tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55456352561034491412024-03-11T21:51:47.630-07:00EAGLES NEST MINISTRIESVisi kami adalah “MEMBERITAKAN KABAR BAIK, MEMURIDKAN & MENGUTUS SETIAP ANAK TUHAN UNTUK “MENJADI” GEREJA DIMANA PUN MEREKA BERADA”.Dave Brooshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06400500398264976717noreply@blogger.comBlogger1497125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5545635256103449141.post-18618401910388632702017-12-11T21:47:00.002-08:002017-12-11T21:47:21.924-08:00Rick Warren: Go Where the Fish Are Biting<header><h1 class="uk-article-title" itemprop="headline" style="color: #49434b; font-family: Poppins, Roboto, Helvetica, "Helvetica Neue", Arial; font-size: 36px; font-weight: 500 !important; line-height: 42px; margin: 0px 0px 15px;">
Rick Warren: Go Where the Fish Are Biting</h1>
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Why waste seed, time, energy, effort and money?</div>
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<a href="http://www.exponential.org/" style="background: transparent; color: #56a13f; cursor: pointer; text-decoration-line: none;"><img alt="Exponential" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7520" src="https://churchplants.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Exponential.jpg" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; vertical-align: middle;" /></a></div>
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In 32 years of planting and leading Saddleback Church, I’ve learned some key lessons about evangelism and outreach. One of the most important is that it’s a waste of time to fish in a spot where the fish aren’t biting. Wise fishermen move on. They know that fish eat at different times of the day in different places.</div>
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How does this apply to evangelism and ministry? Simple. Just like wise fishermen, as leaders we have to focus on the most receptive people in our area and move on when we sense a dead end.</div>
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This is not a marketing principle but rather a basic New Testament principle. Jesus illustrated it in His parable of the sower (to add another metaphor). When you sow seed, some of it falls on rocky ground, some on stony ground, some on hard ground and some on good soil. Wouldn’t it be great if we knew where the good soil was and could sow all our seed there? Why waste seed, time, effort, energy and money?</div>
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Remember that it’s God’s job to prepare the soil and our job as the church to sow the seed. God uses all kinds of sovereign things like divorce, crises, death, economic problems, government shutdowns, losing a job, a new baby or a new job to prepare the soil. But God uses His church to sow the seed.</div>
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The fact is, receptiveness to the gospel varies widely at different times in people’s lives. Sometimes people are very open to the gospel. Sometimes they’re very closed. And receptivity doesn’t last forever.</div>
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Jesus knew this truth very well. That’s why He said, “Go to the people who will listen.” When He sent the disciples out to evangelize, He told them, “If a home or town refuses to welcome you or listen to you, leave that place and shake the dust off your feet” (Matthew 10:14, NCV).</div>
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That statement is significant. Jesus instructed His disciples to leave the unresponsive place and move on to other soil. Far more people in the world are ready to receive Christ than the number of people who are ready to share it. As leaders, we should constantly ask God, “Who are You preparing right now for me to talk to?”</div>
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Has someone ever said to you, “Pastor, I think before we go after any new people we ought to go back and round up all the old people who’ve left the church”? This is a guaranteed strategy for church decline because often the people who have left have resolved to be unreceptive to your church’s mission and message.</div>
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Reclaiming someone who’s gotten upset and cantankerous takes 10 times more energy than to go out and win someone who hasn’t yet trusted in Jesus. God has called us to feed sheep—not corral goats.</div>
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Growing churches focus on reaching receptive people while non-growing churches focus on re-enlisting inactive people.</div>
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How do you know who’s ready to be reached and people in your community who might be receptive to the gospel? I’ve found that people experiencing change or transition and people under some sort of tension are generally more open. Someone coping with transition (a new job, home, baby, marriage, school) or under tension (physical, emotional, financial or relational) is usually searching for answers, for hope and for truth.</div>
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Who in your sphere of influence do you know that needs to hear the gospel? Where is God already working in your community? This fall, take some time to think through how your church plant can engage people in transition or under tension and go where the fish are biting.</div>
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Dave Brooshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06400500398264976717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5545635256103449141.post-33669115970519757992017-12-11T21:42:00.001-08:002017-12-11T21:42:24.327-08:00MAXIMUM IMPACT: HOW EVANGELISM GROWS DISCIPLESHIP<h1 class="page_title" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-bottom-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); border-bottom-style: solid; border-image: initial; border-left-color: initial; border-left-style: initial; border-right-color: initial; border-right-style: initial; border-top-color: initial; border-top-style: initial; border-width: 0px 0px 1px; float: left; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 22px; height: auto; margin: 15px 0px 17px; padding: 0px 0px 3px; text-indent: 1px; text-transform: uppercase; width: 670px;">
MAXIMUM IMPACT: HOW EVANGELISM GROWS DISCIPLESHIP</h1>
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By <span class="story_author">Terry Erickson</span> <span class="story_date">• December 6, 2017</span></div>
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Deepen Discipleship and Develop New Leaders in Your Church Community.</div>
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<li style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); float: left; margin-bottom: 15px; padding-bottom: 15px;"><a class="title" href="http://www.outreachmagazine.com/features/10735-charles-lee-ideas-for-imaginary-people.html" style="color: black; display: block; float: left; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 7px; text-decoration-line: none; width: 295px;" title="Charles Lee: Ideas for Imaginary People">Charles Lee: Ideas for Imaginary People</a><div style="float: left; width: 295px;">
<a href="http://www.outreachmagazine.com/features/10735-charles-lee-ideas-for-imaginary-people.html" style="color: black; display: block; float: left; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 7px; margin-right: 8px; text-decoration-line: none; width: 75px;" title="Charles Lee: Ideas for Imaginary People"><img alt="" class="attachment-80x60 size-80x60 wp-post-image" sizes="(max-width: 80px) 100vw, 80px" src="https://omag-eszuskq0bptlfh8awbb.stackpathdns.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/14Feature-Ideas-for-Imaginary-People-0702-300x225.jpg" srcset="https://omag-eszuskq0bptlfh8awbb.stackpathdns.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/14Feature-Ideas-for-Imaginary-People-0702-300x225.jpg 300w, https://omag-eszuskq0bptlfh8awbb.stackpathdns.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/14Feature-Ideas-for-Imaginary-People-0702.jpg 420w" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; max-height: 60px; width: 75px;" /></a><span style="color: #666666; font-size: 14px;"><div style="font-size: 15px;">
“Please resist the urge to default to what has worked in the past.”</div>
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<li style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); float: left; margin-bottom: 15px; padding-bottom: 15px;"><a class="title" href="http://www.outreachmagazine.com/features/5593-18-steps-to-better-brainstorming.html" style="color: black; display: block; float: left; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 7px; text-decoration-line: none; width: 295px;" title="18 Steps to Better Brainstorming">18 Steps to Better Brainstorming</a><div style="float: left; width: 295px;">
<a href="http://www.outreachmagazine.com/features/5593-18-steps-to-better-brainstorming.html" style="color: black; display: block; float: left; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 7px; margin-right: 8px; text-decoration-line: none; width: 75px;" title="18 Steps to Better Brainstorming"><img alt="" class="attachment-80x60 size-80x60 wp-post-image" src="https://omag-eszuskq0bptlfh8awbb.stackpathdns.com/wp-content/uploads/files/14Feature_18_Steps_to_Better_Brainstorming_0226_934188733.jpg" style="border: 0px; margin: 0px; max-height: 60px; width: 75px;" /></a><span style="color: #666666; font-size: 14px;"><div style="font-size: 15px;">
It's time to get creative. The team is ready to roll. Foster the right environment with these 18 guidelines.</div>
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<em>For more than five years, the Billy Graham Center has gathered senior pastors into cohorts that meet monthly to receive encouragement and accountability in their personal witness and to be equipped to lead their churches in evangelism. Terry Erickson, pastor of outreach development at Lakeland Church in Gurnee, Illinois, is one of about 60 pastors currently engaged with an evangelism cohort.</em><br />
Last night was bittersweet. I hosted a farewell party for a couple that had been an integral part of our outreach leadership team, but now they were moving on, and South Carolina would be blessed by their hospitality. Although it’s hard to see such dear friends go, it was a precious time to celebrate their contribution over the years, as well as to remember all that God has done in our church through that time.<br />
Our church has been running the same evangelistic program for the last 10 years. Initially, it was hard to get momentum for it, since it was viewed simply as an evangelism tool. With that perspective, the majority of our church members didn’t feel the need to engage with it, since they were already following Christ.<br />
Over the last three years, however, this program has become so much more than just a way to reach people—it has become deeply engrained in the fabric of our community and has shifted our whole church culture toward evangelism in undeniable ways.<br />
As we’ve shared testimonies and baptized new believers, evangelism began to have an impact on our broader church body and to cultivate renewed momentum around reaching others for Christ. As the excitement spread, I was asked to use this evangelism tool in one of the adult Bible communities. Since many of the participants were already established in their faith, their interest in participating in this evangelistic program clearly demonstrated the value of this tool as a means for discipleship as well.<br />
Looking around the table last night, I saw the faces of people who had committed themselves to Christ through this evangelism program and were now serving on our outreach leadership team. It was a beautiful sight to see, because that’s what the kingdom of God is all about: one life being transformed by the gospel and then turning around and facilitating that transformation for someone else.<br />
I never expected this tool to have such a powerful impact on the broader life of our church, but as it turns out, evangelism tools can be used for much more than evangelism. If they’re used well, they can deepen the discipleship of those already following Christ and develop new leaders in your church community. May you be inspired to maximize the impact of the evangelism tools you’re already using and mobilize your church members to engage in evangelism.</div>
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Dave Brooshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06400500398264976717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5545635256103449141.post-68477868142239522982017-12-11T21:35:00.000-08:002017-12-11T21:35:05.530-08:00How to Check Your Blind Spots<header><h1 class="uk-article-title" itemprop="headline" style="color: #49434b; font-family: Poppins, Roboto, Helvetica, "Helvetica Neue", Arial; font-size: 36px; font-weight: 500 !important; line-height: 42px; margin: 0px 0px 15px;">
How to Check Your Blind Spots</h1>
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Planters need to adapt quickly—identifying and correcting blind spots promptly is vital.</div>
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It beeps. It lights up. It creates awareness that your casual over-the-shoulder can’t achieve. Vehicles have come a long way in blind spot technology.</div>
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It use to require a head turn of some 75 degrees. Then manufactures made the mini-mirrors to be added to your side view mirror. And now, automated blind spot checkers.</div>
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I doubt most of us have kept progressing in our leadership blind spot technology as vehicle manufactures have for their cars. In fact, as we’ve gone further in our leadership, our blind spots may have been ignored and probably even gotten larger.</div>
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Because we’re the “leader,” the person riding shotgun with us may feel less freedom to warn us of our blind spots. And because we’re the “boss,” our ego may prohibit us from asking said shotgun rider for their input.</div>
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We feel like we have so much experience, we can just sense our blind spots. “Surely I’m self-aware enough, right?” Yep, the more longevity and leadership success means we may have just broadened the width of our blind spots.</div>
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For these reasons, we need more sophisticated blind spot checking.</div>
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<u>Blind Spot Automation</u></div>
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<strong>Awareness</strong></div>
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It begins with admitting you have a problem. “Hi, my name is Brian, and I know I have leadership blind spots.” If you struggle to say that, well, you’ve definitely got blind spots. They could be significant blind spots like character or competency. Usually though, they’re areas that didn’t use to be a problem, but over time without intentionality, the blind spot has become a reality. Are you aware you have blind spots? Can your self-awareness skills identify them?</div>
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<a class="u5363fb5c02ab32e2d85b6b39d68336fa" href="https://churchplants.com/articles/10597-4-advantages-the-church-has-in-reaching-a-changing-culture.html" rel="nofollow" style="background: rgb(234, 234, 234); border-bottom-color: initial !important; border-bottom-style: initial !important; border-image: initial !important; border-left-color: rgb(52, 73, 94) !important; border-left-style: solid !important; border-right-color: initial !important; border-right-style: initial !important; border-top-color: initial !important; border-top-style: initial !important; border-width: 0px 0px 0px 4px !important; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.17) 0px 1px 2px; color: #56a13f; cursor: pointer; display: block; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 1em !important; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 1em !important; text-decoration-line: none; transition: opacity 250ms; width: 780.5px;" target="_self"><div style="padding-left: 1em; padding-right: 1em;">
<span class="ctaText" style="color: inherit; font-size: 16px;">Recommended On ChurchPlants:</span> <span class="postTitle" style="color: black; font-size: 16px; text-decoration-line: underline !important;">4 Advantages the Church Has in Reaching a Changing Culture</span></div>
</a></div>
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<strong>Ask</strong></div>
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No matter how self-aware you may be, you’ll still need a second opinion. And that means you’ll have to ask others. And when you do, ask with assumption that these blind spots do in fact exist. Your inquiry shouldn’t be, “Do I have any blind spots?” But should be more like, “I realize I get into my own world, habits and passionate about my work, and I know that means I have some leadership blind spots. What are a couple areas you’ve seen where I’m most likely to be susceptible?”</div>
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Just assuming they exist and framing in a way that gives the person permission to answer candidly without feeling like they’re attacking you will go a long way in getting useful feedback.<span id="more-15267"></span></div>
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<strong>Assessments</strong></div>
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While I do think personality assessments should always be considered 10 percent accurate, nor do I see their results as something that should hold a person hostage to behaviors that are “hard wired in.” I do feel like the results can be a tool. A tool that’s printed that can tell you in black and white how your actions and personality may be perceived by others.</div>
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In the most recent personality assessment I took, its results reminded me of some areas that are square in my blind spot. But there were some results that were new to me. For example, when it mentioned, “[Brian] may rely too much on past experience.” I’d never considered this before, but because I became aware of this possibility, I was able to investigate. If you haven’t used a personality assessment, I encourage you to find a free or affordable one and see if it will create awareness for you.</div>
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<a class="u1a2c22e1c90214ab15b02946bbc3a7b8" href="https://churchplants.com/articles/3860-3-steps-to-help-handle-your-next-mistake.html" rel="nofollow" style="background: rgb(234, 234, 234); border-bottom-color: initial !important; border-bottom-style: initial !important; border-image: initial !important; border-left-color: rgb(52, 73, 94) !important; border-left-style: solid !important; border-right-color: initial !important; border-right-style: initial !important; border-top-color: initial !important; border-top-style: initial !important; border-width: 0px 0px 0px 4px !important; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.17) 0px 1px 2px; color: #56a13f; cursor: pointer; display: block; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 1em !important; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 1em !important; text-decoration-line: none; transition: opacity 250ms; width: 780.5px;" target="_self"><div style="padding-left: 1em; padding-right: 1em;">
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</a></div>
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<strong>Accountability</strong></div>
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Who, without you asking for it, can make you aware of your leadership blind spots? Who have you given permission to be a “back seat driver” and let you know when you’re merging into an area that could cause a wreck?</div>
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You’re a leader. You get things done. You care about others. But a leader who cares about those they lead will make sure at least one of the things you get done is identifying and eliminating your leadership blind spots.</div>
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<em>This article originally appeared <a href="http://briandodridge.com/2017/11/15/leadership-blind-spot-automation/" rel="noopener" style="background: transparent; color: #56a13f; cursor: pointer; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">here</a>.</em></div>
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Dave Brooshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06400500398264976717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5545635256103449141.post-44027217653598740672017-12-11T18:26:00.002-08:002017-12-11T18:26:32.780-08:00Jesus Did not Say Wait for Pastors to Plant Churches<header style="background-color: white; color: #49434b; font-family: Roboto, Helvetica, "Helvetica Neue", Arial; font-size: 14px;"><h1 class="uk-article-title" itemprop="headline" style="font-family: Poppins, Roboto, Helvetica, "Helvetica Neue", Arial; font-size: 36px; font-weight: 500 !important; line-height: 42px; margin: 0px 0px 15px;">
Jesus Did not Say Wait for Pastors to Plant Churches</h1>
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But where will the pastors for those people come from?</div>
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The United States is not only one of the world’s largest countries (thirrd), it also home to the third largest number of unreached people groups (a story few have heard). Over the past several years, I have noticed a very common church planting strategy that is on the minds of most churches, agencies and networks:</div>
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<em>“Wait for the Lord on high to send a pastor to you—one from among that people, be he Anglo/European-descendant, Chinese, Russian, etc.—to reach those people with the gospel and plant a church among them.”</em></div>
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Granted, near culture evangelistic work is often more effective than cross-cultural work (but not always). However, the problem with this thinking is that we run into a problem if we want to reach the unreached, among whom few believers and no pastors exist.</div>
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When was the last time you had a conversation with a Somali pastor? Saudi pastor? Wolof pastor? Or, what about a pastor representing the other 540 unreached people groups living in the United States and Canada?</div>
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The Lord only told the early believers to wait in Jerusalem for the coming of His Spirit (Acts 1). Even when He told them to pray for laborers for the harvest, it was in the context of them going to make disciples (Luke 10:2). He has told us to go, to cross the cultural gaps, to make disciples of all nations.</div>
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He has not told us to wait.</div>
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He has not told us to look for pastors to go and plant churches among those people.</div>
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<em>But where will the pastors for those people come from?</em></div>
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From the same location where He has provided all of the pastors in the world today—out of the harvest.</div>
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<a class="uaeb4995d448716e649e8a45d9d14a3ad" href="https://churchplants.com/articles/9725-is-your-ministry-drowning-you-8-indicators.html" rel="nofollow" style="background: rgb(234, 234, 234); border-bottom-color: initial !important; border-bottom-style: initial !important; border-image: initial !important; border-left-color: rgb(52, 73, 94) !important; border-left-style: solid !important; border-right-color: initial !important; border-right-style: initial !important; border-top-color: initial !important; border-top-style: initial !important; border-width: 0px 0px 0px 4px !important; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.17) 0px 1px 2px; color: #56a13f; cursor: pointer; display: block; font-weight: bold; margin: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 1em !important; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 1em !important; text-decoration-line: none; transition: opacity 250ms; width: 780.5px;" target="_self"><div style="padding-left: 1em; padding-right: 1em;">
<span class="ctaText" style="color: inherit; font-size: 16px;">Recommended On ChurchPlants:</span> <span class="postTitle" style="color: black; font-size: 16px; text-decoration-line: underline !important;">Is Your Ministry Drowning You? 8 Indicators</span></div>
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Cross cultures in your neighborhood. Do evangelism. Make disciples from the harvest. Baptize them. Gather those new believers together in a small group. Teach them to obey. Lead them to covenant together as a local church. Raise up pastors from among them to shepherd that new congregation (see Acts 13-14).</div>
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Jesus said to go and make disciples, not wait for pastors to plant churches.</div>
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<em>This article originally appeared <a href="http://www.jdpayne.org/2013/09/30/jesus-did-not-say-wait-for-pastors-to-plant-churches/" rel="noopener" style="background: transparent; color: #56a13f; cursor: pointer; text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">here</a>.</em></div>
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Dave Brooshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06400500398264976717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5545635256103449141.post-84591701754137895682017-12-11T18:16:00.000-08:002017-12-11T18:16:22.217-08:00Three Common Idols in Churches<div class="td-post-header" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Verdana, Geneva, sans-serif; font-size: 14px;">
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Three Common Idols in Churches</h1>
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<a href="https://churchleaders.com/author/ericgeiger" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: black; font-weight: 700; margin-right: 3px; text-decoration-line: none;">Eric Geiger</a><div class="td-author-line" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline; margin-right: 2px;">
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Here are three common idols in churches that every church leader needs to know and turn away from.</div>
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Hezekiah is affirmed in Scripture as doing “what was right in the Lord’s sight” (2 Kings 18:3). The next verse details what Hezekiah did: “He removed the high places, shattered the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherah poles. He broke into pieces the bronze snake that Moses made, for the Israelites burned incense to it up to that time” (2 Kings 18:4).</div>
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Surely people understood a strong, spiritual leader removing the idols (the high places and the Asherah poles) that grabbed the hearts of the people and stole worship from the Lord. They would expect their spiritual leader to insist they stop worshiping other gods. But what Hezekiah did next must have been really unexpected and really controversial. He broke into pieces the bronze snake Moses made—intentionally. Not by accident. Not “I was carrying it and it fell.” To break bronze takes some effort.</div>
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Eliminating pagan idols is one thing, but “that was the snake Moses made!” It was the bronze snake God told Moses to make, the one people looked at to be delivered from their snakebites (<a href="https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=numbers+21&version=NIV" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #009688; text-decoration-line: none;">Numbers 21</a>).</div>
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Hezekiah broke the snake because the people were burning incense to it. They were worshiping a bronze snake. Tools for transformation can become objects of worship. In our sinfulness, we can make an idol of just about anything. In our sinfulness, we tend to make idols of things that are important to us. Thus, a bronze snake that God used to bring healing, held by the leader of God’s people during their liberation from slavery, became an object of worship.</div>
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Today is not altogether different. God’s people still struggle with taking tools for transformation and making them objects of worship. Here are three common idols in churches:</div>
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1. The Idols of Place</h3>
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Because the Lord does a great work in the hearts of His people when they gather, the places of gathering can move from a tool for transformation to an object of worship. Thus, if a leader mentions “relocation,” the leader is essentially threatening to cut a bronze snake into pieces. We must remind people that the building is not the church, that His people are the church. God does not live in the place where we gather; He lives in the hearts of His people.</div>
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2. The Idols of the Past</h3>
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Because the Lord worked in amazing ways in the past, the past can become an idol where people long for the past more than they long for the Lord. Being grateful for the past is one thing, and worshiping it is quite another. If “former days” were great, they were only great because of the Lord.</div>
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3. The Idols of Programs</h3>
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Because God changed lives through a program or event, people can elevate a program to an unhealthy place. Programs can become ends in themselves and not tools used in a church’s discipleship process. When this happens, they exist as modern-day bronze snakes.</div>
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<em style="box-sizing: border-box;">How can leaders be like Hezekiah? How can modern-day bronze snakes be removed?</em></div>
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Leaders must constantly point people to the person of Jesus. Only He is worthy of our worship and only He can transform hearts. When we help people see the greatness of Jesus, idols look less attractive. As we turn our eyes on Jesus and look full in His wonderful face, the things of this world (place, past and programs included) grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.</div>
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Leaders must also continually remind people of <a href="https://churchleaders.com/pastors/pastor-articles/284960-organize-church-purpose-giftedness-gifts-rick-warren.html" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #009688; text-decoration-line: none;">the purpose of the church</a>. (Yes, I know it is another “p,” but it fits.) A church exists to make disciples. When a church embraces the mission of making disciples, programs are viewed as tools and not as ends in themselves. When making disciples is what a church is all about, the place is rightly seen as merely a place to help make disciples.</div>
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Though the Lord instructed the snake to be made, the Lord affirmed its destruction. And of Hezekiah, the Scripture says:</div>
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<em style="box-sizing: border-box;">Hezekiah trusted in the Lord God of Israel; not one of the kings of Judah was like him, either before him or after him (2 Kings 18:5).</em> </div>
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Dave Brooshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06400500398264976717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5545635256103449141.post-56074437505733232932017-10-07T21:00:00.000-07:002017-10-07T21:00:08.141-07:00The Body Building - Membangun Tubuh Kristus Bersama <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span lang="IN" style="mso-ansi-language: IN;">Shalom,</span></div>
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<span lang="IN" style="mso-ansi-language: IN;">Terpujilah nama
Tuhan kita yang dasyat...... Kami mengucap syukur meski apa yang kami kerjakan
begitu banyak kekurangan tetapi dapat membawa sukacita bagi rekan-rekan yang
memerlukan bantuan Alkitab (baik lama maupun baru) maupun literatur Kristen
lainnya. Kami mengucap syukur atas kemurahan Tuhan dan juga kerelaan keluarga
kami di dalam Kristus Yesus yang mau menyisihkan berkat baik Alkitab, buku
maupun dana untuk pengiriman paket-paket ke daerah. Namun kami melihat
keterbatasan dana bukan penghalang untuk membantu</span> hamba Tuhan di daerah,<span lang="IN" style="mso-ansi-language: IN;"> keluarga seiman kami baik di daerah
pedalaman maupun yang melayani kaum marginal. Bila kita mau bersatu dan
menyatukan sumber daya maka tidak ada perkara yang m</span>us<span lang="IN" style="mso-ansi-language: IN;">tahil. Mari saudara-saudaraku kita keluar dari
“tembok” denominasi kita dan mulai berfungsi sebagai bagian tubuh Kristus yang
hidup...... Mari kita bekerja bersama membangun tubuhNya. </span></div>
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<span lang="IN" style="mso-ansi-language: IN;">Bagi
saudara-saudaraku yang hendak menyalurkan Alkitab (baik lama maupun baru) atau
menyumbangkan buku rohani/ cd khotbah (baru maupun lama), akan kami salurkan
pada rekan jejaring pelayanan kami di daerah, perpustakaan maupun pelayanan
penjara. Bila Anda tergerak untuk memberikan donasi bantuan dana untuk
pengiriman Alkitab dan buku dapat menghubungi kami melalui Facebook atau email davebroos@yahoo.co.uk.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="IN" style="mso-ansi-language: IN;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">God bless. </span></span></div>
Dave Brooshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06400500398264976717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5545635256103449141.post-61654157206806083012017-08-10T00:31:00.000-07:002017-08-10T00:31:17.424-07:00EAGLES NEST DISCIPLESHIP COURSES<br />
<br />
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 15.0pt;">EAGLES NEST </span><span lang="IN" style="color: red; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 15.0pt;">DISCIPLESHIP COURSES</span></div>
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<span style="color: red; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 15.0pt;"> </span><img alt="Hasil gambar untuk PEMURIDAN SARANG RAJAWALI" class="rg_ic rg_i" data-sz="f" name="2XzF992BvA58BM:" src="https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSi-PY2QBP5ZF5tsBN40o5PRmO718YHfj0PcT_IUgfPGp7bUJcTqw" style="height: 194px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; width: 259px;" /></div>
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<span lang="IN" style="color: red; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 15.0pt;">Perkenalan</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Selamat datang di pelatihan kami bagi para
pemimpin masa depan gereja abad ke-21 dan para pemimpin misi. Ini adalah
pelatihan tanpa tembok, tanpa batas, tanpa biaya dan bebas dari batasan-batasan
politik, agama, ras, jenis kelamin maupun denominasi. Kami berharap bahwa
pelajaran-pelajaran ini akan mengilhami dan memberkati ribuan orang yang
hatinya sedang berkobar-kobar dalam kasih mula-mula kepada Yesus.</span></div>
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<span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Fakta bahwa Anda segera mengikuti pelatihan
ini sudah menunjukkan bahwa Anda sangat rindu untuk mengenal Tuhan dengan lebih
baik, dan bahwa dalam hati Anda, Anda ingin melihat orang-orang dalam keluarga
Anda dan bangsa Anda, dan bahkan juga mereka yang belum terjangkau, juga
orang-orang miskin di dunia ini, diubahkan ke dalam kehidupan</span></div>
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<span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">sebagai seorang murid, yang kudus dan tinggal
dalam kasih dan pemeliharaan Allah di dalam iman kepada Yesus Kristus.</span></div>
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<span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Pelatihan ini akan membantu Anda mewujudkan
hal di atas. Ini adalah Pelajaran Pertama, sangat sederhana dan merupakan
perkenalan. Pelajaran-pelajaran selanjutnya lebih lengkap, dan berisikan
hal-hal yang baik untuk dipelajari dan dipraktikkan. Secara pribadi saya</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">
dan rekan-rekan pelayanan</span><span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">
telah melakukan semuanya, dan mengajarkannya di kelas, memberikannya kepada ribuan
orang, dan sekarang pelajaran-pelajaran ini menjadi milik Anda. Saya berdoa
agar Anda mendapatkan berkat yang sama, tertantang dan dibawa kepada Tuhan dan
jalan-jalan-Nya sebagaimana yang pernah dan terus saya alami.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Pelatihan atau Sekolah Alkitab ini tidak menawarkan gelar teologia
tetapi melatih umat Tuhan secara praktis menjadi seorang murid Kristus yang
dapat menghidupi kebenaran, mengabarkan Kabar Baik terhadap sesama, memuridkan,
memulai pelatihan serupa ini maupun merintis atau menanam gereja.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">P</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">asto</span><span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">r. Dave Broos</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">The Eagles Nest Ministries</span><span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;"> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Eagles Nest </span><span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Discipleship
Courses</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;"> bekerjasama dengan DCI dan United Christian Faith Ministries</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Bagaimana
Mengikuti Eagles Nest<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Discipleship
Courses dengan Sukses?</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">1. Pertama-tama kami akan memberikan Anda garis
besar tentang apa yang telah kami pelajari selama bertahun-tahun. Dengan
pertolongan Roh Kudus, Alkitab, doa kami dan pikiran yang terbuka, kami percaya
bahwa Anda akan dapat menangkap seluruh pelajaran.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Pelatihan ini terdiri dari berbagai tema yang
saling berkaitan secara berurut, yang pasti penting dan bermanfaat bagi
gereja-gereja, terutama di negara-negara berkembang:</span></div>
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<span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">- Penginjilan</span></div>
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<span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">- Misi</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">- Pemuridan tingkat dasar untuk orang percaya
baru</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">- Pemuridan tingkat lanjut</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">- Panggilan Allah</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">- Mempercayai Allah dalam hal keuangan</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">- Pelatihan kepemimpinan</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">- Pembangunan gereja</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">- Datanglah kerajaan-Mu</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">- Kehidupan doa sebagai gaya hidup &
nafas kehidupan</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">- Menjadi alat Tuhan di dalam masyarakat</span></div>
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<span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">- Menjadi umat yang profetis</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">2. Kedua, kami ingin agar Anda menyampaikan
kepada orang lain, semua yang telah Anda pelajari dari pelatihan ini, supaya
Firman Allah tersebar luas. Kami akan menunjukkan kepada Anda cara melakukannya
tanpa mengeluarkan banyak uang, karena kita semua tahu betapa sulit
mendapatkannya. Sekolah yang kami maksud, tidak harus berupa gedung khusus
dengan staf pengajar yang profesional. Para murid kami dapat berkumpul di</span></div>
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<span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">gedung gereja, rumah, toko, dan bahkan di
bawah pohon di udara terbuka. Yang Anda perlukan hanya satu kelompok dengan
orang-orang yang siap, Alkitab, bahan-bahan ini dan kehadiran Allah di
tengah-tengah Anda. Kami akan membantu Anda dari awal sampai akhir.</span></div>
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<span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Akhirnya, kami sangat berharap agar mereka
yang sudah belajar dari Anda dapat pergi mengajarkan kepada orang lain, dengan
menggunakan catatan-catatan yang sama, dan cara-cara sederhana dalam
menyampaikan Firman Allah.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Bagaimana pelatihan ini dapat berjalan dengan maksimal?</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Pelatihan ini akan berjalan dengan maksimal
manakala sang pemimpin mengikuti pendekatan efektif yang sama seperti
diterapkan Yesus kepada para murid-Nya, dan juga seperti yang dilakukan Paulus
terhadap Timotius.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">“<span lang="IN">Apa yang telah engkau dengar
dari aku di depan banyak saksi, percayakanlah itu kepada orang-orang yang dapat
dipercayai, yang juga cakap mengajar orang lain.</span>”<span lang="IN"> (2
Timotius 2:2)</span></span></div>
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<span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Kami berharap Anda dapat menangkap firman ini
sejak awal. Di tahun 2001 pendekatan ini sangat dikenal di antara gereja-gereja
yang bertumbuh pesat di seluruh dunia dengan nama G12, yaitu suatu pengembangan
dari prinsip gereja sel yang diajarkan oleh Pastor Yonggi</span></div>
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<span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Cho dari Korea, dan sekarang dijalankan
dengan sangat berhasil oleh Pastor Cesar Castellanos dari Bogota, Kolombia,
yang melihat jemaat yang dipimpinnya bertumbuh dari 8 menjadi 120.000 orang
dalam kurun waktu 10 tahun. Dia berkata, </span><span style="font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">“<span lang="IN">Saya mulai melihat pelayanan Yesus dengan jelas. Banyak orang<span style="color: black;"> </span>mengikuti-Nya, tetapi Ia tidak melatih mereka. Ia
hanya melatih 12<span style="color: black;"> </span>orang, dan apapun yang Ia
lakukan di tengah-tengah banyak orang</span></span></div>
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<span lang="IN" style="font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">adalah dalam rangka mengajar 12 murid-Nya itu. Kemudian
Tuhan bertanya kepada saya pertanyaan yang lain. </span><span style="font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">“<span lang="IN">Jika Yesus melatih 12 orang, apakah Anda harus memenangkan lebih dari
12 atau kurang dari 12?</span>”<span lang="IN"> Yesus memilih 12 orang untuk
menjangkau banyak orang. Ia tetap bersama 12 orang ini, sampai mereka dilatih
dengan baik, dan Ia melepaskan mereka, memberikan mereka otoritas dan
memampukan mereka untuk memuridkan bangsa-bangsa.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="IN" style="font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Gembala, pemimpin, murid </span><span style="font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">–<span lang="IN"> hal terbaik yang harus dilakukan adalah mencari 12 orang itu untuk
Anda ajarkan pelatihan ini. Firman Allah dan Roh Kudus akan menyatukan iman dan
komitmen setiap orang, dan mentransferkan karakter Kristus di dalam kelompok
Anda melalui pemuridan ini, sebelum Anda melepas mereka yang siap untuk
memenangkan 12 orang lagi, sementara Anda tetap dalam persekutuan dengan mereka
sebagai kelompok Anda yang tetap.</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="IN" style="font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Lihatlah betapa luar biasa kekuatan G12 ini:</span></b></div>
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<span lang="IN" style="font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Bila Anda mengajar diri Anda sendiri ~ hanya 1 orang
mendengar firman</span></div>
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<span lang="IN" style="font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Tuhan.</span></div>
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<span lang="IN" style="font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Bila Anda membagikan pelajaran kepada 12 orang ~ 13 orang
mendengar</span></div>
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<span lang="IN" style="font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">firman Tuhan.</span></div>
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<span lang="IN" style="font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Bila 12 orang itu masing-masing mengajar 12 orang lagi ~
157 orang</span></div>
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<span lang="IN" style="font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">mendengar firman Tuhan.</span></div>
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<span lang="IN" style="font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Bila 157 orang itu masing-masing mengajar 12 orang lagi ~
1.884 orang</span></div>
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<span lang="IN" style="font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">mendengar firman Tuhan.</span></div>
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<span lang="IN" style="font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Bila 1.884 orang itu mengajar 12 orang lagi ~ 22.608
orang mendengar</span></div>
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<span lang="IN" style="font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">firman Tuhan.</span></div>
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<span lang="IN" style="font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Dan tiba-tiba Anda mengalami kegerakan dari Allah. Hal
ini terjadi di Cina, dan terus terjadi hari ini di Amerika Latin dan Afrika, di
mana </span><span style="font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">“<span lang="IN">Pelatihan Pelipatgandaan</span>”<span lang="IN"> seperti ini terbukti menjadi satu-satunya cara yang paling efektif
untuk mengajarkan ribuan orang yang memutuskan untuk mengikut Kristus.
Bersama-sama kita dapat melatih banyak orang, untuk menjadi orang percaya yang
dewasa rohani, dan yang bersedia pergi melakukan pekerjaan pelayanan </span>–<span lang="IN"> menginjili, memuridkan, dan membantu orang-orang yang miskin, untuk
membangun iman, usaha dan keuangan yang penting untuk menyebarluaskan Injil. Di
dalam Kitab Kejadian pasal pertama, dituliskan bahwa ketika Firman Allah datang
bersama-sama</span></span></div>
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<span lang="IN" style="font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">dengan Roh Allah, terjadilah suatu ledakan dari kehidupan
baru, dan inilah doa kami, agar Tuhan melakukan hal yang sama sekarang ini, di
dalam kehidupan Anda, dan dalam komunitas pergaulan Anda.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Apakah pelatihan ini sulit?</span></b></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Pelajaran-pelajaran ini telah teruji dengan
baik di gereja-gereja di Afrika, India dan di kalangan komunitas Latin,
tentunya disesuaikan dengan budaya setempat. Mereka mengatakan bahwa pengajaran
ini Alkitabiah, benar, relevan dengan negara-negara berkembang, dan difokuskan
pada semangat mereka untuk menjalankan Amanat Agung, agar Yesus segera datang kembali.
Kenyataannya, keadaan di banyak negara berkembang</span></div>
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<span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">sekarang ini, tidak jauh berbeda dengan
keadaan di abad pertama di zaman Alkitab.</span></div>
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<span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Dengan pertolongan Allah, pelajaran-pelajaran
ini tidak akan terlalu sukar bagi mereka yang hanya mempunyai bekal pendidikan
rendah sekalipun, atau bahkan bagi mereka yang tidak mengenyam pendidikan sama
sekali. Pengajarannya sangat sederhana dan tidak rumit. Kata-katanya pasti
mudah bagi Anda untuk dimengerti. Pastikanlah bahwa Anda mengajarkan pelajaran
ini kepada orang-orang lain. Berdoalah selalu dan persiapkanlah diri Anda
sebaik-baiknya. Waktu Anda mengajar, tambahkanlah ayat-ayat Alkitab dan
ceritera-ceritera yang anda pilih sendiri sebagai ilustrasi supaya proses
pengajaran menjadi menarik, semarak dan hidup. Anda belajar dan dimuridkan
untuk memuridkan orang lain. Tuhan mau melakukan pekerjaan besar dalam hidup
anda, sadarkah anda akan hal tersebut?</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Kami juga menerima undangan pelayanan untuk memperlengkapi tubuh
Kristus yang ada di manapun baik itu gereja, persekutuan, sekolah Alkitab
maupun setiap kumpulan orang percaya yang merindukan untuk dimuridkan.</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Bimbingan pribadi hubungi kami pada email <a href="mailto:davebroos@yahoo.co.uk">davebroos@yahoo.co.uk</a> atau WA (only) 085863761509
(Dave Broos)</span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Pelatihan ini tidak dipungut biaya sama sekali tetapi bila anda
ingin mendukung pelayanan kami secara finansial hingga kami dapat menolong
gereja-gereja di daerah dalam menanggapi panggilan Tuhan dan amanat agungNya
dapat menyalurkan donasi ke rekening BCA 0081824788 atas nama Dave Broos.
Donasi anda akan digunakan untuk memperlengkapi tubuh Kristus di garis depan
dan tubuh Kristus yang tak mampu. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Harapan kami pada akhirnya umat Tuhan bukan hanya sekedar
menghangatkan bangku gereja tetapi menjadi murid Kristus yang menanggapi amanat
agung Kristus dengan menjadikan segala bangsa murid Kristus. Impian kami
melihat setiap gedung gereja menjadi tempat memperlengkapi umat Tuhan untuk
diutus memberitakan kabar baik, memuridkan orang lain dan menanam gereja di
tempat mereka bekerja, belajar atau dimanapun.</span></div>
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<span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Links yang berguna bagi para murid:</span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "tte1787448t00"; font-size: 10.5pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">The
Eagles Nest Ministries = <a href="http://3a9l35-n35t.blogspot.com/">http://3a9l35-n35t.blogspot.com</a>
</span></div>
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<span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "tte1787448t00"; font-size: 10.5pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Renungan
Kehidupan = <a href="http://renungandave.blogspot.com/">http://renungandave.blogspot.com</a>
</span></div>
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<span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "tte1787448t00"; font-size: 10.5pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Ekklesia
(Gereja) = <a href="http://gerejaperjanjianbaru.blogspot.com/">http://gerejaperjanjianbaru.blogspot.com</a>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "tte1787448t00"; font-size: 10.5pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Global
Prayer Network = <a href="http://globalprayernetwork.blogspot.com/">http://globalprayernetwork.blogspot.com</a>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "tte1787448t00"; font-size: 10.5pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Shadow
of The Cross Indonesia = <a href="http://shaddowcross.blogspot.com/">http://shaddowcross.blogspot.com</a>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "tte1787448t00"; font-size: 10.5pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Guardian
Angels = <a href="http://9u4rd14n-4n93ls.blogspot.com/">http://9u4rd14n-4n93ls.blogspot.com</a>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "tte1787448t00"; font-size: 10.5pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Spiritual
Growth = <a href="http://davebroos.blogspot.com/">http://davebroos.blogspot.com</a>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "tte1787448t00"; font-size: 10.5pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Market
Place Ministry = <a href="http://dave-broos.blogspot.com/">http://dave-broos.blogspot.com</a>
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; text-autospace: none; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "tte1787448t00"; font-size: 10.5pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">In
My Darkness Hours = <a href="http://inmydarnesshours.blogspot.com/">http://inmydarnesshours.blogspot.com</a>
</span></div>
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<span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "tte1787448t00"; font-size: 10.5pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">LK10
= <a href="http://www.lk10.com/">www.LK10.com</a> </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">SAMPAI JUMPA MINGGU DEPAN DENGAN PELAJARAN
KEDUA, LANGKAH-LANGKAH PERTAMA. DON</span><span style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">’<span lang="IN">T MISS IT!!!! GOD BLESS YOU.</span></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span lang="IN" style="color: black; font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">NB: PELAJARAN BARU AKAN DI UPDATE SETIAP
MINGGUNYA, BAGI YANG SERIUS MENGIKUTI PELAJARAN DAN MENGERJAKAN TUGAS ANDA
SAMPAI SELESAI AKAN MENDAPATKAN DIPLOMA IN MISSION. </span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">NB:</span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "tte17657d8t00"; font-size: 10.5pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="IN" style="font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Bagi para murid yang rindu untuk bertumbuh lebih dalam,
bersungguh-sungguhlah untuk: - Membaca , menghafalkan dan merenungkan bagian
Alkitab dari setiap pelajaran. Lalu praktekkan dalam hidup sehari-hari.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18.0pt; tab-stops: 255.0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="IN" style="font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>- Untuk mendapatkan sertifikat
pada akhir tiap kursus, selesaikan tugas diskusi, praktika dan tugas diploma.
Kirimkan tugas-tugas tersebut ke alamat email: <a href="mailto:davebroos@yahoo.co.uk">davebroos@yahoo.co.uk</a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>dengan judul Kursus Pemuridan.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18.0pt; tab-stops: 255.0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="IN" style="font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>- Berdoa syafaat bagi setiap
suku bangsa yang belum mengenal Kristus.</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18.0pt; tab-stops: 255.0pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="IN" style="font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>- Berdoa pada Tuhan, selama
minggu ini, bagikan apa yang telah Anda pelajari pada orang lain dan bentuklah
kelompok kecil untuk belajar bersama apa yang telah Anda pelajari. Bisa dimulai
dengan keluarga di rumah, sahabat-sahabat, dll. </span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 18.0pt; tab-stops: 255.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: 36.0pt 255.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "tte17657d8t00"; font-size: 10.5pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Bagi para
murid yang mau mendukung kelangsungan pelayanan Sekolah Alkitab Online ataupun
pelayanan The Eagles Nest Ministries ini dapat menyalurkan donasi ke rekening
BCA Bandung II no 0081824788 atas nama Dave Broos</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 36.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: 36.0pt 255.0pt; text-indent: -18.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "tte17657d8t00"; font-size: 10.5pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="IN" style="font-family: "arial unicode ms" , "sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt;">Untuk menghubungi kami dapat melalui nomor WA (only)
085863761509.</span></b></div>
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Dave Brooshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06400500398264976717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5545635256103449141.post-46447668402241263042017-07-28T20:15:00.004-07:002017-07-28T20:15:31.218-07:00Episode 013: Gospel Conversations<h2 class="yiv3235848116mc-toc-title" style="color: #202020; display: block; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 22px; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 125%; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-align: left;">
<span style="color: #41bead;"><img align="middle" alt="" class="yiv3235848116mcnImage" src="https://gallery.mailchimp.com/ca9f7175c58525a2e4c49f80c/images/99a1ec6e-92fd-45d5-a9ca-3210f94c59f7.png" style="border: 0; display: inline; max-width: 650px; min-height: auto; outline: none; padding-bottom: 0; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: bottom;" width="564" /> </span></h2>
<h2 class="yiv3235848116mc-toc-title" style="color: #202020; display: block; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 22px; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 125%; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://saturatetheworld.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ca9f7175c58525a2e4c49f80c&id=f6bf26dfde&e=292792e8e9" rel="nofollow" style="color: #41bead; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #41bead;">Episode 013: Gospel Conversations</span></a></h2>
<em>By Brad Watson on Jul 26, 2017 05:00 am</em><br />
<br />
<div style="color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; line-height: 150%; margin: 10px 0; padding: 0; text-align: left;">
How can we encourage and equip our people to have more frequent and deeper gospel conversations in the everyday rhythms... <a class="yiv3235848116excerpt-read-more" href="http://saturatetheworld.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ca9f7175c58525a2e4c49f80c&id=74920fdeff&e=292792e8e9" rel="nofollow" style="color: #41bead; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank" title="ReadEpisode 013: Gospel Conversations">Read more »</a></div>
<div style="color: #202020; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 16px; line-height: 150%; margin: 10px 0; padding: 0; text-align: left;">
The post <a href="http://saturatetheworld.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ca9f7175c58525a2e4c49f80c&id=50b60af80d&e=292792e8e9" rel="nofollow" style="color: #41bead; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Episode 013: Gospel Conversations</a> appeared first on <a href="http://saturatetheworld.us10.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ca9f7175c58525a2e4c49f80c&id=6e62b60bfd&e=292792e8e9" rel="nofollow" style="color: #41bead; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;" target="_blank">Saturate</a>.</div>
Dave Brooshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06400500398264976717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5545635256103449141.post-79085456314929437972017-07-28T20:14:00.006-07:002017-07-28T20:14:44.764-07:00[Lifeschool Podcast] How to Create a Lifestyle of Discipleship<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Hey guys! Caesar here,</span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span>
<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Feeling a little stuck in the Christian loop of Sunday church… CRAZY BUSY WEEK… Sunday church… crazy busy week… ?</span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span>
<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">If you are, is this producing a transformed life for you and your family? How’s that helping your neighbors come closer to God and his love?</span></span> <span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">What you need is a “lifestyle upgrade”</span></span></span><span style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">. (Big time!)</span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span>
<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Good news: that’s what Jesus came to give us.</span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span>
<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16px;"><a href="http://caesarkalinowski.ontraport.com/c/s/5Dw/GX6t/6/Uj/AG/6Zqv1j/v4V0J2EGAH/P" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">In this episode of the Lifeschool Podcast</span></span></span></a><span style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">, we’re gonna talk about true discipleship and look at what discipleship as a lifestyle looks like when it is all woven into the normal rhythms of your everyday life in community.</span></span></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">In This Episode You’ll Learn:</span></span></span></span></span></div>
<ul style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<li dir="ltr" style="list-style: disc; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">A working definition of discipleship that will reshape your thinking on this immediately</span></span></span></span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="list-style: disc; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">How Jesus lived life with his disciples and what he then hoped/commanded them to do</span></span></span></span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="list-style: disc; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Why a series of 8-10 classes done in a classroom will</span></span> <span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">never</span></span></span> <span style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">produce mature disciples</span></span></span></span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="list-style: disc; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Why an integrated lifestyle “apprenticeship” was Jesus’ model for us</span></span></span></span></div>
</li>
<li dir="ltr" style="list-style: disc; vertical-align: baseline;">
<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">What to do if your first attempts at discipleship in community fails</span></span></span></span></div>
</li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span>
<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" rel="nofollow"><img alt="" src="https://i.ontraport.com/28236.447daecf50f1ea620f1104bbf85970d2.JPEG" style="min-height: 220px; width: 440px;" /></a></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span>
<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">You really can break out of the “Christian cycle” of the busyness of life and work with a just a little Sunday church or weekly small group jammed in–when it fits. We want this for you…</span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span>
<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://caesarkalinowski.ontraport.com/c/s/5Dw/GX6t/s/Uj/AG/6Zqv1j/s88zzMQKWu/P" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">[Listen Now]</span></span></span></span></a></span><br />
</div>
<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">ALSO check out...</span></span></span> <span style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">If you’re feeling stuck about how to get started on living your life on discipleship, join me and my family to see this lifestyle in action and learn how to live and replicate this lifestyle.</span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span>
<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<a href="http://caesarkalinowski.ontraport.com/c/s/5Dw/GX6t/v/UU/AG/6Zqv1j/saBjPbNnFh/P" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-weight: 700;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">LAUNCH: Integrated Lifestyle Apprenticeship</span></span></span></span></span></span></a></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Live a vibrant lifestyle of discipleship and mission.</span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span>
<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">Blessings!</span></span></span></span></div>
<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">–Caesar</span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span>
<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 16px;"><span style="vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">P.S. If you have any questions or thoughts, please hit Reply...I love hearing from you.</span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span>Dave Brooshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06400500398264976717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5545635256103449141.post-16685662277210302932017-07-28T20:14:00.003-07:002017-07-28T20:14:17.459-07:00Why Leader Must Always Be Content but Never Satisfied<article class="uk-article post-14153 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-articles tag-headlines tag-homepage" id="14153" itemprop="blogPost" itemscope="itemscope" itemtype="http://schema.org/BlogPosting"><header><h1 class="uk-article-title" itemprop="headline">
Why Leader Must Always Be Content but Never Satisfied</h1>
<div class="entry-description">
Mastering the power of this statement is novel and can provide new innovations and invigorate change.<br />
</div>
</header><div>
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<source media="(max-width: 480px)"></source><img alt="Why Leader Must Always be Content But Never Satisfied" height="300" itemprop="image" src="http://churchplants-eszuskq0bptlfh8awbb.stackpathdns.com/wp-content/uploads/beans/images/alwayscontent_neversatisfied-0822cc1.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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I love this sentiment: <strong>“Be content, not satisfied.”</strong><br />
I can’t remember when I first heard it. It sounds like something John
Maxwell would say, but I’m not sure. It’s certainly not a new idea. But
for many leaders, mastering the power of this statement is novel and
can provide new innovations and invigorate change.<br />
At <a href="http://woodstockcity.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Woodstock City Church</a> where
I lead, we are constantly fighting to remain content, but not
satisfied. Content because we are partnering with God and his church.
Unsatisfied because the mission of God’s church is too big to ever feel
like it is complete. We take this so seriously around our church that we
even labeled it “Make It Better,” one of our six core staff behaviors.
“Make It Better” means never fall prey to believing we have arrived.<br />
You know that in an ever-evolving culture, we can never stop evolving
our approach, our model or our strategies. As my friend and boss (Andy
Stanley) likes to say, “We must be married to our mission, not our
model.”<br />
<span id="more-1424"></span>As a leader, the first question you need
to ask yourself is “Am I content?” Discontent leaders are often
disasters. Discontentment typically leads to poor leadership behaviors
and lack of valuing people over products. But dissatisfied—well that’s a
good thing.<br />
The second question, “With what are you unsatisfied?” is where I am living as a leader right now.<br />
<strong>Here’s my current list of “content, but not satisfied:”</strong><br />
<ul>
<li>Decreasing attendance patterns from regular attendees</li>
<li>Mission engagement</li>
<li>Lack of enthusiasm from our 4th and 5th grade attenders compared to their elementary peers</li>
<li>Disengagement from high school students as they progress in our church</li>
<li>Finding optimal ways to make non-optimal service times more optimal</li>
<li>We should baptize more people</li>
<li>Increasing generosity</li>
<li>Engaging new guest more quickly</li>
<li>Volunteer recruitment and retention</li>
<li>Increasing our staff’s voice to make everything better</li>
</ul>
I don’t know how many of these we can solve at <a href="http://woodstockcity.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Woodstock City Church</a>, but I’m grateful that we aren’t satisfied with where we are!<br />
What about you?<br />
<em>This article originally appeared <a href="https://www.gavinadams.com/always-content-never-satisfied/">here</a>.</em><br />
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<div class="author-bio uk-block">
<div class="uk-align-left">
<img alt="Gavin Adams" class="avatar avatar-96 wp-user-avatar wp-user-avatar-96 alignnone photo" height="75" src="http://churchplants-eszuskq0bptlfh8awbb.stackpathdns.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/GavinAdams.jpg" width="75" /> </div>
<div class="uk-text-large uk-text-bold uk-visi">
By
<a href="http://churchplants.com/author/gavinadams" rel="author" title="Posts by Gavin Adams">Gavin Adams</a> </div>
Gavin
Adams believes the local church is the most important organization on
the planet, and he is helping to transform them into places unchurched
people love to attend. As the Lead Pastor of <a href="http://watermarkechurch.com/">Watermarke Church</a>,
(a campus of North Point Ministries), Watermarke has grown from 400 to
4000 attendees in five years. A student of leadership, communication,
church and faith, Gavin shares his discoveries through speaking and
consulting. Follow him on <a href="https://twitter.com/@Gavin_Adams">Twitter</a> or at his <a href="http://gavinadams.com/">blog</a>. </div>
</article>Dave Brooshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06400500398264976717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5545635256103449141.post-34446055953483143762017-07-28T20:13:00.002-07:002017-07-28T20:13:29.606-07:005 Hidden Habits of Healthy Churches<article class="uk-article post-14155 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-articles tag-headlines tag-homepage" id="14155" itemprop="blogPost" itemscope="itemscope" itemtype="http://schema.org/BlogPosting"><header><h1 class="uk-article-title" itemprop="headline">
5 Hidden Habits of Healthy Churches</h1>
<div class="entry-description">
These are habits that, while they have a profound impact on their ministry, remain largely unseen by the masses.<br />
</div>
</header><div>
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<source media="(max-width: 480px)"></source><img alt="5 Hidden Habits of Healthy Churches" height="300" itemprop="image" src="http://churchplants-eszuskq0bptlfh8awbb.stackpathdns.com/wp-content/uploads/beans/images/5hiddenhabits_healthychurches-0822cc1.jpg" width="640" /></div>
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I’ve had the privilege of working with some of the most
remarkable churches across the country over the last 10 years. Perhaps
one of the greatest honors is that I have witnessed the incredible
leadership in these organizations personally. Working so closely with
churches, I’ve noticed several hidden habits that many of the largest
and most healthy churches in the country maintain. These are habits
that, while they have a profound impact on their ministry, remain
largely unseen by the masses. Here are five of the most prominent and
recurring healthy habits that I have encountered:<br />
<b>Leaders Park Far Away – </b>Arriving a few hours before a church
service begins can tell you a lot about the leaders of a church. If they
are all parked right up against the building it indicates that they
don’t instinctively think about their first-time guests or people
outside the church. Leaders who park their cars at the farthest away
spot and stroll over make a symbolic statement; a guest’s needs come
before a leader’s. These leaders are actively living out the fact that
the first will be last in their churches. This attitude ultimately
weaves its way through the organization as people see humility and
servanthood lived out in a million small ways!<br />
<b>Limited Green Room Time – </b>Most church leaders have a room or
area within their church dedicated to providing them respite from
people. While setting aside some time to gather your thoughts is an
important part of serving at any church, it is important to limit the
amount of time leaders are away from “the people.” Recently, I took a
friend to visit one of the largest churches in the country and we
arrived about an hour after an evening service had wrapped up. As we
stepped into the main auditorium, it was humbling to see their lead
pastor still talking with people at the front of the church. There was a
leader of a church of tens of thousands of people who knew that slowing
down and serving people one-on-one is vitally important part of
leadership. Get out of the green room and talk to the members of your
congregation more this coming Sunday than you did last weekend!<br />
<b>Lots of Thank You Notes – </b>I’m still convinced that the thank
you note is one of the most powerful tools a senior leader has at
his/her disposal. Slowing down to handwrite a quick note to someone
conveys so much in a world of depersonalized digital communication. It
doesn’t take long, and the notes you write are often held onto months,
or even years, later. Many leaders in thriving churches have a thank you
note writing regime where they regularly identify people within their
community to reach out to through this medium. All you will need is a
stack of simple cards and a pen; just half a dozen notes a week and
you’ll start to see all kinds of benefits within your community.<br />
<b>First In/Last Out – </b>Running a church is challenging work. It
takes a tremendous amount of effort to “do” ministry. One of the things
I’ve noticed in thriving churches is that their leaders are often the
first to arrive when the church is doing something and the last to leave
at the end of the event. These people want to be part of what’s
happening and ensure that their presence is felt and known on “game day”
when the church is at its best. This selfless act demonstrates to your
people that you are as deeply committed to the mission as they are.
Churches are fueled by a group of amazing volunteers who are giving up
their personal time to make the mission happen. Then how much more
committed to the mission should the “paid staff” be that are leading the
mission? Sure, you have lots of places you could be but your team is
choosing to serve with your ministry, so why not show them some love and
care through your presence with them while they serve?<br />
<b>Do for one what you wish you could do for all –</b> As a church
grows, a natural pressure creeps in. The scale of the ministry starts to
push to the point where the leader can no longer provide the individual
care and support that they used to when the church was smaller. The
natural pull is toward not doing individual care for people because of
the mass of people attending the community. But healthy and thriving
churches are led by people who figure out a way to serve individuals in
their church in a way that they wish could serve everyone at the church.
Rather than being paralyzed by the dual pressures of the scale of
people attending the church and your desire to serve them all
individually, healthy church leaders look for places to slow down and
care for people at a personal level. They understand that although there
are a lot of people attending church, people have individual reasons
for journeying with a church. Taking time to slow down to send flowers,
make a phone call, help with meals or attend a funeral are never a bad
idea to ensure you, as a leader, remain connected to the people.<br />
I’d love to hear from you. What are some “hidden habits” that you see
being lived out by church leaders you admire!? Let’s share those
stories.<br />
<em>This article originally appeared <a href="http://www.unseminary.com/5-hidden-habits-of-healthy-churches/">here</a>.</em><br />
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<img alt="Rich Birch" class="avatar avatar-96 wp-user-avatar wp-user-avatar-96 alignnone photo" height="75" src="http://churchplants-eszuskq0bptlfh8awbb.stackpathdns.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/RichBirch.jpg" width="75" /> </div>
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By
<a href="http://churchplants.com/author/RichBirch" rel="author" title="Posts by Rich Birch">Rich Birch</a> </div>
Rich
serves as Operations Pastor at Liquid Church in the Manhattan facing
suburbs of New Jersey. He blogs at UnSeminary.com and is a sought after
speaker and consultant on multisite, pastoral productivity and
communications. </div>
</article>Dave Brooshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06400500398264976717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5545635256103449141.post-43782756958375522652017-07-28T20:10:00.002-07:002017-07-28T20:10:17.693-07:00Why Planters Must Be Flexible or Die<article class="uk-article post-14157 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-articles tag-headlines tag-homepage tag-outreach" id="14157" itemprop="blogPost" itemscope="itemscope" itemtype="http://schema.org/BlogPosting"><header><h1 class="uk-article-title" itemprop="headline">
Why Planters Must Be Flexible or Die</h1>
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“Be flexible or die … those are your options.”<br />
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<a href="http://www.outreachmagazine.com/"><img alt="" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-7682" height="65" src="http://churchplants-eszuskq0bptlfh8awbb.stackpathdns.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Outreach.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
<i>This week, we’re hearing from various voices on the topic of
church planting to celebrate the release of the July/August 2017 issue
of </i>Outreach<i> magazine, which is all about church planting and multiplication. <a href="http://web.outreachmagazine.com/subscribe" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><b>Click here to learn more.</b></a></i><br />
Recently, a church-planter’s wife was asking me for some advice about
her situation. I didn’t really premeditate my answer; it just came
barreling out.<br />
<i>“Be flexible or die…those are your options.”</i><br />
Her eyes got big, and so did mine (the advice was a strong blow to
me, too). But, if anyone is looking for a word from a church-planter’s
wife today, I guess this would be it.<br />
If we are going to survive the tumultuous waters of church planting, we will have to learn to be flexible.<br />
The definition of flexibility, according to Google, is “the quality of bending easily <i>without breaking</i>.”
To be honest, this word hurts my stomach right now. Growing up, I took
pride in the range of motion in my joints. I stretched constantly and
could bend in any direction. But recently, I tore the cartilage in my
hip joint, which has robbed me of all my flexibility. I’m in pain just
watching my daughters at gymnastics class.<br />
According to the American Council on Exercise, each group of joints
in our body can have a different level of extensibility. We may be
flexible in our hamstrings, allowing us to touch our toes, but not in
our quadriceps, affecting our posture.<br />
You might think of yourself as flexible, but this isn’t really an
all-or-nothing issue. Let’s think about the different areas where we
need to stretch in order to develop flexibility.<br />
<h2>
<b>1. We must be flexible about scheduling.</b></h2>
When something comes up that is unplanned (and it will), are we
willing to let our preferences go? Will we hold on with white knuckles
or learn to trust God with every moment (I’m preaching to myself here,
just in case you’re wondering…).<br />
<h2>
<b>2. We must be flexible about family time.</b></h2>
Yes, we scheduled Thursday night as “family night,” but if “x-y-z”
comes up and prevents this, couldn’t we as easily protect Sunday night?
You love your family, but you may need some grace arranging all the
puzzle pieces.<br />
<h2>
<b>3. We must be flexible in our expectations of others.</b></h2>
We have both legitimate and illegitimate expectations of the people
around us. While we may argue about which category it falls in to, we
can all agree that people will at times fail us. How will we respond?
We’ve got to stretch far enough to reach grace.<br />
<h2>
<b>4. We must be flexible in our expectations of ourselves.</b></h2>
Even as I’m typing this, I’m frustrated because I was supposed to
finish this blog post before picking up my daughter from her homeschool
writing class. I guess I need to adjust what I think I can accomplish in
an hour. Anyone else with me?<br />
<h2>
<b>5. We must be flexible in our patience.</b></h2>
Not every season is equal. When my husband first started at Pillar
Church, he needed more space to figure things out. If we want this
church plant to flourish, we’ve got to stretch ourselves to develop
patience. Especially when we or our spouses are stressed and fatigued
under their heavy load.<br />
<h2>
<b>6. We must be flexible in our ability to take criticism (real or perceived).</b></h2>
This might be coming from someone in the church or even from someone
in your home. We’ve got to stretch in our ability to not be so easily
offended. After all, “It is to one’s glory to overlook an offense”
(Prov. 19:11).<br />
<h2>
<b>7. We must be flexible in our desires.</b></h2>
We want too many things. Some of our desires are good, some are bad.
Many times, these desires are in conflict (i.e., “I really want to
finish writing this blog post, but I also really want to exercise this
morning”). Everything becomes hard when we don’t bridle our desires and
we compare our lives (and our salaries) with those around us. This is so
dangerous. We can’t have it all, so we’ve got to learn to be content
with what is in our hand (1 Tim. 6:6).<br />
<h2>
<b>8. We must be flexible in our moral commitments (just kidding…just checking to see if anyone is still reading this).</b></h2>
We all know there are some things we <b>can’t</b> be flexible about. Knowing the difference is key.<br />
Our jobs as church planters and church-planting spouses, and
therefore our lives, can be so unpredictable. This is not something we
can control. The only thing we can control is how we respond to it.
There is great freedom in this. But, we have to get our workout clothes
on and do the hard work of training in righteousness. <i>“Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the Lord’s decree will prevail”</i> (Prov. 19:21).<br />
Let’s trust our God and put all our confidence in him, not our perfectly constructed plans.<br />
<a href="http://outreachmagazine.com/church-planting"><em><strong>Read more stories about church planting »</strong></em></a><br />
<i><b>Annie Garman</b> is a pastor’s wife and author of </i>Unexpected Grace: When Your Child is Born With Half a Heart<em>. She and her family serve at Pillar Church in Northern Virginia. This article was originally published on <a href="http://newchurches.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">NewChurches.com</a>.</em><br />
<em>This article originally appeared <a href="http://www.outreachmagazine.com/features/23144-church-planting-flexible.html">here</a>.</em><br />
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By
<a href="http://churchplants.com/author/anniegarman" rel="author" title="Posts by Annie Garman">Annie Garman</a> </div>
Annie
Garman is a pastor’s wife and author of Unexpected Grace: When Your
Child is Born With Half a Heart. She and her family serve at Pillar
Church in Northern Virginia. This article was originally published on
NewChurches.com. </div>
</article>Dave Brooshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06400500398264976717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5545635256103449141.post-38961302558252441862017-07-28T20:08:00.004-07:002017-07-28T20:08:47.423-07:005 Reasons Every Leader Needs A Coach<strong>When it comes to helping pastors craft, communicate, and organize their churches around vision, few are better than <a href="https://twitter.com/shawnlovejoy">Shawn Lovejoy</a>, the Founder & CEO of <a href="http://www.couragetolead.com/">CourageToLead.com</a>.</strong><br />
I recommend Shawn to all church leaders who need assistance with
overall church health, maintaining momentum, pastoral coaching,
preaching assistance, organizational development, and mission and vision
construction. If you are looking for pastoral coaching, click <a href="http://www.couragetolead.com/">HERE</a> or on the image above to reach out to Shawn and start a conversation.<br />
Recently, he wrote a great post on why all leaders need to coach. I
wanted to make his thoughts available to my audience as well. Check out
Shawn’s comments below. And if you are a pastor in need of a good
coach, he is a great place to start.<br />
___________________________________________________________<br />
I just simply believe that every leader should have a coach. I’m so
high maintenance I usually have 3-5 coaches regularly speaking into my
own life! I process every major decision through a coach…and lots of
minor decisions, as well!<br />
Why do I believe in coaching so much? Why do I believe every leader
needs a coach? In the next couple of posts, I’ll give you five reasons!<br />
<h1>
Five Reasons Every Leader Needs A Coach:</h1>
<h2>
<strong>1. Coaching is Biblical. </strong></h2>
God reminds us over again in Scripture about the importance of
seeking counsel and getting advice from wise people around us. Proverbs
19:20 is a great example: “Get all the advice and instruction you can,
so you will be wise the rest of your life.” Proverbs 20:18 says “Plans
succeed through good counsel; don’t go to war without wise advice.”
Notice it says wise advice. It’s easy to get counsel from all our
friends. However, what we often need is counsel from someone who’s been
where we’re going. Someone more experienced than we are. Someone wiser
than us. It’s Biblical!<br />
<h2>
<strong>2. Coaching protects us. </strong></h2>
I’m proud of the fact that in 20 years of vocational ministry, I
never had a trainwreck. The ministries I lead never went off the rails.
Because I’m perfect? No. Because I stayed in relationship with Godly,
wise coaches in my life, it helped keep me sane, centered, and married. I
sought counsel before every major decision, so it made my decisions
better! We never had a trainwreck in the ministries I led because
coaches always helped me see the potential train coming and helped me
navigate around it. Coaches have helped to save my butt many times!<br />
<h2>
<strong>3. Coaching gives us permission. </strong></h2>
I have found that many times we as leaders have a sense deep down in
our minds what the issues are. We have a sensing of what God wants us to
do. We just need to hear someone else say we’re not CRAZY for thinking
what we’re thinking! We need courage to move forward. I call that giving
leaders permission.<br />
<h2>
<strong>4. Coaching talks us off the ledge. </strong></h2>
There have been many days I have called a coach because I thought the
sky was about to fall. Things were not good. Things were about to
crumble. The stuff was hitting the fan. My mind was stuck on worse case
scenario. However,<br />
<h2>
<strong>5. Coaching inspires us. </strong></h2>
Not one time in a coaching conversation did I ever come away
discouraged. I went into almost every coaching conversation that
way..but didn’t leave that way! I can honestly say that I have been most
inspired to think and dream bigger and pursue the vision God has placed
on my heart on the heels of coaching conversations. Coaching has that
kind of power! Good coaches inspire their players. I have been inspired
and I love doing the same for other leaders.<br />
These are just five reasons why I have surrounded myself with coaches
and given my life and ministry to coaching leaders. Couragetolead.com
would love to provide all of this for you! Why would you NOT get
coaching? Because it costs something? What will it cost you if you don’t
have a coach? I believe a far greater cost! Get. A. Coach!<br />
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Have Questions? Drop us a line and schedule a <a href="https://om303.infusionsoft.com/app/page/request_consultation">Free Consultation Phone Call</a> with one of our coaches to consider how our coaching can help!<br />
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<a class="jp-relatedposts-post-a" data-origin="20715" data-position="0" href="http://briandoddonleadership.com/2017/05/30/22-facts-on-why-pastors-should-passionately-fight-for-their-churchs-vision/" rel="nofollow" title="22 Facts On Why Pastors Should Passionately Fight For Their Church's Vision
Proverbs 29:18 famously states, "Where there is no vision the people perish." Therefore, there are few things as important as protecting, preserving, and effectively communicating your church's God-given vision. When it comes to helping pastors craft, communicate, and organize their churches around vision, few are better than Shawn Lovejoy, the Founder…">22 Facts On Why Pastors Should Passionately Fight For Their Church's Vision</a></h4>
<div class="jp-relatedposts-post-date" style="display: block;">
May 30, 2017</div>
<div class="jp-relatedposts-post-context">
In "Church Leadership"</div>
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In their latest edition of the Fully Engaged Church podcast, MAG Bookkeeping President Randy Ongie talks with Shawn Lovejoy. Shawn has a heart for coaching leaders, pastoring pastors and helping them conquer what keeps them up at night. Shawn previously served as Founding and Lead Pastor of Mountain Lake Church, Directional Leader of churchplanters.com…"><img alt="Why So Many Churches Copy Another Church's Vision" class="jp-relatedposts-post-img" src="https://i1.wp.com/briandoddonleadership.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMG_0757.jpg?resize=350%2C200" width="350" /></a><h4 class="jp-relatedposts-post-title">
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In their latest edition of the Fully Engaged Church podcast, MAG Bookkeeping President Randy Ongie talks with Shawn Lovejoy. Shawn has a heart for coaching leaders, pastoring pastors and helping them conquer what keeps them up at night. Shawn previously served as Founding and Lead Pastor of Mountain Lake Church, Directional Leader of churchplanters.com…">Why So Many Churches Copy Another Church's Vision</a></h4>
<div class="jp-relatedposts-post-date" style="display: block;">
August 23, 2016</div>
<div class="jp-relatedposts-post-context">
In "Church Leadership"</div>
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Shawn Lovejoy, founder of Courage To Lead and author of the great book Be Mean About The Vision, is one of my favorite leaders. Recently he discussed what is needed to break growth barriers in your church. It starts with building a great team. Anytime Shawn speaks on leadership I…"><img alt="20 Lessons For Pastors On Building A Great Team" class="jp-relatedposts-post-img" src="https://i1.wp.com/briandoddonleadership.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/IMG_0757.jpg?resize=350%2C200" width="350" /></a><h4 class="jp-relatedposts-post-title">
<a class="jp-relatedposts-post-a" data-origin="20715" data-position="2" href="http://briandoddonleadership.com/2016/09/25/20-lessons-for-pastors-on-building-a-great-team/" rel="nofollow" title="20 Lessons For Pastors On Building A Great Team
Shawn Lovejoy, founder of Courage To Lead and author of the great book Be Mean About The Vision, is one of my favorite leaders. Recently he discussed what is needed to break growth barriers in your church. It starts with building a great team. Anytime Shawn speaks on leadership I…">20 Lessons For Pastors On Building A Great Team</a></h4>
<div class="jp-relatedposts-post-date" style="display: block;">
September 25, 2016</div>
<div class="jp-relatedposts-post-context">
In "Church Leadership"</div>
</div>
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<h4>
About Brian Dodd</h4>
Brian Dodd is the author and content coordinator for Brian Dodd On
Leadership. In addition to overseeing this site's content, Brian is
Director of New Ministry Partnerships for INJOY Stewardship Solutions
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Dave Brooshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06400500398264976717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5545635256103449141.post-65741079173526590942017-07-28T20:08:00.001-07:002017-07-28T20:08:11.820-07:005 Essential Qualities of Great Pastors and Church Planters<article class="uk-article post-14161 post type-post status-publish format-standard has-post-thumbnail hentry category-articles tag-headlines tag-homepage" id="14161" itemprop="blogPost" itemscope="itemscope" itemtype="http://schema.org/BlogPosting"><header><h1 class="uk-article-title" itemprop="headline">
5 Essential Qualities of Great Pastors and Church Planters</h1>
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What do you think are the basic, essential qualities a leader must have to be an effective church planter?<br />
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Danny Kirk, Grace Hills’ Community Pastor, started a back porch discussion off the other day with this question: <em>What do you think are the basic, essential qualities a leader must have to be an effective church planter?</em><br />
The more we talked, the longer our list became. And I even thought of Charles Ridley’s excellent list of <a href="http://effectivechurch.com/church-planting-ridleys-13-characteristics-and-test/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">13 characteristics of a church planter</a>,
which I can’t improve upon. But before I get into it, let me issue this
disclaimer to ward off those who will nail me for being overly
pragmatic… <strong>God can use anyone he wants to use to do anything he wants done.</strong> Skilled or not, talented or not, charismatic or not, God can do amazing things through ordinary people.<br />
Having said all of that, some people seem to lead well while others
struggle. In general, these are the characteristics of leaders I see
influencing growing numbers of people for the kingdom’s sake…<br />
<h3>
Character in the Heart</h3>
Every leader’s influence is merely temporary, no matter how large, if
there isn’t solid character being developed at the core.
Trustworthiness is really the foundational quality of a leader. It’s not
the product or the fruit; character is the <em><strong>root</strong></em>.
Often, the character of a leader is best revealed out of their home
life—their marriage, their relationship with their kids, and who they
are when the public isn’t watching.<br />
The good news is, character can be developed.<br />
<h3>
Confidence in the Vision</h3>
A movement leader must possess the ability to paint a clear picture
of a grand vision, to reduce complex strategies to simple next steps,
and to convince others that the vision is bound to become a reality and
is therefore worthy of the time, energy and resources they will
sacrifice for it.<br />
The good news is, confidence can grow.<br />
<h3>
Charisma From the Front</h3>
I don’t care a hill of beans for the kind of <em>charisma</em> that
probably just came to your mind. Flash-in-the-pan rock stars are a dime a
dozen and are usually here today and gone tomorrow. I mean the kind of
charisma that helps a person communicate in a clear and compelling way.
Communication skills are more essential than ever to influencing
movements.<br />
The good news is, communication skills can be learned and practiced to proficiency, even by us introverts.<br />
<h3>
Compassion for People</h3>
It may be possible to lead a nation or a business without being a people person, but people <em>are</em> the
ministry to which God has called us as pastors and church planters. The
world is looking for real love. We are starving for genuine
affirmation. And we need friends like never before. Church leaders must
pour their lives into people—loving them, serving them and developing
them to their full potential.<br />
The good news is, we can work on this. We can pray for people, make
eye contact, become better listeners and tune into the needs of those
around us.<br />
<h3>
Commitment to the Work</h3>
My favorite quote is from Shelton Smith, Editor of <em>The Sword of the Lord</em>:’<br />
<em>The difference between mediocrity and excellence is midnight oil, elbow grease and the power of God.</em><br />
While leading a movement requires a proper rhythm, it also doesn’t
happen only between the hours of 9 and 4 each day. It’s hard work.
People debate Malcolm Gladwell’s assertion that it takes 10,000 hours of
doing something to become great at it, but even if Malcolm is wrong, I
think it’s a goal worth going for.<br />
And let me say something particularly applicable to aspiring <em>church planters</em>.
If relationships will be built, budgets formed, vision statements
written, facilities rented, print pieces designed, postcards sent,
banners ordered, donuts made ready, musicians recruited, small group
hosts recruited, children’s workers trained or any of dozens of other
little duties performed in the planting of a church, there absolutely
must be a leader, from day one, who will see to it that it all gets
accomplished. If you’re planting a church, no one will wake you up in
the morning and tell you to keep going when the going gets tough. If
you’re not willing to be a self-starter, <strong>don’t plant a church.</strong><br />
If you aspire to lead or plant a church as a pastor, there are plenty
of things you can do to develop yourself in all of these areas. Read
books and blogs. Network with other leaders. Stay on your knees and in
the Word. Make lists of people and show them love intentionally. But you
must start somewhere. This basic list is just what I would consider the
core, essential qualities—the non-negotiable starting package.<br />
The good news is, God can start with anyone, anywhere, and do
anything through them he wants done. But he tends to look for those
willing to be faithful, available and teachable.<br />
<em>This article originally appeared <a href="http://pastors.com/5-essential-qualities-of-great-pastors-and-church-planters/">here</a>.</em><br />
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By
<a href="http://churchplants.com/author/BrandonCox" rel="author" title="Posts by Brandon Cox">Brandon Cox</a> </div>
Brandon
Cox is Lead Pastor of Grace Hills Church, a new church plant in
northwest Arkansas. He also serves as Editor and Community Facilitator
for Pastors.com and Rick Warren's Pastor's Toolbox and was formerly a
Pastor at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California. In his spare
time, he offers consultation to church leaders about communication,
branding, and social media. He and his wife, Angie, live with their two
awesome kids in Bentonville, Arkansas. </div>
</article>Dave Brooshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06400500398264976717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5545635256103449141.post-53280239172737582042017-07-28T20:07:00.001-07:002017-07-28T20:07:05.186-07:00If You Can’t See These People, You Can’t See Christ<h1 class="page_title">
If You Can’t See These People, You Can’t See Christ</h1>
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By <span class="story_author">Efrem Smith</span>
<span class="story_date"> • July 27, 2017</span>
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“How we treat the poor, the oppressed, the immigrant and the incarcerated is directly related to our intimacy with God.”<br />
</div>
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<h3>
Recent Stories</h3>
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<a class="title" href="http://www.outreachmagazine.com/features/23747-cant-see-people-cant-see-christ.html" title="If You Can’t See These People, You Can’t See Christ">If You Can’t See These People, You Can’t See Christ</a>
<div>
<a href="http://www.outreachmagazine.com/features/23747-cant-see-people-cant-see-christ.html" title="If You Can’t See These People, You Can’t See Christ"><img alt="" class="attachment-80x60 size-80x60 wp-post-image" src="http://omag-eszuskq0bptlfh8awbb.stackpathdns.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/17-Feature-If-You-Cant-See-These-People-You-Cant-See-Christ-0728-300x225.jpg" /></a>
<span>“How we treat the poor, the oppressed, the immigrant and the incarcerated is directly related to our intimacy with God.”<br />
</span>
</div>
</li>
<li>
<a class="title" href="http://www.outreachmagazine.com/resources/23751-america-christian-nation.html" title="Russell Moore: Was America Founded as a ‘Christian Nation’?">Russell Moore: Was America Founded as a ‘Christian Nation’?</a>
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<a href="http://www.outreachmagazine.com/resources/23751-america-christian-nation.html" title="Russell Moore: Was America Founded as a ‘Christian Nation’?"><img alt="" class="attachment-80x60 size-80x60 wp-post-image" src="http://omag-eszuskq0bptlfh8awbb.stackpathdns.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/RussellMoore-300x225.jpg" /></a>
<span>“The confusion often comes in when people assign to the U.S. a providential place in history that the Bible never assigns it.”<br />
</span>
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</li>
<li>
<a class="title" href="http://www.outreachmagazine.com/features/23745-criticizing-large-churches.html" title="Why We Need to Stop Criticizing Large Churches">Why We Need to Stop Criticizing Large Churches</a>
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<a href="http://www.outreachmagazine.com/features/23745-criticizing-large-churches.html" title="Why We Need to Stop Criticizing Large Churches"><img alt="" class="attachment-80x60 size-80x60 wp-post-image" src="http://omag-eszuskq0bptlfh8awbb.stackpathdns.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/17-Feature-Why-We-Need-to-Stop-Criticizing-Large-Churches-0727-300x225.jpg" /></a>
<span>“I think it’s time to kill the myth that if you’re preaching a real gospel message with integrity, nobody will show up.”<br />
</span>
</div>
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</div>
<div class="body_text">
The Scriptures are clear that Jesus was born
into poverty as an oppressed minority. The only begotten Son of God, who
was in the beginning as God and with God, speaking creation into
existence (John 1), came to Earth as a Jewish, multiethnic, poor and
marginalized human being.<br />
This ought to challenge, inform and guide how the Christian lives in society today.<br />
If it indeed is true that Jesus sets us free, then shouldn’t all of
Christ direct how we live as his liberated followers? We are set free by
Christ’s birth, earthly life, death on the cross and rising from the
grave.<br />
God’s work of bringing salvation to sinful and fallen humanity begins
with Christ’s birth. How he was born and grew up ought to shape our
understanding of living for Christ in this politically, racially and
economically divided world.<br />
Our living as citizens of the kingdom of God is deeply connected to
the countercultural life that Christ lived on earth. Christ’s birth and
upbringing was a threat to oppressive political systems and religious
power structures of his time.<br />
<h2>
<b>Christ on the Wrong Side of Town</b></h2>
If we are open to our Christian lives being informed and guided by
the birth of Christ, we must ask, “How does Christ being born into
poverty as an oppressed minority shape how we live our Christian lives
in society today?”<br />
Christ was not only born into poverty—he was raised by an earthly
working-class family. He grew up in the wrong community on the wrong
side of town. One of the reasons people questioned his claims of being a
King, the Son of God, and the Son of Man is where he grew up.<br />
Soon after he was born, the leader of an oppressive government system
ordered all male babies that looked like Jesus to be murdered. This
forced Joseph, Mary and Jesus to flee into Africa and live as refugees
and undocumented immigrants.<br />
Will Christians in the United States today allow this journey, right
on the other side of Christ’s birth, empower how they love refugees and
the undocumented for the advancement of God’s kingdom?<br />
<h2>
<b>How We See the Marginalized</b></h2>
The birth of Jesus and the life he led as he journeyed toward the
cross and the resurrection is about the road to our individual
salvation, and the roadmap for how we live as disciples in this divided
and dysfunctional world.<br />
How we see the poor, the oppressed, the marginalized, the immigrant,
and the incarcerated is directly connected to how we see Christ. If we
see these people falsely, then we see Christ falsely. How we treat the
poor, the oppressed, the marginalized, the immigrant and the
incarcerated is directly related to our intimacy with God, or lack
thereof. This truth is shown to us in Matthew 25.<br />
Christians, whether evangelical or mainline, must be set free from
the politics of left and right in order to live missionally and humbly
among the groups of people that Jesus lived among.<br />
I yearn for a church set free from captivity of left- and right-wing
politics, as well as the social matrix of race, class divisions and
other broken and divisive systems that have caused Christians to
compromise the gospel. I will continue to participate in movements of
church planting, multiplication, leadership development and
reconciliation that prophetically put the kingdom of God over the sinful
and broken systems of this world.<br />
<a href="http://www.outreachmagazine.com/interviews/22983-efrem-smith-4.html"><em><strong>Don’t miss our exclusive interview with Efrem Smith »</strong></em></a><br />
<em><strong>Efrem Smith </strong>is an author, international speaker
and pastor of Bayside Church’s Midtown campus in Sacramento, California.
This article was originally published on <a href="http://missioalliance.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">MissioAlliance.org</a>.</em><br />
</div>
Dave Brooshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06400500398264976717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5545635256103449141.post-30519642554181020282017-07-24T03:01:00.003-07:002017-07-24T03:01:40.634-07:00Sharing<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="IN" style="mso-ansi-language: IN;">Hai saudara dan suadariku dalam Kristus Yesus,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="IN" style="mso-ansi-language: IN;">Terimakasih untuk selama beberapa tahun
terakhir ini telah dengan setia mendoakan dan mendukung kami dalam pelayanan
yang telah Tuhan percayakan pada kami. Saya secara pribadi sangat menghargai
persaudaraan yang telah kita bangun bersama-sama selama ini. Mohon maaf bila
ada kekurangan dan hal yang kurang berkenan dalam kehidupan saya maupun
keluarga.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="IN" style="mso-ansi-language: IN;">Apa yang telah didoakan dan
didistribusikan kami pastikan tidak sia-sia. Kami bersyukur, bahwa 1,5 tahun
terakhir ini, saya sudah dapat kembali aktif pelayanan dan mengerjakan visi
yang telah Tuhan berikan. Saya kini berjejaring dan melayani bersama-sama
anggota tubuh Kristus lainnya diantaranya lembaga missi Youth With A Mission
Bandung, rekan-rekan sesama pergerakan gereja rumah di Bandung, rekan-rekan pergerakan
pemuridan dan penanaman gereja di tengah suku terabaikan (DMM = Discipleship
Making Movement), Komunitas We Are Family yaitu kumpulan keluarga besar YWAM
baik bagi yang masih aktif maupun sudah tidak pelayanan dalam lembaga YWAM,
juga rekan-rekan frontier mission yang melayani khusus orang Muslim dan suku
Sunda, gereja denominasi yang menjadi sahabat pergerakan kami seperti GPK, GIAT
dan GPKDI selama berada di Bandung.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="IN" style="mso-ansi-language: IN;">Saya sangat menyadari bahwa saya tidak
dapat bergerak lebih lanjut tanpa doa, masukan, motivasi dan dukungan dari
saudara-saudara seiman lainnya. Bila saudara memiliki bahan atau materi atau
buku yang baik mengenai pemuridan, missi atau penanaman gereja (dalam konteks
suku terabaikan) kami akan sangat senang menerimanya. Entah itu dalam bahasa
Indonesia atau pun Bahasa Inggris.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="IN" style="mso-ansi-language: IN;">Saya juga sangat menghargai bila ada bahan
atau materi bacaan, untuk memperlengkapi sisi enterpreuner dan manajemen
keuangan untuk UMKM. Sebab saya merasakan keperluan memperlengkapi
hamba-hambaNya yang ingin melakukan pelayanan mandiri (self support ministry)
hingga tidak bergantung pada donatur atau pun jemaat yang dilayani.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="IN" style="mso-ansi-language: IN;">Seringkali kami terbatas atau terhambat
pergerakannya oleh karena terbatasnya dana namun melihat bahwa visi besar
Amanat Agung harus dapat tercapai maka kami melakukan segala daya upaya agar
hal ini bisa terwujud. Saya percaya bila kita semua bergandeng tangan dan
berupaya secara optimal bersama, sesuatu akan terjadi di tengah bangsa ini.
Saya percaya kuasa doa... Kuasa ketaatan akan FirmanNya...... Kuasa kesatuan
tubuh Kristus. Ada banyak kota dan desa di Indonesia terbuka bahkan
negara-negara lain (kami juga melayani para TKI di luar negeri melalui dunia
maya). Saya acap kali merasa terbatas sebab tidak dapat melengkapi
saudara-saudara saya di daerah maupun luar negeri, sebab saya tidak punya dana.
Tetapi saya siap bekerjasama dengan saudara seiman lainnya yang mau dengan
tulus untuk pergi melayani mereka. Demi pencapaian Amanat Agung secara optimal,
saya siap untuk melayani bersama anggota tubuh Kristus lainnya untuk kemuliaan
dan pelebaran Kerajaan Tuhan. Harapan saya sebelum kembali pulang ke Rumah
Bapa, melihat setiap anak Tuhan menjadi murid Kristus yang bermultiplikasi.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;">
<span lang="IN" style="mso-ansi-language: IN;">Terimakasih sudah menyempatkan diri untuk
membaca surat saya yang jauh dari sempurna ini. God bless.</span></div>
Dave Brooshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06400500398264976717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5545635256103449141.post-70883347487786300672017-07-11T20:44:00.002-07:002017-07-11T20:44:27.660-07:005 Ways to Reach More Millennials at Your Church<div class="td-post-header">
<header class="td-post-title">
<h1 class="entry-title">
5 Ways to Reach More Millennials at Your Church</h1>
<div class="td-module-meta-info">
<div class="td-post-author-name">
<div class="td-author-by">
By</div>
<a href="http://churchleaders.com/author/Brandon">Brandon Hilgemann</a><div class="td-author-line">
- </div>
</div>
<span class="td-post-date"><time class="entry-date updated td-module-date" datetime="2017-07-05T22:55:48+00:00">July 5, 2017</time></span> </div>
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Hi, I’m Brandon, and I’m a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millennials">millennial</a>.<br />
I am one of those “entitled,” “snowflake” babies born between 1980 and 2000.<br />
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Being a millennial comes with many unfair stereotypes:<br />
<ul>
<li>We are lazy.</li>
<li>We want trophies just for participating.</li>
<li>We can’t find stable jobs or move out of our parents’ basements…</li>
</ul>
While some of the stereotypes are true for some millennials, I know a lot of millennials who break the trend.<br />
But there is one stereotype about millennials that is scary because it’s true. <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/12/living/pew-religion-study/index.html">Millennials are leaving the church in droves</a>.<br />
So while I cannot pretend to speak for all millennials, I can tell
you what my millennial friends and I want to see in your church.<br />
<h2 data-fontsize="30" data-lineheight="45">
1. PUT MILLENNIALS ON STAGE</h2>
When we go to church and see a bunch of gray-haired guys on stage and
a bunch gray-haired people in the crowd, we wonder if we fit in.<br />
Find ways to get younger people on stage. And let a millennial pastor preach every once in awhile.<br />
If you don’t have one on staff (or at least as an elder or high-capacity volunteer), that may be part of the problem.<br />
Show us that your church isn’t just an old-person club, but a place that we can serve and use our gifts too.<br />
I know from experience how hard it is for millennials to break into ministry. We are starving for someone to give us a chance.<br />
Just look at the churches that are reaching millennials and tell me if any of them don’t have young people on stage.<br />
<h2 data-fontsize="30" data-lineheight="45">
2. BE REAL WITH US</h2>
We crave authenticity.<br />
Don’t pretend like everything in life is rosy when you follow Jesus. If you do, we will know you’re fake.<br />
You aren’t fooling anyone. We all know you aren’t perfect. We loathe
impostors, and many of us are skeptical because church leaders can seem
fake.<br />
So quit talking to us like we are naive and skipping around sensitive subjects.<br />
Be uncomfortably vulnerable with us about your shortcomings and
struggles in your faith. Tell us how you continue to wrestle with your
imperfections while trying to follow Christ.<br />
We want the ugly truth about the messy issues in life, even when it stings.<br />
<h2 data-fontsize="30" data-lineheight="45">
3. EMBRACE TECHNOLOGY</h2>
Stop pretending like it’s 1985 and we don’t all have smartphones in our pockets.<br />
Technology has dated many practices of the church.<br />
Stop asking everyone to fill out a physical communication card with a
dull pencil when you can just ask us to send you a text, email or fill
out a quick form on your website.<br />
Don’t ask us for our “home phone number.” Does anyone still have a
landline? Just ask for a phone number and assume it’s a cell phone.<br />
Also, just so you know, most millennials don’t carry cash anymore.
Many of us can hardly remember the last time we saw a checkbook. We use
debit cards (or even our phones) and pay bills online. So it’s awkward
when you pass an offering plate and don’t give us an option to give
online.<br />
I could list a hundred more examples.<br />
If nothing else, start here: Update your church website and make it
the central hub for all church information, registration and giving.<br />
<h2 data-fontsize="30" data-lineheight="45">
4. USE VISUALS</h2>
Like it or not, we are a visual generation.<br />
It’s harder than ever for a preacher to hold our attention. But we are drawn to pictures and video. Please use them.<br />
If you are talking about a location in the Bible, show us a picture of the area.<br />
If you are preaching about an abstract concept, find a concrete way to demonstrate it.<br />
Take advantage of the excellent <a href="http://worshiphousemedia.com/">video illustrations</a> at your disposal.<br />
Even just painting word pictures and telling stories helps.<br />
In every sermon, ask yourself, “How can I both show and tell?” (I have an entire chapter on this in my book <em><a href="http://amzn.to/2r0dy51">Preach and Deliver</a></em>).<br />
Use visual elements and imagery to help us see what you say.<br />
Not only will you hold our attention, but you will help us understand
in the way that we have been conditioned by our culture to learn.<br />
Preaching isn’t dead to millennials, but it needs to adapt to our culture.<br />
<h2 data-fontsize="30" data-lineheight="45">
5. BE CLEAR</h2>
We like things that are clear and simple.<br />
This goes for everything: your preaching, your theology, your programming, your mission statement…even the church signs.<br />
We don’t like 12-point sermons. Stick with one big point.<br />
We don’t like signs we have to stop to read, just point us in the right direction.<br />
And please, for the love, stop reading every church announcement from
the stage. Highlight a thing or two that’s coming up and point us to
where we can get more information.<br />
Also, understand that simplicity does not mean stupidity. It takes more intelligence to make the complex simple.<br />
Cut the clutter.<br />
<h2 data-fontsize="30" data-lineheight="45">
THE POINT</h2>
Don’t believe all the stereotypes you hear about millennials. We don’t have to be the generation that leaves the church.<br />
But if you want to reach us, some things in your church will have to change.<br />
These five things alone won’t do all the work for you. But if you
want your church to reach millennials, this is a start to creating an
environment that will help.<br />
Otherwise, your church might keep fishing with the wrong bait.<br />
<em>This article originally appeared <a href="http://www.propreacher.com/5-ways-to-reach-millennials-at-your-church/">here</a>.</em>Dave Brooshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06400500398264976717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5545635256103449141.post-49522508394586340552017-07-11T20:43:00.003-07:002017-07-11T20:43:41.436-07:00How to Minister to the Fatherless<div class="td-post-header">
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<h1 class="entry-title">
How to Minister to the Fatherless</h1>
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<div class="td-author-by">
By</div>
<a href="http://churchleaders.com/author/annameadeharris">Anna Meade Harris</a><div class="td-author-line">
- </div>
</div>
<span class="td-post-date"><time class="entry-date updated td-module-date" datetime="2017-07-05T23:00:57+00:00">July 5, 2017</time></span> </div>
</header>
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Summer has been hard for my boys since their father died six and a half years ago.<br />
First comes Father’s Day. Watching my kids over the years, I have
realized that it’s very easy to dismiss Father’s Day as an irrelevant
Hallmark marketing ploy when your own dad is still around. But for my
boys, Father’s Day is a big deal. Then comes June 30, which would mark
my husband’s 49th birthday, if he were still here for us to celebrate.
July 4 used to be a big family occasion for us, and seven years later,
we still have not settled on a new tradition to replace the old.<br />
I remember in particular one rainy Fourth. We were stuck indoors, and
one son was glued to ESPN. Late that night he came to me crying because
all day ESPN had run patriotic stories about military service persons
returning home and being reunited with their families. Over and over he
saw husbands and wives surprising their families, and he watched their
tears of joy and relief after months and sometimes years of painful
separation. My son cried because he knew he would never have that joyful
reunion this side of heaven, and he cried because he wanted to be happy
for those families, but he felt so sad for himself.<br />
There are many ways a child can become fatherless. Death,
abandonment, abuse and incarceration remove the dad from a child’s life
completely, and divorce can (but does not always) have a similar effect.
The loss of a father, no matter how it happens, has profound and
lifelong impact.<br />
God takes the plight of the fatherless very seriously, making their welfare an urgent priority for His church.<br />
James 1:27 in the Amplified version reads: “<em>External religious
worship [religion as it is expressed in outward acts] that is pure and
unblemished in the sight of God the Father is this: <strong>to visit and help and care for the orphans and the widows in their affliction and need…</strong></em>”<br />
In other words, God is saying, “If you really love Me, take care of the kids who don’t have a dad.”<br />
God declares Himself “a Father to the fatherless” (Psalm 68:5), and
one of the primary ways he expresses this Fatherhood is through His
church, the body of Christ whose hands and feet He uses to accomplish
His purposes.<br />
Here’s where to start: Build a relationship with a child who doesn’t
have his or her dad. This takes time, effort, consistency and patience,
but if you want to show a fatherless child the love of their heavenly
Father, there’s no other way to do it. Demonstrate commitment and
dependability. When you place yourself in God’s hands and ask for His
love to flow through you to a hurting child, He will answer that prayer
and show you what to do.<br />
One of my husband’s best friends has taken my youngest son out for
breakfast on Fridays for nearly seven years now. This man isn’t trying
to replace his dad or rescue my son; he just wants to love him. He
sometimes gives advice, or attends a school event, or takes my boy
jet-skiing, but mostly this friend just listens. He spends time with
him, and tells him God loves him. Another of my husband’s closest
friends has walked through the college process with my two older sons,
taking them on tours and helping them make decisions. Just this past
week, yet another friend took my 15-year-old out to practice driving,
and when my son expressed interest in his job, he took my boy to work
with him for the day.<br />
All these years later, these godly men (and others) are still
investing time and attention in my fatherless sons. Together, they have
formed a community that loves, protects and provides for my boys. They
have become God’s gracious provision to our family.<br />
Some things to keep in mind as you show love to the fatherless:<br />
<ul>
<li>Know what the milestone days are. Dad’s birthday, or the
anniversary of his leaving—these dates matter, and the grief can be
fresh and raw years later. On my husband’s birthday every year, my
brother-in-law comes over and we eat a meal of all my husband’s favorite
foods. It’s a way to acknowledge the loss and remember the fun stuff.</li>
<li>Help the child do very practical dad things. One time my son angrily
kicked a hole in the wall. A friend of my husband’s came to the house
and very calmly, without judgment or lecturing, taught him to repair the
sheetrock damage. He made my son do the actual work himself, and came
back to supervise the repainting a few days later. This friend led my
son to take responsibility for his childish behavior, and encouraged him
to act with greater maturity in the future, exactly as his father would
have done.</li>
<li>Don’t try to fix the fatherlessness. You can’t. Losing a parent is a
great grief and a deep sadness and nothing anyone does will change or
compensate for that fact. You cannot heal a brokenhearted child; that is
God’s job. What you CAN do is “comfort those who are in any tribulation
with the comfort with which [you yourself] are comforted by God” (2
Corinthians 1:4). A child may be fatherless, but he or she does not have
to be a spiritual orphan too.</li>
</ul>
Finally, whatever you do, <strong>don’t give up on a fatherless kid</strong>.
Children who lose their fathers are often angry and wounded, and this
can lead to some long-lasting, unloveable behavior. Don’t quit loving
them. Wait on that front porch for the prodigal, and pray for him
continually. He desperately needs to know that the love of the Father
“bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all
things” (1 Corinthians 13:7).<br />
God in his grace must instill in you His love that never fails, because you can’t do it in your own strength.<br />
Though an earthly father may leave or abandon or die, our fatherless
children can hear from His body the promise of our perfect heavenly
Father: “<em>I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave
you without support. I will not, I will not, I will not in any degree
leave you helpless, nor forsake nor let you down, relax my hold on you.
Assuredly not!</em>” (Hebrews 13:5 AMP)<br />
<em>This article originally appeared <a href="https://www.rootedministry.com/blog/ministering-love-father-fatherless/">here</a>.</em>Dave Brooshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06400500398264976717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5545635256103449141.post-15028871361642360102017-07-11T20:43:00.000-07:002017-07-11T20:43:00.918-07:005 Ways to Lead When You Have No Money or Team<div class="td-post-header">
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<h1 class="entry-title">
5 Ways to Lead When You Have No Money or Team</h1>
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By</div>
<a href="http://churchleaders.com/author/careynieuwhof">Carey Nieuwhof</a><div class="td-author-line">
- </div>
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<span class="td-post-date"><time class="entry-date updated td-module-date" datetime="2017-07-05T23:00:29+00:00">July 5, 2017</time></span> </div>
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I recently surveyed over 1,400 pastors of small to mid-sized churches to find out what they struggled with.<br />
I ran the survey to collect input for a new online course I’m
releasing this fall called Breaking 200 Without Breaking You, all about
breaking the 200 attendance barrier, something 85 percent of churches
never do. (You can sign up to get on the <a href="http://eepurl.com/cRapkX" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">inside track for the course release here</a>.)<br />
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Man, I learned a ton from that survey.<br />
One of the common refrains leaders voiced was uncertainty about how to lead when they didn’t have much money or the right team.<br />
After all, most of us visit megachurches and think <em>if I only had a tenth of their money and their people, it would instantly solve my problems.</em> And then we go back to our own context and get almost instantly depressed.<br />
So when you have almost no money for ministry and you clearly haven’t
got the right kind of people in the room, where do you start?<br />
Believe it or not, neither condition is fatal to your cause. In fact,
almost every great movement, church or organization you admire started
with no money and no people.<br />
So how can you lead when resources are scarce to nonexistent?<br />
There are at least five things you can do to help you find traction.<br />
<h2>
1. Cast a Big Vision</h2>
Of course you know that one of the principal roles of the leader is to cast vision.<br />
But what do you do when you have almost nothing other than vision?<br />
Well, you cast a <em>big</em> vision.<br />
Vision creates something out of nothing. It turns impossibility into reality.<br />
It startles people out of their complacency, stops them from settling
for less and moves them to action they wouldn’t otherwise take except
for the vision of what could be.<br />
Too many leaders forget that vision precedes money and people. Why? Because vision <em>always</em> precedes resources. Sometimes all you have is a vision…and that’s enough to get started.<br />
And remember, resources follow vision. They never precede it.<br />
If you want to attract a team and resources, cast a big, clear and compelling vision.<br />
<h2>
2. Raise Your Passion Level</h2>
Does passion really matter? You bet it does. More than you think.<br />
Passion is different than hype. Hype attempts to manufacture something that doesn’t quite ring true.<br />
Passion runs deep. It’s authentic. It resonates. And it’s contagious.<br />
No amount of money can ever substitute for a lack of passion.<br />
Your team will never be more passionate about the mission than you
are. If you’re disturbed by the lack of passion in your team, look in
the mirror. If you’re not fogging mirrors, they never will.<br />
<h2>
3. Start With Who You Have</h2>
Sure, you don’t have your dream team. Dream teams don’t randomly assemble. They’re built.<br />
But leaders who wait forever for a dream team to appear eventually have nightmares.<br />
So what do you do instead? You start with who you have.<br />
Yes, I know you don’t have the team you want. And yes, everyone else seems to have a better team.<br />
You need to realize, however, that’s where most leaders begin. When I
started ministry at three tiny, stagnant churches over 20 years ago,
the buildings weren’t exactly teeming with high capacity leaders.<br />
So, start with the best leaders you can find. If you begin by working
with the best people you have in the room, eventually higher capacity
leaders will fill the room.<br />
Want more on building a high performing team from scratch? Listen to
Episode 39 of my leadership podcast with Chris Lema. You can <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/cnlp-039-how-to-build-high-performing-team-from-scratch/id912753163?i=1000344299105&mt=2" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">subscribe to my podcast for free here</a> or listen below.<br />
<h2>
4. Focus on What You CAN Do</h2>
It’s so easy to be negative. In fact, it takes zero work. It’s the default of the human condition.<br />
As a result, it’s easy to complain about everything you lack and what seems impossible.<br />
Leaders who focus on what they can’t do always miss what they can do.<br />
Plus, you end up setting a negative tone for the organization when you always talk about what’s not possible.<br />
What CAN you do? Answer that and go do it.<br />
Keep doing it, and eventually you’ll be accomplishing far more than you ever thought.<br />
<h2>
5. Believe This Is Only the Beginning</h2>
Often as a leader you can grow so discouraged that you think of your current lack of whatever as the end.<br />
Your attitude leaks.<br />
When a leader loses confidence, so does the team.<br />
When a leader is bored, the team grows bored.<br />
And when a leader is passionless, well it doesn’t take long for a group to lose any sense of enthusiasm.<br />
We leaders are dealers in hope. And hope in the mission of the local
church is never misplaced. After all, the church was Jesus’ idea, not
ours.<br />
So don’t look at your current lack of resources as the end, look at it as the beginning.<br />
<h2>
Want More?</h2>
If you want more ideas on how to generate the kind of momentum you
need to reach your community, I wrote about it in detail in my latest
book, <em><a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1941259464/ref=s9u_simh_gw_i1?ie=UTF8&fpl=fresh&pd_rd_i=1941259464&pd_rd_r=A9P7H5SC8A2B9WGJFWH0&pd_rd_w=XuKQw&pd_rd_wg=ZdqzI&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=&pf_rd_r=J2HDT151DR2PN0VHQMAS&pf_rd_t=36701&pf_rd_p=781f4767-b4d4-466b-8c26-2639359664eb&pf_rd_i=desktop" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Lasting Impact: 7 Powerful Conversations That Can Help Your Church Grow</a></em>. In that book, I tackle seven critical issues every church needs to address if it wants to make an impact in today’s culture.<br />
I also created a <a href="https://careynieuwhof.com/product/lasting-impact-course/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">team edition companion video series</a> so you can work through the ideas with your elder board, key volunteers or staff. You can get that <a href="https://careynieuwhof.com/product/lasting-impact-course/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.<br />
In the meantime, what helps you make progress when you feel like you don’t have the money or the people you’d love to have?<br />
<em>This article originally appeared <a href="https://careynieuwhof.com/5-ways-to-lead-when-you-have-no-money-or-people/">here</a>.</em>Dave Brooshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06400500398264976717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5545635256103449141.post-1362615189389793652017-07-11T20:33:00.000-07:002017-07-11T20:33:02.553-07:00Eugene Peterson: What Most Pastors Don’t Know about Pastoring<div class="td-post-header">
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<h1 class="entry-title">
Eugene Peterson: What Most Pastors Don’t Know about Pastoring</h1>
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By</div>
<a href="http://churchleaders.com/author/jasondaye">Jason Daye</a><div class="td-author-line">
- </div>
</div>
<span class="td-post-date"><time class="entry-date updated td-module-date" datetime="2017-06-21T08:02:07+00:00">June 21, 2017</time></span> </div>
</header>
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<strong>Eugene Peterson </strong>is a pastor, scholar, author, and poet. He has written over thirty books, including <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Message-Ministry-Bible-Contemporary-Language/dp/1600065945/ref=pd_sim_14_4?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1600065945&pd_rd_r=PCJJ4TZGS1YWF8XW6KM6&pd_rd_w=UvoXC&pd_rd_wg=jDR4O&psc=1&refRID=PCJJ4TZGS1YWF8XW6KM6" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language</a>.
In 1962, Peterson was a founding pastor of Christ Our King Presbyterian
Church in Bel Air, Maryland, where he served for 29 years before
retiring in 1991. He was Professor Emeritus of Spiritual Theology at
Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia until retiring in 2006. He
now lives in Montana.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://soundcloud.com/churchleaders/eugene-peterson-what-most">https://soundcloud.com/churchleaders/eugene-peterson-what-most</a><br />
<h2>
<span class="s1">Key Questions:</span></h2>
What do you think most pastors today don’t understand about the role of pastor?<br />
You share about a moment of self-awareness, a lecture, and a poem
which had an everlasting impact on your life as a pastor. Can you share
those with us?<br />
What advice would you give to the pastor feeling the pressure to grow his or her numbers?<br />
<h2>
Key Quotes:</h2>
<div style="padding-left: 30px;">
<em>“They had no idea what a pastor did,
they just wanted to be in on something exciting…It satisfied their
desire for being important and being effective, but the people they were
doing this with—they didn’t even know their names.”</em></div>
<div style="padding-left: 30px;">
<em>“I was rescued from the consumer mentality by the beauty of that poetry and by the honesty of the doctor.”</em></div>
<div style="padding-left: 30px;">
<em>“What we want from God is something
to do, something to make me better, something to give me the answers to
life. And what we’re really after is to answer God ourselves.”</em></div>
<div style="padding-left: 30px;">
<em>“My approach to preaching was developed by reversing what was so common in American </em>Protestantism<em>: Trying to treat God as an </em>answer-person<em>. And we don’t know enough about God to know what to ask. So we listen, and we listen, and we listen.”</em></div>
<div style="padding-left: 30px;">
<em>“There’s not very much good preaching these days. </em>Lot<em> of entertainment, </em>lot<em> of stories.”</em></div>
<div style="padding-left: 30px;">
<em>“Conversation is one of the most
important things pastors need patterns on how to develop—instead of
telling people what to do, asking them what they’re doing.”</em></div>
<div style="padding-left: 30px;">
<em>“We don’t need more words; we need accurate words.”</em></div>
<div style="padding-left: 30px;">
<em>“The Psalms are all prayers, but they don’t always look like prayers.”</em></div>
<div style="padding-left: 30px;">
<em>“I think pastors need to be more modest in what they’re doing.”</em></div>
<div style="padding-left: 30px;">
<em>“I think it’s important, according to
me anyway, to have some mentors in the cemeteries. People who did it
right, before there were crowds of people to become important.”</em></div>
<h2>
Mentioned in the Show:</h2>
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/As-Kingfishers-Catch-Fire-Conversation/dp/1601429673/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1498014306&sr=8-1&keywords=as+kingfishers+catch+fire" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">As Kingfishers Catch Fire</a><br />
<a href="https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poems/detail/44389" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Gerard Manley Hopkins As Kingfishers Catch Fire</a><br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Diary-Country-Priest-Novel/dp/0786709618" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Diary of a Country Priest</a> George BernanosDave Brooshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06400500398264976717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5545635256103449141.post-69450165167774084672017-07-11T20:32:00.002-07:002017-07-11T20:32:06.101-07:00The Danger of the Ascent<div class="td-post-header">
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The Danger of the Ascent</h1>
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By</div>
<a href="http://churchleaders.com/author/michaelcatt">Michael Catt</a><div class="td-author-line">
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<span class="td-post-date"><time class="entry-date updated td-module-date" datetime="2017-06-27T23:00:47+00:00">June 27, 2017</time></span> </div>
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A few years ago while in Israel, I climbed Masada on the snake path.
To go from the lowest point of the earth, the Dead Sea, to the top of a
mountain fortress is, to say the least, a challenge. My guide told me of
a pastor who runs that snake path. He can get to the top in less than
30 minutes. For a good hike, at a good pace, it takes about an hour. You
have to adjust to changing altitudes and the path is very narrow and
there are no rails. If you start to fall, you’re going to roll a long
way down the side before you hit the bottom.<br />
It is a fascinating hike. The scenery will take your breath away as
your mind races with thoughts about how a massive fortress was built on
top of Masada so many years ago. When we got to the top and I joined our
group, Terri thought I was about to have a heart attack. My face was
blood-red and I was sweating like crazy…but it was worth it to be able
to say, in my 60s, that I had climbed Masada.<span id="more-2814"></span><br />
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I’m not the guy who can run up Masada. I had to walk, take a few
breaks and keep pushing myself to reach the goal. The danger of the
snake path is the loose rocks that can cause you to slip. Last year, our
group walked down the ramp side of Masada. It was not nearly as
strenuous, but it was still dangerous because of the loose rocks.
Whether going up or going down, you need to pay attention.<br />
When I was thinking about that climb this morning, my thoughts went
to those in ministry who make a fast ascent but end up at the bottom
with a tragic fall. They shoot off like a rocket, but end up like a dud.
In any position of leadership, you have to be careful that you don’t go
too far too fast or that you don’t outrun your gifts or your integrity.
You can’t go any further than your character will take you.<br />
My mentor Vance Havner said, “You don’t have to chase key men if you
know the One who holds the keys.” With that in mind, I’ve never sent out
a resume, never asked anyone to recommend me to a church or leadership
position, and never decided to run for anything.<br />
While I’ve had the privilege of serving both Georgia Baptists,
Southern Baptists, the International Mission Board and other ministries,
I’ve never sought out or politicked for those opportunities. As someone
has said, “The office should seek the man; the man shouldn’t seek the
office.” When you avoid politics, you can have a clear conscience and a
calm assurance that the Lord put you in that place.<br />
When we are young, we want positions of power and influence. It’s the
nature of youthful zeal and passion—but wisdom must prevail. We cannot
run ahead of God. He knows where we are and what He can trust us with.
When we get older, we must not resent the zeal of youth or their desire
to lead. Our role is to guide, counsel, pray and encourage. Our intent
should be to equip the next generation to fill our shoes without missing
a beat.<br />
Our admonition, if we are serious about investing in the next
generation of leaders, should be to climb slowly, think clearly, see the
dangers and accept help along the way. The leader who climbs as quickly
as possible or who ignores wise counsel will make a dangerous ascent
and most likely have a sudden and quick fall.<br />
A few words of warning to the younger ones among us…<br />
1) Don’t accept every invitation to speak or serve. Pace yourself. This race of life is a marathon, not a 100-yard dash.<br />
2) Be patient. Let God open the doors; don’t try to push them open.<br />
3) Listen to wise counsel. Seek counsel from those who are further down
the road than you are. Learn from those who made the fast climb and the
equally fast fall.<br />
4) Avoid the detours and shortcuts that are really dead-end roads.<br />
The road to where God wants you is unique. Some move at a faster
pace, while others take time to surrender to God’s plan, path and pace.
Rome wasn’t built in a day. Ministries can be ruined in a day of quick
judgments and un-prayed over decisions. Let God order your steps and
your starts.<br />
Be available, faithful and teachable. God will take care of your
calling and your opportunities. Don’t be a statistic, one of those of
whom we ask, “Whatever happened to so-and-so?” The bottom of the
mountain is filled with too many corpses of once great men and women who
got ahead of God.<br />
<em>This article originally appeared <a href="http://michaelcatt.com/2017/06/2814/#more-2814">here</a>.</em>Dave Brooshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06400500398264976717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5545635256103449141.post-27994141330889319192017-07-11T20:31:00.000-07:002017-07-11T20:31:01.490-07:0010 Disciplines Of A Godly Pastor <div class="info offset-200">
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By <a href="https://www.sermoncentral.com/authors/r-kent-hughes-articles-996?ref=" title="View the preaching articles by R. Kent Hughes">R. Kent Hughes</a> on Jun 11, 2017
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Our ultimate trust is always in God's
persevering grace, nevertheless, we are called to cultivate godly
action in our lives. Here are 10 disciplines shared by a pastor with
over 40 years of experience in faithfully serving the Lord and
shepherding God's people. </div>
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<h1>
1. Discipline of Purity</h1>
Sensuality is the biggest obstacle to godliness among Christian
leaders. The fall of King David should not only instruct us but also
scare the sensuality right out of us! Fill yourself with God’s
Word—memorize passages like 1 Thessalonians 4:3–8; Job 31:1; Proverbs
6:27; Ephesians 5:3–7; and 2 Timothy 2:22. Find someone who will help
you keep your soul faithful to God. Develop the divine awareness that
sustained Joseph: “How then can I do this great wickedness and sin
against God?” (Gen. 39:9).<br />
<h1>
2. Discipline of Relationships</h1>
To be all God wants you to be, put some holy sweat into your
relationships! If you are married, you need to live out Ephesians
5:25–31. For those who are fathers, God provides a workout in one
pungent sentence: “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but
bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Eph. 6:4).
Relationships are not optional (Heb. 10:25); they enable us both to
develop into what God wants us to be and to most effectively learn and
live God’s truth.<br />
<h1>
3. Discipline of Mind</h1>
The potential of possessing the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:16) introduces
the scandal of today’s church—pastors who do not think Christianly,
leaving their minds undisciplined. The apostle Paul understood this
well: “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just,
whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there
is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about
these things” (Phil. 4:8). You can never have a Christian mind without
reading the Scriptures regularly, for you cannot be influenced by that
which you do not know.<br />
<h1>
4. Discipline of Devotion</h1>
Reading God’s Word is essential, but meditation internalizes the Word
and responds, “I delight to do your will, O my God” (Ps. 40:8). Beyond
obedience to instructions such as those found in Ephesians 6:18–20,
there are two additional great reasons to pray. First, the more we
expose our lives to the white-hot sun of Christ’s righteous life, the
more his image will be burned into our character. Second, prayer bends
our wills to God’s will. Many pastors never have an effective devotional
life because they never plan for it; they never expose their lives to
his pure light.<br />
<h1>
5. Discipline of Integrity</h1>
We can hardly overstate the importance of integrity to a generation of
Christian leaders so much like the world in ethical conduct. Integrity’s
benefits—character, a clear conscience, deep intimacy with God—argue
its importance. We must let God’s Word dictate our conduct. Our speech
and actions must be intentionally true (Prov. 12:22; Eph. 4:15), backed
by the courage to keep our word and stand up for our convictions (Ps.
15:4).<br />
<h1>
6. Discipline of Tongue</h1>
The true test of a preacher’s spirituality is not his ability to speak
but rather his ability to bridle his tongue (James 1:26). Offered to God
on the altar, the tongue has awesome power for good. There must be an
ongoing prayerfulness and resolve to discipline our tongues.<br />
<h1>
7. Discipline of Work</h1>
We meet God, the Creator, as a worker in Genesis 1:1–2:2. Since “God
created man in his own image” (1:27), the way we work will reveal how
much we allow the image of God to develop in us. There is no
secular/sacred distinction; all honest work ought to be done to the
glory of God (1 Cor. 10:31). We must recover the biblical truth that our
pastoral vocation is a divine calling and thus be liberated to do it
for the glory of God.<br />
<h1>
8. Discipline of Perseverance</h1>
Hebrews 12:1–3 presents a picture of perseverance in four commands.<br />
– Divest! “Lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely” (v. 1a).<br />
– Run! “. . . with endurance the race that is set before us” (v. 1b).<br />
– Focus! “Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith” (v. 2).<br />
– Consider! Our life is to be spent considering how Jesus lived (v. 3).<br />
<h1>
9. Discipline of Church</h1>
You do not have to go to church to be a Christian; you do not have to
go home to be married. But in both cases, if you do not, you will have a
very poor relationship! As pastors we need to remind our flock that
they will never attain spiritual maturity without commitment to the
local church. We need to encourage Christians to join the church and
participate wholeheartedly, giving their time, talent, and treasure to
God.<br />
<h1>
10. Discipline of Giving</h1>
We escape the power of materialism by giving from a heart overflowing
with God’s grace, like the believers in Macedonia who “gave themselves
first to the Lord” (2 Cor. 8:5). Pastor, make sure you are giving to
your local church, to missions, and to those in need! Giving disarms the
power of money and reaps the spiritual blessings of God. As Jesus said,
“It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).<br />
Only by God’s Grace<br />
As we sweat out the disciplines of a godly pastor, remember, with Paul,
what energizes us to live them out: “not I, but the grace of God that
is with me” (1 Cor. 15:10).<br />
</div>
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<a href="https://www.sermoncentral.com/authors/r-kent-hughes-articles-996" title="View all preaching articles by R. Kent Hughes">R. Kent Hughes</a>
<span>(website: <a href="http://www.olivetree.com/store/product.php?productid=32644&source=featureditem" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener" target="_blank">Preaching the Word</a>) </span>
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<div>
R. Kent Hughes was in pastoral ministry for 41 years, the last 27 as
senior pastor of College Church in Wheaton, Illinois. He earned his B.A.
from Whittier College (history), an M.Div. from Talbot Seminary and a
D.Min. from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. Kent is the author of
numerous books, among them the best-selling Disciplines of a Godly Man.
He is also editor of the projected 50-volume <a href="https://www.olivetree.com/store/product.php?productid=32644&source=featureditem" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener " target="_blank">Preaching the Word</a> series to which he has made numerous contributions.<br />
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Dave Brooshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06400500398264976717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5545635256103449141.post-32104738570003455362017-07-11T20:26:00.000-07:002017-07-11T20:26:02.550-07:00Plumb Lines for The Summit Church<div class="td-post-header">
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Plumb Lines for The Summit Church</h1>
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By</div>
<a href="http://churchleaders.com/author/J.%20D.">J. D. Greear</a><div class="td-author-line">
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<span class="td-post-date"><time class="entry-date updated td-module-date" datetime="2017-06-19T23:00:31+00:00">June 19, 2017</time></span> </div>
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<em>This is what he showed me:</em><br /><em>The Lord was standing by a wall that had been built true to plumb,</em><br /><em>with a plumb line in his hand.</em><br /><em>–Amos 7:7</em></div>
Plumb lines are a series of short, pithy statements that we, at the
Summit, use as rallying points—both for our staff and for the entire
church. They are a way to encapsulate our theology and philosophy in
short, memorable phrases. These 16 statements form the core of our DNA
as a church.<br />
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1. <a href="http://www.jdgreear.com/my_weblog/2016/07/plumb-line-1-the-gospel-is-not-just-the-diving-board-its-the-pool.html">The gospel is not just the diving board; it’s the pool</a>.<br />
2. <a href="http://www.jdgreear.com/my_weblog/2016/10/we-judge-our-success-by-sending-capacity-not-seating-capacity.html">We judge our success by sending capacity, not seating capacity</a>.<br />
3. <a href="http://www.jdgreear.com/my_weblog/2011/06/leadership-plumbline-9-the-church-is-not-an-audience-gathered-around-a-leader-but-a-leadership-factory.html">The church is not an audience; it’s an army</a>.<br />
4. <a href="http://www.jdgreear.com/my_weblog/2016/09/plumb-line-4-people-are-the-mission.html">People are the mission</a>.<br />
5. <a href="http://www.jdgreear.com/my_weblog/2016/09/prayer-doesnt-prepare-for-ministry-prayer-is-the-ministry.html">Prayer doesn’t just fuel the ministry; prayer is the ministry</a>.<br />
6. <a href="http://www.jdgreear.com/my_weblog/2016/08/plumb-line-6-live-sufficiently-give-extravagantly.html">Live sufficiently, give extravagantly.</a><br />
7. <a href="http://www.jdgreear.com/my_weblog/2016/11/plumb-line-7-the-local-church-is-gods-plan-a.html">The local church is God’s “Plan A.”</a><br />
8. <a href="http://www.jdgreear.com/my_weblog/2016/07/plumb-line-8-where-trust-exists-god-moves.html">Where trust exists, God moves</a>.<br />
9. <a href="http://www.jdgreear.com/my_weblog/2016/07/plumb-line-9-we-should-reflect-the-diversity-of-our-community-proclaim-the-diversity-of-the-kingdom.html">The church should reflect the diversity of its community and declare the diversity of the Kingdom</a>.<br />
10. <a href="http://www.jdgreear.com/my_weblog/2016/12/plumb-line-10-stay-where-you-are-serve-where-you-live-be-the-church-in-your-community.html">Stay where you are, serve where you live, be the church in your community</a>.<br />
11. <a href="http://www.jdgreear.com/my_weblog/2016/08/plumb-line-11-discipleship-happens-in-relationships.html">Discipleship happens in relationships</a>.<br />
12. <a href="http://www.jdgreear.com/my_weblog/2016/12/plumb-line-12-the-best-ministry-ideas-are-in-the-congregation.html">The best ministry ideas are in the congregation</a>.<br />
13. <a href="http://www.jdgreear.com/my_weblog/2016/08/plumb-line-13-we-are-led-by-the-spirit-taught-by-the-word.html">We are led by the Spirit, taught by the Word</a><i><a href="http://www.jdgreear.com/my_weblog/2016/08/plumb-line-13-we-are-led-by-the-spirit-taught-by-the-word.html">.</a></i>14. <a href="http://www.jdgreear.com/my_weblog/2016/08/plumb-line-14-when-life-cuts-us-we-want-to-bleed-gods-word.html">When life cuts us, we want to bleed God’s Word</a>.<br />
15. <a href="http://www.jdgreear.com/my_weblog/2016/10/plumb-line-15-the-1-takes-priority-over-the-99.html">The one takes priority over the 99</a>.<br />
16. <a href="http://www.jdgreear.com/my_weblog/2016/11/plumb-line-16-the-question-is-no-longer-if-youre-called-its-only-where-and-how.html">The question is no longer <i>if </i>you’re called; it’s only where and how</a>.<br />
<em>If you’re curious to see some of our past “plumb lines” (some of
which stayed the course and others of which were laid to rest), check
out this post from 2011: <a href="http://www.jdgreear.com/my_weblog/2011/11/plumblines-36-values-i-wish-i-had-possessed-when-i-started-pastoring-10-years-ago.html">35 Values I Wished I Had Possessed When I Started Pastoring 10 Years Ago</a>.</em><br />
<em>This article originally appeared <a href="https://jdgreear.com/blog/plumb-lines-for-the-summit-church/">here</a>.</em>Dave Brooshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06400500398264976717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5545635256103449141.post-72084971614022613822017-07-11T20:25:00.004-07:002017-07-11T20:25:38.535-07:00Why Do Churches Wound Their Pastors?<div class="td-post-header">
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Why Do Churches Wound Their Pastors?</h1>
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<span class="td-post-date"><time class="entry-date updated td-module-date" datetime="2017-06-18T23:00:24+00:00">June 18, 2017</time></span> </div>
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A renowned Reformed pastor, great preacher, visionary leader and
tender man endured such criticism from his church that he almost
despaired. He told one of his confidants, “After 12 years as a pastor, I
had to put a wall between myself and my people so I wouldn’t have to
quit the ministry.”<br />
“Jack” was another esteemed pastor. An excellent preacher with
sterling organizational skills, he fostered healthy church growth and
led numerous citywide ministries. When he retired, the leaders of the
pastoral search team visited me. We spent an hour getting to know each
other, then their presentation began. Before long, I felt compelled to
interrupt, “Please don’t tell me your goal is to find a senior pastor
who’s more of a shepherd than Jack.” Faces fell.<br />
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“How did you know?”<br />
I replied: “Jack is friendly and socially adept, but clearly not as
sociable as you are—we just spent an hour talking about our families.
Jack is always busy preaching, teaching and leading. Your church has
1,500 people, so you know he can’t know <em>everyone</em>. But you’re sad he doesn’t really know all 60 elders. Since you admire him, you long to know him and hope you <em>will </em>know
your next pastor. But no one is equally gifted at everything, and
everyone’s time is limited. Therefore, if this search led to a man bent
on shepherding, he would inevitably be less devoted to preaching or
leadership. But after 20 years with Jack, the church expects and needs a
senior pastor who preaches and leads with excellence. If you want a
consummate preacher, teacher <em>and</em> shepherd, you want the perfect pastor.”<br />
In short, the committee loved Jack, but they also thought, <em>We need to fix his weakness</em>. They forgot that everyone has weaknesses.<br />
<h3>
<strong>‘We Need to Fix Him’</strong></h3>
My work often leads to sustained conversations with elders,
unordained leaders and pastors of large, complex churches. With rare
exceptions, churches are quite vocal about the flaws of their pastors,
whether newly installed or long faithful. Good churches wish it were
different, but they tend to think all will be well if the pastor
improves, and they take better care of him.<br />
At first, churches are eager to care for new pastors, especially
senior pastors. They want to ensure that he has time for his family,
that he doesn’t work too hard, that he joins a gym or a club. They want
to treat him well—certainly better than the last pastor, who finished
his tenure visibly exhausted. This intention is typically more
enthusiastic than resolute, for the tone changes a few years into the
pastor’s tenure.<br />
The main problem is almost always criticism and opposition. Every
pastor who effectively leads an influential church will face opposition.
Heroes like Anselm, Chrysostom, Luther, Calvin, Wesley and Edwards
tasted fierce resistance, even hostility. Because they enacted essential
reforms and addressed burning theological debates, confrontation was
inevitable.<br />
Anyone with great skill and influence becomes a target. Similarly, a
rapidly growing church will rouse opposition from its community, as
neighbors protest increased traffic, and nearby pastors—possibly
motivated by jealousy—imagine they detect heterodoxy.<br />
These troubles are inevitable but manageable. The principal challenge lies within the pastor’s own church.<br />
<h3>
<strong>Five Causes of Criticism</strong></h3>
This spring, I spoke to a group of large-church pastors, staff
members and elders. During a Q&A, an elder asked, “What is the
single greatest problem facing pastors today?” I replied, “The greatest
problem is internal opposition from subversive co-leaders and
self-appointed critics within the church.” The pastors released a
collective groan of recognition and assent.<br />
I will briefly mention five causes of criticism and focus on the fifth.<br />
<strong>First</strong>, a pastor may face full-blown antagonists who will lie, deceive and manipulate to destroy him and control the church.<br />
<strong>Second</strong>, a pastor must negotiate with talented,
successful and therefore opinionated people who love him but believe
he’s dead wrong about a critical issue.<br />
<strong>Third</strong>, a pastor pays for the errors of his
subordinates. If a staff member commits a major sin, the senior pastor
properly faces questions: Did he fail to address a nascent problem? But
catastrophes can be unforeseeable.<br />
<strong>Fourth</strong>, a pastor see problems that appear to invite,
even demand, reform. Most people resist change. Further, those
committed to the existing order will be inclined to resist proposals for
a new system. New pastors know it is wise to delay changes, if
possible, to build trust while making non-controversial improvements.
Bold changes arrive later.<br />
Machiavelli said there is nothing more difficult in leadership than
creating a new order. Everyone who’s done well under the old system is
an enemy, and those who <em>may </em>do well in the new order will be
lukewarm allies. Machiavelli is needlessly pessimistic, since a
manifestly flawed order always attracts reformers, and there is a
minority that simply likes change. Nonetheless, pastors do court
opposition when they initiate change.<br />
But I want to focus on criticism directed at a pastor’s genuine flaws.<br />
<strong>Finally</strong>, every senior pastor <em>deserves</em>
criticism for two reasons. Above all, every pastor is a sinner. Pastors
sin both in their private lives and in their work. When thwarted, they
become harsh or angry. When self-discipline wanes, they prepare
inadequately to preach, lead or shepherd.<br />
Further, no pastor has all the skills to lead well. To be sure,
certain pastors lack self-discipline and essential abilities. But let’s
focus on pastors with character, skill and a capacity for work. Even
they are criticized for their inadequacies, often fiercely and
shamelessly, by their own people.<br />
For example, senior pastors with great skill as preachers and leaders
suffer criticism for deficient people skills. Some pastors <em>are </em>awkward
or aloof. But even friendly, perceptive pastors hear this criticism.
Why? Highly gifted preachers and leaders probably are <em>less </em>adept
with people. Who excels at everything? Beyond that, senior pastors must
push through demanding schedules. That can make them seem abrupt.
Everyone is finite. Faithful pastors face demands on their time, so they
cannot socialize freely. This is unavoidable, yet it offends. Yes, the
ideal pastor will be equally <em>adept</em> at (1) preaching and teaching, (2) casting vision and leading, (3) and counseling and mentoring. But no human <em>excels </em>at every task.<br />
Consider that God ordained three ongoing offices for Israel: prophet,
priest and king. None but Jesus held all three offices. Few had even
two: Melchizedek was priest and king, Moses was a prophet and kingly
leader, and David was king and prophet, at least informally, through his
psalms. Even if we add a few more dual-role leaders, almost no one had
two offices and no one but Jesus had all three.<br />
The implication is clear: No church should expect its pastor(s) to
excel in the prophetic, kingly and priestly aspects of godly leadership.
No one is equally gifted and passionate about the prophetic (teaching
and preaching), the kingly (leading and organizing), and the priestly
(shepherding and prayer). Even if a pastor were capable in every area,
he’ll find one exhilarating, the other exhausting.<br />
<h3>
<strong>Better Way </strong></h3>
Why does the church freely, cruelly criticize its pastors for falling
short of perfection? Why do we forget that Jesus alone is perfect, that
Jesus alone redeems? To demand perfect skill, holiness and
ever-effective labor from anyone is akin to idolatry. Grace-centered
churches must know this. But churches idolize their pastors one day and
savage them the next. Americans can’t bear disappointment in silence,
and all too often, we behave more like Americans than disciples.<br />
The author of Hebrews names a better way: “Remember your leaders,
those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their
way of life, and imitate their faith… Obey your leaders and submit to
them, for they are keeping watch over your souls… Let them do this with
joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you” (<a class="rtBibleRef" data-purpose="bible-reference" data-reference="Heb. 13.7" data-version="esv" href="https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Heb.%2013.7" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Heb. 13:7</a>, <a class="rtBibleRef" data-purpose="bible-reference" data-reference="Heb 13.17" data-version="esv" href="https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Heb%2013.17" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">17</a>).<br />
<div class="article-body">
<em><strong>Author’s note</strong>: With the exception of one
quotation from a pastor who died years ago, this blog’s illustrations
are composites. They capture the spirit of many conversations. Parallels
to any particular church are accidental.</em><br />
<em>This article originally appeared <a href="https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/why-do-churches-wound-their-pastors">here</a>.</em><br />
</div>
Dave Brooshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06400500398264976717noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5545635256103449141.post-86745355081663373662017-07-11T20:25:00.001-07:002017-07-11T20:25:13.487-07:00Nine Lessons for Pastors Facing Leadership Conflict<div class="td-post-header">
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Nine Lessons for Pastors Facing Leadership Conflict</h1>
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<span class="td-post-date"><time class="entry-date updated td-module-date" datetime="2017-06-19T22:55:25+00:00">June 19, 2017</time></span> </div>
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Two years into our church plant, we faced our first major crisis. Two
elders left the church, but not before raising some serious accusations
against me as the pastor. Suddenly, our young church had entered into
the murky, dark, choppy waters of leadership conflict. As you might
expect, the resignation of these two elders led to a series of very
difficult members’ meetings.<br />
But God was with us. There were many instances of his kindness, but
one in particular stands out. On the Sunday morning of what would be the
most difficult members’ meeting for me, God sent Rod and his wife Joy,
who were vacationing in the area, to visit our church. Rod was a pastor
and, just the year before, had walked through an amazingly similar
period of conflict in his church. Two elders leaving. Accusations.
Conflict. Rod’s encouragements and wisdom during the week that followed
were grace to me, a young pastor just struggling to keep his head above
water in a sea of conflict. Joy ministered to my hurting wife.<br />
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Recently, I had the opportunity to counsel a pastor facing a
leadership conflict in his church, and I was reminded of how frequently
churches are afflicted.<br />
Leadership conflict in the church is tough. It’s scary, disorienting,
confusing and damaging. And every church experiences it. Jesus spoke of
false prophets who would come in among the disciples (Matt. 7:15–20).
Likewise, Paul warned the Ephesian elders that wolves would arise from
among them and would not spare the flock (Acts 20:29–30). Confronting
such threats necessarily involves conflict.<br />
Then there are the less sinister, but still frequently destructive,
Paul-and-Barnabas-type disagreements. Satan uses these to harm churches.
Pastors need to be vigilant to do all they can to avoid leadership
conflict, but they also need to respond wisely to leadership conflict
when it comes.<br />
Looking back, here are nine lessons I took away from our church’s experience of conflict.<br />
<strong>1. Preach God’s Word faithfully.</strong><br />
As pastors, our most basic responsibility is to preach the Word (2
Tim. 4:2). But in the midst of controversy we can easily be side-tracked
and put sermon preparation on the back-burner. One of the first
questions an older pastor asked me when he learned I was facing conflict
in the church was “How are your sermons?” He wanted me to avoid the
pitfall many pastors fall into of thinking they have an excuse <em>not</em> to prepare.<br />
Brothers, the battle will affect our emotions, and that will, at
times, make sermon preparation difficult. But our people still need to
hear God’s Word. Our people also need to hear the voice of a faithful
under-shepherd, particularly if other voices are calling for their
attention.<br />
Finally, pastors themselves need to spend time with God through his
Word. David strengthened himself in the Lord when his own men spoke of
stoning him after their wives and children had been taken captive by the
Amalekites (1 Sam. 30:6). Each week, our sermon preparation gives us
the opportunity to do the same thing.<br />
<strong>2. Pray fervently.</strong><br />
In leadership conflict, the struggle is almost always personal.
Pastors are forced to confront human opponents when the health of the
church is at stake.<br />
But ultimately, we need to remember that Satan is at work in every
instance of church conflict. He intends for the conflict to divide the
church. He intends for church members to be wounded and disillusioned.
If possible, he intends to dishonor Christ’s name in the community.<br />
And here’s the thing. Satan is so much smarter and stronger than we
are. When he requested of the Lord to sift Peter (Luke 22:31), Satan
wasn’t in any doubt as to whether or not he would be successful. He just
needed permission. Faced with such an enemy, our responsibility as
shepherds is to humble ourselves in prayer and to ask Jesus, the great
Shepherd of the sheep (Heb. 13:20), to fight for his people.<br />
<strong>3. Love your people.</strong><br />
In conflict, subtle insinuations, vague accusations and even overt
lies combine to present church members with a carnival mirror’s
reflection of their pastor.<br />
How can they sift the true from the false? Pastors, it’s our
responsibility to love our people so well that they truly know us. If,
as a pattern of ministry, we hide in our studies and refuse to interact
with fellow church members, they won’t know us and so won’t be equipped
to recognize slander when conflict comes.<br />
How are we to love our people? In a hundred ways. But one avenue of
love is essential—hospitality. Elders must be hospitable (1 Tim. 3:2).
Hospitality is a wonderful means of discipleship, but it also prepares
our people for conflict. By loving our people and inviting them into our
homes so that they can truly know us, we equip them to recognize the
carnival mirror distortions for what they are.<br />
<strong>4. Meditate on Matthew 5 and Romans 12.</strong><br />
During our church’s conflict, I was helped immensely by meditating on
Matthew 5 and Romans 12. These two chapters contain crazy commands like
“love your enemies” and “never avenge yourselves.” In short, they
contain God’s wisdom for how to relate to others—even to those who
oppose us.<br />
Satan uses leadership conflict to stir up factions in the church.
Pastors often fall into the trap of defending themselves vocally and
even launching counterattacks against the opposition. They rally people
to their cause and demand their rights. Though this feels justified, the
end result is almost always more strife and more confusion. People are
forced to choose between the pastor and the opposition—a difficult
choice when both sides are actively sinning.<br />
But if we embrace God’s wisdom by loving our enemies, enduring
suffering patiently and never avenging ourselves, then our people will
have a clear choice between those who are following God’s Word, even
when it is personally costly, and those who are not.<br />
<strong>5. Remember: You <em>are</em> a bad person.</strong><br />
Often in leadership conflict, the opposition makes vague allegations
against a pastor. Lacking a smoking gun like adultery or embezzlement,
they focus on issues like pride, impatience or anger, arguing the pastor
is unfit for ministry.<br />
Meanwhile, the basic message we pastors hear is: “You’re a very bad
person.” These public accusations wound deeply; they hurt our wives and
families, as well.<br />
Though we must acknowledge that we struggle with pride, anger and
impatience—does any pastor not?—we still feel unfairly judged. In the
flesh, our temptation is to respond in kind. We want to vindicate
ourselves and hurl our own criticisms. But the gospel frees us to turn
the other cheek (Matt. 5:39).<br />
Brother pastors, our basic message is that we are so bad that the Son
of God had to come to earth and die on a cross because of our sin. In
ourselves, we <em>are </em>bad people who desperately need the grace of
God. Leadership conflict and the accusations that often accompany it
give us an opportunity to humbly acknowledge our faults and ask for our
people’s prayers.<br />
This isn’t to say that we will never have to defend ourselves against
scandalous lies and accusations; after all, Satan is the accuser of the
brethren (Rev. 12:10). I also don’t think we’re wise to confess sins we
haven’t actually committed. I simply want to highlight how difficult it
is to convince a congregation that the pastor is swollen with pride
when he’s humbly acknowledging his faults and shortcomings. Honest
humility disarms many a personal attack while also giving our people an
example worth following.<br />
<strong>6. Embrace suffering</strong>.<br />
Paul encouraged fearful Timothy to “share in suffering as a good
solider of Christ Jesus” (2 Tim. 2:3). That’s good advice because
there’s much suffering in pastoral ministry. Leadership conflict, in
particular, is painful. It’s hard to sit through a members’ meeting and
listen to distorted or dishonest representations of your character.<br />
In these moments, it can be tempting to give into grumbling and
complaining. But we need to remember that this is our job. In calling us
to be his undershepherds, God has called us to suffering. Part of our
job as undershepherds is to be bitten by wolves so that the sheep
aren’t. By God’s grace, our willingness to be chewed on by the
opposition without quitting or sinfully responding may be the means God
uses to preserve the church from division and perhaps even destruction.<br />
<strong>7. Don’t throw away the playbook.</strong><br />
In their book <em>Redeeming Church Conflicts</em>, Kara Barthel and
David Edling warn: “One of the biggest mistakes people make in church
conflict is to fail to trust Scripture.”<br />
Conflict often sends the church into a flurry. As certain members
panic, other strong leaders in the congregation rise up and take matters
into their own hands. They set up meetings with both parties and
determine for themselves who’s to blame. The result is more disorder and
division.<br />
What happened? They forgot the “playbook.” They forgot God’s
instructions for dealing with conflict in the church. God has given us
church discipline to guide us through the murky waters of conflict in
the church. It’s especially important for the church to follow church
discipline when the conflict involves an elder.<br />
There isn’t space in this article to go into the Bible’s teaching on
church discipline. But it’s vital that both we and our churches are
committed to practicing biblical discipline. Once again, the Devil is
smarter than we are. If we forsake God’s guidance on resolving conflicts
in the church, we’ll find ourselves unwittingly following Satan’s.<br />
<strong>8. Be quick to grant forgiveness.</strong><br />
It’s true that Satan is looking to harm the entire church. But
pastor, Satan is especially gunning for you. He knows you’re hurting and
he knows the ease with which bitterness takes root in the human heart.
It can be so tempting to relive painful interactions with opponents and
mentally dress them down, saying things that you wish you had said.
Satan is happy to load us up with such imaginations.<br />
But while vengeful thoughts taste sweet in our mouths, they quickly
turn our stomachs bitter. If we become embittered, we sin and tempt God
to remove his hand of blessing from our ministry. What should we do? We
must forgive—freely and fully—just as God has forgiven us (Eph. 4:32).<br />
Even if our opponents never acknowledge their wrongs and even if they
refuse to repent or reconcile, we can still forgive. God has forgiven
us for far more than we’ll ever have to forgive anyone else. We can
entrust our enemies to God, correct them gently and pray for their
repentance (2 Tim. 2:25).<br />
Even if we ultimately have to lead the congregation to use its
authority to remove unrepentant opponents from church membership, we can
do so without animosity. Church discipline should always be done in
love and with tears. In short, bitterness enslaves, but
gospel-forgiveness liberates. And when we forgive, we discover as Corrie
Ten Boom did, that to forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover
the prisoner was you.<br />
<strong>9. Be thankful.</strong><br />
It isn’t natural to feel thankful as we endure conflict. But that’s
because we tend to focus on momentary suffering rather than the
privilege of serving as undershepherds of King Jesus.<br />
Brothers, we don’t deserve easy ministries. We deserve hell.<br />
But in wondrous love, God has met us with grace through the gospel.
We’ve been redeemed—and on top of that, we’ve been privileged to serve
the Lord as pastors.<br />
In 2 Corinthians, Paul repeatedly chronicles the suffering he endured
while serving as a minister of the gospel. Take some time and read
through 2 Corinthians 4:7–12, 6:1–10 and 11:16–33. Mind-blowing
suffering.<br />
And yet, listen to the apostle’s perspective in 2 Corinthians 4:1:
“Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose
heart.”<br />
Brothers, we’re not pastors because we’re worthy. We’re pastors
because God is merciful. In Christ, all we ever receive from God is
mercy. Even the disorienting, depressing and dark seasons of ministry
are mercy. The light and momentary afflictions are producing in us “an
eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison” (2 Cor. 4:17)—and we have
every reason to be grateful.<br />
<strong>CONCLUSION</strong><br />
Leadership conflict in the church is hard. There’s no question. But
as pastors, we can rejoice in the reality that God’s grace and wisdom
are enough to sustain us. We can endure because we know that in due
season we will reap, if we do not give up (Gal. 6:9).<br />
My own church has experienced God’s grace over the last year and a half. I can’t say we’ve completely recovered, but I <em>can</em> say
God has been kind to us. He has brought us through. He has given our
church new elders who are faithfully shepherding the flock. He continues
to sustain and provide for our young church, and he continues to teach
us that, at all times. He is enough.<br />
<em>Originally published in 9marks.org and reprinted by permission. </em>Dave Brooshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06400500398264976717noreply@blogger.com0