The party's over

I apologize for not posting new blogs for awhile. Two weeks ago I had another DMin class that was real intense. While attending the class the remnants of hurricane Ike hit our Indiana community causing a lot of damage. We lost some shingles, but that was the extent of our damage. I spent much of last week getting repair estimates and doing some other work around the house.

Today ends my sabbatical. I have to admit that I've enjoyed the three months away from my normal ministry responsibilities. It allowed me to focus on some studies I had been wanting to do and to do some other work that has needed done for some time. But that all ends tonight! Tomorrow I have a meeting at our state office, and our biennial meets this weekend. I have a feeling my telephone will be ringing tomorrow with all the stuff my churches and pastors have been holding onto while I've been on sabbatical. The party is indeed over.

I'm afraid the party is also over for our nation's financial well-being, at least for right now. We have a president whose approval rating is so low that he cannot lead even his own party to pass a plan to address the financial crisis that is impacting this country, and the entire world, so severely. The do-nothing Congress we have would rather point fingers and blame each other for the problems we're facing than do what they are supposed to be paid for and find solutions. I'm not just talking about the failed bail-out they voted down yesterday either. These problems have existed for years, and because so many of them are in the hip pockets of Wall Street and banking lobbyists they have ignored the problems that have led to this crisis. This current crisis can be blamed on one thing: failed leadership.

This blog is not political even though I have some strong political beliefs. I'm not blaming any person or any party. I believe every person who supposedly represents the American people in Washington shares the blame. There has consistently been a lack of leadership committed to addressing the real issues that affect the American public. The majority of our politicians in Washington are more concerned with re-election and pork barrel spending for their districts than they are in making this a better nation and world. They are elected to provide leadership, and they have failed, and millions of innocent Americans are suffering because of their failure.

I encourage you to pray for our nation, and pray that in this next election men and women will be elected to political office who will have the interests of this nation above their own interests. I can think of few people currently in office who are worthy of re-election. They have already proven they cannot provide the leadership this nation needs.

This is also a time to think of your own leadership in your church. The primary reason churches get into trouble is a leadership failure. That failure may be related to pastoral leadership or to lay leadership, but as John Maxwell reminds us, "Everything rises and falls on leadership." Use this national emergency to talk to your church and its leadership about the importance of providing solid leadership in a church. Pray regularly for your own leadership and that of the other leaders in your church.

Now that I'm back to work I'll try to be more faithful in my blogging.