Category Archives: Leadership

Preaching is an A.R.T.

13 Tuesday Nov 2018

Posted by in Church, Discipleship, Gospel, Leadership, Ministry; Leadership;, Preaching, Service, Uncategorized

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I don’t know what comes to your mind when you hear the word “art,” but I tend to think of paintings like the Mona Lisa. But art is much broader than paintings. Of course, the always trustworthy Wikipedia defines art as “a diverse range of human activities in creating visual, auditory or performing artifacts, expressing the author’s imaginative, conceptual idea, or technical skill, intended to be appreciated for their beauty or emotional power.” Thus, art includes activities such as designing, acting, writing, and speaking.

Church leader, have you ever stopped to consider that preaching (or teaching) is an art.

Preaching the Word is a similar activity to that of Shakespeare writing Hamlet, Van Gogh painting The Starry Night, Gaudi constructing the Sagrada Familia, Mozart composing Symphony No. 40, or Andrea Bocelli singing Con Te Partiro.

In this brief post, I want to share with you how I approach the A.R.T. of Preaching.

A–stands for AIM. When I am crafting a message I always have gospel-transformation as my aim. I’m praying that Jesus transforms the hearts of the people who sit under the teaching of His Word. To arrive at gospel-transformation, I think of the information/truth of the text, the audience I’ll be communicating to, and how to apply that truth to the heart of the listener. If you are a formula or math person, think of it this way:

Truth + Relationship + Application = Transformation

R–stands for RHYTHYM. I have initiated a preaching rhythm (or calendar) over the years. At the beginning of each year I start with a mini-series to set the tone and direction for the church. This past year, I began with the series, “A New Thing” given that we were about to launch our one–three-year strategic plan called Project New Thing. For the spring I go through a book of the Bible—verse by verse/chapter by chapter. However, I take a small break for Easter where I begin a series on Easter Sunday in hopes of creating an on-ramp to entice the “Chreasters” to finish out the series. I then go back to the book series until the summer.

In the summer—particularly June and July—we have our cultural engagement series. In June, we have our T.E.D. (Theological. Educational. Discussions) series, which is designed to help Christians think biblically about topics relevant to our culture. In July, we have our A&E (Arts and Entertainment) series. Here’s the synopsis of this series:

Did you know the movies and songs our culture creates serve as a cultural anthropology and theology? In other words, they depict what we believe about man and God. Thus, they speak to our hopes, fears, dreams, aspirations, longings, desires, hurts, heartaches, pain, and suffering as human beings. As Christ followers who live in the world but are not to be of the world—and who are called to reach those far from Jesus—it is important that we know (or exegete) the culture and context that God has planted us so that we can better communicate the truth of God’s word in the heart language of the culture.

When school is back in session and we have entered into the fall, the preaching rhythm includes topical series that would apply to families or individuals. I’ve done series like, “How to Lose Your Family in 10 Easy Ways,” “Sticks and Stones: The Power of Words,” and “Scared to Death: Moving from Fear to Faith.” These fall series are designed to teach people what the Bible says systematically about topics relevant to our lives. Finally, I conclude December with a Christmas series.

For me, this rhythm is helpful for a few reasons. First, it keeps the preaching fresh. I don’t feel like I get in a rut. Second, it creates on-ramps for new people. By having a few breaks throughout the year in beginning new series, it gives our people an opportunity to invite people to something “new.” Third, it tries—to a degree–to be all things to all people. In other words, it seeks to be diverse, as some people like preaching that goes through a book of the Bible; some people like short 3–5-week series; and some people are really interested in knowing what the Bible says about a certain topic. This rhythm seeks to give a little something for everyone.

For those who don’t like a certain series, I tell them to wait for the next—for not every series will be a home run in everybody’s eyes.

T–stands for TECHNIQUE(S). The word technique is defined as “a way of carrying out a particular task—especially applied to the realm of artistic work or scientific procedures.” Applied to the art of preaching what kind of technique or techniques are appropriate? Now while my rhythm consists of topical series and book studies, I almost always use the technique of expository preaching.* Here are some definitions of expository preaching:

  • EP “is the contemporization of the central proposition of a biblical text that is derived from proper methods of interpretation [proper exegesis] and declared through effective means of communication to inform minds, instruct hearts, and influence behavior towards godliness” (Ramesh Richard, Preparing Expository Sermons, 19).
  • EP is a more or less extended portion of Scripture being interpreted in relation to one theme or subject where the bulk of the material for the sermon is drawn directly from the passage and the outline consists of a series of progressive ideas centered around that one main idea (James Braga, How to Prepare Bible Messages, 53).
  • EP “begins with a substantial passage of Scripture and allows the principal thoughts of that passage to become the outline for development and the basis for application.” (Edwin V. Hayden, “What is Expository Preaching?”, Preach the Word, 1–2).
  • EP “is the communication of a biblical concept, derived from and transmitted through a historical, grammatical, and literary study of a passage in its context, which the Holy Spirit first applies to the personality of the preacher, then through him to hearers” (Haddon Robinson, Biblical Preaching, 20).

To put in my own words:

Expository preaching is doing exegetical and Christocentric (gospel-centered) work to lift out the main idea of a text and to craft it in such a way as to teach the truth of God’s word in a faithful and culturally relevant way in order that the hearers might know how to apply the transforming truth of God to their lives.

While this is predominantly the technique I apply to crafting my messages, I do implement a variety of other techniques in my delivery. I’ll use props, word pictures, humor, personal stories, images, pictures, clips from movies or sitcom scenes, etc. I’ve gleaned a lot from books such as The Power of Multi-Sensory Preaching and Teachingby Rick Blackwood and Talk Like Ted: The 9 Public-Speaking Secrets of the World’s Top Mindsby Carmine Gallo.

In addition, depending on how the Spirit crafts the message in my heart and mind will shape the way in which I deliver the points. In other words, while I always have a main point that I aim to flesh out from the passage, I develop my subpoints differently. For instance, I might develop my subpoints in the form of questions like, “1. What is God’s mission for marriage? 2. How do couples faithfully execute the mission? 3. Why does it matter?” Other times, my subpoints might try and be catchy phrases like, “Wounding words should come from faithful friends; You are what you speak; Cloaking daggers in playful words can be hurtful to others; etc.”

When it comes to delivery, I’m always seeking the most effective way to communicate the truth in a meaningful and retentive way. I believe that we can (and should) use a variety of techniques to communicate God’s divinely inspired word. In fact, that is the way God had His Word written. There are various genres (narrative, apocalyptic, prose, etc.) and languages (Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek) that God used across the millennia to communicate His Word to the original context.

In conclusion, the history of the world has been mesmerized and influenced by some of the most brilliant artists in their field. And it is time that church leaders, pastors, and teachers realize that we are artists too—for preaching is an A.R.T. In fact…

I believe preaching is one of the most important art forms out there, for in what we craft on a daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly basis has the potential to bring life, community, and even world transformation!

 

*I do believe there are times where it is appropriate to do topical sermons that serve as more of a systematic study on a topic.

U.N.I.T.Y

05 Monday Nov 2018

Posted by in Christian Life, Church, Discipleship, Leadership, Ministry; Leadership;, Mission, Uncategorized

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I don’t follow the NBA like I did when I was in high school. In those days the players and teams to watch were the LA Lakers with Magic Johnson, Boston Celtics with Larry Bird, and the Chicago Bulls with Michael Jordan. Today it is LeBron James (now) with the LA Lakers, Anthony Davis with the New Orleans Pelicans, and Stephen Curry with the Golden State Warriors. With regard to the Golden State Warriors and Stephen Curry, what has been impressive to watch is how they’ve been to the last three NBA finals—winning two of them. And it seems by the start of this season it could be trip number four.

How do teams like the Golden State Warriors and others make it to the top? It’s not just on talent. That’s clear with the struggling LA Lakers who acquired LeBron James in the off season. Just because there are five talented players on the court doesn’t necessarily equal victory. In sports, people talk about team chemistry.

It takes the right chemistry to concoct a team victory.  

In other organizational realms like businesses, nonprofits, and churches, the word that it used most often—rather than chemistry—is unity. Without unity, teams are weak. Without unity, teams do not maximize results. In fact, according to Jesus—in the context of praying for His followers and future followers—unity was quintessential to what He and the Father were aiming to accomplish. Jesus prays, “Father, protect them by your name that you have given me, so that they may be one as we are one” (John 17:11). Jesus prays something very similar later, but in regard to future followers (John 17:20–23).

Why did Jesus pray for oneness, or unity? So that the world may know Jesus! In other words, missional effectiveness is tied to corporate oneness. This truth applies across the board to any organization or team.

Without corporate oneness, churches will not experience missional effectiveness.

So, what does unity look like? I created an acrostic to help us think through unity and the various elements of unity that come together to create corporate oneness.

U—      Understand your Purpose

If a team is going to embody unity, they need to unite around a common purpose. Without a common purpose, goal, or mission the team is left with the potential of moving in various directions. When a team moves in various directions no movement or traction is made.

N—      Note that it’s not about me, but we

If a team is going to embody unity, they need to check their egos at the door. Team isn’t about me, it’s about we! In Christian circles, church isn’t about me or necessarily we, it’s about HE! Thus, we don’t waltz into a locker room, conference room, or church belting out commands about what we want to see, what we want to do.

I—       Identify roles and responsibility to fulfill purpose

If a team is going to embody unity, they need to identify the various roles and responsibilities of the players and team members that will come together and fulfill the mission of the team or organization. This is more vital than it may come across. Scripture teaches about how the church is one body with many members. Thus, if the feet, hands, and eyes don’t understand their role and responsibilities you have one jacked up body that’s dysfunctional. With sports teams the identification of roles and responsibilities are called the playbook; in business circles it’s called the by-laws and policy manuals, along with organizational charts; in church circles it’s called the Bible along with documentation (by-laws and org charts) that describes how the church is organized around the truth of Scripture to fulfill the mandate of making disciples of all nations. If you don’t identify roles and responsibilities to fulfill your purpose, you’re winging it. Those who wing it, [typically] don’t win!

T—      Trust the process

If a team is going to embody unity and corporate oneness, they will need to trust the process. Everything up until this point—uniting around a purpose or mission; noting that it’s not about me, but we; and identifying the roles and responsibilities to fulfill the purpose—is part of creating clarity and alignment for your team or organization. Once you’ve secured those, then you institute a process of moving towards the desired goal. Sure, you will have to make tweaks here and there, but overall you must trust the process. This is especially true for churches. Churches are notorious for trying something for only a few months and then changing because they didn’t see the desired results. The truth of the matter is that clarity and consistency over time lead to celebratory or cultural change.

Y—      Yield to the movement of the Spirit

If a team is going to embody unity, they will need to yield to the movement of the Spirit. In sports and business environments we call it riding the waves of success. This is where teams and businesses hit their stride and they do all they can to stay in their prime at the top. This requires great commitment and effort. Slacking and goofing off is prohibited—especially if they want to stay in the zone and on top. In the church world, riding the waves of success is really the movement of the Spirit in the vein of multiplying and making disciples. It is in this zone where churches can either choose to move at the speed of committee or move at the speed of the Spirit. In other words, they can choose to stifle the movement and momentum of the Spirit of God and where He wants to take a church, or they can choose to fan the movement and momentum of the Spirit. But this will require commitment, effort, a release of control, and a lot of faith.

In closing, Acts 2 gives us a glimpse of what churches can experience when they embody U.N.I.T.Y. As the believers devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and to one another; as they lived a life centered around He and we—not me; as they moved and operated within the confines of their roles and responsibilities in the body of Christ, serving the needs of one another; and as they trusted the process and movement of God’s Spirit among them; “Every day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47b). Dear church leaders, we too can experience a sort of NBA final-like environment with regard to missional effectiveness, but it will require corporate oneness, aka—U.N.I.T.Y.!

Bringing O.R.D.E.R. To Chaos

15 Monday Oct 2018

Posted by in Christian Life, Church, Discipleship, Leadership, Ministry; Leadership;, Uncategorized

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My wife has a phrase she uses to describe what she does as a mother (and as my wife). The phrase she shares with others is, “All I do is manage chaos.” With our three children’s educational, recreational, and relational schedules, along with her vocation, in addition to my duties and obligations as a lead pastor, our church commitments, and our pursuits to connect with other individuals and couples—we are constantly running. Thus, you could understand how my wife could utter the phrase, “All I do is manage chaos.” But, truth be known, she doesn’t just manage our familial chaos, she’s incredibly gifted in that God uses her to order our chaos.

I think many pastors and church leaders feel a lot like my wife when it comes to church matters—they are simply managing chaos. A simple definition of chaos is, “A lack of order; or, a state of extreme confusion and disorder.” Living in, or even feeling like you are managing, chaos is not fun. Chaos can be overwhelming and exhausting. Chaos can leave us frustrated and discouraged. Chaos can lead us spiraling further into a dark hole of hopelessness and despair.

What if I told you that not all chaos is bad? In fact, when we begin reading the very first chapter of the Bible, we learn that God started with chaos. In verse 2, after God created the heavens and the earth, we read “Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness covered the surface of the watery depths….” And we know what happened from there—God brought order to that which was in chaos. Therefore, not all chaos is bad chaos.

In fact, if God started with chaos to bring about order, then chaos is part of the process of any life, organization, or church on their journey to order, functionality, and flourishing. What does it look like to image God in bringing order to chaos? Think O.R.D.E.R.

  • Objective

To bring order to chaos you’ll need to know the overall objective. In other words, you need to know and be able to see the big picture. God was able to bring order to chaos because He knew what the finished product was supposed to look like. If churches are going to bring that which is chaotic into order, functionality, and flourishing, then they are going to have to understand what the complete picture is supposed to look like. If you don’t aim at anything you will hit nothing every time.

  • Reason

To bring order to chaos you’ll need reason. In other words, you will need discernment and judgment to know the kind of framework and environments you need for the objective—for the mission, life, and discipleship—to flourish. God brought order to chaos because He had thought through the kind of environments He needed to place the sun, moon, and stars; the kind of environments He needed to place birds and sea creatures; and the kind of environment He needed to place animals, bugs, and people. In short, God knew what He wanted to create and thus had analyzed the kind of environments that were needed in order for life to function and flourish.

  • Decisions

To bring order to chaos you’ll need to be able to make decisive decisions. Because God knew what the big picture looked like and had reasoned what He needed to do to accomplish the big picture, He was able to make decisions with clarity and decisiveness. One of the things I have seen, over the years, that holds back churches from bringing order, functionality, and flourishing is the ability to make decisive decisions and to stick with them. Keep in mind that the decisions you make today should be sustainable for tomorrow. In other words, decisions that bring order to chaos are ones that are based upon the overall objective and what is needed to accomplish it.

  • Empower

To bring order to chaos you’ll need to empower others. God enlisted humanity and empowered them to fulfill His objective. In verses 26–28 we see God’s overall objective being extended to mankind. He had created mankind in His image and tasked them with being fruitful, multiplying, and filling the earth as well as subduing the ground and exercising dominion. As man fulfilled what God had empowered them to do, they would have been used to fulfill God’s main objective—to create a people for Himself that reflected His glory throughout planet earth. To truly establish order, functionality, and flourishing, you’ll need to empower!

  • Rest

To bring order to chaos you’ll need to rest. On the seventh day God rested. And He was able to rest because He had brought order to that which—at one point–was in chaos. The clearest sign that you have brought order to chaos is the ability to rest, enjoy, and celebrate what has transpired.

Maybe you’re a church planter, a church leader, or a pastor, and things in your opinion are out of control and chaotic. And you feel as though the church is stalled and spinning its wheels. Let me encourage you—don’t fret! Take a deep breath and go to work just like God did and bring O.R.D.E.R. to chaos. And in the power of both the Logos and Spirit of God, you too can look back on God’s work and see that what He can do through you is very good! So, don’t manage chaos…O.R.D.E.R. it!

A Community of Spotters

01 Monday Oct 2018

Posted by in Christian Life, Church, Discipleship, Leadership, Ministry; Leadership;, Uncategorized

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I’m a disciplined person when it comes to working out. I joke around with my wife that I am a #ringcloser. While the bulk of my workouts mainly consist of cardio, I often lift weights to keep my muscles toned.

In the past, when I wanted to build muscle, I put more weights (and resistance) on the bar. But, when it came to chest presses and similar lifting, I dared not attempt to lift such weights without a spotter. I can’t tell you how many times I laid down on the bench, lifted up to grab the weights, taken a couple of deep breaths, and begun the bench set thinking to myself, “This is easy!” I’ve thought that until I reached the seventh or eighth rep where the weights feel heavier, my arms have lost their feeling, and I’m left straining to lift the bar. That’s where my spotter came to my aid. As I strained to lift the bar, my spotter would gently grab under the bar helping me lift it back to its station. There have been many times where the bar would have crushed my chest if it were not for my spotter.

In Exodus 17:8–6, we come across two spotters that helped Moses lift the staff of God so that the people of God would be victorious over the enemy of God. Having been delivered from bondage in Egypt, the freed Israelites—on their way to the Promised Land—are attacked by the Amalekites, lifelong foes of Israel. At this point in Israel’s life, they have never had to fight a battle. Thus, they aren’t battle-ready—nor can they watch a YouTube video on war tactics.

Moses, however, knew the key to victory; it was the staff of God. Remember the history of the staff? It was used to confirm Moses’ call; to bring the plagues on Egypt; to part the Red Sea; to return the Red Sea to its normal state, crushing the Egyptian army; and it was used to strike the rock to bring water to the grumbling Israelites. Now, it would be used to fight and win a battle. Thus, if Moses could hold up the staff of God—representing the presence, power, provision, promises, and judgements of God—he knew Israel would win, for the staff (as we learn at the end of the passage) connected the people of God to the very throne of God.

Church leader, we are caught up in a cosmic war where our battles are “against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against evil, spiritual forces in the heavens” (Eph 6:12–13). These forces come against us to rob us of God’s blessings as well as attempt to thwart God’s mission and promises in our life. Thus, we must never forget, the key to victory is touching the throne of God—being connected to the very rule and reign of God where He showers us with His presence, power, provision, promises, and judgements. And the only way to connect to God’s throne today, is not by a staff, but by confessing, speaking, claiming, praying, obeying, and lifting high the name of Jesus.

As you lead your churches, I’m a huge proponent for vision, systems, structures, and strategies for how to wage battle on the enemy. But, a disconnect from God’s throne leaves one to fend off the enemy all alone.

While connecting to the throne of God was the means of Israel’s victory, a community of spotters was the mode of victory. Moses couldn’t keep the staff lifted for the amount of time needed, thus he needed Aaron and Hur to help raise his hands to keep the connection to the throne intact. It is my belief, having served churches for almost two decades, one of the biggest reasons why most churches are losing ground to the enemy is because of a lack of spotters to rally around God-sent, God-ordained, God-called leaders to raise the banner of Christ for the glory and mission of God. In fact, rather than rallying together to lift the banner, there’s typically disagreement and discouragement on how the banner is being raised. Thus, churches spend more time internally fighting one another over tertiary issues and not much time fighting the enemy.

In closing, churches that fail to have a community of spotters working alongside planters, pastors, and other church leaders to hold high the name of Jesus, will typically find themselves being crushed by the weights of pride and self-centeredness. But, churches that have a community of spotters helping planters, pastors, and other church leaders hold high the name of Jesus—thus being willing to do whatever it takes to engage in the mission of God—will find themselves victorious by savoring the blessings of Christ, soul-winning in the name of Christ, and pushing back darkness for the glory of Christ.

Experiencing the Millennials through Passion 2017

09 Monday Jan 2017

Posted by in Christian Life, Church, Discipleship, Leadership, Mission, Uncategorized

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This past week my wife and I took a few college students and young singles to Passion Conference 2017. While we have frequented Passion City Church in the past and have followed the Passion Movement for quite some time, this was our first experience in the environment. While there was much to takeaway—like feeling the need to go buy some jeans with holes in the knees, or rethinking dinner when 55,000 students and young singles are sent out to eat—I jotted three things down in my Moleskine that God placed on my heart during the conference.

  1. Millennials seem to flourish when people faithfully invest in them.

Passion Conference, or the Passion Movement was birthed in the heart of Louie and Shelley Giglio and began in 1997 with somewhere between two and three thousand students. Twenty years later that number has grown to over 55,000. And if you think about the number of students that have been influenced and impacted by Passion (not on the conferences, but the music, and resources) within that twenty-year period, I’m sure that it’s in the millions.

As I observed the students within the three days, including the ones that we brought, there seemed to be an appreciation and reception for the older generation investing in them. When the older generation turns behind to pour their life into the generations behind them, those generations tend to flourish. For instance, the psalmist (in a few places) talks about the desire to invest and tell other generations about the greatness of God. In Psalm 71 he writes, “So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come.” He also writes in Psalm 78:4, “We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done.”

Biblically and generally speaking, when the older generation intentionally invested in the coming generation, telling them about the Lord and His greatness, they (the younger generation) typically experienced flourishing.

However, if you read Judges 2, you’ll find that an older generation forgot or neglected to invest in the younger generation, which became detrimental to the Israelite people. Judges 2:10 notes, “And all that generation also were gathered to their fathers [along with Joshua]. And there arose another generation after them who did not know the Lord or the work that he had done for Israel.” There seems to be negligence on the older generation’s part investing in the coming generation. As a result, the coming generation floundered, not flourished.

  1. Millennials seem to have a hunger and passion for substance.

One of the aspects that I loved about Passion was the music. The music was phenomenal as the artists and leaders lead with authenticity, energy, and passion (no pun intended). In addition, the songs they sang seemed to flow from a wrestling with and embracement of the truth of God’s word. As they led, regardless of the song, I witnessed a generation lifting their hands to the sky as if they were pledging their lives to the truth contained within the songs.

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I know that young people are making some of the most important decisions of their life—many of whom come from difficult, broken, damaged, and dark environments. In their stage of life, they are choosing their friends, who they will be, where they will go to school, what they will study, the field in which they will work, and who they will marry. With these things swirling around their hearts and minds, I believe there is something going on within young people—maybe more inherent rather than cognitive—that craves substance, craves hope, craves truth, and craves an anchor for their lives. You can see that hunger and passion as they extend their hands and hearts towards heaven praising, glorifying, and worshipping Christ with every ounce of energy and emotion they have.

  1. Millennials have the potential for great and deep impact in the world.

Jesus had twelve disciples whom He chose to invest in, and whom He would send out into the world. In addition, after His ascension, there were 120 in the upper room waiting on the Holy Spirit so that they could embark on Christ’s mission. If you think about it, as few as 12 or as many as 120 people went on to change the course of world history.

Those who sold all to follow Jesus, died to self, and offered their bodies as living sacrifices to be filled by the Spirit and who were spent for the glory of Christ went on to infect and impact the world.

A few times throughout the conference, during times when the Georgia Dome was dark, the students would turn the lights of their smartphones on and point them outward—bringing light to a dark dome. As they did this, it was a vivid reminder that we are the light of Christ shining in the dark world. Not only this, it was also a reminder of the power of the church standing together shining the light of Christ, for when the majority of students turned their little phone light on, holding it up for all to see, the whole Georgia Dome became lit.

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If Jesus went on to change the course of world history through 120, He can (and wants to) change the course of the 21st Century and beyond. In fact, anytime Jesus moved in history it usually could be traced back to young adults who were sold out to the glory and good news of Christ.

Can you imagine what God could do with just the 55,000 students and young singles who gathered in the Georgia Dome?

Add to that number all the students and young singles who weren’t there, but who are just as appreciative and receptive to being invested in, who are just as hungry and passionate about truth? The reality is, there would be a massive tidal wave that collided with the 21st Century here on planet earth.

In short, God through these three things confirmed why Joannie and I have a heart for the coming generation. So, to put our hands where are hearts are, we want to personally invest in this generation. In doing so, we are beginning a College and Young Singles Ministry (along with Brian and Carla Combs) at Springdale. Our desire and vision is to see a vibrant, reproductive, missional ministry of college and young single who serve as ministry and mission catalysts for Springdale. If you are a college student or young single, or know of one, keep your ears open for what’s coming down the pipeline!

Gospel-Centered Parenting Made Easy

24 Tuesday May 2016

Posted by in Christian Life, Family, Gospel, Leadership, Uncategorized

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In our culture we are constantly looking for something to make life easier. We are looking for a communication device that makes communication easier. We are looking for a car that makes transportation easier. We are looking for a self-help book that gives counsel and advice that makes life—in a particular area—easier. And so when it comes to parenting or the functionality of family, there are people that are looking for a way to make it easier. In fact, a book that comes to mind is Kevin Leman’s book, Have a New Kid by Friday. Wow, any book whose title promises to give you a new child by Friday (especially when it’s already Tuesday afternoon) must have some principles that can be easily applied to make parenting easier J.

This past Sunday at Springdale we addressed gospel-centered parenting (or families) from Deuteronomy 6. (You can view the message here). Now I admit, the title of this blog is a little bit confusing and misleading because gospel-centered parenting, as we learned this past Sunday, is anything but easy. In fact, in our own power it is impossible. Studying for the message on gospel-centered parenting made it quite clear that I often fail miserably.

Although it is impossible to be a gospel-centered person, parent, or family without daily surrendering to King Jesus and asking the Spirt of God to fill us, there are some things we can practically do that can make the pursuit of gospel centrality easier.

  1. Give yourselves grace, because God does. I think many parents put so much pressure on themselves to be a perfect parent that when they fail they beat themselves up. Maybe they let their anger get the best of them and go off on their child, and then for the rest of the day (or week) they constantly tell themselves that they’re such a horrible parent. Joannie and I call these times, Parent-Fail—times where we just blow it. And here’s the truth parents—and this goes for those who aren’t even parents—we will blow it! It’s a given. Although “positionally” in Christ, God sees us as perfect, practically (in practice) we are in the sanctification process of being conformed in the image of Christ. Also, I want to give a quick word to those parents who may have grown children. I know there are many parents with grown children who may not have known Christ when their child(ren) were under their roof, or who may not have been the gospel-centered parent they should have been. If that’s you, please know that God loves you and that His grace is sufficient for not only you, but your children. No matter how bad you blow it, or think you blow it, God loves you! He loves you despite your faults, failures, and imperfections. So, don’t beat yourself up over something that it is in the past. As Paul shares with believers in Philippians, “[forget] what lies behind and [strain] forward to what lies ahead…” (Phil 3:13). You cannot go back in time and change what is done. Thus, allow God’s grace to cover you.
  2. Give Him your worry or concern. The Bible teaches us not to worry (Matt 6:25). Obviously that’s easier said than done—especially with regards to our children. We constantly worry. Parents worry about their child’s health; their friends; their academics; bullies (or them being a bully); their future; the [chaotic] world and them living in it; and their safety and security. In short, parents can be the quintessential worry wort. And I get it since I am a parent of three. However, here is a freeing truth: Jesus loves your children even more than you do! I know there are difficult situations, circumstances, issues, and tragedies that parents and children go through. But in all things, God loves you extravagantly and He is in the process of recreating and renewing the world and your life. And one day God will wipe away every tear from your eyes for He will finally and completely make all things new (Rev 21:5). Thus, in the meantime you can trust God supremely—even with your children—for He loves you extravagantly; and not only because He loves you, but because He is the sovereign King over the universe.
  3. Give yourselves to making Jesus the hero of the home. James 1:16–17 states, “Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.” The Bible teaches that every good thing that you have—your family, your spouse, your children, your health, your energy, your talents and abilities, your job, your paycheck, your house, your clothes, your food, your friends, your day offs, the vacations you take, creation, etc.—are gifts from God. As such, its important to be very quick to ingrain into your children that all the blessings of life that they enjoy have been gifted to them from their heavenly Father, their gracious King. For instance, Joannie and I have some pretty smart children. They do very well in school. I joke around and say they get their smarts from me. But, truthfully and biblically, their academic and intellectually abilities do not come from me (or even their mom who is wicked smart), they come from God. Thus, I constantly remind Caleb and Ellie that it is God who gives them the ability to do well in school. In addition, I make it a daily prayer with them that they turn around and use the gifts that God has given them to glorify and reflect His goodness and grace in their lives to those around them. Why? Because I want Jesus to be their hero! To make Jesus the hero of the home, is to (1) make much of him throughout the day and in all things, and (2) make sure your world lovingly revolves around His glory, His mission, and His word.
  4. Give yourselves to living out an alternative reality of what it means to be human, to be a family, and to be a parent. In other words, constantly ask Christ, is this how You want us to live? Is this how You want us to respond? React? Do we need to say no to this? Say yes to that? Am I pleasing You with how I’m leading my family? Am I trusting You in this area? Are there any idols (smaller gods) I’m struggling with? What gospel-centered community (i.e., church) do You want us to be devoted and committed to? The truth is that gospel centrality is countercultural to the ways of the world—it’s a life that’s an alternative reality to that of the world. Gospel-centered parenting will be, according to those who do not know Christ, a whole different reality. As the world looks at the way you lead and shepherd your family, God desires that you become a window by which they get a glimpse of the kingdom of God. By asking yourselves these questions and more, you’ll keep God in the forefront of your lives and live in a manner where He takes up the preeminent place in your life, thereby allowing people to see what it means to live life centered around King Jesus.

In conclusion, gospel-centered living and parenting is impossible! Once again, the only way to be a gospel-centered person (and parent) is to love Jesus with all your heart, soul, and might. When you love Jesus as such, Jesus takes up residence as the centerpiece of your life by which all facets and areas of your life revolve. When this happens, through the power of the Spirit, Jesus lives both in you and through you. The four thoughts above—giving yourself to God’s grace, being worry-free because of your trust in Christ, making Jesus the hero of your home, and living an alternative reality—are meant to be reminders and aids for how you can surrender your life to King Jesus and allow him to do through you what He wants to do and what He alone can do.

F.A.M.I.L.Y. Devotions

13 Tuesday Oct 2015

Posted by in Discipleship, Family, Leadership

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Parents, how many of you are intimidated at the thought of leading your family in daily devotions? And just so that we are on the same page, daily devotions are a time set aside for you to read a passage of Scripture with your family, discuss it, and end in prayer.

If I had to go out on a limb (a strong one so that I didn’t break it and fall), I would assume that many parents have an overwhelming feeling at the thought of leading their family through such a time. Maybe apprehension sets in because you may think, “I don’t know a lot about the Bible myself,” “I don’t have the time,” “I don’t really know what to do,” “I don’t have it together myself,” “I’ve really never taught kids the bible,” or “My kids can’t sit still long enough for me to do one.” Or you may have questions like: a) Where do I begin? b) What passage of Scripture do I read? c) What do I say? Or d) Is there a good family devotional book that I could buy and use?

These anxieties and questions are very real, and ones that I, as a pastor, have had at one time or another.

To hopefully bring some aid to both you and me in the area of daily devotionals, I think it is important that we answer the following questions:

  • What is the purpose of family devotions?
  • When and how long should they be?
  • What do I want my kids to learn during that time?

What is the purpose of family devotions? The purpose is simple: to draw your family into a corporate time, as a family unit, to focus upon the glory and centrality of Jesus and to remind everyone that Jesus is the hero of the family.

Regardless of whether or not you have a three year old or a seventeen year old, this (or something similar) should be the purpose of your family devotional time.

As believers, when our children leave our home, they should know that the hero of their family continues to be the hero of their lives, namely Jesus!

When and how long should family devotions be? I think the issue of time may be one of the biggest questions or even obstacles that [busy] families have. Parents’ workload, their long workdays, and the children’s busy extra circular schedules, seems to suction all the time out of families’ schedules.

I understand the time restraints. But, let me be somewhat bold and vulnerable here. I think family devotions are too important to neglect. And, in all honesty, I have neglected that time far too much as a father.

The truth is, I don’t think family devotions are neglected because of busyness, but because of a lack of discipline.

What we value, what’s important, is what we invest in. When family devotions become an important, even an essential, time for families, parents will build the margin to see that they are done.

For Joannie and I, we have built in that time during their bedtime routine. After their pjs are on and their teeth are brushed, we all gather in one of the bedrooms. I’m not going to lie, sometimes they file into the bedroom like little good soldiers armed and ready to listen and participate; other times, they come in like little wrestle-mania wrestlers body slamming one another; and still, other times, they come in trying to find their missing Legos they weren’t worried about for the last 72 hours.

As many of you can attest, family devotionals not only require discipline, they require patience. [I don’t want to yell and threaten them that they are about to meet Jesus when I am about to share Jesus with them.]

Once settled, we spend anywhere from five to fifteen minutes reading, discussing, and praying. Yes, that’s it. Family devotions do not have to be a long drawn out ordeal. Sure, it may feel like a long drawn out ordeal as you settle-down your younger children. But once they are settled, it doesn’t have to be long. [And Joannie would add, there may be times that it seems that all hell breaks loose—that their attention span is that of a gnat, one child is swinging of the bunkbed like a monkey, and the other one is slapping at fleas jumping off from the dog—and the best thing to do is simply close the time in prayer. And that’s o.k.]

Family devotions are not about quantity of time but quality of time.

What do I want my kids to learn during that time? This is an important question, and one that builds on the first. So, if we want the family to concentrate on the glory and centrality of Jesus, how do we go about that? To help our family concentrate of the greatness and glory of Jesus (even to a 9, 7, and 4 year old) I created the acronym F.A.M.I.L.Y.:

  • F- Faith
  • A- Adoration
  • M- Mission
  • I- Intimacy
  • L- Lost condition (sin)
  • Y- You

As of now, our family is going through the Storybook Bible, which is a great resource! [If you don’t have the Storybook Bible, I would encourage you to download it (it’s on Amazon for $3.99) or purchase it.] After reading a passage, Joannie and I methodically walk through F.A.M.I.L.Y. asking the following questions:

  • Does this passage/story teach us about Faith in God? Faith simply means trust, belief, or confidence in God—who He is, what He says, and what He promises. Scripture is full of men and women who trusted and believed in God.
  • Does this passage/story teach us about Adoring God? In other words is there anyone in this passage that responds to God in worship, praise, thankfulness, or gratefulness? Or is there something that God does here in this passage that you would respond in worship, praise, gratefulness, or thankfulness?
  • Does this passage/story teach us anything about God’s Mission? For me, I have communicated to my children that God is on mission to create (to save) a people for himself from all peoples (nations, languages, people groups, and types of people). Thus, I ask them if the passage we are reading communicates anything about God creating a people for himself? I am trying to engrain in my children that God’s mission includes far more than solely evangelism; it also includes how we live, work, go to school, and treat others.
  • Does this passage/story teach us anything about Intimacy with God? Here I want them to see what it means for people to have a relationship with God. I also want them to see that those who have an intimate relationship with God—those who know God—live differently from those who don’t. A relationship with God is transforming!
  • Does this passage/story teach us anything about the Lost Condition (the sinfulness) of man? In asking this question, my goal is for them to see how man— whether they know God or not—struggles with sin and how sin is demonstrated and manifested in a person’s life. What has become clear, especially through observing Jesus’ disciples, is that man not only needs Jesus for salvation—to be saved from the penalty of sin—but for sanctification—to continue to be saved from the ongoing presence of sin in our life.
  • Does anything in this passage/story stand out to You? Here we give our children a chance to share with us something that stands out to them, or a chance to ask a question that they may have.

Some may be wondering if every story or passage of Scripture has every element that I have just listed? Some do, some don’t. Some may be wondering if we ask every question, every night? Sometimes we do, sometimes we don’t. Again, it isn’t the quantity—it is the quality. There are some passages and stories where it may be more advantageous to concentrate on the mission of God, and others where it might be more advantageous to discuss adoration and the lost condition (sinfulness) of man. I would encourage you to let the Spirit of God lead you in those moments.

In short, if you are parent and do not have a family devotional time, I would encourage you to start. If you have young children under the age of 12, I would encourage you to use the Storybook Bible and walk through the F.A.M.I.L.Y. acronym. Or, if you don’t have the Storybook Bible, I encourage you to grab a child-friendly bible version and start in one of the Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John—and walk through the F.A.M.I.L.Y. acronym.

Family devotions do not have to be overwhelming or intimidating, they can be short, simple, and sweet. And if done consistently, over time, parents will find that family devotions will be an investment that shapes both the heart of your child(ren) and you.

M.E.N.T.O.R.(ING)

10 Monday Aug 2015

Posted by in Christian Life, Leadership

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I believe all leaders want to be effective. While there are many elements to being an effective leader, one in particular is mentoring. I came across an article where the writer explained mentoring as the practice of “Mentors giv[ing] themselves over entirely to engendering in their chosen pupils essential qualities of character or skills that are crucial to the continuance of a practice or way of life.[1]

According to Forbes, “The ultimate purpose of mentoring is to enhance the knowledge, skills, and abilities of individuals so that they can increase their performance on the task for which they receive mentoring.”[2]

Based somewhat on these concepts, I propose that: mentoring partners with God in his work in the lives of others so that they can become more equipped to fulfill his call and mission on and in their life.

Mentoring takes what God has poured into the life of a leader and pours it into the life of others. Thus, mentoring over the course of a leader’s life allows him or her to leave a legacy, for mentoring allows them to leave their stamp (or influence) in the lives of others. In other words, mentoring allows the work of the leader to outlast their life. When the leader is gone, if he or she has effectively mentored, their life and ministry live on in the life of their mentees.

In short, mentoring is important for both the present and the future. The following is an acronym I developed to help guide leaders in mentoring others.

M—inister. Effective mentors minister, or serve, others. As Jesus washed the feet of the disciples, so too were the disciples to wash the feet of others. Ministering to others includes: modeling a Spirit-filled, gospel-centered, and mission-oriented life. In addition, ministering involves encouragement. Whether it is through hand-written note cards, celebrating people’s work, or checking in periodically to see how others are doing, encouragement manifests a caring and concern heart—it manifests the heart of a servant leader. Furthermore, ministering involves seeking the Lord together through prayer and Bible study. It’s difficult to train and equip leaders for effective ministry without seeking the object of ministry (the Lord) together.

E—ducate. Leaders are learners. Thus effective mentoring includes growing together and encouraging specialized growth. When it comes to leading others—whether it is a small group, staff, or team—effective mentors lead in learning. People who learn together grow together. Learning together can take place by reading and discussing books and articles, as well as attending conferences and engaging in the material presented. They also educate mentees what to watch out for—potential dangers, pitfalls, and obstacles. In addition, mentors lead others to learn from their execution and failures. Whether it is an event a person organized, a mission trip they took, a conversation they had with another, or a mistake they made, effective mentors debrief with those they lead in an effort for them to learn from their life experiences. Furthermore, mentors encourage others to grow in their specialization. Not all mentors will be fully knowledgeable about every field. Thus, they encourage their mentees to seek other mentors that will help them grow in their area of passion and expertise.

N—udge. Mentors nudge mentees in at least three ways. First, they nudge others to pursue excellence in all they do. Not to discount the importance of celebrating wins (ever how small they may be), it’s important to nudge others towards excellence by asking inquisitive questions on how they can improve. For instance effective mentors may ask: “How can you do that better?” “What can you improve?” “What do you need to stop doing?” “What do you need to start doing?” “How can you communicate better?” The truth is, that on this side of glory, there’s always room for improvement. The minute we stop improving is the minute we stop pursuing excellence and stop growing. Second, mentors nudge others to get outside their comfort zone. This is what I refer to as nudging others towards being uncomfortably comfortable. Nudging one out of their comfort zone could include challenging others to: share the gospel with others, have a difficult conversation, or give generously of their time, talents, and treasures. Third, mentors nudge others to also be mentors. Mentoring should be reproducible.

T—ogether. Mentors do life with those they lead. It’s near impossible to mentor others without having a relationship (although it is possible based on some mentoring formats). Through togetherness, mentors build the bonds of love, loyalty, and longevity with those they lead. For mentors and those they lead, togetherness can include praying, reading, eating, playing (example: bowl, golf, etc.), and retreating together. Not only does togetherness build a relationship and community, but it also creates an environment of interdependency where the mentor learns (just as much, if not more) from those they lead.

O—bjectives. Mentors lead others towards establishing objectives, or goals, in their life and ministry. They lead others to get up every morning with passion because they help them craft goals and objectives that they live towards. I believe that if we are not working towards anything we will hit nothing every time. In other words, if we don’t have any goals or targets, then we spin our wheels and fail to go anywhere.

R—est. Effective leaders who have sustained longevity know how to work hard and play hard. Or another way to state it: they know how to work hard and rest hard. In other words, they know how to “sabbath.” Thus, they teach those they mentor the importance of physical and ministerial (or vocational) rest. Rest can help prevent ministry burnout and succumbing to a variety of temptations. Rest includes adequate sleep, days off, recreational outlets, and vacations. By teaching others how to rest, mentors teach others how to recharge their bodies.

Hopefully, these six elements of mentoring help guide leaders in what they are trying to accomplish as they pour their lives into others. While there certainly could be more added to the list, I believe these provide a solid foundation. You may ask why these? In short, these are all things Jesus did as he mentored his disciples. And look what they went on to do!

[1] See, http://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php/61820.pdf

[2] See, http://www.forbes.com/sites/infosys/2011/12/20/business-leadership-for-smarter-org-2/.

How to Love Your Wife as Christ Loved the Church

23 Tuesday Jun 2015

Posted by in Family, Leadership, Marriage, Theology

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This coming August will mark the twelfth anniversary for Joannie and I. Like any marriage, we have had our ups and down, highs and lows, profits and losses. As a believer, and one who wants to honor and bring glory to Christ in all I do, I desire to love my wife as Christ has loved the church. But how do I do this? What does this look like? Below are five ways, based on Ephesians 5:25–33, that I am attempting to love Joannie as Christ loved and loves his Church.

1) Know Our Spouse’s Condition

Jesus knew the condition of humanity. He knew we were broken, sinful, unrighteous, and self-centered. He knew we were lost, but unaware. He knew we were severed from our Creator; that we were like sheep gone astray. Because he knew our condition, he knew what our greatest need was. He knew we needed to be redeemed—we needed to be rescued and saved from our sin. Because Jesus knew our condition, he knew how he could love us.

If we are going to love our wives as Christ loved the Church, we need to know her condition. We need to know her strengths and weakness; her fears and failures; her anxieties and anticipations; her dreams and nightmares; her likes and dislikes; and her turn-ons and turn-offs.

Knowing our spouse helps us to love our spouse. Knowing her, helps us to know how to meet her where she is at, in the condition she is in.

2) Relinquish Our Rights for the Good of Our Marriage

Paul continues describing in Ephesians that Jesus “gave himself up for her. . . .” Jesus couldn’t love us in our condition without relinquishing some of his rights. Paul shares in his letter to Philippians how Jesus relinquished some of his rights in order to meet us in our condition. Paul writes, “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men” (Phil 2:5–7).

Christ relinquished his right as Creator, God, and King in order to reach us in our condition. He had the right to be served, not to serve. However, we know he came serving for the welfare of the human race. He had the right to demand praise and honor, yet he came lowly, humble, and meek, which was for the welfare of humanity. He had the right to call his angelic army to rescue him from the cross, yet he choose the path of suffering for the good of humanity. He relinquished his rights for his bride—his people, his church.

Paul did something similar to the Corinthians. In an effort to free the movement of the gospel in Corinth, Paul relinquished his right to get paid for gospel ministry (1 Cor 9:12–14).

I have thought about what some of my rights, as a husband, are. I have the right to be right, especially when I am; or, I at least have the right to argue my case of why I am right. I have the right to sit down and put my feet up after a long day. I have the right to go golfing if I want. You may have some other so called “rights” that you think you are entitled to. But the lesson we learn from Christ about loving our bride, is that we are to relinquish our rights for her good.

This may mean that rather than putting our feet up, we put our hands towards cleaning the dishes, helping bathe the kids, and tidying up the living room. Or rather than us going out with the guys this week, we may give our wife the afternoon, the evening to herself. Or, this may mean the next time she confronts us about something, or pointing out a way we can improve, we don’t mouth off trying to protect our inflated ego, but rather say “you’re right babe, I will work on that.”

Relinquishing our rights for the sake of our wife’s good demonstrates how we put her needs before our own.

3) Sacrifice to Elevate Our Spouse’s Condition

Paul tells us that Jesus gave himself up that he might sanctify the church. In other words, Jesus sacrificed himself in order to elevate his people’s, his bride’s, condition. What kind of sacrifice are we making in order to elevate our bride’s condition? Now, I’m not talking about becoming a work-a-holic to quench the material thirst your wife has. I’m talking about sacrificing in order to elevate the condition of your wife’s spiritual, emotional, and relational condition.

This goes back to knowing our wife’s condition, which means knowing her needs, fears, and desires. For instance, if you know your wife gets stressed out when the family schedule gets crazy, what can you sacrifice to help elevate her emotional status? If you have a wife who works outside the home, what can you sacrifice in order to lessen the stress of her managing the household? If you know your wife comes back emotional filled when she has a night or weekend with her girlfriends, what are you willing to do to make that happen? If you know going to this event or this chick flick would make your wife very happy—although you would dread going—can you sacrifice and go in order to elevate her emotional, relational value? What about taking the time to pray for her and with her? To talk about what Jesus is teaching you?

Remember, sacrificing for your spouse is pouring yourself out in order to fill-up her cup.

4) Fill Our Minds with Active Thoughts on Our Spouse

Paul continues the discussion and notes that if we are going to love our wives as Christ loved the church we must love them like we love ourselves. About eight months ago I took an assessment on how I viewed myself. As the counselor was going over my results, he looked up and said you think highly of yourself. (I kind of smiled and chuckled.) While it can be a strength to have a healthy self-esteem, the weakness can be that you think of yourself—your needs, wants, desires, and preferences—to the detriment of others, like your spouse. This is something I have had to really work on in my marriage.

I have a counselor who shared with me what he called, “Points of Attention,” to help me think about how I could actively think about Joannie. “Points of Attention” are thoughts during the day when you cognitively think about your spouse. For instance, when you go to the store, do you think of your wife’s favorite candy? Ice cream flavor? When you are browsing the clearance racks at Macy’s do you even think to go over and look for your wife? What about texting or calling your wife throughout the day just to let her know she is on your mind? What about putting your arm around her, or holding her hand in public, just so she knows you notice her and want to be seen with her? What about getting movie tickets, not to the latest Marvel Avenger’s movie or Peter Jackson flick, but to the latest genre of movie she’s likes?

How many “Points of Attention” do you have for your spouse in a given day, a given week? Filling our mind with active, deliberate “Points of Attention” demonstrates that we love our spouse just as much as we love our self.

5) Remember our marriage is a covenant

At the very end of the passage, Paul states, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church” (Eph 5:31–32). In short, Paul notes that Christ left (in obedience) the Father and became one with the Church through his death, resurrection, and ascension (and our faith in him). Here’s the beauty of entering into a covenant with Christ, when the Father looks at us—those who are in covenant relationship with Christ— he sees his beloved, righteous, and perfect Son in whom he was and is well-pleased. Our personhood is secure in the love and righteousness of Christ. We don’t have to worry about how the Father sees us. We don’t have to worry about Christ’s love towards us. We don’t have to worry if Christ is going to leave us, or if the Father is going to take away his love and affection for us, if we blow it. Our marriage to Christ is an unconditional, unwavering, unbreakable covenant. As a result, Christ actively clings and holds fast to us; thus, we should do likewise to him.

This covenantal relationship we have with Christ has great implications for our covenantal relationship with our spouse. We should actively cling to and hold fast to our spouse, which happens as we fulfill the above points. In doing so, not only do we remember the covenantal relationship we have and are in with our spouse, but also in doing so, our wives will be less likely to ever doubt whether or not we love them. Regardless of the environmental situational storms we may face as a couple, if we actively cling to and hold fast to our wives, they will feel safe, secure, and stable in their relationship with us.

May we love our wives as Christ has loved us, the Church! As a result, may we have healthy and holy marriages for the glory of God, for the good of our families, and for the good of the world!