JOY!

Joy is something every disciple of Christ needs to understand.  Let me just quote Eugene Peterson:

"Joy is not a requirement of Christian discipleship, it a a consequence.   It is not what we have to acquire in order to experience life in Christ; it is what comes to us when we are walking in the way of faith and obedience.  Joy is a product of abundance; it is the overflow of vitality.  It is life working together harmoniously.  It is exuberance.  Inadequate sinners as we are, none of us can manage that for very long.

The entertainment industry in America is a sign of the depletion of joy in our culture.  Society is a bored, gluttonous king employing a court jester to divert it after an overindulgent meal.  But that kind of joy never penetrates our lives, never changes our basic constitution. The effects are extremely temporary--a few minutes, a few hours, a few days at the most.  We cannot make ourselves joyful.  Joy cannot be commanded, purchased or arranged.

But there is something we can do.  We can decide to live in response to the abundance of God and not under the dictatorship of our own poor needs.  We can decide to live in the environment of a living God and not our own dying selves. We can decide to center ourselves in the God who generously gives and not in our own egos which greedily grab.  One of the certain consequences of such a life is joy."

May the joy you experience this Christmas be more than a fleeting moment but a life time of walking in faith and obedience.

ACQUIRING THE SKILL OF SERVICE

Karl Barth defines service in this way: "In general terms, service is a willing, working and doing in which a person acts not according to his own purposes or plans but with a view to the purpose of another person and according to the need, disposition, and direction of others. It is an act whose freedom is limited and determined by the other's freedom, an act whose glory becomes increasingly greater to the extent that the  doer is not concerned about his own glory but about the glory of the other."

With this definition in place you can see how critical for us as disciples to master the art of serving on our spiritual journey.  Psalm 123 tells us, "Like servants, alert to their master's commands, like a maiden attending her lady, we're watching and waiting, holding our breath awaiting for your word of mercy."

"Unfortunately there are many so called followers of Jesus that think of religion as a far-off, mysteriously run bureaucracy to which we apply for assistance when we feel the need. We go to a local branch office and direct the clerk (sometimes called a pastor) to fill out our order for God.  Then we go home and wait for God to be delivered to us according the the specifications that we have set down."  ( Eugene Peterson)

We will never be true disciples until we learn what it means to serve.  We desperately need to learn what it is like to be fully under our Master's leadership.  Who came, by the way, TO SERVE.

WHY WORSHIP?

So far we have detected two critical components to being a disciple.  The first is a comprehension of repentance and second, how important it is to trust in the providence of God along our spiritual journey.

The third component to our discipleship journey is worship.  The Psalmist tells us in Psalm 122:1 "When they said, "Let us go to the house of God," my heart leaped with joy. 


Christians can find all kinds of excuses not to go to church, but a disciple seizes the opportunity. Why?

The first reason is that we all need structure in our lives.  Sunday worship should give us a framework for leaving the humdrum and distractions of life so that we can focus on what is really important. Unless we set aside that time our relationship with God can become fragmented and meaningless.

The second reason we need to worship God is that it fulfills a command for us to bring praise to Him.  Augustine wrote, " A Christian should be an alleluia from head to foot".  Even though we may not feel like worshiping God it is something we need to do to keep our relationship with Him a priority.   We need to learn more about acting our way into better feelings. One writer puts it this way, "Worship is an act that develops feelings for God, not a feeling for God that is expressed in a act of worship". 

The third reason we need to worship is that we will hear a word from God.  We can certainly do that alone, but there is something special about large corporate worship when the whole family gathers together.  We can control what we take in from God when we are alone but when we are together there are multiple mechanisms that kick in.  There is a spontaneity that flows from corporate worship.  When we come to corporate worship there should be an expectation to hear from God.

So as a pastor/ leader let these truths resonate with those who you lead.  Statistics tell us that there are still more people worshipping on Sunday than all the people who go to football games, hunting, fishing, taking walks and playing golf combined.

God's PROVIDENCE

One thing we have learned is that discipleship is a journey.  As Eugene Peterson states, "It is a long obedience in the same direction."  The first step in that obedience, is truly owning the concept of repentance.

As we move on in our journey we must also understand the message of God's providence in our lives.

It has been described pretty well in Psalm 121.  The Psalmist says that his strength doesn't come from the mountains, or anything natural, but from God.  Essentially he is saying that nothing in life will sustain us in those difficult times other than God.

The Psalmist goes on to say that we have a guardian God who will never fall asleep on the job.  In other words nothing falls through the cracks of life without God's watchful care, as his child.  The Hebrew writer tells us that he will never leave us forsake us.

It is absolutely critical for us as disciples to comprehend these truths about our God.  We must understand that no matter what circumstances we are in, God still cares and is ultimately in control.

These truths can only be comprehended through the ups and downs of living our lives and experiencing his providence through 20/20 hindsight.  The more we see in the mirror of our lives the greater this truth becomes a reality.

How to Measure a True Disciple

I have heard discussed over and over again in the local church the definition of a true disciple.  Most discussions end with the concept of student, learner, or follower of Jesus Christ.  While these are good definitions, we also know it doesn't define the aspects of being a disciple more specifically.

I have been reading a book by Eugene Peterson called " A Long Obedience in the Same Direction" with the subtitle Discipleship in and Instant Society.   Peterson walks through Psalm 120-134 gleaning the qualities that must be present in a true follower of Jesus Christ.  For the next several blogs I will try to summarize the qualities that may help shed some light on what we need to be modeling and teaching as we attempt to disciple others.

The first concept we need to understand is "repentance".  We do not become a true follower of Jesus until we come to a point of turning from our sin and intentionally turning toward a whole new lifestyle of following Christ.   I truly believe that one cannot become a disciple until there is true repentance.

Unfortunately too many people want to come to Christ with an emotional decision that does not come with the mindful disgust of the world around us and a deep desire to live out something totally different.

The Psalmist writes in Psalm 120  I'm in trouble. I cry to God, desperate for an answer: "Deliver me from the liars, God! They smile so sweetly but lie through their teeth." Do you know what's next, can you see what's coming, all you barefaced liars?  Pointed arrows and burning coals will be your reward.  I'm doomed to live in Meshech cursed with a home in Kedar.  My whole life lived camping among quarreling neighbors.  I'm all for peace, but the minute I tell them, they go to war!


Repentance sees with disgust the world we live in and is convinced to live life differently.

Mencius said,  "Before a man can do things there must be things he will not do. 

Shepherd or CEO

One of the things I have discovered in the church today is that pastors are being held accountable to be the visionary leader for the church.  This is a necessary ingredient for any church or organization, but it puts a not so subtle pressure on the pastor to be a CEO rather than a shepherd.

Our first priority should always be the shepherd.  I believe we are called pastor not president or chairman.

Lest any of us fall into the trap of minimizing our need to shepherd the flock let me remind you that we were created for community.  God was not pleased with his creation accept in one area.  "It wasn't good for man to be alone".

When pastors turn into CEO's they can slowly remove themselves from the community.  Let me share a paragraph from John Ortberg's book on community.

"To live in and contribute to God's dream of community is the reason you were born.  It is what you were created for.  Neglect this, and it doesn't matter what else you do--how many pyramids you build, how impressive your resume--you are at cross-purposes with the Gulf Stream.  Neglect this, and you will die a failure.  Devote yourself to this one task, to loving "as-is people" and no matter what else you may not achieve, you will lead a a magnificent life. 

While being a visionary leader is important let us remember that first we are shepherds, guarding and protecting the integrity of the flock so that no sheep is left behind including ourselves.

Temptation's Pitfalls

What is difficult for me as a pastor to pastor is to see various leaders lose their ministries because they have fallen to temptation.  In my recent study of Joseph I was impressed by this young man's integrity in the incident with Potipher's wife.  As I was reading Swindol's take on this incident I was impressed by his 4 requirements that we must meet in order to resist temptation.  So here they are:

1.  You must not be weakened by your situation.   Often when we are the most trusted, respected, and secure in our situation we can be blindsided by temptation.  It is not always when we are tired, vulnerable and burned out.

2.  You must not be deceived by the persuasion.  There are many rationalizations that become very persuasive in our minds to deceive us.  The most common rationalization:  "Just this once,", or "Who will ever find out?"  "Isn't that what grace is all about?"

3.  You must not be gentle with your emotions.  In times of temptation our emotions try to dictate our behavior. It is in those times we need to keep them in check the most.

4. You must not be confused with immediate results.  Just like Joseph, when we take the high road there may be some immediate consequences.   The immediate results on the other hand can be very satisfying for the moment but in the long run bring grave consequences.

THE POWER OF HUMILITY

Philippians 2:l tells us: "And being found in appearance as a a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death--even death on a cross!  THEREFORE God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth..."

James tells us if we humble ourselves we will be exalted.

St. Benedict has given us a reminder of what humility looks like by sharing with us his "Ladder of Humility".

Step 1  Fear of God and mindfulness of Him.

Step 2  Doing God's will (not our own or other people's).

Step 3  Willing to subject ourselves to directions of others.

Step 4  Patience to accept the difficulty of others.

Step 5  Radical honesty to others about our weaknesses.

Step 6   Deeply aware of being chief of all sinners.

Step 7  Speaking less.

Step 8  Transformation into the love of God.

May we find ourselves on this powerful journey to new heights of humility.

WHAT ABOUT "SHE"?

One of the loneliest places in the church is being a pastor's wife.  Most pastor wives find themselves usually living in the shadows of their husbands.   Many pastor wives are struggling for their own identity and the role they should play in the local church.  The glass house is often haunted for many pastor wives.
These factors, among others, can cause a pastor's wife to feel isolated, scrutinized, and minimized.

So what role do healthy pastor's play in the life of their wife?  Here are some tips that might help alleviate some of the pressure they feel.

1.  Make sure that they feel more important than your ministry.
     - Plan a date night once a week.
    -  Limit your nights out to no more than 3 a week.
    -  Have a set aside time once a week to have a marriage summit where both of you need to engage in
        honest communication.
    -  Give her your best not your leftovers.

2.  Give her the freedom to explore her own gifts and abilities as it relates to the church.
    -   Protect her from unrealistic expectations and demands of her time and talents
    -   Let her know that being a mom and supportive wife is the best gift she can give to your ministry.

3.  Encourage her to find relationships with other pastor's wives where she can be transparent and
     feel safe in sharing her concerns.

4.  Try not to bring the church home with you.  This is a struggle for all of us, but we have to learn to shut
     it off once in a while.  Remember your identity is not in the church it is in Christ.

5.  Make sure you know exactly how she feels about being a pastor's wife.  Those feelings may change
     from one day to the next.  So give her the freedom to fully express her heart, and thank her for her
     support.

Monitoring your Leadership Guage

In Daniel Henderson's book called "Defying Gravity", he gives us 9 different gauges in our lives to monitor if we intend to stay healthy as a leader.   If we monitor these gauges regularly we can prevent some serious mishaps in our leadership.  They are as follows:

1. If we monitor applied truth, we will prevent false doctrine, superficial teaching, and apostasy.

2. If we monitor spiritual intimacy, we will prevent a lack of passion, spiritual power, and carnality.

3. If we monitor personal integrity, we will prevent hypocrisy, compartmentalization, and a poor
    example.

4. If we monitor Biblical identity, we will prevent insecurity, drivenness, compromise, and over reacting.

5. If we monitor genuine accountability, we will prevent secret sin, blind spots, and isolation.

6. I we monitor eternal significance, we will prevent discouragement, comparison, and loss of reward.

7. If we monitor healthy family life, we will prevent surface relationships, pride, and moral infidelity.

8.  If we monitor indispensable pain, we will prevent pride, bitterness, and resentment.

9. If we monitor a captivating call, we will prevent giving up, wrong decisions, and subjectivity.

Which gauges are not on your radar?

FAMILIY TIED

In a recent meeting with some pastors one of the guys asked if anybody was dealing with their kids suffering from the "PK" syndrome.

The discussion was broken down into 3 categories: Do pastor's kid live under the undue expectations of their parents, the people of the local church, or are they self inflicted?

The results of that discussion were pretty profound.

1. We should ask our kids if they feel any pressure living in the home of the pastor. This question should be visited occasionally to give the family an opportunity to air out potential frustration.

2. As pastor parents we need to make sure the family is not getting our leftovers. If the church becomes a blockage to family intimacy the family will resent the church.

3. It is critical that we have freedom to be ourselves as parents so the kids see that the church is not dictating our behavior but God is.

4. Holy living is not an option for anybody who claims to be a Christian. In a sense we all live in glass houses.

5. We should be careful not to over legislate our teenagers lives who are beginning to pull away and establishing their own identity as believers.

6. Any discipline we may apply should be designed to bear the fruit of righteousness in their lives not protect our reputation.

7. Take advantage of having a flexible schedule so that you can be involved in your kid's events.

8. Be a student of your kids. Each temperament is unique and may respond differently to your expectations, the church folks, or their own.

Hopefully these responses will be helpful on your journey with family ties.

4.

MOTIVE

Motive is something that gets below the surface of ones being. If I had to define it differently from Webster it would be the "real" part of our being. The part that gets to the intent of our heart.

We have used the terms pure motives, mixed motives, and hidden motives to evaluate the "whys" behind someone's behavior.

I have discovered in my own life how easy it is to judge somebody's intent with these terms. Even though scripture tells us that man looks at the outer appearance but God looks at the heart, we insist on doing God's job at times.

Maybe we should spend more time examining our own motives. David prayed that God would search his own heart to see if there would be any wicked intent. That takes a lot of honesty and vulnerability to say that to God.

The apostle Paul wrote in II Corinthians 1:12 Now this is our boast: Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially in our relations with you, in the holiness and sincerity that are from God. We have done so not according to worldly wisdom but according to the God's grace.

What is your boast? Have you recently done an honest examination of your motives in your ministry ? If so, do they come up pure, mixed, or hidden? God knows.

5 Marks of Interpersonal Integrity

In a recent book I have been reading by Daniel Henderson, called "Defying Gravity" he describes 5 marks of "Interpersonal Integrity. They were so good and convicting I wanted to pass them on to you.

1. Healthy speech. When we are away from a person, we speak well of the individual. There is no slander or gossip

2. Good deeds. We display good behavior to individuals, even when their actions show indifference or hostility toward us. Instead of feeling bitter or wanting to pay back a perceived or real injustice, we show them respect and teat them with kind deeds.

3. Attuned ears. We are selective in what we listen to about others. If someone would complain or gossip about another, we refuse to believe anything negative about the person (unless the evidence of multiple witnesses confirms it.).

4. Proper evaluation. We always need to be seeking God's evaluation and perspective of others no matter how man may see them.

5. Reliable words. People can count on our word as being realiable; our statements reflect a commitment to the truth.

Thanks to Daniel for these reminders.

MANAGING STRESS Part 3

Accepting the things you can't change:

1. Don't try to control the uncontrollable. We can't control how other people behave but we can control how we react.

2. Look for the upside. Try to look for opportunities for personal growth. Mistakes are inevitable. Learn from the mistakes.

3. Learn to forgive. Forgiveness is recognizing that you were wounded, not sweeping it under the carpet. It is better to free yourself from bitterness rather than holding another person hostage.

Make time for fun and relaxation:

1. Set aside time for relaxation. This must be intentional.

2. Connect with people that fill you up not drain you.

3. Try to do something you enjoy every day.

4. Keep your sense of humor. Don't take yourself so seriously.

Adopt a healthy lifestyle:

1. Exercise regularly

2. Eat healthy

3. Reduce caffeine and sugar.

4. Get enough sleep.

Hopefully these last three blogs have been helpful in your journey to a more balanced and less stressed life.

(Thanks to HELPGUIDE.ORG for these helpful tips.)

MANAGING STRESS Part 2

Alter the situation:

If you can't avoid a stressful situation, try to alter it. Figure out what you can do to change things so the problem doesn't present itself in the future. Here are some ways to do that.

1. Express your feelings instead of bottling them up. If you don't express your feelings you may build up resentment and the situation may remain the same.

2. Be willing to compromise. If you are willing to bend a little bit, compromise could likely be found. But if you remain rigid the stressful situation may never change.

3. Be more assertive. Deal with problems head on. Procrastinating can often keep the situation in limbo.

4. Learn to manage your time better. Poor time management can cause a lot of stress. Do a better job of planning ahead rather than always running behind. Running behind always increases your stress level.

Adapt to the stressor:

1. Reframe the problem. Try to view stressful situations from a more positive perspective. Look at it as time to pause and regroup.

2. Look at the big picture. Ask yourself, "Will it matter in a month?" Is it really worth getting upset over.

3. Adjust your standards. Perfectionism is a major source of avoidable stress. Stop setting yourself up for failure by demanding perfection.

4. Focus on the positive. When stress is getting you down, focus on all the great things God has done in your life. It often puts things back into perspective.

Until next time: RELAX

STRESS part 1

It has been documented that being a pastor is ranked as one of the number one most stressful jobs in America, along with being a University President and a Hospital Administrator.

So the question I want to address is this: How are you coping with stress. The next several blogs will give you some practical ways to manage the stress in your life.

#1 Avoid unnecessary stress. Not all stress can be avoided but some stressors can be eliminated.

- Learn how to say no. Refuse to accept added responsibilities when you are close to reaching your limit.

- Avoid people who stress you out. Try to limit the time you spend with the person other than your family who stresses you out the most.

- Take control of your environment. Turn the radio or TV off, or shut your door. Find some solitude. Etc.

- Pare down your to-do list. Analyze your schedule, responsibilities, and daily tasks. If you have too much on your plate distinguish between the "shoulds" and "musts". You may need to drop some of the things on the bottom of the list.

#2 Alter the situation. This may involve changing the way you communicate.

- This may mean you will need to express your feelings instead of bottling them up.

- Be willing to compromise. Find middle ground

- Be more assertive. Deal with problems don't run from them.

- Manage your time better. Plan ahead and don't overextend yourself.

I hope these suggestions will help. I will deal with more the next time.

Beauty and Balance

Over 30 years ago I had the privilege of having dinner with Stephen Olford. (A British Keswick preacher) He gave me some advice for my life ministry that I will never forget. He told me to pray for two things every day when I wake up.

"Pray for beauty and balance." I have contemplated that statement and prayed that prayer many times over the last 30 years. But what does that really mean?

Beauty means that as a representative of the Bride of Christ I need to be attractive. When a bride walks down the aisle everybody's eyes are fixed on her beauty. The groom is especially captivated by her beauty.

Let's face it. As pastors, all eyes are fixed on us to be a beautiful representative of what Christ intended for his bride to be. We have a high calling to be pure and right before the Lord. Our hearts must be kept up to date. Our lives must be in accountability.

Balance on the other hand, must not be seen as wishy- washy. Balance simply recognizes that tangents and extremes can be dangerous and disheartening; that dogmatism and legalism can lead to arrogance and inflexibility. Balance means finding some equilibrium, not out of control, temperate.

I want to encourage you to begin praying the prayer of beauty and balance in your life. It has made a difference in mine.

Getting Your Hunger Back

In his book "Leading on Empty", Wayne Cordeiro writes:

"Hunger is renewable. It may require that you disconnect for a while, do something a little bit different from what you've been used to, but that's okay. It's better than playing the game after the hunger and desire have faded--just because everyone expects you to. Whatever it takes you need to find it.

Over the years of ministry, I have found that even good ideas get tired. So good men and women, and when that happens, the endeavor that you are leading is affected. The growth areas are left unattended, the vision flattens, and a leader slowly morphs into a manager.

When that happens, you need a break--a break that has one purpose alone: to restore your hunger.

So what about you? Have you lost your hunger as a leader? Maybe it is time to take a break from the routine? That may be a sabbatical, or a day off, or letting someone else preach this Sunday.

Pains that Signal Disaster

What are some of the warning signs that can signal potential disaster in your ministry?

Here is a list you may or may not be familiar with:

1. Lack of consistency in setting aside time to recreate, rest and refill.

2. Failure to prioritize extended time with the Lord.

3. Lack of personal quality time with one's spouse and family.

4. The lingering presence of unresolved wounds--of hurts that refuse to heal.

5. Consistently working well over 50 hours a week.

6. The inability to set boundaries from those who either drain us or continue to hurt us.

7. An unwillingness to exercise regularly and eat properly.

8. A weak prayer life. (Especially with the family)

9. Added stress from difficult circumstances.

10. Unconfessed sin.

If you are finding yourself identifying with several of these components, chances are you are headed for burnout or worse moral failure.

I recently had a disappointing phone call from a pastor who ignored these signs and is experiencing some very dark times in his life.

Please don't let it happen to you.

The Zoo

I recently reread "The Barbarian Way" by Irwin McMannus. One paragraph jumped off the page at me. Here it is:

To have the Spirit of God dwelling within the heart of someone who chooses a domesticated faith is like having a tiger trapped with in a cage. You not intended to be a spiritual zoo where people can look at god in you from a safe distance. You are a jungle where the Spirit roams wild and free in your life. You are the recipient of the God who cannot be tamed and of a faith that must not be tamed. You are no longer a prisoner of time and space, but a citizen of the kingdom of God---a resident of the barbarian tribe. God is not a sedative that keeps you calm and under control by dulling your senses. He does quite the opposite. He awakens your spirit to be truly alive.

As I look back on my ministry the questions that haunt me are these: Was I a zookeeper or a lion tamer? What did the community see in my church? Did they see a bunch of safe domesticated caged animals or some untamed men and women of faith? Was I too comfortable living in the zoo?

What about you?

A Prophet Without Honor

I have been reading in the Gospel of Mark and was contemplating the passage where Jesus went to his hometown of Nazareth to do some ministry. Up to that point Jesus healed many and performed many miracles. However in his hometown there was skepticism and criticism.

Jesus must have been truly disappointed in those he grew up with along with his own family members. The same message and persona was delivered just like in the other towns he had been.

Besides the rejection Jesus could only laid hands on a few folks to be healed

Mark tells us that, "He could not do any miracles there, except lay his hands on a few sick people and heal them. And he was amazed at their lack of faith."

The thought that struck me is this: In the church today, among His family and friends, is Jesus a prophet without honor. Is it possible that Jesus wants to do more miracles in the life of the church but he can't because of our lack of faith?

What miracles are you trusting God for? As the leader of the flock does the Prophet have honor in your church?

Why Do Pastors Burn Out?

In his book The crazy-Making Workplace, Dr. Arch Hart lists reason people in "helping" professions are particularly prone to burnout:

1. They usually have not been taught to care for others in the right way.

2. They care too much out of guilt.

3. They feel inadequate in providing solutions.

4. They allow caring to dominate their thinking.

5. They don't take adequate steps to care for their own feelings or facilitate their own

recovery.

Leith Andersen quotes Peter Drucker as saying the position of senior pastor is one of the three most demanding jobs in America, along with hospital administrator and university president.

One last thought from Chuck Swindoll: "Busyness rapes relationships. It substitutes shallow frenzy for deep friendship. It feeds the ego but starves the inner man. It fills a calendar but fractures a family. It cultivates a program that plows under priorities. Many a church boasts about its active program: 'Something for every night of the week for everybody.' What a shame! With good intentions the local assembly can create the very atmosphere it was designed to curb."

Burnout! Don't let it happen to you!

Teaching with Authority

As I was reading Mark 1:22 it struck me again that Jesus taught with authority, quite unlike the teachers of religious law. How does that translate into our lives as Biblical teachers?

Studying what this meant proved to be quite revealing as a model for us to follow.

William Hendriksen's commentary distinguishes the difference between the way our Lord taught and the teachers of religious law:

1. Jesus spoke complete truth, while many of the scribes teaching was evasive.

(truth not compromised)

2. Jesus spoke to matters of great significance, matters of life, death, and the eternal while the religious leaders wasted their time often on the trivial. (relevance)

3. Jesus aroused curiosity and interest by using many illustrations. (metaphorical)

4. There was a system in Jesus' preaching. Those teaching the Talmud often rambled on and on.

(systematic, easy to follow)

5. Jesus spoke as a lover of men, deeply concerned for the listeners, while the teachers of the law lacked love and grace. ( relational )

6. Jesus' message came straight from the heart, from his inner being, while scribes were constantly borrowing from other resources. ( passionate with conviction)

What a wonderful compliment it would be if our listeners said that we taught as one who had authority?

Transformed Heart of a Leader part 4

Honesty, humility, and contemplation are 3 keys to owning the issues that God is speaking to us. While ownership and conviction are absolutely critical to transformation, there needs to be a fourth piece in place. The fourth chamber of the transformed heart is intentionality.

The inward conviction should manifest itself in outward obedience. This is when the will gets activated.

Paul tells us that, "I run straight to the goal with purpose in every step. I am not like a boxer who misses his punches". ,

I would define intentionality as "doing life on purpose". I believe that people who live life on purpose are able to ask the right questions. Such as:

1. Why am I doing this? (motive)

2. What do I need to accomplish? (goals and objectives)

3. When can I expect to do it? (deadlines)

4. Who can help me accomplish this change or goal? (accountability)

In conclusion:

What are the four chambers of the heart? Honesty, Humility, Contemplation, and Intentionality.

All four chambers of the heart must be synchronized in order for transformation to take place. We can be honest and have good intentions but that doesn't constitute legitimate change. We can be humble and honest but without the conviction that comes through contemplation there is no change.

Leaving any one of the chambers out will not produce transformation.

So how much transformation is taking place in the lives of those you shepherd? Or for that matter, how much transformation is taking place in your life?

"Be not conformed this world but be transformed, by the renewing of your mind."

The Transformed Heart of a Leader part 3

While honesty and humility are great steps to a transformed heart the transaction is still not complete. One needs to engage a third ventricle to help complete the metamorphosis.

This third chamber of the heart is contemplation. Contemplation could be defined as, "slowing down long enough to hear what God has to say". Isaiah 46:20 says "Be still and know that I am God."

While honesty and humility are keys to transformation we may not assume that we have gone vertically to hear directly from the Lord. Often this takes time where we can listen in silence, solitude, and sensitivity to God.

Unfortunately time is a rare commodity in our culture. We prefer micro-waves to ovens and e-mail to snail mail. But as we look at the many saints of scripture, we see that great transformation took place in those solitary moments on mountain tops, deserts, and caves, sometimes lasting for days.

Until God truly speaks to us we can be more about behavioral modification than true transformation from the inside out.

So when is the last time you had what I call a "Jacob moment"? When have you spent enough time in communion with God to where you can say, "I won't let you go until you bless me"?

Here are some questions to ponder:

1. Do you truly believe that God wants to speak to you? Revelation 3:20

2. Are you so busy in your ministry that you have become a Martha instead of a Mary?

3. Have you been intentional about setting aside extended time with Lord?

Remember: The greatest gift you can give to the Body of Christ is a healthy heart.

The Heart of a Transformed Leader part 2

Real life transformation cannot happen with just one ventricle pumping. Honesty is a great start but one can be honest with God and oneself, but transformation has still not taken place. Honesty is where open heart surgery can begin.

The second ventricle that needs to be engaged is humility. If honesty represents the open heart then humility is the broken heart.

Psalm 25:6 says: He leads the humble in what is right, teaching them His way.

Isaiah 66:2b says: I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts, who tremble at my

word.

The word contrite in this text means to be smitten, to be weakened or vulnerable.

Honesty without humility hinders the truth from penetrating deep into the soil of the heart.

How many times have you been honest about the truth but have refused to surrender because pride gets in the way?

Let me ask some questions to see if the ventricle of humility pumps freely in your heart.

1. What truth are you presently rationalizing?

2. Are you procrastinating about some truth that God wants you to obey?

3. When is the last time you truly have repented from sin?

4. Are you approachable and teachable?

I am reminded of Romans 12:2 where Paul tells us that we are to be continually transformed by the renewing of our mind.

This transformation cannot be complete with just honesty and humility. There are two more ventricles that need to be engaged before the transaction is fully completed.

Until next time. Keep pumping.

THE HEARTBEAT OF A TRANSFORMED LEADER part 1

Every pastor/leader needs to be continually transformed into the likeness of Christ. That transformation takes place in the heart. Inside the human heart there are four ventricles that must be functioning in order to pump life through the body.

Likewise the spiritual heart has 4 ventricles that must be functioning in order for transformation to take place. In the next several blogs I will explore each ventricle that contributes to real life transformation.

The first ventricle must be honesty. David writes in Psalm 26:2-3: "Put me on trial, Lord, cross examine me. Test my motives and affections. For I am constantly aware of your unfailing love and I have lived according to your truth".

All truth must be dealt with honesty for it to have any real effect. It requires honesty with ourselves and honesty with God.

Honesty is the willingness to take off the blinders, to stop the rationalizations, and to swim out of the river of denial.

Honesty is the ability to ask the right questions.

What are some good questions a good leader should be asking? Let me name a few.

Am I making disciples?

Am I empowering and equipping others to do the work of ministry?

Am I neglecting my spiritual gift?

Am I consistently and intentionally sharing my faith?

Am I loving my neighbor as myself?

Where have I become more Christlike as a leader?

Am I cultivating an intimate relationship with Christ or am I busy doing instead of being?

While honesty is a key component to life transformation, if we stop there, we have only just initiated the transaction.

Until next time.

EXPOSITORY PREACHING BEWARE!

There is a sense of pride among evangelicals when good expository preaching is being modeled in their churches. Expository preaching is viewed by most mature believers as the model of good scholarship and and depth.

However if expository preaching doesn't include life transforming application it can be lifeless and just another academic exercise. Worse yet it can communicate to the body of Christ that you can substitute knowing for growing.

While most of us would agree that this is true, I have sat under far too many sermons that were obviously prepared well. The Greek and Hebrew were dissected along with the historical context. But it is empty and lifeless. There is no passion or practical application. There seems to be no heart connection between and message and messenger.

While we quote that "the Word will not return void unto us", let me remind us that the Word decided to become flesh.

H. H. H.

What does H. H. H. stand for? Head, Heart, Hands.

What kind of church is yours?

A "Head" church would be categorized as a "teaching church". A heavily guarded pulpit with expository preaching. These churches have a tendency to attract the believer who wants to grow deeper. Unfortunately many of those folks just like to substitute knowing for growing. While strong Biblically based teaching is essential it is not the end all to a church that transforms lives.

A "Heart" church emphasizes the experiential. This might include many of our "charismatic churches". This kind of church can easily fall prey to emotional urgings while bypassing the teaching of the Word. I truly believe that this component is sometimes sadly lacking in the evangelical church however if this is only emphasized we are in danger of substituting feelings for facts.

A "Hands" church emphasizes the missional. These churches are extremely busy fulfilling the mandate of meeting the needs of those around us. The more active these churches are in the community the greater level of maturity is manifested. Not necessarily so. The danger here is to fall into a social gospel mentality, substituting doing for being.

So what is the answer? All three must be in balance in order to be healthy and successful in God's economy. This holistic approach was defined for Joshua before he took the nation of Israel into the promise land. God tells Joshua that in order to be successful he must study the book of the law, (head) meditate on it day and night, (heart) and be careful to obey it (hands).

Healthy pastors must be keenly aware of and practice all three in there lives and in the life of their church.

Are you out of balance?