Finding a good coach

 A few years ago a UMC district asked a number of their experienced pastors to serve as coaches for their bivocational pastors. I was asked to lead a training session to address both coaching and bivocational ministry to these new coaches. I was very impressed with the district's leadership to providing this opportunity to their bivocational pastors and with the coaches willingness to add another responsibility to their busy schedules.

The business world has long known the value of providing coaches to their senior leadership. In fact, some top companies offer coaching as a perk to attract the best leaders to their organizations. The church world has been slower to see the value of coaching for pastors and denominational leaders. This is very unfortunate. I have seen first-hand the value of having a coach.

I had a ministry coach for a year who helped me through a time of confusion in my life and ministry. At the time I was uncertain whether to remain in my current ministry or go in a different direction. I was also considering pursuing my DMin and was uncertain whether this was where God was leading me. Having a wise coach helped add clarity to my choices. I remained in my current ministry and earned my DMin. I am thankful for doing both.

My DMin project and thesis focused on the effect of coaching on bivocational ministers. For the project I coached six bivocational ministers across the US and Canada for three months and wrote about the experience. In my thesis I included statements from each minister about how the coaching experience impacted their lives and ministries. That thesis has been downloaded over 3,300 times. I also wrote a book that detailed that coaching experience titled The Art and Practice of Bivocational Ministry: A Pastor's Guide.

Too many people look at the cost of having a coach rather than the impact it can have on one's life and ministry. It's true that Executive Coaches can cost as much as $750.00 an hour, but ministry coaches charge much less than that. Instead of viewing the cost of having a coach as an expense, it's better to see it as an investment in your future.

If having a coach seems too much, at least allow some experienced pastors mentor you through their books and podcasts. John Maxwell, Charles Swindoll, William Lane Craig, Gary McIntosh and many others have influenced my ministry in many ways through their books and podcasts. Find good people whose books and podcasts speak to you and learn as much as you can from them. Both your personal life and ministry will benefit.

The absence of moral absolutes

 Dallas Willard begins his excellent book, The Divine Conspiracy, by telling about a fighter pilot practicing a high-speed maneuver. She turned the controls for what she thought would be a steep ascent and flew straight into the ground. She did not realize that she had been flying upside down. What a parable that is for many in our world today.

We live in a time where there are no absolute moral standards.  There was a time when the church, the culture, the family and education taught moral values alongside theology and mathematics. Those days are long past. In fact, if the educational system tried to impose any sense of moral values on its students they would likely soon find themselves in court. Much of the church has abandoned sound biblical teaching on moral issues as well and has chosen to tickle the ears of their listeners, Even many families have given up and have decided to let their children decide for themselves concerning moral issues.

There was an episode on the old Andy Griffith show when Opie made friends with a hobo played by Buddy Epsen. The hobo tried to convince Andy that he should let Opie make his own choices in life when Andy replied, "Nah, I'm afraid it don't work that way. You can't let a young 'un decide for himself. He'll grab at the first flashy thing with shiny ribbons on it, then when he finds out there's a hook in it, it's too late. The wrong ideas come packaged with so much glitter, it's hard to convince him that other things might be better in the long run and all a parent can do is say, "Wait. Trust me" and try to keep temptation away." More families need to follow Andy's advice. Children need parents who will teach them the difference between right and wrong.

The educational system is even worse. They may teach courses on philosophy and discuss the issues of good and evil, but they do not dare state that certain actions are evil while others are good. They certainly can't include questions on an exam that asks what behaviors are good and which ones are evil. In our postmodern world, such questions are left up to the individual, and no one has the right to say that any individual's choice is wrong.

Of course, this only leads to chaos. If everyone is permitted to choose for themselves what is right and wrong, chaos is bound to reign supreme. College campuses, especially the Ivy League schools, seen to be a hotbed for anti-Semitic activity today forcing Jewish students to leave school in fear of their lives. According to reports, Columbia University does not want police on campus, but they are also unable to guarantee the safety of their Jewish students.

This is only one example of what happens when there are no standards of right and wrong, but it is certainly a troubling one. We are now a nation of entitled people who believe they are free to live as they choose with no one questioning anything they do while at the same time depending on the government to subsidize their lifestyles.

We need to be in prayer for the nation of Israel and the Jewish people around the world. No nation has ever turned its back on Israel and thrived. We need to pray for peace for the nation of Israel, safety for Jewish people wherever they live, and that our nation will once again discover that God has set standards of right and wrong.

What I enjoy most about bivocational ministry

 Today was a very busy day. We had an online auction conclude Tuesday night. On Wednesday people were coming in to pick up their winnings. Today, we were shipping those items that needed shipment, serving people who didn't pick up their items yesterday and receiving items for our next auction that begins next Tuesday. In between all that, I was taking pictures of some items for our next auction. Then a text came in.

A lady's father died a few months ago, and she is trying to decide what to do with a household of stuff and a ton of memories associated with most of the items. I agreed to meet her at the house and see if I could help her. Unfortunately, what was in the house had little value, not enough to hold an auction. It didn't take too much discussion to see she was feeling completely overwhelmed having to deal with it. I could identify with her stress. Before becoming an auctioneer I was the executor of an estate for a family member and had to deal with the stress of deciding what to do with everything.

I began to explain to her what I felt would be the simplest way to deal with all the material things. I then told her I was the pastor of North Madison Baptist Church here in Madison and asked if I could pray for her. She agreed, and I prayed that God would give her wisdom and insight to handling the estate and that He would surround her with His presence and peace throughout the process.

This is not the first time I've been able to pray for someone dealing with the stress of deciding what to do with a loved one's estate. This is what I enjoy most about being a bivocational minister. I get called into people's lives to help them solve problems, and in the process I'm able to minister to them. Not one time has anyone refused my offer to pray for them. I've been able to direct people to churches in their community that I know will minister to them.

I was 64 when I got my auctioneer's license. People asked why I wanted to do that at my age, and I responded that it was a way to serve people. It would be an extension of my ministry. Auctioneers get called when people have to settle estates and don't know what to do; we get called when people are downsizing or moving into assisted living and they need to dispose of some of the items they've collected over the year; and we get called by those who buy and sell to support their families. In all three examples, I have an opportunity to minister to people at their point of need.

I encourage all bivocational ministers to consider how their other work can also become a ministry. As a bivocational minister, I am a minister 24/7 whether I'm working in a factory, selling cars or conducting an auction. Your ministry doesn't end at the front doors of the church you're serving. God has given you a much larger ministry than that, and that is what I enjoy most about bivocational ministry.

When going through the fire

For several years my wife and I were permanent seat holders at the National Gospel Quartet Convention held in Louisville, KY each year. We attended all six nights of the convention and were blessed by many of the artists and their music. We gave up our seats when the convention moved to Pigeon Forge. 

One of our favorite groups was the Crabbe Family. These young people brought an energy to the stage and to their music that was electrifying. One of their songs was "Through the Fire,." which became one of their many hits. I won't go into the details behind the song, but this family had been through the fire. They knew what it meant to be in difficult circumstances and to be rescued by God. I just watched a video of them performing the song, and many of the members had tears running down their faces as they sang about how God delivers us from the fires of life.

So many in our churches and communities are going through the fire right now. People sit in the pews every Sunday with smiles on their faces and hearts broken by things we know nothing about. Some are struggling with pain that is almost overwhelming and with fears that keep them awake at night. The gospel is a story of hope, of healing and a promise that God can deliver us from the fire. We need to make sure we make that story told.

What's true of people in our churches is equally, if not more, true of those in our communities. A wise church member once told me that we never know what goes on behind the closed doors of those we know. For those who do not know Jesus Christ, their despair is even worse. They do not know the only true source of hope that exists in the world. Again, this gospel story is one they need to hear, and we in the church must find ways to help them hear it.

For those pastors reading this, I know some of you are going through the fire yourselves. Your church may be struggling over low attendance or discord within the congregation. You may even be wondering if you should remain in ministry. A lot of pastors do leave the ministry each year because the fire becomes too intense. Ro. 11: 29 tells us that "The gifts and calling of God are irrevocable." If God has called you into ministry, that calling will never leave you whether you obey it or not. I know what it's like to go through the fire. It's not fun. But, God has delivered me from every fiery trial I've encountered, and He will bring you through as well.

If you are going through a fire and need someone to talk to, please contact me. If you are a pastor struggling with your call, I invite you to contact me as well. I care. 

Advantages for the bivocational minister

 Bivocational ministers face a lot of challenges, the one most often heard expressed is a lack of time to get everything done. Others feel a lack of respect from other pastors and denominational leaders. Some are frustrated they are not serving full time. Some churches expect the ministry of a fully-funded pastor while only paying a salary of a bivocational pastor. The list could go on, but there are also some significant advantages of being a bivocational pastor.

Because bivocational ministry tends to be geographic the bivocational pastor is likely to serve a church in his or her community. When I sent my resume to my first church I explained that while I did not have experience or even a ministerial education, I did know where the hospital is and the roads and streets the people lived on. I had spent almost my entire life in this community. I graduated from the same schools my children were attending. I didn't have to learn a new community. Because I had another job in the community, it was less likely that I would seek to move. Studies find that bivocational ministers tend to stay at the same church longer than fully-funded pastors.

Bivocational ministers often share some common experiences with members of their churches. The church I served was made up primarily of blue collar workers and farmers. I was raised on dairy farms in the area and worked in a factory when I started my ministry there. I fit in very well with the membership of the church and was able to relate to many of their challenges and concerns.

Speaking of an outside job, I didn't worry nearly as much about church politics as some fully-funded pastors. My first pastor as an adult shared with me that he could not speak on a doctrinal issue because the church would fire him if he did, and he had a wife and children to support. I didn't agree with his reasoning, but I understood it. That is something I never had to worry about as a bivocational pastor. If the church tells me on Sunday to not come back, I'll go into work the next day and bring a paycheck home on Friday. There is tremendous freedom in that.

While this isn't true in every bivocational church, many in these churches understand that the pastor cannot always be available. When our church began to grow our deacons assumed more of the responsibility to providing pastoral care to our members so I could have more time to devote to our visitors and new members. It made the workload much more manageable.

I always say that bivocational ministry isn't better or less than fully-funded ministry. It is simply a different calling God gives some people to meet the needs of a church at that point in its life. While there will always be challenges to bivocational ministry, there are also advantages that can be enjoyed.

Why new churches flourish

 One of the most frequent questions I was asked when I served as an Area Resource Minister was why the newer churches in the community were growing and the traditional churches struggled to remain open. One of the most common complaints I received was why the denomination was starting new churches rather than giving that money to existing churches so they could grow. The answer to both questions was that new churches reach new people. Most existing churches didn't have a money problem; they had a vision problem. Many of them, if they were given $100,000.00, would put it in a savings account to ensure they would remain open years later. Of course, the follow-up question I was often asked is why are the new churches reaching new people?

One reason is they are not limited by tradition. A new church leader isn't going to hear "But, we've never done it that way before," when he or she proposes some new ministry. Tradition isn't always bad, but some traditions are church-killers. When what has become a tradition in the church may have made sense at one time, but its shelf life is way past.

Traditional churches often expect the minister to provide the ministry in the church while the congregation handles the administration. A church business meeting is held every month to consider such important items as the color of the toilet paper for the rest rooms. I once knew a church whose item of new business each month was whether to pay the bills the treasurer had received. In many new churches, the congregation understands they are responsible for ministry, and the church leadership makes the major decisions of the church. This is true even in congregational churches. One very traditional church made a major change in its constitution several years ago. The church now has three business meetings a year, and there are only five things the congregation can vote on. A church council makes all other decisions.

New churches are often organized into teams, not committees. You ask what's the difference: teams get things done, committees talk about doing things. These teams are often ad-hoc. Once their work is done, they are disbanded so the members can return to doing ministry. Just to be clear, serving on a committee isn't ministry, it's administration.

New churches are often formed with a specific target in mind. They do everything they do in order to reach that target group. The music is often more contemporary and appropriate to that target group. I once read that the fastest growing churches in America today were Cowboy churches. I attended one of those churches. The music was all country-western, and the worship service itself was very informal. They were having a major impact on their community. Traditional churches often take the attitude of "We unlocked the doors. You all come." And nobody comes.

New churches spend far more on reaching new people than traditional churches. One pastor who started a new church wrote they spent over $100.00 per person to reach out to new people. Compare that to the evangelism budget of most existing churches.

Traditional churches staff for maintenance; new churches staff for growth. One new church targeted the two wealthiest communities in their city. They were meeting in the gym of a Junior High School. They had 14 ministers on staff and were now seeking a senior pastor. In the two years of their existence they had already grown to over 400 people, and this is without a building and without a senior pastor.

One final thought. New churches are very intentional about everything they do. There is a sense of urgency in what they do. Not so in many traditional churches. They can talk about doing things for months before anything actually happens. New churches are intentional about their target audience, and everything, including their music and discipleship systems, are designed to reach that target. Traditional churches post sign-up sheets hoping that people will volunteer to help out. New churches focus on people whose gifts are a good fit for what needs to be done and specifically asks people to fulfill those tasks.

The power of influence

In my sermon yesterday I talked about the power of influence. My text came from the story of the woman at the well. After her encounter with Jesus she returned to her village a transformed person. She told all who would listen about her encounter with a Jewish man at the well, and how He had changed her life. Many in the village went to see Jesus for themselves, and when they returned to the village many of them were professing Jesus Christ as the Savior of the world.

But what would have happened if the woman had not shared her story with anyone? No doubt, some would notice that she was a changed woman, but they would not know how the change occurred. It was her testimony, her influence, that caused others to believe in Jesus Christ.

You and I have influence over other people. That influence may be negative or positive, but we do influence the ones with whom we come in contact. People watch what we say, they watch what we do, and those words and actions have influence.

Chances are you became a Christian because of someone's influence in your life. It may have been a parent, a spouse, a co-worker, a child or someone with whom you had a casual acquaintance, but there was something they said, something they did or the way they carried themselves that made you think there might be something to Christianity. You began to explore the claims of Christ for yourself until one day you came to believe in Jesus Christ and came to a personal faith.

Now, as Christians, we have an obligation to influence others. Jesus said we are to be the light of the world. The word translated light means a reflected light. We are to let the light of Jesus Christ shine through us so others will be drawn to Him.

Studies show that the average Christian will not lead a single person to faith in Christ in his or her lifetime. We hide our light. We only let it shine in church but not in public. As a result, many will never have the opportunity to trust in Jesus Christ.

It is a sobering thought that of all the methods God could have chosen to spread the Good News about Him, He chose to use imperfect people like you and me. It is also a sobering thought to realize that we may be the only person who can influence someone to explore the claims of Jesus Christ and come to faith in their own lives.

Who are you influencing today?