the lobby and sent 46 of them off to a local elementary school to fulfil the wishes of many boys and girls whose parents were struggling this year to buy their children gifts. Another 100 gifts will go out next Monday.

Cars came and went with canned goods for our effort to provide North Strand Helping Hand with 4.5 tons of food. We have really pushed the envelope this year as our church stepped up to the plate (or maybe the cross) to deliver funds for 200 turkeys for needy families at Thanksgiving, gifts for 146 children for Christmas and now 4.5 tons of canned food to warm the bellies of hungry people this year.

A female officer from our local police department was sent to investigate our ministry to battered women, which w. . . . . .

Opps! The plane came while I was in the middle of that thought. It is now Thursday morning and this is the first time I've had access to the Internet. I finally reached my mom's house at 2:00am and got up at 5:00am to take her to the hospital. Her surgery was difficult, but she seems to be through the worst and may be moved out of intensive care today. I have been learning a lot about patience, while still looking forward, more than ever, to the weekend.

This morning has been crammed with e-mail catchup, preparation to go to the hospital, and the continuation of projects for Gospelink and the church. Tomorrow I will visit the hospital in the morning and then relocate to New Jersey in preparation for an early morning departure back to Myrtle Beach. Hopefully there will be no delays. I have a meeting that afternoon with the board at the church concerning two budgets that represent two of the ministries I will be focused on in 2008.

Sunday is coming!

Framework for Teamwork

2007-12-05T19:05:00.000-05:00

Wow! It's been a whole week since my last blog! Time is flying. Things are happening! Days are busy.

We have reached a point in ministry where we are seeing leaders surface and people showing up on the playing field. This is a result of moving people to service. The saints are being equipped for the work of the ministry. (Ephesians 4) It becomes increasingly evident that in order to have an effective team we must have a framework or structure that enables people to function as a team.

The tension lies in the tendency to create a group of silos that are independently focused on their particular ministry instead of group of squads, who, although they specialize in certain areas, are all serving on the same team with the same goal. A squad focuses on a certain aspect of the game. Each squad has positions that focus on certain aspects of the squad's needs. The purpose of each squad is to assist the team in winning the game.

The silo effect in organizational structure takes place when each group is focused only on the advancement and success of their area of responsibility. There is very little horizontal communication between departments and a sense of competition over resources and recognition emerges. Initially, the work is accomplished and appears to be organized. A spirit of "team" is even present, but without the horizontal communication between department leaders and the proper framework for teamwork it will soon erode to a dysfunctional group that keeps leaders busy putting out fires and mediating internal problems.

The paradigm held by second and third tier leadership is key to preventing silo-ing and to creating a powerful team of effective squads. Horizontal communication, cooperation and coordination between leaders is vital to a framework for teamwork.

Just Thinking

Report for Duty

2007-11-28T09:11:00.000-05:00

God has called us to service. Most people do not argue with that statement, but I believe we have a very narrow way of looking at service. I'm really trying to see what serving the Lord looks like.

Joshua challenged his generation with this:
"Now, therefore, fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and truth; and put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD . And if it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD , choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD ." Joshua 24:14-15 NASB

It seems like Joshua is saying we are going to serve something or someone. It's not a question of whether you will serve, but rather who you will serve.

Paul said that serving was a part of the testimony of the Christians at Thessalonica. "For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who delivers us from the wrath to come. 1 Thessalonians 1:9-109 NASB

They were serving with an anticipation of Christ's return. I was interested this morning in what Steve Furtick had to say. He has some interesting insight into what it means to serve the Lord.

Check out: Colossians 3:23-25. " Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men; knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve. NASB

This would lead me to believe that serving the Lord is more than just volunteering at church or in the community. It is more than vocational Christianity. Serving is the natural lifestyle of God's children. When we do what we ought to, in the way we ought to do it, as though it is the Lord we are doing it for, we are serving the Lord.

Question: Do we do everything we do as servants of the Lord or do we do it because of men? Maybe we would face each day more "heartily" if we were reporting to the Lord instead of men. Every morning when we awake, the Lord is calling out, "REPORT FOR DUTY."

What do you think?

Sowing and Reaping

2007-11-25T18:25:00.000-05:00

What a great weekend! The finale of the Ultimate Chef was awesome. We are turned loose as a bunch of Gospel chef's to season our world with the good news of redemption. We are going to see a lot of seasoning taking place during our next series. Can't wait!

As we looked at John 4 this morning, I was intrigued by the series of events that evolved from Jesus sharing the Gospel with the woman at the well. Check this out:

Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to accomplish His work. Do you not say, 'There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes, and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest. Already he who reaps is receiving wages, and is gathering fruit for life eternal; that he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. For in this case the saying is true, 'One sows and another reaps.' I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labor."
And from that city many of the Samaritans believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, "He told me all the things that I have done." So when the Samaritans came to Him, they were asking Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. And many more believed because of His word; and they were saying to the woman, "It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world." John 4:34-42 NASB

When Jesus told the disciples to "look up and see the whitened fields" they were witnessing the crowd of white-robed Samaritans coming out of the city in search of the Messiah that the woman told them she had encountered. Here was an opportunity to reap where the woman had sown. As Jesus said, "For in this case the saying is true, One sows and another reaps."

Our church is located in a tourist area. I talked with a couple today that come to church whenever they are in town. We are sowing into the lives of people who return home where someone else may reap. We have people come into our midst who are searching for something that someone else sowed into their lives and we have the privilege of reaping.

Ultimately it is the Lord who is at work. At some point, "It is no longer because of what a person has said or done, but it is because people encounter the Lord Himself, who is indeed the Savior of the world." Look at John 4:42 again.

It is great to reap, but it is just as great to sow. If we really look around us, we will see that there are opportunities everywhere. In some situations we sow seed into someone's life and in other cases we have the privilege of reaping where someone else has sown.

Let's rejoice together in God's harvest. That's my Wish.