Sunday Afterhoughts 09.12.10

Here are my Sunday afterthoughts:  

• We had a leadership meeting and we read from the book of Acts the dramatic change that had happened in the church.  I mentioned that our church has experienced dramatic change, but quite the opposite.  Smaller leadership and smaller attenders.  But God's vision remains the same and we should be faithful.
• Leaders were asked if they were on board with the vision of our chruch.  All said, "YES!"
• Our Boomers class expanded when we combined it with our Youth class.  Miraculously God added more than what we started with!
• I have been recording my messages, so if you have a chance listen to this Challenges Part 3
• When God leads, people respond.
• We had a few make first time commitments or recommitments to Christ!
• One family filled a whole pew yesterday!  If you have pews, you know that is AWESOME!
• Thankful that people see the need to decorate the church so it is inviting to guests.
• Very grateful to Pastor Alex of our Spanish Ministry and their gifts in repairing the church.  They do it because they love JESUS!
• Praying for God to bring more people and for us to be motivated to inviting other to join us!

The Hardest Job...

I don't know about you, but I do like the show on the Discovery Channel called Dirty Jobs.  Mike Rowe is the host and he searches for some of the dirtiest and sometimes hardest jobs in the world.

Some jobs are just disgusting.  Others are unimaginable.  Still others come as a surprise to us, because we didn't even know such a job existed.  But Mike, reluctantly, takes on the job and gets dirty.

In Exodus, God had told Moses, "You 'da man!"  Okay, maybe not quite like that, but God revealed Himself to Moses through the burning bush and said, "I am going to get you guys out of Egypt.  I have seen it and now I am going to take you out of the bad company.   I am going to give you a land flowing with milk and honey!"  "That sounds good, God but..." Moses might have thought.  "What if they won't believe me and will not obey me..." Exodus 4:1 (HCSB)

Moses answered God, but if you read the last verse of Chapter 3, God did not ask him a question.  Moses was fearful of the job.  He knew it was going to be the hardest job and he didn't believe in himself.  Later on in Chapter 4 after God provides more details,  Moses says, "Please, Lord, send someone else." Exodus 4:13.  The job is just too hard.  I am not qualified, I don't speak well and people are not going to believe it is you.

I would agree Moses had the hardest job in the Old Testament.  Moses had the hardest job being the spiritual leader that God wanted him to be.

What do you believe is the hardest job?  Perhaps, a police officer or firefighter.  Perhaps, people who serve in our military.  Perhaps, being a single mom, school teacher, or counselor.  I believe all those are some of the toughest job.  But I believe, like Moses, that the spiritual leader that God has called in the local church is the Senior Pastor is the hardest job.

I know because I have felt like I wanted to give up!  I have felt like saying, "Why me, God?"  I struggle with being on fire every single Sunday.  There have been times where I have felt like leaving it.  Where I have felt like enough is enough.  Sometimes I feel as though I am a firefighter, putting out one fire after another.  Sometimes I am surprised, like Moses was when he came down with the tablets, about how people are.  Sometimes I am surprised by people's actions.  I put alot of effort in trying to organize our leaders, shepherd our church, and outreach to our community.  God I feel like leavingYour church and let someone else do the job!

The Senior Pastor is one of the hardest jobs on the planet.  There is alot of work that goes on "behind the scenes".  There is preparation on Sunday Mornings, there are visits to be made, there are problems, crisis and surprises that come around.  Maybe.  But if you are a Christ follower and you go to a local church, you need to get behind your Senior Pastor.  I am not a big name Senior Pastor like Andy Stanley, Rick Warren, Perry Noble and whole host of others.  But these guys have shared their ups and downs of being a Senior Pastor. 

Back to Moses, alot of the Hebrews didn't want to get behind Moses.  They started going their own way.  They didn't even begin to understand what Moses was doing.  As I have read his story, Moses put up with alot of complainers and whiners.  The job didn't pay well, but the rewards were great.  And even though Moses did not make it the promised land, he still remained faithful to the hardest job.

What about your Senior Pastor?  Are you make it hard or are you getting on board with what God wants to do?  Are you going back to Egypt or are you going to the promised land?  Make your choice, because I have.

Sunday afterthoughts 3.07.10

Here are my Sunday afterthoughts:

* It is difficult not to be discouraged at times, but I must remember that God has called me to speak no matter who is not there.
* Our Spanish Ministry rocks! Not only in music, but in the numerous amount of ministries they do!
* Another Kudos to our Spanish Ministry who had 7 baptisms yesterday spanning 3 generations. So awesome to see.
* Wondering at times why God puts challenges in front of us. It is to make us grow.
* Evangelism is not an option. It is what we are supposed to do. Matt. 28:19-20
* We need to do more living the gospel instead of reading. 1 Corinthians 8:1
* Leaders need to listen, love and learn from others.

Leadership Void-Act 1

I attended a major California university (aka CSUF....Go Titans!) and enjoyed my business management courses. As I took each class, I began to discover that business practice originated in the Bible. No doubt! For any buisness practice I saw, I can see where this came from.

One encounter that churches and businesses encounter is a leadership void. Whether it is an owner, key manager, or lay person leadership voids need to be dealt with. In Acts chapter 1, we see that was the very first issue that needed to be addressed. How do we fill the void?

We see that they had gathered together and one of them (a key leader named Peter) spoke up about the problem when he quoted Psalm 109:8 in verse 20,

May another take his place of leadership

We have a problem. We have an important role that needs to be filled. We must find someone who shares the same experiences and shares the direction that we are being told to go. We must "choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time..."

In leadership, it is important that the problem be defined and addressed. Once they discovered they were going to choose another leader, it was a group (team) effort. Leaders must recognize that it is important to have teamwork. It is important to have unity in decision making.

Verse 23 says, "So they proposed two men...". Together they made some recommendations. Worthy and respected people were nominated and the decision now relied on God's hands.

Ultimately, God knows the leaders. We must recognize what our roles and responsiblities are in leadership. Once we accept them, we must trust God and follow through and apply the principles he teaches us.

A good leader can make things go and run well. A great leader can make thing go, run, and grow. That's the difference. Growing together...growing in God. What void do you need to fill?