Living Intentionally for Christ: A Ministry Leader's Perspective
As leaders, we guide others in their walk with Christ...
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Leadership
In 1 Samuel 4, we see the children of Israel doing the unthinkable, fighting the superior Philistines without God’s help. After a clear defeat, they decide to try again, but this time the Israelites take the Ark of the Covenant with them into battle. They refuse to ask the young prophet, Samuel, what they should do; instead, they lean on their own wisdom and thinking. Not only do they once again face a crushing defeat at the hands of the Philistines, but they also lose the Ark of the Covenant as well.
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Nothing compares to the privilege of serving in the house of the Lord! My heart echoes David’s: “For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness” (Psalm 84:10).
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When most of us think of ministry work, we think of shepherding people, leading souls to Jesus, and teaching and preaching God’s Word. Yet for these essential roles to be successfully fulfilled, there is an unglamorous, easily-neglected side of local church ministry—the administrative side of managing projects and processes. It’s the daily grind, and, frankly, it doesn’t come naturally for many ministry leaders. But local church ministry benefits from intentional strategies and processes.
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3 Actions Bible-Believing Pastors Can Take to Help Guide Their Churches
Discerning Christians are aware that a revolution against God, godliness, and biblical teaching has been underway for the past few decades. We are currently seeing a rage in our society that resembles the description of Psalm 2 and will likely continue fomenting until our national election. Between the COVID-19 crisis and the anger in the streets, we need biblical Christians to discern the times and deploy with the gospel message.
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7 Thoughts on Leadership in Time of Crisis
Times of crisis are the most difficult times to lead. The leader faces all of the same pressures and difficulties that everyone else does. On top of that, he carries the weight of the organization and the people within it upon his shoulders.
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Thirty-four years ago this summer, the Lord brought our family to Lancaster, California. On our first Sunday night service, I preached a message from Philippians 1:27 which not only set the direction of our church for these past thirty-four years, but also became our theme verse.
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Without a doubt, our greatest resources for Christian servant leaders are the indwelling Holy Spirit and the Word of God. But a leader’s greatest commodity (something useful that when in plentiful supply diminishes the importance of other factors) is influence.
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Building Youth Workers
Many youth leaders have a “lone ranger ” type of mentality when it comes to their student ministry. They think they can do it all by themselves. This type of thinking will frustrate you (and your family) and will cause you to be ineffective.
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Our Response to God’s Call Has Far-Reaching Consequences
Many years ago I was reading a prayer letter from a missionary in the Dominican Republic. In the last paragraph, the missionary wrote these words, “Alexis asked me a couple months ago: ‘What would have happened to me and all the people in our church if you had not come to the Dominican Republic?’”
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Each year, our deacons insist that I go in for a thorough health examination. Usually the doctor will greet me with a statement like, “Deacons sent you again, huh?” He gets it.
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I have read many books on the subject of leadership. Each book brings a perspective on leadership from someone who has expertly led others and organizations. Each book has one or more valuable take-aways that have helped me in understanding and executing my role as a leader. The book of Proverbs describes many traits of good leadership. One of these traits is diligence: the ability of alert focus.
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5 Considerations for Christians Living as Salt and Light
As Christians living in 2018, it sure seems that things are being turned upside down. What I mean by that is the things that used to be looked upon as right and normal are now looked upon as being wrong, out of step, and not at all normal.
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The Same Gospel Saves People from All Generations
The generation gap seems to be widening daily. It’s obvious that a cultural gap is rapidly dividing our country. The Baby Boomers and the Millennials are in a struggle for power in business, religious, and political cultures. The debates can be intense. I think, overall, the entire debate regarding Millennials has become downright silly.
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Growth in Grace Should Affect All Areas of Our Life
The military boasts of its ability to build leaders “from the ground up.” But God is interested in building leaders from Heaven down.
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Recently, I had the privilege of meeting with our Connection Group leaders here at Lancaster Baptist Church. Over the years, we’ve called our Connection Groups by various names—Sunday school and Adult Bible Fellowships are two—but whatever they are called, they are a vital part of our church ministry.
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Administration Is a Necessary Part of Leadership
When I first became a pastor, I faced fewer administrative responsibilities than I do today. It’s not that my schedule wasn’t full. (In those early days, I preached three times per week, taught Sunday school and soulwinning, and knocked on a minimum of five hundred doors each week as well as following up with guests from services.) It’s just that the week-to-week responsibilities of ministry were primarily sermon preparation and personal outreach and followup.
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Surrender Precedes Usefulness
Each time I read Exodus chapters three and four, I am reminded of the ongoing pattern of the work of God: in response to the cries of His people, God comes to do a mighty work of deliverance—and He did. The plagues of judgment upon Egypt, the dividing of the Red Sea, the giving of His Law, and provision of manna. All of these were mighty miracles that only the God of all power could accomplish.
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Responding to Criticism
As a younger pastor, I am not sure I was fully prepared for just how critical some people could be concerning my leadership and my service. Ministry life is truly life in a fishbowl. Not only me, but my family was observed as well. That goes with the calling; and though it is not one of the more pleasant aspects of ministry, it is one that we all will deal with from time to time.
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Opportunities and Challenges Younger Pastors Face
Being a younger pastor has many wonderful blessings, but also some unique challenges. Here are just a couple of the tensions that I am still learning how to properly manage as a younger pastor.
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