5 Lies Preachers Believe About Preaching

By Marty Duren

“Preach with confidence from the gift(s) God has given you.”

Pastors suffer from an abundance of unsolicited advice about their preaching. Many not called to preach think themselves the most gifted to critique. Despite this, there are few church members more critical of the preaching than the one who delivers the sermon.
After I have preached my wife usually asks, “How do you think it went?” Most of my responses are in the “I guess it went alright” vein followed by, “How did you think it went?” Assurances of “it was great” or “that was one of the best sermons you’ve ever preached” are mostly doubted. I know the times I’ve lost my place in the notes, become mentally distracted, and realized the second point had too much or too little content. My train of thought has refused to leave the station, or derailed once it did.
A pastor’s normal excessive scrutiny about his preaching is bad enough, but it is made worse when these five lies are believed.
1. If I just preach the Bible my church will grow. Churches grow or don’t grow for any number of reasons. Good location, good organization, an overwhelming move of the Spirit of God or a charismatic leader are some possible reasons. Churches almost never grow solely because of the preaching. Conversely, churches almost never stay small or plateau as a result of the preaching.
2. If I study and pray enough I will always get God’s mind on the sermon text. We all approach the scripture with certain biases. These are not always erroneous, but they can cause the preacher to mistake an interpretation or application. I remember a well-known pastor saying, “One Sunday night I preached a sermon on why the Antichrist has to be a Jew. After the service a member graciously approached me with a few scriptures. The next Sunday night I preached on why the Antichrist has to be a Gentile.” There is a reason Paul calls us “jars of clay.” The treasure is priceless and eternal; the container is aging, chipped and fading every day. The Word has enough power to overcome the frailty of the one delivering it. When you mess up a text, admit it and move on. If you have not landed on particular interpretation out of three, preach them all and let the Spirit do His work.
3. There is a single best way to preach. Whether a pastor preaches expositorily or topically is not typically the reason a church grows. It is humorous how often I see a pastor advocate for expository preaching as a key to church growth when his own church is not growing. Both history and our contemporary setting provide numerous examples of Christians growing in the faith, and churches increasing in number under different styles of preaching. I prefer expository for a number of reasons, but am not inclined to limit the work of God to a single style. Preach with confidence from the gift(s) God has given you.
4. I’m the worst preacher in the world. I don’t know anyone who thinks themselves the best, and I hope no one believes about themselves the worst. Every pastor has a bad day, an off Sunday. Chances are on any given Sunday all of us are the worst preacher in the world. We are fallible. We all have grand slams in the study turn into strike outs in the pulpit. But most neither hit it out of the park nor foul it into the stands week after week. We do well to remember that a string of singles and doubles scores a lot of runs, too.
5. A lack of audible feedback equals a lack of hearing. Congregations are different. Some say “Amen” or “Preach it” quite a lot. Most pastors love this. For some communicators audible feedback is the connective tissue of receptivity. But not all congregations are comprised thus. Some are more reflective. Among our people are auditory, visual and experiential learners. Attention is given in different ways.
I rely on body language for feedback more than amens. Is anyone asleep? Are people checking their watches? Has a conversation broken out on the fifth row? Has anyone closed their Bible and moved on to Facebook?
Conversely, are eyes facing forward and are they alert? Are notes being taken? Are their nods or head shakes at appropriate places? Are students engaged? One of our campuses has light dimmers for the auditorium. Our lighting techs always make sure the lights are bright enough for me to get the visual cues I need to read as much body language as possible.
Pastor, neither exalt yourself more highly than you ought, nor think more badly of your preaching than you should. You may not be as good as you wish, but you probably are not as bad as you fear. Work to improve the craft of preaching, and trust God for His blessing on it. Faithfully teach the Word, for it has the power, and do not believe enemy lies that will haunt your soul and hollow your preaching.  

Marty Duren is a Christ follower, husband, father, writer, social media strategist and general provocateur living in Hermitage, TN, just east of Nashville. More from Marty Duren or visit Marty at http://www.martyduren.com

Are You Planting a Worshipping, Witnessing, Living or Sending Church?

By Exponential

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What can American church planters learn from our international counterparts?
As director of training and leadership development for India Gospel League (IGL), Benjamin Chellapandian (“Pastor Benny”) oversees 7,000 church-planting pastors in rural India and Sri Lanka who over the past 25 years have planted roughly 70,000 churches. Recently, Chellapandian spoke to a U.S. church about God’s plan and purpose for growth, focusing on his observations from the Book of Acts. Below is an excerpt from his message:
In past years, the church has discovered that to fulfill God’s plan and purpose, we need to grow numerically. Much of that teaching comes from the Book of Acts’s account of the birth and growth of the early church. If we want to learn about planting churches that grow and accomplish Jesus’s mission, we don’t have to look any further than to the examples of the churches in Acts. I have learned (and continue to learn) so much from the early churches about planting churches. In Acts 1 after Christ’s resurrection, Jesus is teaching His disciples about the Kingdom of God and tells them to “wait in Jerusalem.” Then just before He ascends into Heaven, He shares with them Acts 1:8.
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8, NIV).
Notice that the promise of power begins in Jerusalem, then moves to Judea and Samaria, and from there to the ends of the earth.
But I believe that God gives His disciples a strategy, purpose and plan for the church that goes beyond geographical. God gave us this growth plan to show how the church develops from one stage to the next, moving from the first stage to the second, the third, and finally to the fourth stage.
First Stage: The Worshipping Church
Acts 2:42-47 finds the early church in Jerusalem operating and growing. The believers devoted themselves to listen to the apostles’ teaching, to fellowship and to pray. They gathered together in houses to learn God’s Word. They shared their belongings. They worshipped and praised God, celebrating their new life in Christ.
Moreover, they were satisfied in their Christian life, settled in Jerusalem. I would call this church the “worshipping church.” As they worshipped and shared with each other, God added believers to the church. Many churches in India today are worshipping churches. Actually, I think many Christians around the world are living as worshipping Christians. They want to come to church, learn God’s Word and pray together. They want to enjoy the fellowship. They are sharing with each other and they pray, “Lord please come soon.”

But remember what Acts shows us. Worshipping is not the purpose of the church.

Rather, it’s just the first stage of growth. Too many churches today remain at the first level; they’re still in Jerusalem, settled. God expects the church to move from Jerusalem to multiply, ultimately to the ends of the earth. But the church is not moving.
Go back to Acts. At first, the church remained in Jerusalem and were quite content to stay there. God had to bring Saul against the church to move them from Jerusalem to Judea and Samaria. Without persecution, they would never have moved.
My dear brothers and sisters, God wants the church to move to the next level. And if you’re not moving, then God may bring a Saul into your lives–not to stop you, but to move you to the second stage of growth.
Second Stage: The Witnessing Church
Acts 8:1 tells us that as a result of Saul’s persecution against the church, thousands of believers scattered throughout Judea and Samaria. In Acts 8:4, we read that those who were scattered “preached the Word wherever they went.” In Jerusalem, their focus was worship. But when they moved into Judea and Samaria, they preached the Gospel. That is God’s purpose for the church—to become the “witnessing church.” As they they preached the Gospel wherever they went, churches were planted throughout Judea and Samaria.
A few years ago, I was in the state of Gujarat where a great opposition came against the church, especially in the tribal areas. One evening, as believers in a small village tribal congregation prepared their church for a Christmas service the next day, a group of young people came into the village and asked all of the believers to come out of the church.
They told them, “You are not going to celebrate Christmas tomorrow. You are not allowed to worship Christ in this village.”
The group closed and locked the door of the church and took the key with them. The next morning, the church’s elder, a very old man, returned to the church, broke the lock and ushered in the congregation for the worship service they had planned. The news quickly got back to the people persecuting the church, who came back before the the service was over. Again, they asked them to come out of the church.
“Who broke this lock?” someone asked.
The elderly man stood up: “This is our church. We are worshipping our God. Who are you to come and stop us? I broke this lock.”
Armed with weapons, the persecutors dragged the man away and beat him to death. He died on the spot before the people. They said to the others, “If you do this again, the same thing will happen to you.”
They were about to leave that village when the wife of the elder put to death came forward. “Please stop!” she shouted at them. They turned back.
She went to the dead body of her husband and knelt down beside him and said to the persecutors, “You come and beat me! I will worship the Lord ‘til I die. I’m not going to stop. You’ll have to come and beat me.”
One by one, all of the believers in the congregation knelt down by the dead man, and said, “We will all worship our Lord until we die.” All of the believers came together. The persecutors couldn’t do anything. They just left. After that persecution, thousands of churches were planted in that village and others.
That church was a witnessing church. They were bold enough to share the Gospel with others. The church today has to shift from being just a worshipping church, content to be with other believers, and grow into a witnessing church.
Third Stage: The Living Church
Later in Acts 11:26, we read that the disciples were called Christians for the first time in Antioch. I would call the church in Antioch the “living church.” They lived out the Gospel. They not only worshipped, but also witnessed and walked out their faith, reflecting Jesus to the community around them. They spoke as Christ spoke. They walked as Christ walked. They told others about Christ and what He had done for them on the cross. They were different, and people saw that. So they were called Christians. The believers of Antioch were not just believers; they were disciples.
I often tell my church, “If you are a disciple, then you want to be called a Christian. If you are a believer, you have not yet become a ‘Christian.’ Your life must reflect the Gospel. Only then are you truly called a Christian.”
The church is called to become a living church—reflecting God’s love and light to the community.
Fourth Stage: Sending Church
Inspired by the Holy Spirit, the elders of the Antioch church decided to send out Paul and Barnabas as missionaries of Antioch (Acts 13:1-3) to share the Good News. In other words, Paul was sent to the ends of the earth. The church in Antioch became a “sending church“–the fourth stage the church must grow into and mature. Not only did they reach out locally to their community, but they also focused on fulfilling the Great Commission to “go to the ends of the earth and be witnesses for Christ.”
Where Are You? Where Is Your Church Plant?
So where are you today? Where is your church? Are you still in Jerusalem? In Judea and Samaria? In Antioch? God wants to grow you from worshipping believers into witnessing believers and then from witnessing believers to living Christians who are concerned about the global mission and reaching all the nations. That is the purpose of the church. I believe Acts 1:8 was fulfilled in Acts 13. Sadly when I talk to pastors, they often say, “We’re still in Jerusalem.”
The church has to move!
To the U.S. Church Planter:
The Sending Church. These words ring true for every church planter, both American and international. However, small church plants do not always have the resources to think globally when sending. One way to build local and international sending into the ethos of a new church plant is to partner with one of the many international church planting movements already underway. Like many church plants, the church to which Pastor Benny spoke numbers only a few hundred. Fully supporting an international ministry would be beyond their means. However, this fellowship can easily partner with an indigenous church-planting movement such as India Gospel League by supporting “barefoot pastors” (i.e., church planters) in India. An approach like this allows smaller churches to be immediately involved in a global missions strategy.
Wherever you are in the church-planting process, it’s never too early to become a sending church!
Download your free copies of the eBooks Commissioned: How God Is Changing Lives, Transforming Nations and Involving You by India Gospel League writer Dan Jarvis and the eBook Igniting Movements: Multiplying Churches in Dark Places (Exponential) by Ajai Lall, founder and executive director of Central India Christian Mission. Exponential 2015 West will feature 140+ speakers, including Ajai Lall.

8 Reasons People Are Leaving Denominational Churches for Non-Denominational Churches

By Thom Rainer

“There are more than 12 million people who affiliate with non-denominational churches.”

While working on an unrelated research project, I recently came across some data published by the Hartford Institute of Religion Research. Though the information was five years old, it still seemed highly relevant today. In essence, the data showed that non-denominational churches are now the second largest Protestant group in America. Only the Southern Baptist Convention is larger.
Here are some of the fascinating nuggets from that study:

• There are more than 12 million people who affiliate with non-denominational churches.
• The research found at least 35,000 non-denominational churches in America.
• Non-denominational churches are in 88 percent of the counties in the United States.
• Non-denominational churches are one of the top five largest religious groups in 48 of the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

In light of the growth of these churches, I conducted an informal Twitter poll and asked why people are moving to non-denominational congregations from churches affiliated with denominations. Here are the top eight responses in order. There is obvious overlap in some of the responses.

1. Denominational churches have a negative reputation. Some respondents used the phrase “negative brand” to communicate this reason.
2. Denominations are known more for what they are against than what they are for.
3. There is too much infighting and politics in denominations.
4. The denominational churches are too liberal. From what I can tell from these respondents, they are current and former members of mainline churches.
5. There is a general waning of institutional loyalty in institutions such as denominations.
6. Denominations have inefficient systems and organizations. They are too bureaucratic.
7. Some of the respondents could see no perceived benefit to belonging to denominations.
8. Denominations are not good stewards of their financial resources.

I plan on doing a second poll in the near future to see how respondents view denominations positively. In the meantime, let me hear from you.  

Thom S. Rainer is the president and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources (LifeWay.com). Among his greatest joys are his family: his wife Nellie Jo; three sons, Sam, Art, and Jess; and six grandchildren. He was founding dean of the Billy Graham School of Missions, Evangelism, and Church Growth at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. His many books include Surprising Insights from the Unchurched, The Unexpected Journey, and Breakout Churches. More from Thom Rainer or visit Thom at http://www.thomrainer.com

7 Social Media Pro Tips for Church Leaders

By Steve Fogg

“There has never been a time when the western world has been more connected.”

Social media is becoming a key communications channel for church leaders across the world. There has never been a time when the western world has been more connected. Are you leveraging for effectively for your church? Here are seven pro-tips for those who want to take their social media presence to a new level and extend their reach.

1. Make the Time

Building your platform on social media takes time. Calendarize your engagement time and your scheduling so that you don’t waste time needlessly looking at cat videos.

2. Be Yourself

Your audience wants to see you for who you really are. They want to know what you love. What inspires you. About your hobbies and interests. You don’t have it all together and be the plastic pastor. Be real. Be yourself. Everyone else is taken.

3. Remember Everything Is Public

There have been far too many scandals of high profile people posting the wrong kind of stuff of social media. Just remember not to over-share. Once it is public, there is no taking it back. Google will index your post. People will take screen shots and re-share on their own networks.

4. Engage, Don’t Broadcast

Social media is an engagement channel, not a TV channel. You actually have to engage with people. Reply to questions and comments. Put your point of view across on other people’s posts. Be doing this your audience will connect with you and build an affinity with you. They will be on your team. You will also connect with friends of friends. People who you aren’t already friends with. This is a brilliant way to reach new people.

5. Ask for Support

Social media is just like any other communications channel. If you have the communications support, get your team to create some content for you. It may be from your services, graphics, blog posts you want to share. You can also ask for help from social media experts. For example, did you know that you can schedule your posts all in one go for a whole week? You can be incredibly productive (Check out my post on scheduling your social media [http://www.stevefogg.com/2014/10/28/social-media-to-schedule-or-not/].) Scheduling your content is fine as long as you connect with your audience and engage.

6. Take Them Back Stage

As I said earlier, your audience wants to see the real you. Give them access ‘back stage.’ As well as the usual posts about your Sunday services, they want to see what makes you tick, inspires you or challenges you. They want to see that you are human. Just like with your sermons, only share what you want to share.

7. Be prepared to change

Social media networks are changing all the time. Video is the big new thing on Twitter and Facebook. Next year it will be something else. Being agile and adapting is a key to growing your platform in the long term. Change isn’t a bad thing. It’s part of life. Check out my post here [http://www.stevefogg.com/2015/01/13/top-7-social-media-trends-churches-non-profits/] where I talk about the emerging trends for 2015.
There is no doubt that social media is here to stay. Don’t dismiss it. Jump on board, become a pro and build your platform.  

Follower. Husband. Dad. I'm into branding, marketing, digital, communications with a pinch of PR. Communications Pastor More from Steve Fogg or visit Steve at http://www.stevefogg.com

Top 10 Ways Pastors Spend Time That Doesn’t Make Disciples

By Will Mancini

Provided by

“What gets in our way when it comes to the church’s mission to make disciples?”

What gets in our way when it comes to the church’s mission to make disciples? Let’s look at the things we do at church and the way we spend our time as pastors:

1. Preparing a sermon or teaching message in a given week without spending time in disciple-making relationships.
2. Spending time meeting with staff and church leaders in a given week in lieu of spending time in personal disciple-making relationships.
3. Designing a worship experience in a given week without a prior design of a clear disciple-making strategy.
4. Managing a weekly money gathering process from people without having a clear disciple-making vision that will be used to steward the money.
5. Recruiting people to volunteer in ministry environments without any knowledge of their involvement in disciple-making relationships.
6. Providing for the care needs of others in the church without a system for care to take place in the context of disciple-making relationships.
7. Creating any content (worship guides, newsletters, social media, curriculum) without a prior definition of disciple-making outcomes.
8. Training any small group or Bible study leaders without a prior training in the church’s disciple-making strategy and outcomes.
9. Developing and launching programs that do not fit into a clear and cohesive disciple-making strategy.
10. Putting out fires with or for people who could care less whether they have or you have any disciple-making relationships in life. 
What would you add? What do you think pastors do that does not make disciples? Help me write the next 10! 

Will Mancini emerged from the trenches of local church leadership to found Auxano, a first-of-kind consulting ministry that focuses on vision clarity. As a “clarity evangelist,” Will has served as vision architect for hundreds of churches across the country, including such notable pastors as Chuck Swindoll and Max Lucado. Will holds a Th.M. in Pastoral Leadership from Dallas Theological Seminary and has authored Church Unique: How Missional Leaders Cast Vision, Capture Culture and Create Movement; he also co-authored Building Leaders with Aubrey Malphurs. More from Will Mancini or visit Will at http://www.willmancini.com/

3 Important Church Trends in the Next 10 Years

By Ed Stetzer

“Based on research, statistics, extrapolation and (I hope) some insight, I notice three important trends continuing in the next 10 years.”

As someone who both cares about the mission of the church and leads a research organization, I watch the trends in the church and the culture. Occasionally, someone asks me to share some thoughts on the big picture—in the case of the North American context, questions related to “streams” of Protestantism.
Based on research, statistics, extrapolation and (I hope) some insight, I notice three important trends continuing in the next 10 years.

Trend #1: The Hemorrhaging of Mainline Protestantism

This trend is hardly news—mainliners will tell you of this hemorrhaging and of their efforts to reverse it.
Mainline Protestantism is perhaps the best known portion of Protestantism, often represented by what are called the “seven sisters” of the mainline churches. Mainline churches are more than these, but these seven are the best known, perhaps:

• United Methodist Church
• Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA)
• Episcopal Church
• Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
• American Baptist Churches
• United Church of Christ (UCC)
• The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)

They tend to fall on the progressive side of the theological continuum, but there is diversity of theology as well (Methodists, as a whole, are probably most conservative, for example).
Mainline Protestantism is in trouble and in substantive decline. Some are trying to reverse this, through evangelism and church planting initiatives.
However, this is an uphill battle and, as a whole, mainline Protestantism will continue its slide.
According to the General Social Survey (GSS), about 30 percent of Americans would self-identify (through their denominational selection) as mainline Protestants in 1972. Now they are down to 15 percent. In other words, based on the GSS, they lost half their people over 40 years.
Now, the GSS is not the same as membership rolls and attendance numbers, but it does reflect people’s connection. And, if that trend continues, the math does not look good.

Trend #2: Continued Growth of Pentecostalism and the Charismatic Movement

The second thing I think you’re going to continue to see is the continued growth of Pentecostalism and the charismatic movement. The Charismatics and Pentecostals have already won the worship war—most churches are now comfortable with what would be “Calvary Chapel” worship in 1980. They are in the process of winning the spiritual gifts debate concerning cessationism, a view which seems in decline in the next generation.
Yes, that growth has slowed in North America and the charismatic practices (both inside and outside of the movement) have also been tamed.
In other words, Pentecostals and charismatics are growing and influencing, but they also look a lot less like the Pentecostals and charismatics of a few decades ago.
Many in the movement are shying away from the oddities and excesses of Pentecostalism, while evangelicals are moving toward the theology of Spirit-filled and Spirit-led ministries.
I see both of those trends continuing.
If you are interested, here is my series on the continualist movement:

• Continualist Christians: An Overview
• Understanding the Charismatic Movement
• The Third Wave: The Continualist Movement Continues
• Continualist Christians: The “Third” Wave of the Holy Spirit

Trend #3: Networks Will Explode in Number and Influence

Denominations still matter—and they actually, for example, do most of the church planting in North America. However, networks are growing in influence and impact.
Ironically, some networks are going to become denominations (or denomination-like). For example, both the Vineyard and Calvary Chapel, some of the early forerunners of networks, basically function like denominations today.
Networks are predominantly made up of nondenominational evangelical churches. The fastest growing category in North America is nondenominational evangelicalism—so growth here is inevitable.
The future is less mainline denominations or flat evangelical denominations, and more nondenominational evangelical networks.
All of these trends have implications—some good, and some not so good. But facts are our friends. As we look to the years ahead, we need to do so with discernment and hope about what God is doing in the world through his churches. 

Ed Stetzer is President of LifeWay Research and LifeWay’s Missiologist in Residence. He has trained pastors and church planters on five continents, holds two masters degrees and two doctorates, and has written dozens of articles and books. Ed is a contributing editor for Christianity Today, a columnist for Outreach Magazine and Catalyst Monthly, serves on the advisory council of Sermon Central and Christianity Today's Building Church Leaders, and is frequently cited or interviewed in news outlets such as USAToday and CNN. More from Ed Stetzer or visit Ed at http://www.edstetzer.com/

5 Things We Do Today Instead of Preaching the Word

By James MacDonald

James MacDonald: I wish I could tell you that most pastors are preaching the Word, but I can’t.

Excerpted from his talk given at the Acts 29 Lead Pastors’ Retreat in June 2011:
I wish I could tell you that most pastors are preaching the Word. I can’t—some are not preaching the Word. So here are five things we may choose to do instead of preaching the Word.

1. Entertaining

“Music, drama and video, felt needs, topics, more stories”
None of those things are wrong—unless they displace the preaching of the Word of God. Some teachers will tell you that you need to tell stories in your sermons or you will bore people. I’m not bored. If you’re not bored, no one is going to be bored. Can you take hold of the Word of God and take hold of a group of people and make them listen because you have something to say?
Are you bored? The greatest sin in ministry is to bore people with the Bible. Martin Lloyd Jones said, “Preaching is theology coming through a man who is on fire. A man who can speak about these things dispassionately has no right whatsoever to be in a pulpit and should never be allowed to enter one.”
You have to get the Word of God, let it grip your heart by the power of the Holy Spirit, and drive over to church with something to say.
Now if a story fits in, I might tell you a story before I sit down, but don’t make that your thing. If people come up to you afterwards and say, “I love that story you told,” it should make you crazy. Really, that’s what I am? I’m a storyteller? The Gospel is the main story that you should be telling.

2. Sharing

We hear a pastor say, “There are some things I just want to share with you today…”
Since when is the man of God some Dr. Phil and Oprah combo? You’re supposed to proclaim a message. If you’re not preaching, glory is not coming down. You have to preach the glory down—people have to hear a word from God.

3. Wooing

“Careful, careful, don’t offend, always comfortable, never pressured, just a pinch of truth, when they’re ready to handle it.”
The preaching of the gospel has become so watered down that the non-elect can’t even reject it.
If you don’t have people walking away from your ministry saying, “This is a hard word, who can accept it?” then you don’t have a ministry like Jesus had.
I just hate this notion that we can be so clever and sophisticated that we can remove the offense from the gospel. It is foolishness to those who are perishing; it is the power of God to those who are being saved. It is the aroma of death to those who are perishing; it is the aroma of life to those who are being saved.
Listen, preacher: If you don’t want to be the aroma of death to those who are perishing, you can never be the aroma of life to those who are being saved. That’s why preaching is hard work.

4. Intellectualizing

“I’ve been thinking and researching this in the original languages…”
We’re supposed to love God with our heart, soul, mind and strength. And preaching that stops at the shoulders is defective preaching. It has to move me—it has to call me to action—mind, emotions and will. If you’re just preaching your theological construct, you’re blowing it.
Stop preaching the scaffolding around the Bible and preach the Word—what God actually says.
John Calvin said, “God deigns [considers it proper] to consecrate to himself the mouths and tongues of men in order that his voice may resound in them.” Your preaching is at its best when your people have forgotten that you’re even standing there, and God’s Spirit is moving through you. I am afraid that we’ve lost sight of this.

5. Abbreviating

“Twenty minute sermons”
I don’t know how it works at your church, but for us it takes five minutes to set the rig up and another five or 10 minutes to take it down. If you’re only preaching for 20 minutes, that gives you five minutes to drill. You’re not going very deep, are you? It takes some time.
Romans 10:16: Jesus said, “He who hears you, hears me.”
“He who hears you,” Jesus said, “hears me.”
Yet there’s no pridefulness, is there? It’s so humbling. It’s a crushing weight, isn’t it? I tell people the weekly message preparation is the crucible of my sanctification. Never get in a habit of getting up in the pulpit when things aren’t square everywhere. That by itself will keep you going in the right direction. “He who hears you, hears me,” Jesus said. I love that challenge—to be that person.  

James MacDonald (D. Min. Phoenix Seminary) is the founding senior pastor of Harvest Bible Chapel, leads the church planting ministry of Harvest Bible Fellowship, teaches the practical application of God's Word on the Walk in the Word radio broadcast, and is a gifted author and speaker. More from James MacDonald or visit James at http://jamesmacdonald.com/blog/

How Big Is Your Gospel?

By Erik Raymond

Provided by

“I fear that many times in the church our gospel is just too small.”

Imagine for a moment that you are part of the first-century Philippian church. You are a first-generation gospel work that was founded through the ministry of the Apostle Paul. This famously included the “earthquake prison break” followed by the conversion of many people—not the least of which the jailer! The church is young, afflicted, generous, advancing and still plagued with imperfection. And, here we sit awaiting the reading of a letter from our beloved Apostle Paul. After some prayer and a hymn, one of our elders stands up to read the letter in our gathering. Our ears are glued to his every word as we find ourselves transfixed by this content. Then we are surprised.

“I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord.” (Philippians 4:2)

Paul just called out two ladies—by name—and told them to basically “work it out.” I can almost see the pastor who was reading the letter pausing and looking at the women referenced as he read it. Doubtless all the other people did the same. This was intended to turn up the heat of urgency on an issue that was doubtless becoming increasingly divisive in the church.
As we read this, we have one immediate question: What was the problem? We don’t get any information on the problem, we just know that there was a problem.
We are not left without any context clues, however. We have a couple of things that we could surmise.

• The dispute was serious, and more than likely a source of disharmony in the church (why else would he deal with it in this way?)
• The dispute was not a dispute of the nature of the gospel. In other words, it was not something over first-tier or level doctrines. He is not saying “just get along for the sake of getting along.” The dispute, whatever it is, is secondary to the gospel (Phil. 1:27).
• The dispute was something that the gospel solved. After all, when rightly applied, the gospel solves every dispute.

This last observation is something I want to press on here. Paul tells them to “agree in the Lord.” The word translated “agree” is the same word that is translated “same mind” in (Phil. 2:2), and it is the “mind” that reflects the humility of Christ (Phil. 2:5). In other words, the Apostle is urging Euodia and Syntyche to sync up with the reality of the gospel and then to sync up together.
I fear that many times in the church, our gospel is just too small. Instead of applying the truth of the gospel, we can deny it by nursing a grudge, neglecting the pursuit of peace or by distancing ourselves from the problem.
D.A. Carson properly observed the following:

I would like to buy about three dollars worth of gospel, please. Not too much—just enough to make me happy, but not so much that I get addicted. I don’t want so much gospel that I learn to really hate covetousness and lust. I certainly don’t want so much that I start to love my enemies, cherish self-denial and contemplate missionary service in some alien culture. I want ecstasy, not repentance; I want transcendence, not transformation. I would like to be cherished by some nice, forgiving, broad-minded people, but I myself don’t want to love those from different races—especially if they smell. I would like enough gospel to make my family secure and my children well-behaved, but not so much that I find my ambitions redirected or my giving too greatly enlarged. I would like about three dollars worth of gospel please. Basics for Believers, an exposition of Philippians, pp.12-13.

Listen, there may be big relationship problems in our churches, but I can assure you the gospel can handle it. You may have big problems, but you have a bigger gospel!
Four things strike me in conclusion:

1. Remember who this is ultimately about. If God means to get glory through the reconciliation of believers, then we should not avoid the process. This is selfishly dealing with selfishness. Doing so reveals a contemptible lack of love for our brothers and sisters, and disregard for the glory of God.
2. Relationships are critical for mission. One of the reasons why Paul is so insistent here is the fact that the mission appears to be hindered by this squabble. If you have issues with another brother or sister, you need to see that is is hindering the mission; salute the gospel flag and work it out!
3. Mature people falter too. You’ll notice that these women are very dear to Paul. He indicates that they have labored side by side with him. It appears though, that they have taken their eyes off the ball. While the situation is regrettable we can be encouraged that Paul called these mature believers back to the gospel for renewal.
4. Unity is precious. We see this by Paul’s example as he is writing from prison. He loves what the gospel has brought and he prizes it being demonstrated. The fact that Paul basically says, “Hey, we have issues but we have a bigger gospel; let’s work it out,” should instruct us to do the same. Never let issues mount, but instead, put the gospel to work.

Learn from Paul’s priority here with these two dear female saints. We must raise high the gospel flag. Put it to the top of the flag pole. Let it be above every other earthly interest and pursuit. He basically says, ”Raise it high and salute it sisters.” Then, once we have done that, we will see the priority of the gospel and how it shapes everything else. We do indeed have a big gospel!  

Erik is a pastor at Emmaus Bible Church (EmmausBibleChurch.org), a church plant south of Omaha. Converse with Erik on Twitter at @erikraymond. More from Erik Raymond or visit Erik at http://www.ordinarypastor.com/

3 Things I Need God to Do For Me as I Preach

By H.B. Charles, Jr.

“The words you say in preaching are offerings of worship. So are the thoughts you entertain as you preach the word!”

I publicly pray before I start my sermons. I also privately pray as I preach.
Can you preach and pray at the same time?
You better!
Multiple things go through the preacher’s mind as he preaches. I’m not sure the preacher thinks about multiple things at the same time. Rather, the mind quickly and constantly shifts from one thing to another—consisting of good and bad thoughts, true and false, wise and foolish.
This is why I pray as I preach.
There are three fundamental things I need God to do me for as I preach.

I need God to guide my thoughts.

Have you ever tried to pray, only to have your mind flooded with distractions? The same thing can happen in preaching.
All kinds of mundane thoughts come to mind. Members walk. Babies cry. Children pass notes. Deacons sleep. Others seem more interested in their cell phones. You spot guests. You don’t see a faithful member in her regular spot. You start thinking about last week. Or you start thinking about next week.
There are moments of distraction in preaching when I openly ask God to hold my mind. But this petition is secretly and repeatedly uttered throughout the message. The words you say in preaching are offerings of worship. So are the thoughts you entertain as you preach the word! You need God to bring to your memory what he taught you in private. You need God to help you stay focused. You need God to reign in your wandering thoughts.

I need God to guard my heart.

Faithful preaching requires mental preparation and concentration. Moreover, it demands spiritual devotion. It doesn’t matter if your head is in the game if your heart is not.
The preacher should offer the Lord a prepared message, a rested body and a consecrated heart. So examine your hearts for any unconfessed sin before you stand to preach. And continue the spiritual examination as you preach.
You may not feel comfortable with the message. You may be afraid of their faces. You may be in a place where preaching is out of season. You need God to guard your heart from fear, worry or discouragement. Or the sermon may go well. The congregation gets the message. There is the sense that God is at work. You need God to guard your heart from sinful pride.

I need God to govern my words.

I advocate writing full sermon manuscripts for each sermon. Writing yourself clear will keep you from filibustering in the pulpit. Yet it does not mean you should say everything in the manuscript. You need God to edit out what he wants out and edit in what he wants in.
The Apostle Paul often asked that he would be given the right words to say (Eph. 6:19-20; Col. 4:3-4). This, too, should be our prayer. The pulpit is not a stage for your performance. It is the throne of the word of God. The King’s herald must be careful not to say anything in preaching that is untrue, or unwise, or unhelpful.
Standing to preach is dangerous business. The Lord will judge teachers with greater strictness (James 3:1). There are unbelievers, baby Christians and mature saints in the congregation. Your preaching of the gospel is the fragrance of life to those who are being saved and the fragrance of death to those who are perishing. Our preaching of the gospel should be faithful, clear and compelling. We need God’s help to this end.
What do you pray as your preach?  

H.B. Charles, Jr. is a pastor, speaker, and writer. He lives with his wife and children in Jacksonville (FL), where he serves as the Senior-Pastor of the Shiloh Metropolitan Baptist Church. More from H.B. Charles, Jr. or visit H.B. at http://www.hbcharlesjr.com

God Grows Us Through Practical Teaching

By Brandon Cox

“As a pastor, I’m usually doing the teaching, but I make sure during the week that I’m allowing others to speak into my life.”

When it comes to personal growth, the world has plenty of solutions, and all of them are incomplete. I like inspirational quotes and pithy sayings, but I can also feel the difference between wishful thinking and truth backed by divine revelation. This is what makes the difference between fortune cookies and biblical proverbs. God has inspired His word in such a way that it shapes us, molds us and forms us as we hear it taught and expounded.
Practical teaching is one of the five things God uses to shape and grow our faith. The others are providential relationships, private disciplines, personal ministry and pivotal circumstances. (I didn’t come up with this list—Andy Stanley gets the credit, but I agree with him completely.) It is because practical teaching plays such a prominent role in the spiritual growth of people that I’m absolutely passionate about getting it right on Sundays when I preach. God even says of His Word,

All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT

To quickly break that down, all of scripture (in the Greek, graphe, which refers to all of the Old Testament, but which the apostles used to refer to each other’s later-canonized writings too) is inspired (literally, God-breathed, straight from the mind and heart of God). And … and here’s the kicker … it’s useful. It’s practical. There is a movement today away from being practical in the name of being worshipful. The Scriptures should give us both spiritual life and a life that is spiritual. And Scripture always has a way of meeting us where we’re currently living with its eternal truth.
You and I need practical teaching in our lives on a regular basis. This is one of several reasons why church attendance matters. We don’t go on Sunday to check off an item on a list of obligations or to somehow please and earn the favor of God, which is unearnable by its nature. We go because we need to hear from God through the personality of a teacher—a human representative who instructs us by expounding God’s Word and applying it to our lives so that we can be “doers of the Word, and not hearers only” (James 1:22).
As a pastor, I’m usually doing the teaching, but I make sure during the week that I’m allowing others to speak into my life. I listen to podcasts and sermons by a broad range of teachers from various perspectives. I listen regularly to Rick Warren, W.A. Criswell, Andy Stanley, Jud Wilhite, Tim Keller, Matt Chandler, Greg Laurie, Craig Groeschel, Kerry Shook, Adrian Rogers, R.C. Sproul, Al Mohler, Joyce Meyer, Paul Chappell, Matt Carter, Derwin Gray, Wayne Grudem, Steve Brown and Louie Giglio, along with about 20 others (a few each week—I don’t have 49 extra hours). I’ve found in all of these teachers the ability to apply eternal truth to my daily life. And I read selections from a couple hundred blogs each week along with books and magazines too.
And when I stand to preach on Sunday, I remember the follow-up instruction Paul gave to Timothy. After reminding him of the power of the Scriptures to form us into Christ’s image, he then gave him a pastoral charge:

I solemnly urge you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who will someday judge the living and the dead when he comes to set up his Kingdom: Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke and encourage your people with good teaching.
2 Timothy 4:1-2 NLT

It’s my duty on Sunday to 1) understand the ancient context of God’s Word and 2) interpret it into our present times for people who live in the circumstances of real life every day and 3) to incarnate that message in my own life as an example to the flock. I agree with Charles Swindoll that “boring preaching is a crime,” and that too often, I’ve been the criminal. Jesus Christ and the story of redemption is the subject. The Scriptures are the content. And real life is the context for application.
If you want to grow spiritually in the next year of your life, you’re going to need a steady diet of practical teaching. You need to show up to grow up!  

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. More from Brandon Cox or visit Brandon at http://brandonacox.com/

How to Shut Down Gossip

By Erik Raymond

Provided by

“Gossip is nasty. It is never good and should be despised by all who love Christ and his church.”

It seems that sometimes we deal with sin in the church with the same approach that the government deals with terrorism: It is impossible to remove it completely so we just kind of have to accept it and do our best to keep people safe.
Buttressed up against this common practice is the biblical teaching that sin is devastating. Let’s not forget that the wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23), the price paid for redemption from sin is death (Rom. 5:6), the reality for the a believer is that they are dead to sin (Rom. 6:11), and the ongoing priority for Christians is to put sin to death (Rom. 8:13; Col. 3:5; Heb. 12:1-2). This includes all sin. Every. Single. One.

GOSSIP IN SPIRITUAL NO MAN’S LAND

Gossip is one sin that seems to fall in the spiritual “No-Man’s Land” between passivity and vigilance. But this should not be. Gossip is the RPG that blasts holes in the fabric of the church. The way I see it, every time someone gossips they injure at least three people: the one speaking, the one hearing and the one being gossiped about. Add to this that gossip is usually not a one-time deal but rather involves multiple conversations, and we can quickly see how this is the Devil’s Ponzi scheme for getting rich on disunity and providing quick returns to those seeking to gratify the flesh.

GOSSIP IS BAD, AND DEEP DOWN WE KNOW IT

Let’s be honest; we know what gossip is. It is speaking about someone in a way that defames, dishonors or otherwise hurts their character. Sometimes it is subtle, like grumbling about someone, and other times it is loud, like ranting about someone. Further, sometimes the content of what is said is true, other times it is not. Either way, the person hearing does not need to know the information, they don’t benefit from it. And, most times it is not actionable; they are are not going to go and help the person, instead they are just going to tuck away the information for selfish use.
Gossip and its cousins—slander, divisive speech and deceitful speech—are roundly rebuked in the Scriptures (Ps. 101:5; Prov. 6:16-19, 11.13, 20:19; Titus 3:2). Instead of cutting people down with verbal assassinations, we are to give words of life and grace (Eph. 4:29).
I don’t think we need to convince people of what it is, but we can bring an awareness of how God feels about it and how destructive it is in the life of the church. We need to know what to do about it. We need to know how to shut it down.

HOW TO SHUT DOWN GOSSIP

(1) Refuse it.
The obvious first step to shutting down gossip would have to be to convince people of how God views gossip. We can do this by intentionally putting it before people. We can remind people in sermons, conversations and prayer of the destructiveness of gossip. This is simply calling attention to it. Instead of being passive (not talking about it), we need to be active, without becoming preoccupied by it.
If this is done faithfully, then people will become aware of gossip when it comes to them or perhaps when they find themselves scratching the seemingly insatiable itch to dish up a little sumthin on someone. They will also think twice about vocalizing their grumbling about another person to someone else. If convinced of the vileness of the practice in God’s eyes, then they will carefully avoid “gossip-baiting” people. This is the practice when someone thinks that someone else may have some intel on another person or situation. Then they subtly begin talking about it, gently massaging the perimeter of the topic, while waiting to see if the person will take the bait and give up the goods.
What if the church could spot gossip a mile away? What if they hated it? What if they believed the Bible and were convinced that to gossip was to display hatred for God and others? What if they believed that it served to fracture the unity that Jesus bought and the Spirit created? Then they would react like an NBA big man and reject the gossip by swatting it into the third row.
For example, as a pastor, someone might come to me and say, ”I need to talk to you about something.” I usually reply, “Something or someone?” If they “someone,” then I say, “Did you talk to ‘someone’ yet?” I redirect them back. I don’t want to hear about someone if that someone hasn’t heard about it first.
This may be different for a layman. Perhaps someone will come up to you and say, “I am really frustrated with ______ ‘s attitude. They walk around like they own the place. She never says ‘hi’ or even looks at me. What is her deal?” You may be tempted to say, “Yeah. You’re right. I’ve never noticed it, but she ignores me too!” But, let me encourage you to think God’s thoughts after him. Reject the gossip. Instead, something like, “Have you talked to her about this? Please don’t drag me into your issues with her. You need to work this out—whatever it is—for the sake of Christ.” This rejects the bait of the complaint and sheds light on the issue.
(2) Rebuke it.

Let’s say someone is talking about another person. They may get started slowly but soon enough they carving up their character like a Thanksgiving turkey. As you get your bearings and manage to interrupt the onslaught, you should says something like, “Brother/sister, you are really speaking negatively about ____. Is this even true? This is gossip. Have you even spoken to them about this?”
Go on to show them what the Bible says and how destructive this is. Show them that they are defaming their brother/sister, a child of God. Explain how this assaults God’s plan and harms God’s people. Call the sin of gossip what it is and tell them that they should in fact repent and bear fruit in repentance by controlling their tongue and speaking words of grace. Once we understand the damage of gossip, we will become vigilant to ensure that it is expunged from our churches. This means that we will be compelled to have the difficult conversations that call it what it is and demand that our brothers and sisters think God’s thoughts after him, even about gossip.
(3) Redirect it.

There are three aspects of this: first to Christ, second back to the person and third to others they have gossiped to.
First, redirect people back to Christ. The reason for gossip is because they are believing a lie about God and themselves. Remember, Satan was the first gossiper when he talked trash about God. Show them how Jesus died for their sins, even the sins committed post-conversion. This sin should be a magnet to draw them back to the person and work of Christ for repentance, forgiveness and refreshing. (In this it should be noted that their issue is not just with another person but Christ. Jesus is Lord of the church; and so they are sinning against him.)
Second, redirect people back to the person. If they have an issue with someone, they should go and talk to them. If they have done some damage to the person’s character, then they should go and tell the person in humility and ask for their forgiveness. I will often tell the person that I will follow up with them in a week or so to see how the conversation went.
Third, they should also go in humility to the other people they have gossiped to. This closes the loop and reinforces the need to reject the sin of gossip. It reminds, or perhaps educates, those who have been exposed to this sin of the nature and danger of it.

CONCLUSION

Gossip is nasty. It is never good and should be despised by all who love Christ and his church. Instead of being passive and tolerating something that is widespread, we should be vigilant to remove something that is destructive and vile. Let’s step our game up and, starting with ourselves, work to shut down gossip.  

Erik is a pastor at Emmaus Bible Church (EmmausBibleChurch.org), a church plant south of Omaha. Converse with Erik on Twitter at @erikraymond. More from Erik Raymond or visit Erik at http://www.ordinarypastor.com/

A Cup of Cold Water to a Disciple (a Billy Graham Memory)

By Joe McKeever

“God bless him tonight. He is a champion who deserves the respect he receives.”

“And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward” (Matthew 10:42).
My friend Barbara was waxing nostalgic about the Coke commercials through the years. “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing” was the best song at the time (find it on youtube). And the “Mean Joe Greene” commercial was the absolute best TV ad.
In that commercial, a kid comes up to this all-pro Pittsburgh Steeler named “Mean Joe Greene” for his toughness—and also because Joe Greene is his name and the prefix “Mean” gives it a certain something—and hands him a Coke. Greene has just played his heart out on the field and is clearly exhausted. He swigs down the soft drink. Then, as they are departing, the giant athlete calls out, “Hey kid.” The boy turns around and Greene pitches him the jersey in which he has just played the game. Ask any fan. It was a great swap and a magic moment.
I thought about the business of giving a cup of cold water—or a Coke—to a great champion and remembered a time when I did something remotely akin to that.
It was November of 1986.
Billy Graham was speaking in Charlotte’s Ovens Auditorium that night, reminiscing about growing up in our city (I was pastoring the First Baptist Church there), and I had to miss it. A church member was having a retirement party and wanted his pastor present. But I got away as quickly as I could and drove across the city.
As I walked toward the auditorium, people were leaving. “Is it over?” I asked.
“He’s taking questions from the audience.”
I kept walking.
Just inside, I bumped into one of our members who managed Ovens Auditorium for the city. We greeted and he told me something.
“If you’d like to meet Dr. Graham, go around the side to the stage entrance.”
It had never occurred to me that I might actually meet this distinguished man of God. Yes, I would love to do so.
Inside the back entrance, the place was mostly empty. Just the barren stage. Off to the left several men in dark suits stood chatting softly. They had to have been Mr. Graham’s hosts from the newspaper, sponsor of the evening. To the right was the massive curtain, beyond which “the man” stood.
On this side of the curtain sat a small table with a water pitcher and two glasses.
Well, what does the man want after standing out there talking for an hour or more?
I walked over, poured a glass of water, and held it. A moment later, I heard Mr. Graham say, “Thank you very much.” Everyone applauded and he stepped through the curtain.
I handed him the glass of water.
As he drank it, I said, “Dr. Graham. My name is Joe McKeever. I’m the new pastor of the First Baptist Church of Charlotte.”
His sister Catherine and her family were members of my flock, as was Associate Evangelist and Billy’s long-time friend Dr. Grady Wilson.
“Well, Joe, how are you? I’ve been hearing about you.”
We shook hands. Almost immediately, he was being besieged by friends and strangers alike. I backed off and watched.
A few minutes later, I spotted Dr. T.W. Wilson, Mr. Graham’s longtime associate and friend. I introduced myself, we chatted a few minutes, and he said, “Would you like to meet Ruth?”
“I would love to meet Mrs. Graham!”
“She is backstage in a room with some friends.”
Over the next few years, I would share fellowship with the Grahams on several occasions, and we even did a funeral together. But meeting them the first time that cold night in 1986—when I gave him a cup of cold water!—remains the highlight of these memories.
A postscript.
The funeral we did together was for Dr. Grady Wilson, whom God called to Heaven in November of 1987. Almost the entire Graham team sat in our church auditorium that day. George Beverly Shea sang. Several preachers brought brief messages. I preached. And of course, Dr. Graham was the featured speaker.
My sermon being broadcast world-wide on the “Hour of Decision” the next week was something very special, and felt like a gift to me from the beloved Grady Wilson.
But earlier, for an hour or more prior to the funeral, Dr. Graham and Bev Shea sat in my office with two or three longtime preacher-friends. We chatted about a hundred things. Mostly, being the youngest in the room, I listened. And I had a little conversation with the Lord.
I’m in this chair and Dr. Graham sits at the end of a couch to my right. Suddenly, the Lord spoke to me.
“Do you pray for Billy Graham?”
Where did that come from? I wondered.
But I knew. I’ve learned to recognize His voice.
My answer was so absurd I almost laughed out loud when I spoke it (inwardly, of course).
“People all over the world pray for Billy Graham. And I’m just one person.”
Just as clearly, the Spirit said in response, “Do you know anyone who is two people?”
Ever since, I have prayed for Billy Graham.
God bless him tonight. He is a champion who deserves the respect he receives. And, as you know if you are acquainted at all with this wonderful family, Ruth Bell Graham was every bit the champion as her husband. Read any of her books and you come away in awe of what God did in that little lady.
Occasionally in life, we in the Lord’s work cross paths with His champions. Once we do, we are never quite the same from that time on.
I’m so grateful.
“Therefore, acknowledge such men” (I Corinthians 16:18).  

After five years as Director of Missions for the 100 Southern Baptist churches of metro New Orleans, Joe retired on June 1, 2009. These days, he has an office at the First Baptist Church of Kenner where he's working on three books, and he's trying to accept every speaking/preaching invitation that comes his way. He loves to do revivals, prayer conferences, deacon training, leadership banquets, and such. Usually, he's working on some cartooning project for the denomination or some agency. More from Joe McKeever or visit Joe at http://www.joemckeever.com/mt/

7 Ways to Tell It May Be a God Thing—Helping Discern If God Is in This

By Ron Edmondson

“You should not dismiss the call you believe God has placed on your life because it doesn’t make sense to others around you—or to yourself at times.”

And without faith it is impossible to please God. Hebrews 11:6

We live by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7
For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon you. 2 Chronicles 20:12
But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 1 Corinthians 1:27
God calls people to seemingly impossible tasks. It gives Him glory when I can’t do something, but He can. I can do “all things through Christ who strengthens me,” but often what He calls me to do can seem foolish to attempt (at least to others—and sometimes me) at the time. Imagine what the friends of Abraham, Moses and Noah must have thought when God called them to what appeared to be impossible assignments. God calls people to walk by faith into the unknown.
If you know God has called you to something, don’t be dismayed if others can’t quickly identify with your calling. In my experience, God is often raising up others with the same heartbeat, but you can’t always see them at the time, so there may be periods when you have to stand alone on God’s calling. That may be for a season, but at times it could be for years. (Consider the case of Noah.)
With that in mind, what are some indicators what you are experiencing might just be of God.

Here are seven ways to tell it may be a God thing:

• Everyone says it can’t be done. There’s no way. It’s never been done before.
• You feel you aren’t qualified. You don’t have what it takes. You’re scared. Overwhelmed. Under-prepared.
• There aren’t enough resources available. Not enough money. Not enough people. (Or so it seems.) You don’t have the building, or the location, or the perfectly mapped-out strategy.
• It makes no rational sense. Seriously, who in their right mind would do this?
• People are questioning your intelligence. Or asking if you are “sure you know what you are doing.”
• Accomplishing it would give God all the glory. There would be no other explanation.
• It honors God and is true to His Word.

I’m not saying this post confirms what you are attempting is from God. It might. It might not.
What I am saying is that you should not dismiss the call you believe God has placed on your life because it doesn’t make sense to others around you—or to yourself at times. God things seldom do. Read a few Bible stories if you need some inspiration—or confirmation of what I’m saying.
Are you in the midst of a God-calling?

Has God called you to things which made no sense at the time?

What would you add to my list?  

Ron Edmondson is a pastor and church leader passionate about planting churches, helping established churches thrive, and assisting pastors and those in ministry think through leadership, strategy and life. Ron has over 20 years business experience, mostly as a self-employed business owner, and he's been helping churches grow vocationally for over 10 years. More from Ron Edmondson or visit Ron at http://www.ronedmondson.com/

5 Things TO DO in Times of Crisis

By Ron Edmondson

“Stick to your moral convictions and the vision you have for your life. Don’t allow the crisis to keep you from doing the right things …”

In my last post I shared five things not to do in times of crisis. I am writing this with the leader in mind, but I suspect they may be life applicable regardless of the crisis.

As stated, I began with the negative, because in my experience that’s where most people begin when crisis occurs. (Read: 5 Things NOT to Do in Times of Crisis) We often tend to run in the opposite direction from where we should run. Some of the worst decisions I have observed people make (including me) are during the crisis-mode times of life.
Obviously, knowing what to do in these times is equally important. How you respond and what you do will greatly determine future realities after the crisis has subsided.

Here are five things TO DO in times of crisis:

Stay. I love Seth Godin’s book The Dip where he explains how important it is to know when to quit, and that time may come. At the beginning of the crisis is not the time. Until you have been able to evaluate the crisis from every angle and you clearly know there is no way out, stay the course. Godin’s book also talks about how those who succeed learn to push through the hard times. Stay in it long enough to know which time it is for you. I share this from very hard personal experience. We sold a business—walking away simply to start over—and looking back we may have recovered had we suffered through it a little longer.
Stand. Stick to your moral convictions and the vision you have for your life. Don’t allow the crisis to keep you from doing the right things, even if those choices seem to be the quickest solutions. Stand with the moral and personal convictions you had before the crisis began. You’ll be glad you did when the crisis is no longer a crisis.
Glean. Learn from others who have gone through similar crises. Someone else’s past situation may not be identical to yours, but the emotional and decision-making process they went through probably will be. Most people after a crisis can tell you things they wish they had done differently. And most leaders who have led for any significant period of time have either endured through a crisis or, even if they failed miserably, learned valuable lessons they would do for the next crisis.
Examine. I said in my last post not to do this immediately. We tend as leaders to quickly want to blame someone—mostly ourselves. This is never a helpful process initially, but at some point you’ll need to ascertain how you got in the crisis in the first place. If it was a matter of bad decisions, how can you keep from making those same mistakes again? If you keep finding yourself in the same crisis, shouldn’t that tell you something? Sometimes the answer will simply be because we live in a messed-up world or things were out of our control. Don’t be afraid of that answer, but don’t default to it either. We all make mistakes and we have to own them.
Learn. Allow every crisis to teach you something about God, yourself and others. If you have this ambition and mindset, you will be surprised how different your approach to suffering through it and dealing with it emotionally will be. God is always willing to use the hard times to teach us important principles about life and ourselves, and ultimately about Him.  
Ron Edmondson is a pastor and church leader passionate about planting churches, helping established churches thrive, and assisting pastors and those in ministry think through leadership, strategy and life. Ron has over 20 years business experience, mostly as a self-employed business owner, and he's been helping churches grow vocationally for over 10 years.