Sabbatical Day 18

Sabbatical Day 13

Sabbatical Day 10

Sabbatical Day 8

Sabbatical Day 7

Sabbatical Day 6

Sabbatical Day 5

Sabbatical Day 4

Sabbatical Day 3

Sabbatical Day 2

Discouraging and Encouraging Thoughts...

I have had some things that have been discouraging me lately...

I've been discouraged by some folks in our church who are more committed to getting their kids to dance or to music lessons than they are to getting them to church.

I've been discouraged by some folks in our church who can't seem to talk with someone they are upset with but spend all kinds of time talking about them with other people.

I've been discouraged by folks who are more faithful with their gym membership than meeting Jesus around the communion table.

I've been discouraged by folks who just don't care about their other brothers and sisters in Christ...but are so overly self-absorbed that they probably don't even know other people exist on this planet.

I've been discouraged by folks who care about music more than worshiping in Spirit and Truth. (John 4:24)

But...

I've been encouraged by some of the youth in our church who chose modest dress at their prom even when most probably wouldn't have done something like that! (Way to go Hoodjer girls!)

I've been encouraged by my small group who has been a real source of encouragement to me.

I've been encouraged by my elders who keep encouraging me to keep preaching...even when it is hard for me to!

I've been encouraged by my wife...a godly lady who has so much class. I still have so much to learn from her.

I've been encouraged that even though I've been discouraged I know that my battle is not with "flesh and blood." Satan is the real foe in all of this. When he is leaving me completely alone...then I really need to worry!

I am encouraged because my six-week sabbatical is exactly 30 Days away!

Decluttering

Got to thinking about something today (after reading a blog post). What are the things that I do in ministry. So, not to sound self-promoting, but rather a critical analysis of my role and in no certain order here are the things I do:

I twitter.
I blog.
I maintain a Facebook account.
I write sermons each week. I preach a sermon most weeks (at least 45 weeks of the year) and I do it twice.
I prepare lessons for Sunday School and Wednesday evening class.
I teach Sunday School and Wednesday evening class.
I host a small group.
I facilitate discussion in small group and spend time preparing for small group.
I attend board meetings and prepare for board meetings.
I attend elders meetings and prepare for elders meetings.
I prepare powerpoint slides for my sermon.
I create sermon series graphics.
I help produce sermon videos.
I prepare iWorship slides for powerpoint.
I do book studies with different individuals.
I visit people in their homes, at the hospital or at their place of work.
I field numerous phone calls.
I field numerous emails.
I make numerous phone calls.
I compose numerous emails.
I capture the audio of my sermon on Sunday mornings.
I upload the audio of my sermon on Sunday afternoons to our web site.
I open up our building on Sunday mornings.
I close up the building on Sunday afternoon.
I prepare advertising slides for our lobby TV.
I handle any and all criticisms related to the church, ministry and my preaching.
I set communion out on our communion table each Sunday (and sometimes prepare it when the person that was supposed to prepare forgets).
I turn on all audio/visual equipment on Sunday mornings.
I turn off all audio/visual equipment on Sunday afternoon.
I make sure microphones are working on Sunday morning.
I practice with praise teams.
I perform with praise teams.
I handle IT problems and help troubleshoot PC and copier issues in the office.
I make runs to the office store to purchase office supplies and equipment.
I HAVE TO CLEAN UP MY OFFICE FROM TIME TO TIME!
I attend other meetings from time to time (worship, Joy Ladies, etc.)
I help distribute food pantry items to needy individuals and families from time to time.
I help out with youth group activities from time to time.
I try to stay fresh and continually keep casting the church's vision!

Wow! That list sucks! The common denominator I see in that list is the word "I" on the left column. I am definitely doing too much. And honestly, sometimes it is really hard to determine what I should let go of or not do anymore so that I can be more effective in what God has called me to do.

That is the dilemma most smaller church pastors face, honestly. They do too much but they kinda need to.

So my challenge is going to be to wade through what it is that I absolutely need to do (and no one else can) and what is it that I don't need to do (because someone else can) and what is it that I absolutely should not be doing (I'm thinking the clean my office part).

Pray for me because I really do want to declutter my life and focus to be the person that God called me to be in the first place. But the funny thing is the very thing He called me to (the church) is the thing that gets in the way of me doing His will!

Willing to Fail

This is an excellent video from Craig Groeschel from the book-to-video: It. This is an awesome clip.


Bookie from LifeChurch.tv on Vimeo.

Where I am at right now...

I have been struggling a bit lately. I have sincerely been dissatisfied with our attendance numbers at The Fort. I feel like we have got to make a change. It has to happen. We are too comfortable. And if it doesn't change, I don't know what will happen.

It is killing me inside. I remember back when I was in Bible College and the excitement I held. I was chomping at the bit to get out of the classroom and into ministry. I had so many dreams about what it would be like. (I understand I was naive...and I really was.) But it seems that what I have experienced so far isn't anywhere near the dream I held.

It isn't that I am not thankful for all that God has done in my life, because he has. It is just that I know we can do better than we are as a church. I wonder at times if it is me. Am I the reason we are at the number we are at? Can I only lead a church to a certain size? Do I have the leadership skills to take it to another level?

Maybe there's sin. Maybe there is hidden, secret sin that hasn't been dealt with and that is holding us back as a congregation. I don't know. Whatever it is...I can't stay at these numbers and be okay with it any longer. Something has got to change. We have got to start working at this with all of our heart.

What it means is that we have got to take our worship up to a whole new level. We have got to create the best worship experiences we know how to do. We have to make the climate and culture of our church a place where people WANT to invite their family, friends, coworkers and neighbors.

To be 100% honest, I feel alone in this struggle sometimes. I feel like people pay lip service to desiring the church to grow but aren't willing to commit to getting us there. And that falls back on me. Because maybe I am not casting a strong enough vision. Maybe I don't know how.

I want it. I literally ache for it. I lose sleep over it. I have cried about it. I have begged God about it.

It kills me to think that as a congregation we are okay with being where we are. That it doesn't really matter that there are more lost people right around us that are going to die and go to hell without Jesus every single week and we struggle with getting out of bed on Sundays! That kills me. Don't we care?! We are letting them down.

I so want that to change. How can we be so numb when we've been so well fed?

Fast and Slow

Tonight my oldest son confessed to me that sometimes he feels like his life goes too slow. I confessed to him that MOST of the time I feel like his life goes too fast! It reminded me of a question that my youngest son asked me the other day. He wanted to know what would happen if I stomped on the brakes and the gas pedal at the same time. I told him nothing would happen (I think).

That's what is happening right now with me and my oldest son. Brakes and gas. Slow and fast. I need to give a little, so that the proper momentum can occur, but he needs to be understanding with my unwillingness to go too fast.

My goal is not to rush my kids out of my house as soon as they are 18. I don't want them to leave. I don't want them to rush out of our home. I want them with us as long as possible.

The reality is that I have about four more Christmases to spend with him...maybe five. And I think they are coming along too fast. I want it to slow way down.

So we have to find a happy medium. That's hard to do. But such is parenting...it's not a science. It's actually a messy, sloppy experience. But, with Christ's help we will reach the goal of developing our children (which he gave to us) into godly men who are agressive, responsible leaders in life.

Leadership Summit

Today I am attending a satellite broadcast of The Leadership Summit. I am excited because Craig Groeschel will be speaking today along with many other great speakers. Should be a great day...tomorrow too.

Hopefully I will finally learn how to lead!

Pray

Pray for the leadership of The Fort today. We are praying for you. Pray for the One Prayer sermon series to speak to our church and for God to move in our midst like He never has before. Just pray.