Hey friends,
This is a brand new website that I think could be very helpful to ministry.
www.christianityexplored.org
The idea is for this site to be a welcoming, unpressured and jargon-free place for people to explore the Christian faith. It is packed with answers to tough questions as well as some wonderfully engaging real-life stories of people who have come to faith in Christ Jesus.
Hope it helps.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Ministry Boundaries
A few weeks ago my heart was broken. I had discovered a new young leader and was following his blog. I had spoken with people on his staff about some of the resources. I had thought about how I might use him to coach pastors in IL.
He wrote incredible blogs, great thoughts, sharp thinker. I opened his blog and the title was 'I have sinned and I am resigning as pastor.'
Why is it so difficult to set boundaries? Please know I am not throwing stones at this brother - but for the grace of God, there go I. But here are a few ideas that I have built into ministry over the years.
Lisa and I sat down many years ago and discussed boundaries that she would like for me to have as a pastor.
I don't meet with women alone with my door closed or alone in the building;
I don't counsel women without my wife;
She has access to my computer's history;
We communicate regularly about sexual needs and feelings;
She has full access to my facebook account;
We pray for each other so that we are partners in purity.
Lisa knows that regular intimacy with her is important to me. Many of you know that our lives are spent apart for days at a time because of travel. Selling a house in this economy, weighing all the options of where we should live, allowing our youngest daughter to figure out where she wants to live - has been the best decision for my family. Nonetheless, it has had challenges. The situation has presented us with times of growth and times of challenges for each of us.
Without the boundaries we had established years ago I don't know what these last two years would have been like. They might have been the same. But what if?
How are you and your spouse guarding against the attack of the enemy on your marriage? I implore you, err on the side of caution! Don't get paranoid about it but establish the boundaries that work for you.
Perhaps your spouse will need tight boundaries because of hurts in her life. Maybe there is a wide circle of trust. If you want to be a person of purity and integrity allow your spouse to speak into the boundaries.
I read this the other day: "Never forget that we are in a spiritual battle with real winners and losers. Though we may try to ignore it, we have three very real enemies (the world, the flesh and the devil) who are all more than happy to play their part in helping us flame out of ministry. In my experience, it also seems that the kingdom of darkness is particularly benefited when a pastor goes down because of moral failure because, like a grenade, it does damage on so many levels at once. To help me in my own struggle for purity, I reflect on this painful truth often. I picture what would happen to my wife, children, and church if I chose pride and pleasure over Jesus in a moment of weakness. It drives me to the Scriptures, my wife, and my ministry team to help me stay the course."
For the sake of all of us, please don’t become a statistic. Please pray for me and those those closest to you that we don’t become statistics. Please take the steps necessary to walk in integrity, and let’s cross the finish line strong together for the glory of God and the good of our families, churches, and the world around us.
He wrote incredible blogs, great thoughts, sharp thinker. I opened his blog and the title was 'I have sinned and I am resigning as pastor.'
Why is it so difficult to set boundaries? Please know I am not throwing stones at this brother - but for the grace of God, there go I. But here are a few ideas that I have built into ministry over the years.
Lisa and I sat down many years ago and discussed boundaries that she would like for me to have as a pastor.
I don't meet with women alone with my door closed or alone in the building;
I don't counsel women without my wife;
She has access to my computer's history;
We communicate regularly about sexual needs and feelings;
She has full access to my facebook account;
We pray for each other so that we are partners in purity.
Lisa knows that regular intimacy with her is important to me. Many of you know that our lives are spent apart for days at a time because of travel. Selling a house in this economy, weighing all the options of where we should live, allowing our youngest daughter to figure out where she wants to live - has been the best decision for my family. Nonetheless, it has had challenges. The situation has presented us with times of growth and times of challenges for each of us.
Without the boundaries we had established years ago I don't know what these last two years would have been like. They might have been the same. But what if?
How are you and your spouse guarding against the attack of the enemy on your marriage? I implore you, err on the side of caution! Don't get paranoid about it but establish the boundaries that work for you.
Perhaps your spouse will need tight boundaries because of hurts in her life. Maybe there is a wide circle of trust. If you want to be a person of purity and integrity allow your spouse to speak into the boundaries.
I read this the other day: "Never forget that we are in a spiritual battle with real winners and losers. Though we may try to ignore it, we have three very real enemies (the world, the flesh and the devil) who are all more than happy to play their part in helping us flame out of ministry. In my experience, it also seems that the kingdom of darkness is particularly benefited when a pastor goes down because of moral failure because, like a grenade, it does damage on so many levels at once. To help me in my own struggle for purity, I reflect on this painful truth often. I picture what would happen to my wife, children, and church if I chose pride and pleasure over Jesus in a moment of weakness. It drives me to the Scriptures, my wife, and my ministry team to help me stay the course."
For the sake of all of us, please don’t become a statistic. Please pray for me and those those closest to you that we don’t become statistics. Please take the steps necessary to walk in integrity, and let’s cross the finish line strong together for the glory of God and the good of our families, churches, and the world around us.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Simple Church Conference - 8 more days!
Are you running in many directions but going nowhere, doing good things but not being as effective as you could be, or does everything just seem too complicated?
Then do not miss this seminar! Illinois Ministries has booked author and speaker Thom Rainer for an up close and personal training session with the Churches of God in Illinois. Register your entire leadership team for this April 16th event (10 a.m.– 4 p.m.).
Rainer, president and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources, will talk about church leadership using principles from his book, Simple Church: Returning to God’s Process for Making Disciples. A time will be given for questions and resources will be available. A respected pastor and researcher, Rainer has authored over 20 books including Simple Church, Transformational Churches, and his newest book, Simple Life.
All church leaders are invited to take advantage of this opportunity. Cost is $15 per person which includes lunch and materials. Register at www.ilcog.org
Then do not miss this seminar! Illinois Ministries has booked author and speaker Thom Rainer for an up close and personal training session with the Churches of God in Illinois. Register your entire leadership team for this April 16th event (10 a.m.– 4 p.m.).
Rainer, president and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources, will talk about church leadership using principles from his book, Simple Church: Returning to God’s Process for Making Disciples. A time will be given for questions and resources will be available. A respected pastor and researcher, Rainer has authored over 20 books including Simple Church, Transformational Churches, and his newest book, Simple Life.
All church leaders are invited to take advantage of this opportunity. Cost is $15 per person which includes lunch and materials. Register at www.ilcog.org
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Seek First...
Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard, saw double-mindedness as the primary affliction of modern man. His book Purity of Heart Is to Will One Thing is a meditation on the biblical statement: “Purify your hearts, you double-minded” (James 4:8). The sickness, according to Kierkegaard, is really a failure to achieve an integrated life, a life that is focused on one thing. It is the failure to make an ultimate commitment to “the Good,” to “seeking first the kingdom of God.”
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
How do you get vision?
Last week I asked the question, "how do you get vision?" I had several responses and a few of them were serious - well actually one was serious - the only person to respond that wasn't a pastor!
I realize that vision cannot be given to you in a book or program. The shelf life of that type of vision will be about as long as the next book or program. Just about the time you buy into a program and start to communicate it as the gospel - Bill Hybels comes out and says, "I was wrong!" Not that it ever happened to me (more than 3 times)
Thom Rainer, author of Simple Church and President of LifeWay Resources will be at Camp Warren on April 16th from 10-4 leading "Simple Church" Conference. I hope you will register for the event. More than anyone else, Thom helped me learn how to shape mission and vision and discipleship. Register here
Vision is a revelation that comes through study, prayer, dialogue, knowing your community, observing what God is doing...among other things. Here are a few questions that I have been using to help churches work through visioning discussions.
Pre-Vision Process Questions
What vision has preceded us in this church’s history?
What are our five-year trends?
What is our current state?
What is happening around us including other churches?
From what do our current members base their identity?
Vision Questions
What can we do better than 100 other churches?
What are we ultimately supposed to be doing? (mission)
Why do we do what we do? (values)
How do we do what we do? (strategy)
When are we successful? (measures milestones)
Where is God taking us? (vision + milestones)
Vision Rollout Questions
How will be build internal awareness of the new vision?
How do we create understanding and appreciation of the new vision at every level?
What common questions will need to be answered when the new vision is communicated?
What tools and resources need to be in place when the new vision is communicated?
How do we create urgency when rolling out the new vision?
How will we remind people that this is God’s vision?
Vision Integration Questions
Who is ultimately responsible for aligning and advancing the vision?
How will the vision be integrated into developing leadership?
How will the vision be integrated into intentional communication?
How will the vision be integrated into duplicatable processes?
How will the vision be integrated into compelling environments?
How will the vision be integrated into conscious culture?
Let me know if you add to these questions or if you have other ideas. These questions came from Will Mancini (Church Unique)
I realize that vision cannot be given to you in a book or program. The shelf life of that type of vision will be about as long as the next book or program. Just about the time you buy into a program and start to communicate it as the gospel - Bill Hybels comes out and says, "I was wrong!" Not that it ever happened to me (more than 3 times)
Thom Rainer, author of Simple Church and President of LifeWay Resources will be at Camp Warren on April 16th from 10-4 leading "Simple Church" Conference. I hope you will register for the event. More than anyone else, Thom helped me learn how to shape mission and vision and discipleship. Register here
Vision is a revelation that comes through study, prayer, dialogue, knowing your community, observing what God is doing...among other things. Here are a few questions that I have been using to help churches work through visioning discussions.
Pre-Vision Process Questions
What vision has preceded us in this church’s history?
What are our five-year trends?
What is our current state?
What is happening around us including other churches?
From what do our current members base their identity?
Vision Questions
What can we do better than 100 other churches?
What are we ultimately supposed to be doing? (mission)
Why do we do what we do? (values)
How do we do what we do? (strategy)
When are we successful? (measures milestones)
Where is God taking us? (vision + milestones)
Vision Rollout Questions
How will be build internal awareness of the new vision?
How do we create understanding and appreciation of the new vision at every level?
What common questions will need to be answered when the new vision is communicated?
What tools and resources need to be in place when the new vision is communicated?
How do we create urgency when rolling out the new vision?
How will we remind people that this is God’s vision?
Vision Integration Questions
Who is ultimately responsible for aligning and advancing the vision?
How will the vision be integrated into developing leadership?
How will the vision be integrated into intentional communication?
How will the vision be integrated into duplicatable processes?
How will the vision be integrated into compelling environments?
How will the vision be integrated into conscious culture?
Let me know if you add to these questions or if you have other ideas. These questions came from Will Mancini (Church Unique)
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
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