"Did I wake you up?" the caller said. It was 7:30 AM. We have been friends for 20 years. My response - 'How long have you known me; I get up at 4:30 AM!'
'I just need some one to listen to me' was the opening line of our conversation.
I took this man to Africa with me. I showed him how to pack after ten (10) days on mission. You put the suit case on the bed. You open it. You grab all your belongings. You chuck them in the suit case. You close the lid. You are ready to fly. It takes not more than 60 seconds. His wife was mortified. He loved it. That brief anecdote is a snap shot in the Video of our years of friendship. Laughter, tears, prayers, anger, silence, frustration - - but always lunch on Tuesday.
In November 2012 we moved to AL from SC after ministry there for 20 years. The caller was another Pastor. We have been friends in the best sense of the word through those years. On one occasion I went to their home and told him "You WILL NOT QUIT!" His wife wept openly. They were 'fried' by the reality of pastoral ministry. He listened.
He told me "I lost my Pastor". Those words are priceless. I set aside my agenda to draft this BLOG. Every Pastor should Pastor another Pastor.
Our conversation was 30 minutes of perspective. I was able to walk him through the issues he was deliberating. We reached a conclusion that makes sense from a biblical, practical and emotional point of view. That call was not on my "Agenda" but it may well be the most important thing I do today or this week.
He read me a poem his 5 year old grandson had written for him upon his departure after their most recent visit. That is the stuff of real friendship. Loyalty wrapped in TRUTH, Honesty and Integrity.
A question for every Pastor - - 'Do you have another Pastor who regards you as his Pastor?' You should. The joy of that role is abundant. I also find it much like the way the Good Shepherd meets with me in every circumstance. His promise to us "I am with you!" Who is your Pastor? Who are you Pastoring?
Monday, June 24, 2013
Monday, June 17, 2013
Words & Their Meaning
I write this post with some level of uncertainty. My
motivation and purpose is to make our deliberations in the BLOG world fruitful
and productive. I trust that this will be the result.
First, several Principles that guide the development of this
material:
1. Words and their
relationship give meaning to language.
2. Words are symbols
and those symbols convey meaning.
3. Unless and until
we define what I/we mean by our choice of words/symbols, there can be little if
any progress in our understanding of one another.
4. The languages of
the OT & NT are ‘dead languages’. As such the meaning of words does not
change and we discover the correct meaning of words through the use of credible
lexical sources. Cf. the interview with Mr. Joe Aguillard on this matter;
listen to the definition he offered of election. There is no credible lexical
source to support what he declared.
5. Unity is not
something we develop or produce. Rather, it is by the clear expression of the
text of Scripture a reality that we are to preserve, guard, protect (Eph.
4:1-3) I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy
of the calling to which you have been called,
with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one
another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of
peace. (Ephesians 4:1-3)
6. The Principle of Non-Contradiction. Scripture
is perspicuous, clear. It does not say one thing in one place and contradict
that in another. There is one and only one correct interpretation of each
portion of God’s Word. This leaves us with the following options:
A.
One is correct and the other incorrect.
B.
Both are incorrect.
C.
But, we cannot come to opposing interpretations and declare that BOTH are
correct.
In
recent exchanges in the BLOG world some have said “I am not – a Calvinist; an
Arminian; a Semi-Pelagian, etc. Simply saying I am or I am not this or that
does not make it true. Exegesis of the text, Systematic Theology and the
historical unfolding of the beliefs, practices and doctrines of the church
determine whether a particular belief or conviction fits or is properly
characterized by a particular definition. Church history has had multiple
Councils that deliberated these matters, often for years, and the conclusions
they reached shape the theology the church embraces today.
Therefore,
if what I express as a conviction or belief is determined by the criteria
stated above to be true and accurate, I should not take offense when others
correctly apply the label that has been established by accurate exegesis and
the history of doctrine.
True
unity is a theological issue. We have unity when we align ourselves with the
correct understanding of God’s word. God is not schizophrenic and neither is
His Word. We cannot embrace diametrically opposed interpretations and say that
both are correct. That is not unity as defined by Scripture.
We
must be irenic, gracious, humble and civil in our discourse. We must also not
capitulate to a pseudo unity, one that sacrifices accuracy and integrity in
dealing with God’s Word for a “Rodney King Theology”, can’t we all just get
along?
I
do not claim to have all the answers to our differences but I believe what I
have stated in this post is consistent with the character and nature of Truth.
We can and must strive for an accurate interpretation of God’s Word and simultaneously
with passion, prayer and persistence bring this Truth to the world around us.
Thursday, June 6, 2013
Right Answer - Wrong Question!
Life is always challenging us to make the best investment for the greatest return. Recently the SBC (Southern Baptist Convention) invested 12-18 months to produce a statement that basically tells constituent members not to 'play nasty' and denigrate one another in BLOG postings etc.
The statement they produced is irenic in tone. Several obeservations.
1. The SBC is a Convention of Churches voluntarily working together not a denomination. As such no one has virtually any authority to do anything to anyone who may choose to violate the intent of the statement (and I certainly hope they do not).
2. The SBC like so many other evangelical organizations is loosing ground faster than a land slide in California on a rainy day.
3. The purpose of the church, every church, is to make disciples. The SBC has no exegetical substantive and operative definition of what a disciple is. What you have not defined you cannot measure.
4. The SBC continues to promote an illusion or an outright lie - they claim to have 16 million members. However, on the best Sunday of the year less than 40% of that number attend services.
The following is a reproduction of an AP article on the current statistics from the SBC.
Here is a graph projecting the membership in the SBC in the next several decades.
A ski slope in Vail is less acute in the angle of decline. This represents a trend and trends are very very difficult to turn around.
Wisdom would dictate that we ask a different question.
What must be done and NOW to see the churches of the SBC become Healthy and Effective, making disciples fully formed in the image of Christ?
I am not suggesting we ignore the text of Scripture that speaks to the governing principles of our speech and our conduct. I am not saying we should be nasty.
I am saying that unless and until there is a courageous and intentional effort put forth to bring correction to the bad theology that has produced this trend line, it will continue and accelerate. Every aspect of the church is theological. Therefore this is a theolgocial problem and it must be solved by applying sound theological paradigms if resolution is to be achieved.
My prayer and my labors are dedicated to seeing this become a reality. I invite others to join this remnant, and like Joshua and Caleb, take the land.
The statement they produced is irenic in tone. Several obeservations.
1. The SBC is a Convention of Churches voluntarily working together not a denomination. As such no one has virtually any authority to do anything to anyone who may choose to violate the intent of the statement (and I certainly hope they do not).
2. The SBC like so many other evangelical organizations is loosing ground faster than a land slide in California on a rainy day.
3. The purpose of the church, every church, is to make disciples. The SBC has no exegetical substantive and operative definition of what a disciple is. What you have not defined you cannot measure.
4. The SBC continues to promote an illusion or an outright lie - they claim to have 16 million members. However, on the best Sunday of the year less than 40% of that number attend services.
The following is a reproduction of an AP article on the current statistics from the SBC.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) _ Membership among Southern Baptists has fallen slightly for the sixth straight year.
¶
The nation's largest Protestant denomination released in-house
statistics Wednesday showing that total membership
dropped 0.66 percent in 2012. The annual report prepared by the
Southern Baptist Convention's Lifeway Christian Resources and reported
by the Baptist Press news service says there were 105,000 fewer Baptists
in 2012 than the year before.
¶ Baptisms fell by 5.5 percent after a slight increase in 2011. That's considered a particularly important measure
of growth for a denomination committed to evangelism.
¶ The Southern Baptist Convention did add some 270 individual churches in 2012. And the Nashville-based denomination
still has nearly 16 million members.
¶ Southern Baptists are gathering next week in Houston for their annual meeting.
Here is a graph projecting the membership in the SBC in the next several decades.
A ski slope in Vail is less acute in the angle of decline. This represents a trend and trends are very very difficult to turn around.
Wisdom would dictate that we ask a different question.
What must be done and NOW to see the churches of the SBC become Healthy and Effective, making disciples fully formed in the image of Christ?
I am not suggesting we ignore the text of Scripture that speaks to the governing principles of our speech and our conduct. I am not saying we should be nasty.
I am saying that unless and until there is a courageous and intentional effort put forth to bring correction to the bad theology that has produced this trend line, it will continue and accelerate. Every aspect of the church is theological. Therefore this is a theolgocial problem and it must be solved by applying sound theological paradigms if resolution is to be achieved.
My prayer and my labors are dedicated to seeing this become a reality. I invite others to join this remnant, and like Joshua and Caleb, take the land.
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
Deadly Diagnosis
Introduction
Ministry Alert – a lethal infection is rapidly spreading through the evangelical churches of America. It leads to the decline and profound ineffectiveness if not the virtual cessation of ministry in local churches. Being interpreted that means death, closing the doors, ceasing to function. Many are much closer to this reality than they are willing to admit. However, denial will not prevent the erosion of effectiveness.
Our second son is a surgeon. He informed me of a very insidious and potentially lethal infection that is becoming more common. This illness is very difficult to treat. The affliction is known as “necrotizing fasciitis”. In layman’s terminology, this is flesh eating bacteria. Immediate diagnosis and treatment are vital if the patient is to survive. Within hours this aggressive infection consumes the flesh of the victim and quickly enters the blood stream of the patient at which point the entire body of the patient is subject to the ravages this marauder produces. It frequently causes the death of the patient.
Metaphor for Ministry
How does this apply to local church ministry? A review of the statistics concerning the condition of the evangelical church in America makes a compelling case for the application of this analogy. The church is infected with a very aggressive and lethal disease. David Olson’s work The American Church in Crisis provides an irrefutable body of evidence to support this claim. There is not a single county in a single state in the entire USA in which attendance is greater this year than it was in the previous year. This is a compelling rationale to ‘listen up’ and investigate the causes of this decline. Further, this is based on a one-dimensional metric. This addresses only attendance. While this is obviously important, it is not the primary dynamic of ministry that must be evaluated. That dynamic is disciple-making. The single command in the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20) is Make Disciples. Failure in this realm always results in impotence for the church. She may have endless activity but utterly no spiritual power. Focus on the data Olson presents. This indicates precipitous decline in virtually every county in every state. Can you make a substantive objective honest case that legitimately excludes the church you pastor from this pattern?
Operative Causes
Consensus indicates that there are three primary causes for this unrelenting decline. Obviously there are many variations in degree and kind. I will focus on these three as they surface most frequently in literature addressing this phenomenon. The issues are Leadership, Purpose, and Control.
Leadership – George Barna invested twenty-five years doing research on the local church. In 2005 he refocused that activity. In making that change he wrote what he referred to as a Transition Letter. In that letter he made a potent and critical observation about leadership in the church.
What Barna means by a paucity of leadership is the pervasive inability of pastors to engage the level and type of leadership skills and competencies necessary to navigate the constantly changing landscape in which the church exists. The church is a sub-culture of the larger culture around her. The changes in that larger culture have been seismic to say the least. Most churches have not identified, and most certainly not addressed these changes. This requires an exegetically sound ministry profile that produces organizational health, numerical growth and spiritual formation in the individual believer. Covenant Seminary in St. Louis conducted a five year study in which they collected copious data on the issue of leadership. They published the results of this study in a fifty-six page report in 2010. The following quote validates my observation on the failure of leadership. This also reveals a partial reason - - seminaries did not equip men in this realm.
The responsibilities of leadership and management (both integral to the pastoral task of congregational oversight) are rarely discussed in seminary. Most pastors enter ministry with very little preparation in these areas and are generally surprised by how much leadership and management skills are part of their work. They often learn how to do these things on the job – not always very effectively. Pastors aren’t the only ones surprised by this reality. Most lay people have no idea of the time and energy involved in leadership and management aspects of the pastoral vocation. Indeed, these ministerial responsibilities are something of a hidden secret that is rarely discussed but continually demanded.
Leadership deficiencies were also recognized in a study conducted by the Francis Schaefer Leadership Institute. This research surveyed over 1,050 pastors. The data on the issue of leadership competence is reflected in their responses as follows.
A very helpful title on Leadership is John Maxwell’s work titled The Twenty-One Irrefutable Laws of Leadership. The first ‘law’ he details is what he labeled The Law of The Lid. This law simply stated is
Leadership ability determines a person’s level of effectiveness.
Maxwell developed a scale of 1-10. A leader’s competence is plotted on this scale. The simple fact is that 8’s & 9’s do not follow 4’s & 5’s. I am frequently asked if leaders are born or made. My answer is always ‘yes!’. Every man is a leader at some level. Every man with prayerful dedication and diligence can improve his leadership competence. Every pastor should be cognizant of his leadership competence or lack of same and pursue resources that equip him to achieve maximum effectiveness. Leadership is about securing adaptive and constructive change. This brings us to the second issue causing the decline of the evangelical church.
Purpose – Most organizations today have signage posted on the walls of their establishment. The mission of XYZ corporation is XXXXXXX. Churches have also joined this parade. The disconnect is that in most cases this is merely a ‘sign on the wall.’ Unless the essence of that purpose is the guiding principle of the church and every member actually practices with integrity and passion the substance of that purpose, it is meaningless. In fact, it is worse. Everyone assumes they have a clear purpose but it is not Applied Theology. It is not shaping ministry. It provides no basis for evaluation and no metric process to measure ministry effectiveness.
I frequently distribute a blank sheet of paper to a gathering of people from a given local church. I ask them to write in one or two sentences the purpose of their local church. The results are predictable. The statements are all over the map. This means that they are riding off in different directions. They wonder why there is no harmony and effectiveness in ministry. The pastor is compelled by the various perspectives to satisfy a plethora of expectations all shaped by this kaleidoscope of pseudo purposes.
The primary purpose of every church is to make disciples. There are many dimensions to this process but they must all serve the same purpose. Many churches have multiple ministry venues e.g. (Men’s Ministry, Softball, WMU, Music, etc.). They satisfy the participants of that ministry, but, do not in any way contribute significantly to making disciples. Over time the accumulation of such ministry venues becomes destructive of organizational harmony and effectiveness. The body is fragmented and the only commonality they have is they meet at the same location.
The following is from a paper I wrote in September 2006. It has significant bearing on the issue of purpose for the local church and the pastor’s role as a leader.
First, it is absolutely imperative that the leadership of the church in America recognize this trend as a present reality. This is not a remote possibility for future ministry. On the contrary, it is the proverbial 'elephant in the living room'. It is the "Funny Uncle" in our family but he is not funny.
Second, we must invest strategic and intentional ministry initiatives that are specifically designed to overcome the 'culture drift' that has engulfed us. The sub-title of Nancy Pearcy's recent book tells it all; Rescuing Christianity from its Cultural Captivity. The church in America has willingly succumbed to the drum beat of the culture in which we exist.
Third, this radical reformation, so urgently needed, will only become a reality as God ordains Leaders who apply the clear mandates found in the Scripture. They must be men of courage. They must be men who are capable of pressing with precision the principles and precepts of the Scripture without compromise while showing deep and genuine compassion to God’s people. The OT Prophets provide an appropriate model for this glorious task. Fourth, there is the time factor. Thom Rainer (CEO of LifeWay Resources) predicted in 2003 that we would close 50,000 churches in the USA by the year 2010. He seems to have been tragically accurate, perhaps even an optimist. If you currently pastor a local church I urge you to face the brutal reality of your current circumstance. Apply the metrics. Where will the assembly you lead be in 2015 if all present trends continue?
The time for action is today, right now. A year ago many people living on the Gulf Coast waited far too long to act. Katrina’s fury and devastation was their reward. The consequences in this case will perhaps not be as immediate but far more significant. Will YOU take action Pastor?
95% of the churches in America are not making disciples fully formed in the image of Christ. This is in large part because they lack clear definitive purpose that shapes ministry for every member. God uses courageous and compassionate leaders to incorporate biblical purpose into the ministry of a local church. This is not a mere preference. This is pure and simple obedience to all that Jesus commanded. This brings us to the third cause of decline.
Control – This malady has many faces but always one focus. That focus is “who is in charge here”? The answer is clearly not the Holy Spirit. I am often contacted by pastors in distress caused by the church boss. Let me state this with unambiguous clarity. The only control factor in the local church must be the word of God properly interpreted in context and applied by the Holy Spirit Who is God to the people of God for the glory of Christ who is Head of the body. Every ministry initiative and decision should have clear exegetical support drawn from the Scripture by sound exegesis. Many other documents such as Robert’s Rules of Order have little or no legitimate place in the ministry and function of the church.
I recently heard from a pastor who has an individual who walks the halls during worship services with a ring of keys. He never participates, just patrols. In this manner he traumatizes everyone and no one enters any room without his ‘approval’. I heard from another pastor who had a small band of people interrupt a service by clamoring for some specific content in the bulletin. These examples are from the past week!
The following data is from the Baptist Courier, a publication of the South Carolina Southern Baptist Convention
Every month, some 1,600 pastors in U.S. churches quit or resign from the pastorates and leave the ministry (lost giving and replacement costs total over $700 million annually). The majority of these pastoral transitions are caused by issues of control of one sort or another. This is 19,000+ each year across the landscape of America. Apply the 25% under-reported factor and this number grows to 23,750! Many others succumb to a variety of control issues because they have families to care for. This in affect makes them ‘hirelings’, a terrible circumstance in which to serve. This issue of pastors frustrated by control issues is also supported by the Schaeffer study referenced earlier.
Application
Where does this brief assessment of the local church in America take us? My prayer is that it informs, encourages and equips pastors to act. Jesus measures our integrity and credibility by our conduct, our actions (Matt. 7:24-27). The challenge before my readers now is one of significant dimension. At Kadesh only Joshua and Caleb called for uncompromised obedience. We must do what the LORD has commanded. We must go in and take the land. Their reward was rejection and abuse (Num. 14:10). The congregation discussed stoning them. However, can you name any of the other ten spies? I didn’t think so. They are remembered because they showed fidelity to God’s word and obedience to His command.
Real leaders lead. They muster the grace and humility that only God gives and do what he calls them to do. You are at a fork in the road Pastor. Yogi Berra says, “When you come to a fork in the road, take it!” You are there. Which path will you go down? Leadership is about modeling. If you will embrace the challenge and model leadership God will raise up a band of faithful men who follow your example. Together you will be a powerful leadership team that God uses to transform individual believers and the corporate body. The church will display God’s power and grace before a watching world.
Timing is critical in the transformation process in a local church. Jim Collins speaks to this in his book How The Mighty Fall. He provides an analysis of the life cycle of an organization. Hear what he says about the timing of diagnosing and correcting organizational dysfunction.
Rochester, NY, is the home of Eastman Kodak. In 1982 they employed 62,000+ just in Monroe County. Today they employ fewer than 18,000 world-wide. They are selling their patents to secure operating capital. As recently as 1995 the red “K” and yellow square of Kodak and the red Coca Cola logos were the two most recognizable logos in the entire world. In 2016 Kodak will close their doors. What happened?
They, like so many churches, ignored all the available warning signs of decline. They lost focus on their primary purpose. They refused to listen to wise counsel. They assumed that all things would continue as they always had in the past. They tried to navigate the challenging road of an ever-changing road to the future while looking in the rear view mirror. Fatal mistake.
This is not the only option. We would consider a patient that has contracted necrotizing fasciitis unwise if they decided to self-medicate. They need the best possible medical care available. It is equally illogical to attempt to “self-medicate” the decline of the church. If a pastor/church could correct the problems they are facing without assistance they would have already done so. Read footnote #1, the section on prognosis. This details the prospects for recovery.
Remember those two spies? They faced a very significant obstacle - - the entire congregation of Israel. They took courage (2Chron. 15:8). They knew what God had commanded and they were more than willing to obey. You will also face opposition when you lead a process that brings genuine legitimate transformation. Be wise. Be compassionate. Be unrelenting in your pursuit of all that honors Christ. Some will defame you just as they did Joshua and Caleb. Some will depart. But, many will be transformed into the glorious image of Jesus Christ. In that environment you will discover the joy of leadership like you have never previously known. Christ is honored and you are blessed beyond measure.
You can acquire greater proficiency in your capacity as a leader.
You can identify and incorporate God’s purpose for His church among the people you shepherd.
You can eradicate the inappropriate control factors and lead a healthy and thriving assembly.
The ministry of IgniteUS exists:
To build leadership competence to transform America’s churches into healthy, intentional disciple-makers.
Contact us @ info@igniteus.net or 803 413 3509.
Ministry Alert – a lethal infection is rapidly spreading through the evangelical churches of America. It leads to the decline and profound ineffectiveness if not the virtual cessation of ministry in local churches. Being interpreted that means death, closing the doors, ceasing to function. Many are much closer to this reality than they are willing to admit. However, denial will not prevent the erosion of effectiveness.
Our second son is a surgeon. He informed me of a very insidious and potentially lethal infection that is becoming more common. This illness is very difficult to treat. The affliction is known as “necrotizing fasciitis”. In layman’s terminology, this is flesh eating bacteria. Immediate diagnosis and treatment are vital if the patient is to survive. Within hours this aggressive infection consumes the flesh of the victim and quickly enters the blood stream of the patient at which point the entire body of the patient is subject to the ravages this marauder produces. It frequently causes the death of the patient.
Metaphor for Ministry
How does this apply to local church ministry? A review of the statistics concerning the condition of the evangelical church in America makes a compelling case for the application of this analogy. The church is infected with a very aggressive and lethal disease. David Olson’s work The American Church in Crisis provides an irrefutable body of evidence to support this claim. There is not a single county in a single state in the entire USA in which attendance is greater this year than it was in the previous year. This is a compelling rationale to ‘listen up’ and investigate the causes of this decline. Further, this is based on a one-dimensional metric. This addresses only attendance. While this is obviously important, it is not the primary dynamic of ministry that must be evaluated. That dynamic is disciple-making. The single command in the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20) is Make Disciples. Failure in this realm always results in impotence for the church. She may have endless activity but utterly no spiritual power. Focus on the data Olson presents. This indicates precipitous decline in virtually every county in every state. Can you make a substantive objective honest case that legitimately excludes the church you pastor from this pattern?
Operative Causes
Consensus indicates that there are three primary causes for this unrelenting decline. Obviously there are many variations in degree and kind. I will focus on these three as they surface most frequently in literature addressing this phenomenon. The issues are Leadership, Purpose, and Control.
Leadership – George Barna invested twenty-five years doing research on the local church. In 2005 he refocused that activity. In making that change he wrote what he referred to as a Transition Letter. In that letter he made a potent and critical observation about leadership in the church.
We found that very few churches – emphasis on very – measure anything beyond attendance, donations, square footage, number of programs and size of staff. Further, our on-going research continued to show that churches do not act strategically because of a paucity of leadership.
What Barna means by a paucity of leadership is the pervasive inability of pastors to engage the level and type of leadership skills and competencies necessary to navigate the constantly changing landscape in which the church exists. The church is a sub-culture of the larger culture around her. The changes in that larger culture have been seismic to say the least. Most churches have not identified, and most certainly not addressed these changes. This requires an exegetically sound ministry profile that produces organizational health, numerical growth and spiritual formation in the individual believer. Covenant Seminary in St. Louis conducted a five year study in which they collected copious data on the issue of leadership. They published the results of this study in a fifty-six page report in 2010. The following quote validates my observation on the failure of leadership. This also reveals a partial reason - - seminaries did not equip men in this realm.
The responsibilities of leadership and management (both integral to the pastoral task of congregational oversight) are rarely discussed in seminary. Most pastors enter ministry with very little preparation in these areas and are generally surprised by how much leadership and management skills are part of their work. They often learn how to do these things on the job – not always very effectively. Pastors aren’t the only ones surprised by this reality. Most lay people have no idea of the time and energy involved in leadership and management aspects of the pastoral vocation. Indeed, these ministerial responsibilities are something of a hidden secret that is rarely discussed but continually demanded.
Leadership deficiencies were also recognized in a study conducted by the Francis Schaefer Leadership Institute. This research surveyed over 1,050 pastors. The data on the issue of leadership competence is reflected in their responses as follows.
75% of the pastors surveyed felt they were unqualified and/or poorly trained by their seminaries to lead and manage the church or to counsel others.What is Leadership? Defining terms always enhances our ability to grasp the importance and application of a given issue in ministry. The definitions are numerous. I offer the following as a working model for this paper.
Warren Bennis & Burt Nanus – leadership commits people to action, converts followers into leaders, and may convert leaders into agents of change.(LEADERS – The Strategies for Taking Charge, p.3).
Bob Biehl – leadership is knowing WHAT to do next, knowing WHY that’s important, and knowing how to bring appropriate RESOURCES to bear on the need at hand. (Increasing Your Leadership Confidence, p.211).
A very helpful title on Leadership is John Maxwell’s work titled The Twenty-One Irrefutable Laws of Leadership. The first ‘law’ he details is what he labeled The Law of The Lid. This law simply stated is
Leadership ability determines a person’s level of effectiveness.
Maxwell developed a scale of 1-10. A leader’s competence is plotted on this scale. The simple fact is that 8’s & 9’s do not follow 4’s & 5’s. I am frequently asked if leaders are born or made. My answer is always ‘yes!’. Every man is a leader at some level. Every man with prayerful dedication and diligence can improve his leadership competence. Every pastor should be cognizant of his leadership competence or lack of same and pursue resources that equip him to achieve maximum effectiveness. Leadership is about securing adaptive and constructive change. This brings us to the second issue causing the decline of the evangelical church.
Purpose – Most organizations today have signage posted on the walls of their establishment. The mission of XYZ corporation is XXXXXXX. Churches have also joined this parade. The disconnect is that in most cases this is merely a ‘sign on the wall.’ Unless the essence of that purpose is the guiding principle of the church and every member actually practices with integrity and passion the substance of that purpose, it is meaningless. In fact, it is worse. Everyone assumes they have a clear purpose but it is not Applied Theology. It is not shaping ministry. It provides no basis for evaluation and no metric process to measure ministry effectiveness.
I frequently distribute a blank sheet of paper to a gathering of people from a given local church. I ask them to write in one or two sentences the purpose of their local church. The results are predictable. The statements are all over the map. This means that they are riding off in different directions. They wonder why there is no harmony and effectiveness in ministry. The pastor is compelled by the various perspectives to satisfy a plethora of expectations all shaped by this kaleidoscope of pseudo purposes.
The primary purpose of every church is to make disciples. There are many dimensions to this process but they must all serve the same purpose. Many churches have multiple ministry venues e.g. (Men’s Ministry, Softball, WMU, Music, etc.). They satisfy the participants of that ministry, but, do not in any way contribute significantly to making disciples. Over time the accumulation of such ministry venues becomes destructive of organizational harmony and effectiveness. The body is fragmented and the only commonality they have is they meet at the same location.
The following is from a paper I wrote in September 2006. It has significant bearing on the issue of purpose for the local church and the pastor’s role as a leader.
I recently finished reading Bowling Alone by Robert Putnam. This should be must reading for every Pastor in America. The author invested twenty-five years doing research on the various organizations and groups that make up the fiber of 'community' in America. The focus of his research was 1900 - 2000. The trend in almost every organization and/or institution is decline; significant and persistent decline. He has a chapter (4) on the institutional church that is informative as well as alarming. Examine the graphs noting the trend lines - - they point down!How does this relate to Purpose?
First, it is absolutely imperative that the leadership of the church in America recognize this trend as a present reality. This is not a remote possibility for future ministry. On the contrary, it is the proverbial 'elephant in the living room'. It is the "Funny Uncle" in our family but he is not funny.
Second, we must invest strategic and intentional ministry initiatives that are specifically designed to overcome the 'culture drift' that has engulfed us. The sub-title of Nancy Pearcy's recent book tells it all; Rescuing Christianity from its Cultural Captivity. The church in America has willingly succumbed to the drum beat of the culture in which we exist.
Third, this radical reformation, so urgently needed, will only become a reality as God ordains Leaders who apply the clear mandates found in the Scripture. They must be men of courage. They must be men who are capable of pressing with precision the principles and precepts of the Scripture without compromise while showing deep and genuine compassion to God’s people. The OT Prophets provide an appropriate model for this glorious task. Fourth, there is the time factor. Thom Rainer (CEO of LifeWay Resources) predicted in 2003 that we would close 50,000 churches in the USA by the year 2010. He seems to have been tragically accurate, perhaps even an optimist. If you currently pastor a local church I urge you to face the brutal reality of your current circumstance. Apply the metrics. Where will the assembly you lead be in 2015 if all present trends continue?
The time for action is today, right now. A year ago many people living on the Gulf Coast waited far too long to act. Katrina’s fury and devastation was their reward. The consequences in this case will perhaps not be as immediate but far more significant. Will YOU take action Pastor?
95% of the churches in America are not making disciples fully formed in the image of Christ. This is in large part because they lack clear definitive purpose that shapes ministry for every member. God uses courageous and compassionate leaders to incorporate biblical purpose into the ministry of a local church. This is not a mere preference. This is pure and simple obedience to all that Jesus commanded. This brings us to the third cause of decline.
Control – This malady has many faces but always one focus. That focus is “who is in charge here”? The answer is clearly not the Holy Spirit. I am often contacted by pastors in distress caused by the church boss. Let me state this with unambiguous clarity. The only control factor in the local church must be the word of God properly interpreted in context and applied by the Holy Spirit Who is God to the people of God for the glory of Christ who is Head of the body. Every ministry initiative and decision should have clear exegetical support drawn from the Scripture by sound exegesis. Many other documents such as Robert’s Rules of Order have little or no legitimate place in the ministry and function of the church.
I recently heard from a pastor who has an individual who walks the halls during worship services with a ring of keys. He never participates, just patrols. In this manner he traumatizes everyone and no one enters any room without his ‘approval’. I heard from another pastor who had a small band of people interrupt a service by clamoring for some specific content in the bulletin. These examples are from the past week!
The following data is from the Baptist Courier, a publication of the South Carolina Southern Baptist Convention
In 2009, with all 43 SCBC local associations reporting, 14 pastors were reportedly dismissed over control issues. The next three highest reported categories of forced termination were related to the first: pastor’s leadership style too weak (8), pastor’s leadership style too strong (7), and church’s resistance to change (7).Disagreement over doctrine (2) was low on the list of reasons for forced terminations, . . . Hale said up to 25 percent of all forced terminations go unreported. In 2009, there were 57 reported pastor terminations in the SCBC.
Every month, some 1,600 pastors in U.S. churches quit or resign from the pastorates and leave the ministry (lost giving and replacement costs total over $700 million annually). The majority of these pastoral transitions are caused by issues of control of one sort or another. This is 19,000+ each year across the landscape of America. Apply the 25% under-reported factor and this number grows to 23,750! Many others succumb to a variety of control issues because they have families to care for. This in affect makes them ‘hirelings’, a terrible circumstance in which to serve. This issue of pastors frustrated by control issues is also supported by the Schaeffer study referenced earlier.
Application
Where does this brief assessment of the local church in America take us? My prayer is that it informs, encourages and equips pastors to act. Jesus measures our integrity and credibility by our conduct, our actions (Matt. 7:24-27). The challenge before my readers now is one of significant dimension. At Kadesh only Joshua and Caleb called for uncompromised obedience. We must do what the LORD has commanded. We must go in and take the land. Their reward was rejection and abuse (Num. 14:10). The congregation discussed stoning them. However, can you name any of the other ten spies? I didn’t think so. They are remembered because they showed fidelity to God’s word and obedience to His command.
Real leaders lead. They muster the grace and humility that only God gives and do what he calls them to do. You are at a fork in the road Pastor. Yogi Berra says, “When you come to a fork in the road, take it!” You are there. Which path will you go down? Leadership is about modeling. If you will embrace the challenge and model leadership God will raise up a band of faithful men who follow your example. Together you will be a powerful leadership team that God uses to transform individual believers and the corporate body. The church will display God’s power and grace before a watching world.
Timing is critical in the transformation process in a local church. Jim Collins speaks to this in his book How The Mighty Fall. He provides an analysis of the life cycle of an organization. Hear what he says about the timing of diagnosing and correcting organizational dysfunction.
I’ve come to see institutional decline like a staged disease: harder to detect but easier to cure in the early stages, easier to detect but harder to cure in the later stages. An institution can look strong on the outside but already be sick on the inside, dangerously on the cusp of a precipitous fall.Collins shares the account of running with his wife in Colorado. He could barely keep up with her. Six months later she had major surgery and endured a long recovery period. She looked healthy but was in fact seriously ill. This is true of organizations.
Rochester, NY, is the home of Eastman Kodak. In 1982 they employed 62,000+ just in Monroe County. Today they employ fewer than 18,000 world-wide. They are selling their patents to secure operating capital. As recently as 1995 the red “K” and yellow square of Kodak and the red Coca Cola logos were the two most recognizable logos in the entire world. In 2016 Kodak will close their doors. What happened?
They, like so many churches, ignored all the available warning signs of decline. They lost focus on their primary purpose. They refused to listen to wise counsel. They assumed that all things would continue as they always had in the past. They tried to navigate the challenging road of an ever-changing road to the future while looking in the rear view mirror. Fatal mistake.
This is not the only option. We would consider a patient that has contracted necrotizing fasciitis unwise if they decided to self-medicate. They need the best possible medical care available. It is equally illogical to attempt to “self-medicate” the decline of the church. If a pastor/church could correct the problems they are facing without assistance they would have already done so. Read footnote #1, the section on prognosis. This details the prospects for recovery.
Remember those two spies? They faced a very significant obstacle - - the entire congregation of Israel. They took courage (2Chron. 15:8). They knew what God had commanded and they were more than willing to obey. You will also face opposition when you lead a process that brings genuine legitimate transformation. Be wise. Be compassionate. Be unrelenting in your pursuit of all that honors Christ. Some will defame you just as they did Joshua and Caleb. Some will depart. But, many will be transformed into the glorious image of Jesus Christ. In that environment you will discover the joy of leadership like you have never previously known. Christ is honored and you are blessed beyond measure.
You can acquire greater proficiency in your capacity as a leader.
You can identify and incorporate God’s purpose for His church among the people you shepherd.
You can eradicate the inappropriate control factors and lead a healthy and thriving assembly.
The ministry of IgniteUS exists:
To build leadership competence to transform America’s churches into healthy, intentional disciple-makers.
Contact us @ info@igniteus.net or 803 413 3509.
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
David Wells - Prophet??
David Wells, Professor of Systematic Theology at Gordon-Conwell Seminary has written a series of five (5) titles. The time line for this was 1993-2008. He rightly challenged the approach to ministry that is more marketing than theology. He repeatedly challenged the corruption of the Gospel. His thesis was and is - the Gospel is not Therapy.
Fast forward from 1993 to April 13, 2013. A NY Times article by T. M. Luhrmann titled When God Is Your Therapist. She is writing from the perspective of one who has spent 10 years inside an evangelical church in Chicago. Her observation:
Here is a listing in chronological order of publication of David Wells titles. They are a treasure of sound doctrine and historic evangelical orthodoxy. He writes with passion and exegetical precision. Any Leader who reads this series will be well equipped to accurately analyze the contemporary theological landscape.
Thank YOU Dr. Wells for this labor of love for the Truth once delivered to the saints. May we hold fast and stand on this foundation. (contend for the faith once delivered to the saints - Jude 3).
Fast forward from 1993 to April 13, 2013. A NY Times article by T. M. Luhrmann titled When God Is Your Therapist. She is writing from the perspective of one who has spent 10 years inside an evangelical church in Chicago. Her observation:
One way to see this is that the books teaching someone how to pray read a lot like cognitive behavior therapy manuals. For instance, the Rev. Rick Warren’s “The Purpose Driven Life,” one of the best-selling books of all time, teaches you to identify your self-critical, self-demeaning thoughts, to interrupt them and recognize them as mistaken, and to replace them with different thoughts. Cognitive-behavioral therapists often ask their patients to write down the critical, debilitating thoughts that make their lives so difficult, and to practice using different ones. That is more or less what Warren invites readers to do. He spells out thoughts he thinks his readers have but don’t want, and then asks them to consider themselves from God’s point of view: not as the inadequate people they feel themselves to be, but as loved, as relevant and as having purpose.http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/14/opinion/sunday/luhrmann-when-god-is-your-therapist.html?_r=1&
Here is a listing in chronological order of publication of David Wells titles. They are a treasure of sound doctrine and historic evangelical orthodoxy. He writes with passion and exegetical precision. Any Leader who reads this series will be well equipped to accurately analyze the contemporary theological landscape.
Thank YOU Dr. Wells for this labor of love for the Truth once delivered to the saints. May we hold fast and stand on this foundation. (contend for the faith once delivered to the saints - Jude 3).
Saturday, April 13, 2013
Altars East of The Jordan
In the Book of Joshua we read of an altar being erected by the Tribes of Reuben, God and the half-tribe of Manasseh. This action brought much to the consternation of the other Tribes of Israel. They prepared to go to war over this incident.
War was not necessary. The motivation for building the altar was not to provide an alternative place to offer sacrifices. It was rather a sincere effort to preserve the identification of these 2 ½ Tribes with the majority of the nation. The concern was that future generations would be excluded and shunned. The text says on this action:
No, but we did it from fear that in time to come your children might say to our children, 'What have you to do with the LORD, the God of Israel? For the LORD has made the Jordan a boundary between us and you, you people of Reuben and people of Gad. You have no portion in the LORD.' So your children might make our children cease to worship the LORD. Therefore we said, 'Let us now build an altar, not for burnt offering, nor for sacrifice, but to be a witness between us and you, and between our generations after us, that we do perform the service of the LORD in his presence with our burnt offerings and sacrifices and peace offerings, so your children will not say to our children in time to come, "You have no portion in the LORD."' And we thought, If this should be said to us or to our descendants in time to come, we should say, 'Behold, the copy of the altar of the LORD, which our fathers made, not for burnt offerings, nor for sacrifice, but to be a witness between us and you.' Far be it from us that we should rebel against the LORD and turn away this day from following the LORD by building an altar for burnt offering, grain offering, or sacrifice, other than the altar of the LORD our God that stands before his tabernacle!" (Joshua 22:24-29)
Perhaps the evangelical church in America needs to re-visit this principle. The younger generations are abandoning the faith in significant numbers.
The church needs Leaders with the conviction and integrity to embrace history and restore the remembrance of the ‘faith of our fathers’!
Saturday, March 30, 2013
DWYSYWD ??
Complete the following exercise.
Think back over the past 30 days. Make a list of the instances in which people did not do what they told you they would do. This may occur in a multitude of disciplines and realms. However, it occurs frequently in Customer Service venues. If you fly, the airlines, all of them, provide an endless supply of such events.
By now you are asking, 'What is the purpose of this exercise? Glad you asked.
James Kouzes and Barry Posner are the co-authors of The Leadership Challenge. This is an anthology published three times over a period of twenty-four years. They ask respondents from 85 cultures around the globe to rank order a list of important leadership characteristics. Mind you, that is a very significant and very diverse control group. The responses have Validity & Reliability. That is called The Truth as perceived by the respondents!
Each and every time this survey has been conducted the same issue surfaces as the #1 expectation on the part of people when they consider leaders - - DO WHAT YOU SAY YOU WILL DO!!
Now go back to that list you created. Compare your list to this principle. It is tragically rare in the American culture when people follow through. There are instances when the failure to deliver is not the culpability of the one who made the commitment. However, it remains their responsibility. The proper response is deliver or provide an honest and timely rationale for the failure and a revised target date for correcting the failure. Caution - don't hold your breath while waiting for this to happen.
All people, mothers, fathers, vendors and most assuredly people in leadership roles MUST honor this principle. It is simple (not always easy but simple) and so vital.
The result? This is so rare that you will be regarded as one who delivers what you promise with excellence. You will be held in high esteem. Most importantly, you will honor the biblical principle of 'let your yes be yes' (James 5:12). That matters!
Think back over the past 30 days. Make a list of the instances in which people did not do what they told you they would do. This may occur in a multitude of disciplines and realms. However, it occurs frequently in Customer Service venues. If you fly, the airlines, all of them, provide an endless supply of such events.
By now you are asking, 'What is the purpose of this exercise? Glad you asked.
James Kouzes and Barry Posner are the co-authors of The Leadership Challenge. This is an anthology published three times over a period of twenty-four years. They ask respondents from 85 cultures around the globe to rank order a list of important leadership characteristics. Mind you, that is a very significant and very diverse control group. The responses have Validity & Reliability. That is called The Truth as perceived by the respondents!
Each and every time this survey has been conducted the same issue surfaces as the #1 expectation on the part of people when they consider leaders - - DO WHAT YOU SAY YOU WILL DO!!
Now go back to that list you created. Compare your list to this principle. It is tragically rare in the American culture when people follow through. There are instances when the failure to deliver is not the culpability of the one who made the commitment. However, it remains their responsibility. The proper response is deliver or provide an honest and timely rationale for the failure and a revised target date for correcting the failure. Caution - don't hold your breath while waiting for this to happen.
All people, mothers, fathers, vendors and most assuredly people in leadership roles MUST honor this principle. It is simple (not always easy but simple) and so vital.
The result? This is so rare that you will be regarded as one who delivers what you promise with excellence. You will be held in high esteem. Most importantly, you will honor the biblical principle of 'let your yes be yes' (James 5:12). That matters!
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