Self-care is not selfishness.

Yesterday I was privileged to speak at the summer meeting of the Church Relations Council (CRC) at Campbellsville University. For several years I have served on this council and just agreed to another three year term. I love CU and their emphasis on the gospel of Jesus Christ. If there was ever a time when Christian higher education was important it is the time in which we now live.

The CRC meets twice a year to update us on what is happening at the campus and to seek our input on how the university can improve. We hear numerous reports from the heads of various schools in the university, but the report I most enjoy comes from students who have been involved in mission trips. A lot of people criticize this younger generation, but they should see how many of students from CU go on mission trips every year and hear how God used them to make a difference in people's lives.

I was asked several months ago to be the keynote speaker at this particular meeting. Because I was speaking primarily to pastors and university and church leaders I decided to speak on the important of practicing good self-care. As I explained in my presentation, self-care is not selfishness; it is stewardship of a valuable resource God has given us...us. In my message I shared my own story of how I allowed my life to get out of balance and the lessons I learned from that experience.

During the break several of those in attendance told me the message really hit home with them. They admitted they often struggled to keep the various elements of their lives in balance, and some could identify with some of the struggles I had.

Many of us in Christian leadership do a much better job of caring for others than we do in caring for ourselves. Clergy have a very high rate of burnout and depression, and this is one reason we see half of all seminary graduates drop out of the ministry within five years after graduating from seminary.

I understand the desire for pastors and church leaders to want to make a difference because I share that desire. However, I've also learned I'm not going to save the world tomorrow. Ministry is supposed to a distance event, not a sprint, but many of us go at it as if it's a 100 meter dash and then wonder why we struggle physically, spiritually, and emotionally.

I wrote The Healthy Pastor: Easing the Pressures of Ministry to help church leaders enjoy a healthier life and ministry. Ministry is challenging, and we'll never eliminate all the pressures associated with it, but we can take steps to ease those pressures. I made the book available at the meeting and several copies did sell after my message.

Enjoying a healthy, productive ministry is a choice any of us can make. No one can force you to become overwhelmed by ministry and your other responsibilities. We can get control of our calendars and our lives if we choose to do so. We can take our days off and our vacations. We can make time for our families if we decide to do so. We can deepen our spiritual lives if that is what we need to do. Eliminating many of the pressures of ministry simply requires a decision on our part to do so and then setting the boundaries that are needed to remove those pressures.

We had a great meeting at CU with good worship and exciting presentations. The school expects a record enrollment this fall, and it excites me to know the impact the school will have on these students.

Evangelism preaching conference

Yesterday I was privileged to attend an evangelism preaching conference hosted by Campbellsville University. The primary speaker was Dr. Robert Smith, professor of Christian Preaching at Beeson Divinity School. Dr. Smith is a sought after speaker and has authored Doctrine That Dances: Bringing Doctrinal Preaching and Teaching to Life. Although it was a two-day conference I was only able to attend the first day due to other commitments, but the one day was well worth the small investment required to attend.

Although I took several notes, in today's post I just want to share three ideas I highlighted from Dr. Smith's messages. The first is that we should expect plots against our ministry as Paul described in Acts 20: 19. Any ministry that is lifting up Jesus will come under attack. In fact, if we never experience problems in our ministries it may be a sign that the Devil doesn't believe we are worth attacking. As unpleasant as they may be, we should view problems as indicators that we are doing something worthwhile for the Kingdom of God.

The second idea is that the Gospel is inclusive in that it is for all people, but it is exclusive in that it points only to Christ as the means of having a relationship with God. We have an obligation to share the Gospel to all people. Every person you meet is an individual for whom Jesus Christ gave His life, and we must find ways in which we can share that Gospel with them in a way they can accept.

But this does not mean that we weaken or compromise that message in order to make it more acceptable. Jesus said that He is the Way, the Truth, and the Life and that no one could come to the Father except through Him. He didn't say that He was a way to God but that He was the Way. There is no other means of salvation except through Jesus Christ. That is not a popular message today. It is not politically correct to say that. It is exclusive, but it is what Christ said and our duty is to share that message with others.

The third idea is that we as pastors and church leaders have to grow spiritually faster than those we are leading. Spiritual growth is not an option for a Christian leader. We cannot lead our people further than we ourselves have traveled. We cannot neglect our own spiritual growth with the excuse that we do not have the time as we are too engaged in doing the Lord's work.

I would encourage anyone who finds that Dr. Robert Smith is speaking in their area to attend. He is an excellent preacher, communicator, and teacher. You will feel like you've been drinking from a fire hydrant when you leave, but you will be blessed and your ministry will be impacted by his teaching. I want to thank Campbellsville University for making this conference possible.

Evangelistic preaching conference

How does one effectively preach evangelistic messages to the 21st century listener?  It can be a challenge, and yet such messages are desperately needed in today's culture. That's why I'm excited to recommend an upcoming evangelistic preaching conference hosted by Campbellsville University and featuring Dr. Robert Smith, Professor of Christian Preaching at Beeson Divinity School.  This two-day event will be held May 18-19 at the CU Louisville center and will feature workshops led by various speakers as well as messages from Dr. Smith.

I have heard Dr. Smith preach, and I can assure you he is an excellent communicator.  I have registered to attend and would like to invite you to do so as well. I think you will find it to be an excellent investment in your ministry.

You will find more information and a link to register online here.

Pursuing an education

For several years I have been privileged to serve on the Church Relations Council at Campbellsville University (CU) in Campbellsville, Kentucky. This past week we had our annual spring meeting on the campus. I never attend one of these meetings without being impressed with all that God is doing at this university and with the students who attend there.

Occasionally, I am asked to help evaluate the individuals who apply for the Baptist Leadership Award. I'm always grateful that I am part of a group of persons who evaluate these students and not responsible for selecting the winners myself. This year we had close to 100 applications, and I was amazed at the level of maturity and leadership these students demonstrate. There are some incredible students attending CU.

CU has a tremendous vision called Vision 2025: Preparing Christian Servant Leaders which is their blueprint for the continuing growth and development of the university. We had the opportunity to hear from the president, Dr. Michael Carter, and the deans from the various schools how this vision is shaping the direction of the university.

At a time when many colleges and universities are growing hostile towards Christian organizations on campus, I think it's important that we promote Christian higher education. Students come to CU from many different cultures and religions, but while there they have the opportunity to be exposed to the Gospel through chapel services, campus revivals, Bible studies, and mission trips led by campus ministries. Each year a number of students accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, and when they return to their homes they take their new faith with them.

The School of Theology now offers five baccalaureate programs, a Certificate in Christian Ministry, an associates degree, and the Master of Theology. These programs are available on campus or online. This can be a big help for the bivocational minister who may not be able to quit work in order to receive a theological education.

I consider it a privilege to recommend Campbellsville University to individuals who are looking to further their education.  Last week a father called to say his son felt called to the ministry and wanted to know what he needed to do when he graduates from high school this spring. I encouraged him to look at the programs CU offers.  A pastor told me he wanted to further his theological education, and I told him to check with CU to see which of their programs would best meet his needs.

If you are thinking of furthering your education or if you have young people who are looking at colleges, I encourage you to check out what CU has to offer. I think you'll be pleased with what you find. For more information check out their web site at www.campbellsville.edu.

Christian higher education is more important than ever

As students return to college campuses Christian students are finding that they are quickly becoming second-class citizens in many of those institutions. More and more universities are "derecognizing" Christian groups that meet on their campus.  For one of the latest examples you may want to read Ed Stetzer's article in Christianity Today. This is one more example of diversity gone wrong.  The liberal mantra is that no one has the right to attack the beliefs of anyone unless those beliefs reflect conservative evangelical thinking. Why any Christian family would want to spend tens of thousands of dollars to a secular university to attack the beliefs they have spent years trying to instill in their children is beyond me.

I attended a liberal university in the mid-1980s. I was an adult in my 40s with two children working a full-time job, pastoring a church, and had recently graduated from a Bible school. My values and beliefs were pretty solid, and I had the maturity to not accept every thing that came out of the mouths of our esteemed professors. That was not the case with many of my fellow classmates, often right out of high school, who assumed that these learned professors must know what they are talking about. It seemed like every class, regardless of the subject, found some way to promote evolution as a scientific fact, and the professor had to introduce that the first time the class met. The class I took on "Religion and Ethics" was really interesting. Much of the class time was spent with the instructor and me arguing with one another over her biblical interpretation and theology. The only thing we agreed upon was that we did respect the fact that each of us had formulated a belief system that we could defend, a fact she pointed out to the young students in the class that they had not done. Of course, any student who did have an evangelical belief system would have found those beliefs challenged.  That was 30 years ago; I can't imagine what pressures Christian young people face today in secular universities.

Ravi Zacharias told the story in a recent podcast of the time when one of the people in his organization was sent to the dean of her university.  Her offense was asking a professor why he continued to denounce Christianity.  Zacharias said the dean told the student that her parents had indoctrinated her for eighteen years and now the school was trying to educate her!

Some schools that call themselves Christians are little better. One pastor whose three children attended the same Christian college became concerned with the theology that was being taught in their classes. He contacted the president of the school to ask some questions and was told he had no right to question what was being taught. All three girls immediately withdrew and enrolled in another school.

Does the university your child attends, or will attend, offer a Christ-centered education that prepares a person mentally and spiritually to succeed in their chosen field? Does it help them mature in their faith rather than attempt to destroy it? Does it teach them that true leadership is servant leadership? Does it instill a value system in them that will prepare them to conduct themselves ethically in all they do? Will it prepare them to be the leaders our nation desperately needs? I believe this is what most evangelical Christians would want for their children, and this is what Christian higher education can provide.

If you are a pastor I encourage you to talk to your young people and their parents about the value of Christian higher education. Encourage them to at least talk to Christian colleges and universities about the opportunities they offer students. Let's give our Christian young people every opportunity to succeed in life, and I believe that begins with getting them a good education at a school that honors Jesus Christ in all it does.

The growing interest in bivocational ministry

Last week I received a Doctor of Ministry dissertation a student at Talbot School of Theology had written.  It had been approved, and he wanted me to have a copy of it since I was one of the people he interviewed as part of his project.  The title of the dissertation is Effective Strategies for Bi-Vocational Ministry.  I haven't read it yet, but it is on my reading schedule for later this month.

For the past few years I have been interviewed for two or three DMin projects each year that  explored aspects of bivocational ministry.  This excites me because it demonstrates that people are seeing the valuable contribution bivocational ministers are making to their churches and to the Kingdom of God.  Although I have not studied this, I would venture a guess that even ten years ago there were very few doctoral papers being written on bivocational ministry.  When my first book on bivocational ministry, Tentmaking Pastor, The: The Joy of Bivocational Ministry, was released in 2000 there were no more than a handful of books written on the subject, and I doubt there were any more doctoral studies on the topic than that either.  Today, that is slowly changing as more doctoral students are studying bivocational ministry and writing papers on their learnings.

Along with doctoral papers there are more books and magazine articles being written on the subject as well.  In addition to the ones I've written several others have contributed books on the subject.  My friend Terry Dorsett wrote one that I think is proving to be very valuable to bivocational ministers entitled Developing Leadership Teams in the Bivocational Church.  I am very thankful for these resources that will help bivocational pastors and the churches they serve.

More denominations and judicatories are scheduling training events for their bivocational and small church leadership.  As many of you know, in the past month I've led such events in Boston and in New Hampshire.  Both events were very well done, and I applaud the leaders who made these events possible.  This again reflects a growing appreciation for what bivocational ministers are doing.

It is also exciting to see universities and seminaries offering programs specially designed for bivocational ministers.  A few are offering dual-degree programs that will be quite helpful for those persons who feel specifically called to bivocational ministry, and I know of at least one other school now actively considering such a program.  Growing numbers of seminaries are now offering at least some of their degree programs entirely online making them more accessible to bivocational ministers who are already juggling family, work, and church responsibilities.  These programs will make it possible for many of these ministers to benefit from a seminary education.  Schools like Campbellsville University have certificate programs that have been developed for bivocational ministers who do not have a college education to make it possible for them to receive valuable theological and ministerial education.

When you combine all these new developments together it is easy to see the change in how bivocational ministry is perceived today compared to how many viewed it twenty years ago.  There is a growing interest in bivocational ministry because it is obvious that our numbers are growing, and the expectation is that bivocational ministry will increase even more in the future.  But, more than just the fact that our numbers are growing is the realization that we are bringing valuable ministry to the churches we serve.  We no longer have to try to justify our existence to others; our ministries provides all the justification that is needed.

I encourage my bivocational brothers and sisters to take advantage of the many opportunities available to you.  Buy the books that will help your ministry.  Attend the workshops that are offered.  Take the classes that will help you be a more effective minister.  When I began my bivocational pastorate in 1981 none of these things were available to me.  You are richly blessed that more and more resources are now available to you, so please use them.  Invest in yourself and your ministry.

God gave us a mind to use

In yesterday's post I discussed a little about my recent Church Relations Council meeting at Campbellsville University.  Our guest speaker for this event was Dr.Charles T. Carter from Beeson Divinity School at Samford University.  He is a powerful preacher who delivered a great message on both days.  His first message had to do with our minds and our responsibility to nourish them and use them.

Some people believe that Christians are mindless sheep who are willing to accept anything their leaders tell them.  While that is far from the truth, it's easy to see why some would believe that.  It is embarrassing to read some of the posts on Facebook and other social media from Christians who continue to repeat wild accusations that were proven false years ago.  It is even more embarrassing to read some of the replies that Christians make to people who disagree with them.  Some people find it easier to yell louder than to present facts that might prove their point.

Although it has always been true, we now live in a time where it is more important than ever that we can not only tell people what we believe but why we believe it.  I've met too many Christians who cannot do that.  Some of their theology may be sound, but they would struggle to defend it, and some of their beliefs are simply not biblical but they hold them because it is what they've always been taught.  We need to be like the Bereans who Luke said, "received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. (Acts 17: 11)"   In Paul's final message to young Timothy he wrote, "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth. (2 Tim. 2: 15)"  Do you see the connection?  God's approval was linked to Timothy's proper handling of Scripture.  That required study on Timothy's part, and on us as well.

In 2001 I resigned as a pastor to accept a ministry in our judicatory.  For the last few years I served as pastor I was very concerned with the Sunday school material we used.  I felt it had been "dumbed down" to the point that it had very little content.  I taught the Young Adult class in our small church and decided to develop my own Sunday school material for our class.  I wanted our young adults to be exposed to something that would be more challenging than I was seeing in our material.  We cannot expect to raise up Christian leaders who are growing in their faith if we do not expose them to sound doctrine and encourage them to think about what they are learning.

One of the things that often bothers me when I visit the offices of bivocational pastors, and even some fully-funded pastors, is their libraries.  It is difficult to do sermon preparation well week after week, and without a well-stocked library it is even more difficult.  I realize that some pastors today use Bible study software on their computers, but I know that many of the ones I visit do not.  I have to say that I worry about the quality of their messages and what they are feeding their people based upon what I see on their bookshelves.

In Dr. Carter's message he noted his belief that the reason many pastors leave their churches every 2-3 years is because that is all the sermons they have, and they are too lazy to study and prepare new ones.  They take their sermon barrel to the next church and start over again.  If you are a long time reader of this blog you will recognize that as a statement I have made here a few times as well.  Timothy was challenged to study and handle the Scriptures well if he wanted God's approval on his ministry, and you and I have the same challenge if we have been called to the ministry.

I want to encourage you to develop a reading program that will expose you to some of the great Christian thinkers and writers, both new and old.  Right now for my devotional reading I am re-reading The Sermon on the Mount: An Exposition by James Montgomery Boice.  Some years for my devotional reading I have read through several commentaries on one book of the Bible such as Romans.  There is a big difference between reading these books in order to prepare a sermon and reading them for your own personal enrichment and growth.  One year much of my devotional reading focused on apologetics.

God gave you a mind to develop and use.  If he called you to a place of leadership within the church he also gave you the responsibility to help others develop their minds as well.  Let's use our minds for the glory of God and always be ready to give a reason for the hope that is within us.

The need for Christian higher education

For the past 15 or so years I've been privileged to be a member of the Church Relations Council at Campbellsville University in Kentucky.  Last week we had our two-day Spring meeting on campus.  I currently serve as the chair of the Academic Committee so we heard reports from the various deans on campus about what is happening in their various schools.  It was exciting to hear about new degree programs that are being implemented and others that are being considered.  The President's report discussed the continued growth of the university both in numbers of students and in the new facilities that are being built and planned.  It is obvious that Campbellsville University has a clear vision of where it is going and has the plans in place to get them there.

The ultimate goal of the university is to prepare young people to be Christian servant leaders regardless of what careers they may enter.  The university seeks to accomplish this by integrating faith and academics in everything they do.  I believe it is that goal that encourages so many young people to pick this school over other possibilities.  These are young people who want more from a college education than just a degree.  They want to be leaders in their fields.  Maybe they don't know much about being a servant leader when they begin their studies, but by the time they complete their four years they will have learned that being a servant leader is the highest form of leadership there is.  Not all students who come to this campus are Christians when they arrive, but within a very short period of time they will be exposed to the gospel from their fellow students and in their chapel services, and many of them will come to faith in Jesus Christ before they leave the university.

One of the facts about Campbellsville University that always amazes me is the number of international students who attend this university located in rural Kentucky about an hour from Louisville.  A significant percentage of the student population come from overseas with 43 countries currently represented.  This provides the university with a great opportunity to provide a Christian witness to persons who may have never heard of Jesus Christ.  Some of the students will become Christians while on campus and then return to their homes and share the gospel with their friends and family.

On many university campuses today all truths are accepted as equally valid unless one proposes that there is such a thing as absolute truth.  All philosophies and religious beliefs are considered equal unless one is a Christian.  Christian values, beliefs, and morals are considered fair game for ridicule and outright contempt on many university campuses.  Christian young people who attempt to take a stand for their beliefs are often the targets of ridicule from their instructors and fellow classmates.  The toxic atmosphere on such campuses is not conducive to receiving a quality education nor learning how to be a leader.

This is why I continue to serve on the Church Relations Council of Campbellsville University.  I believe in the value of Christian higher education.  I believe there is value in a young person having his or her beliefs challenged, but I believe it should be done in a way that does not demean the person or the beliefs that are held.  If our beliefs are never challenged we may never know exactly what we believe and why we believe it, and I believe knowing the why is just as important as knowing what we believe.

Christian higher education begins with the premise that there is such a thing as absolute truth and begins to seek to learn what that truth is.  This enables a person to have a moral and ethical foundation upon which to build his or her life which is going to lead to greater success.  As mentioned before, Christian higher education combines faith with scholarship that produces the servant leaders that our nation and our world so desperately needs at this time.

If I was a Christian parent with high school age children I would want them to at least look at Campbellsville University when they begin to think about where they want to pursue their education.  This school is consistently rated in the top schools in the country by various publications that do such rankings.  It has a very successful athletics program, a beautiful campus, numerous degree programs to choose from, a low 13:1 student to faculty ratio, and leaders and faculty who truly care about the young people who attend the university.  Even more important, in my mind, is the fact that it has a clear vision about where God is leading it in the future and the quality education it offers to help your young person develop into a Christian servant leader.  You can check out the campus at www.campbellsville.edu.  You may also contact me if you have any questions, and I will try to answer them or direct you to the person who can.

The challenge of getting a theological education today

One of the realities of education today is that it is expensive.  Tuition and other costs continue to rise.  I have met many pastors who left seminary with as much as $60,000.00 in student debt.  I wonder how many end up leaving the ministry after a few short years simply because they cannot service that debt and provide for their families.

In addition to the cost factor, for those of us serving in bivocational roles finding the time to pursue an education can be another challenge.  It is just not feasible for a bivocational minister with a family to quit his or her job, leave the church being served, move to a seminary setting, and pursue a theological education.  That is not to say that God does not call some people to do that, but for many of us it does not seem to be a logical step.  Increasing numbers of seminaries and universities offer online studies that do not require the student to be on campus except for brief periods of time.  At this time there are few MDiv programs that can be completed entirely online, but there are other theological degrees that can be done online that may be even more appropriate for some of us in ministry.  I did a Masters of Arts in Religion online and only had to attend one intensive on campus because they did not yet have it ready for online studies.

Liberty University has a large number of online students pursuing both undergraduate and graduate degrees.  That is where I earned my Masters and my Doctorate.  Campbellsville University offers a MTh that can be completed online and also has a Certificate program specially designed for bivocational ministers that is offered online.  If the student completes the certificate program and wishes to enroll in their university all the credits from the certificate program will transfer.  Numerous other schools have similar online programs, so that can offer a great option for the minister who wishes to seek more education.  However, that still does not address the cost issue.

The Bible teaches that the borrower is slave to the lender, and it does not make an exception if the money borrowed was for education.  I frequently listen to Dave Ramsey podcasts and many of the callers to his program are struggling with student debt.  Ministers have enough challenges without having the additional challenge of debt and especially student debt.  The student loan program was probably started with the best of intentions, making education available to anyone who wanted it, but it has developed into something that creates huge problems even years after one graduates.  It also directed people away from the way education used to be paid for, and that was paying for it as you went.  Is it possible to cash flow education today?  Yes, if we're smart about how we approach it.

As many of you know from my books, when I began my pastoral ministry I had no education beyond high school.  After a couple of years I decided my ministry would always be limited by my lack of education so I enrolled in a Bible school.  I was working full-time, pastoring a church, and caring for a family.   Because I could only attend on a part-time basis it took me four years to complete their two year program.  I felt I gained so much from what I learned that I enrolled in a university as a part-time student.  It took seven more years to earn my bachelor's degree, but it also allowed me to cash flow my education.

This also allowed something else to happen that enabled me to earn my degree with no debt.  My employer paid for most of my tuition.  The company's policy was to pay the tuition for any class that could be seen as potentially helpful to the company, and very few of my classes did not meet that criteria.  My only costs was for travel and books.  Some companies will pay for any class, no questions asked.  This is a great way to have your education paid for.

Some will read this and say they don't want to spend eleven years getting their education.  I suppose they would rather go off to school, rack up a ton of student load debt, and spend the next twenty years paying it off.  My story may not be for everyone, but it will allow anyone to get an education who wants one, and without debt.  Even if you don't work for a company that will pay for education, you can attend school part-time, take the classes you can afford to pay for, and complete your education debt-free.

We'll continue this discussion tomorrow.

When life throws you a curve ball

The past two weeks have been interesting to say the least.  Two weekends ago I spent much of my time in bed or on the couch fighting a nasty cold.  Even though I'm feeling better I still have some cough due to drainage that makes it challenging to speak for long stretches of time.  Near the end of that week the heater motor went out in my old van.  Of course, like much of the nation, we are learning more than we ever wanted to know about polar vortex.  Not a good time to have no heat.  I tried to drive it as little as possible and pray the heater motor would kick on.  Sometimes it did, sometimes it didn't.

Monday, we got hit with another big snowfall.  Although I probably should not have done so, I went out to shovel the driveway before we drove over it.  I shoveled the back end of the driveway first and backed the vehicles down so I could do the top part.  When I started the van the heater came on.  Great!  It could clean off the windshield while I shoveled snow.  However, when I pulled the van back up and turned off the ignition the heater kept running.  The only way to shut if off was to unhook the battery cable.  What compounded that problem was that I had to use the van to haul items I was selling at auction on Saturday.  Friday was haul day, and this happened on Thursday.  I quickly called my garage and they were able to get it fixed.

That week the individual who was to provide food service for the auction called saying he could not do so.  He has had health problems and had to go in for a heart cath.  I quickly called some other auctioneers and got the name of another person who might be able to help.  She agreed to provide the food so another problem was avoided.

On Friday my grandson and I spent eight hours hauling items to the auction site.  Others joined us after they got off work and we spent another four hours setting up the auction.  Everything looked great.  That night we got hit with another blizzard that dumped more snow with some major drifting.  The temperatures plummeted.  We had no choice but to go ahead with the auction.  Only a couple of dozen people braved the weather to come (God bless them!), but it was definitely a buyer's market.  By the end of the sale my voice was almost completely gone and never really came back the next day either.  Lots of cough drops and water to keep everything moist.

As we were hauling on Friday the garage door on my wife's side of the garage threw its chain.  My garage door had not worked in about a month, but I was unable to have it fixed because my side was full of items for the auction.  I called the garage door company and was told they could not be here until Monday.  We had to manually raise my door to finish taking everything out to the van.  By this time we were really wondering if God was sending us a message.

Nobody was hurt.  No one was diagnosed with an incurable disease.  No one went bankrupt.  Throughout the weekend I wanted to keep everything in perspective.  A lot of people have much worse problems than I experienced.  But, when one problem after another starts piling on top of you it's easy to wonder what's going on.

Sometimes it seems all life does is throw you curveballs.  It can be somewhat suffocating at times, and it can get very easy to become discouraged and want to give up.  Many potential major league ball players never made it to the majors because they could not hit a curve ball, and some people never experience victory in life because they can't overcome the curve balls that come their way.

Jesus taught us that storms come into everyone's life, and when they come the only way to withstand them is by being firmly grounded on a solid foundation.  He is that foundation.  When I went to bed Saturday night I thanked God for a warm house, for good food to eat, for a family who loves me and one another, and for Jesus Christ who has promised to never leave us nor forsake us.  When I woke up Sunday morning I prayed the same prayer, and did so again this morning.  I am a blessed man and I owe that to my Lord and Savior.

Today, I have to wait for the garage door repairman, and while I am waiting I will make two phone calls to confirm information for a couple of bivocational conferences I'll be doing on the east coast in March.  I'll spend some time preparing for a conference call from a church's pastoral search committee later this week and for a meeting I will attend at Campbellsville University this week.  Life is good because Jesus Christ is Lord over all!

Campbellsville University

As regular readers of my blog know, for many years now I have been a member of the Church Relations Council at Campbellsville University in Campbellsville, Kentucky.  Yesterday was our Executive Committee meeting to plan for the spring meeting of the council.  As always, I was blown away by the various reports we were given about student enrollment and other things happening on campus.  At a time when so much of higher education seems to have lost its way it is refreshing to see a university that is committed to education and to Jesus Christ.

One of the things that originally attracted me to CU was their involvement with bivocational ministry.  Some of their staff and faculty serve as bivocational ministers in the surrounding area, and this school has a deep commitment to this ministry.  In past years they have sponsored bivocational conferences in Kentucky and held workshops on campus led by bivocational ministers.  Their School of Theology is very intentional about making their programs accessible to bivocational ministers.  They now offer three programs students can take on site or online.  I'll give you a thumbnail look at the courses but you can get more information about them here.

• They offer a Certificate of Christian Studies which is a 27 hour, 9 course program that is excellent for a bivocational minister beginning his or her education.
• The Associate of Christian Studies is a 60 hour, 20 course program that provides more in-depth instruction.
• The Master of Theology degree is a 30 hour, 10 course program for the student that wants to pursue graduate level work.

When I began my pastoral ministry I had no education beyond high school.  It only took a few months to realize there was much about pastoring a church that I did not know, and I began to look for some way I could get the training I needed without leaving my job or my church.  I found a school about one hour from my home that provided me with a great foundational education for ministry, but because of the drive and my schedule it took me four years to complete a two year program.  When I did my studies in the early 1980s there were no programs like Campbellsville offers today.

Bivocational ministers run the gamut of educational backgrounds.  Many have college and seminary degrees, but a large number begin their ministries as I did without any formal training for ministry.  What convinced me that I needed to seek training was when I came to understand that my congregation deserved better than I could give them.  I could preach and provide basic pastoral care, but beyond that my ministry was rather limited.  I knew nothing about church administration, or developing a good Christian education program in the church, or how to put together a meaningful worship service, or how to lead change in a church, or how to address conflict in the church, or anything else.  And my congregation deserved better than that!  Even more, I became convicted that if God had called me to the ministry as I believed He had then I needed to be better than I was.  I hope you feel the same passion about being the best possible minister you can be whether you are bivocational or fully-funded.

If you need to begin or further your theological education and learn new skills needed for ministry in the 21st century, it has never been easier to do so.  You really have no excuses anymore.  With Campbellsville University online programs you can receive the education you need to be the best possible minister you can be and do so in the comfort of your own home.  Check out the programs and then contact the university and begin your studies today.  Both you and your church will be glad you did.

Do all young people abandon their faith when they go to college?

For years I've heard Christian leaders complain about the number of young people who grow up in churches and then turn their backs on God when they go away to college.  It is a problem, but what is anyone doing about it other than complaining?  How many pastors and/or youth leaders spend time with their young people and talk about this?  How many churches do a good job of discipling their young people so they can defend their faith when it is challenged?   Actually, research indicates that most young people who experience a loss of faith do so before they leave for college.  For most of them it happens before they complete high school.

I came across that information in You Lost Me, an excellent book written by David Kinnaman, president of the Barna Group.  He also reminds us that "Millions of young Christians get through college with a flourishing faith.  One of the marks of these individuals is a meaningful connection to some form of Christian community - whether a worshiping congregation, a Christian campus group, or a Christian-oriented college - which makes them less likely to become nomadic or prodigal.  The key here is a meaningful connection, not merely showing up at religious practices. (p. 141)"

How many churches help their young people connect with such groups when they go away to college?  If I had to guess I would say that probably not many.  I never did.  Quite frankly, during my twenty year pastorate I could not tell you the name of any of the campus ministers who were affiliated with our denomination.  I had very few students who went away to college during that time so I really didn't have a need to know that information, but I have to be honest and admit that it probably would not have made any difference.  I doubt that I would have thought about it, and my fear is that I may be in the majority.  Reading this book by Kinnaman made me realize that would have been an important part of my pastoral responsibility towards those young people and their families.

We now live in a time when many state universities are rather hostile to the Christian faith.  Some faith-based groups on some secular campuses have had recent problems with their universities around some of their practices.  Other Christian organizations have ended up leaving the secular campuses because of financial issues.  Some of these simply do not receive the support they need to be viable.  Many others are doing a great job of connecting with students and providing them with meaningful worship, service, and fellowship opportunities.  As church leaders we need to emphasize the importance of connecting with these groups to our students, and it would probably be best, if possible, for us to make the initial introduction.  It would take very little time to send a letter to the leader of these campus groups letting them know one of our folks has enrolled at their school.

This is also a time when Christian higher education is increasingly important.  My son graduated from Liberty University, and I was so impressed with the school that I later went there for my master's and doctorate.  I had earned my bachelor's degree on a very secular campus, had been on other secular campuses, and it was obvious there was something different about Liberty.

Those who follow this blog and me on Facebook know of my involvement with Campbellsville University in Campbellsville, Kentucky.  This is another great Christian university that continues to grow every semester.  This fall they celebrated their 12th consecutive fall record enrollment with over 3,600 students.  One of the great things this school does is require every new student to participate in First Class, a semester long program that helps young people focus on developing character, leadership, and financial stewardship.  What an exciting way to help a young person who may be away from home for the first time to take a good look at his or her personal development in these areas!

We can complain about the number of young people who seem to walk away from their faith when they leave for school or we can do something about it.  We can do a better job of discipling them while they are still at home and in our churches.  We can talk to them about the challenges they will face when they go away to school and how to respond to those challenges.  We can help get them connected with good Christian organizations on secular universities if they choose to go there.  We can also help them identify Christian universities that might meet their academic and spiritual needs.

2012 revival at Campbellsville University

As some of you know, for the past several years I have been privileged to serve on the Church Relations Council for Campbellsville University in Kentucky.  I believe it is one of the finest Christian universities in America and was delighted to read about twenty students who made professions of faith during a recent revival held on campus.  You can read the article at http://www.campbellsville.edu/10102012hatfield.

Transformational church

Last week I had the privilege of attending a Transformational Church Summit on the beautiful campus of Campbellsville University in Campbellsville, Kentucky.  The principle speakers were Thom Rainer and Dan Garland from LifeWay and Rusty Ellison, pastor of Walnut Street Baptist Church in Louisville, Kentucky.  Several other individuals led workshops as well.  All I can is WOW!  It was a dynamic two days filled with encouragement, hope, and tools that can help almost any church transform.

Thom Rainer explained the research that went into their book Transformational Church: Creating a New Scorecard for Congregations.  As they researched churches that are being transformed they found some common characteristics.  Although there are more than three such characteristics three primary factors include the church having a missionary mentality, relational intentionality, and a prayerful dependence.  In a workshop Dan Garland taught us how to use a Transformational Church Assessment that measures the worship, the sense of community, the level of vibrant leadership, the relational intentionality, the missionary mindset, the prayer dependence, and the sense of mission that exists in the church.  This assessment provides insights into the strengths of the church and areas that can be improved.  Rusty Ellison explained how their church is currently involved in that assessment and how it is impacting their church.

For quite a while we have been told that 80 percent of the churches in America are plateaued or declining.  Many of our churches recognize that things are not right with their churches and claim to want to make changes, but how many of them are actually doing anything intentional to change anything?  I know of very few.  Here is an assessment tool that can help a church identify areas in its life and ministry that need to be examined, and there are people who can assist with that examination and the changes that need for transformation to occur.  If the leadership of a church did nothing more than study the book mentioned above and begin to implement some of the suggestions transformation could at least begin.

As excited as I felt when I left the summit I was also deeply concerned because I really wonder how many churches will actually use this tool now that it's available.  Perhaps I am getting a little cynical, but many of the churches I know will prefer to wring their hands complaining about how bad things are in their church to actually doing something about it.  They won't take this assessment and implement any of the recommendations that would come from it.  They won't call the hundreds of judicatory and denominational leaders who are eager to help their churches that are serious about transformation.  They won't call the hundreds of church consultants and coaches that are available to come alongside them and help develop a plan of action to transform their church.  They won't even read the book I listed and attempt to implement even one suggestion in it.   It's much easier to remember the good old days and hope that somehow, someway, sometime they will be able to recapture it.

Take a look at your church.  Look at the people there now and look back at all those who have been a part of your church.  How has God used your church over the years to impact and change people's lives?  How has He blessed your church in the past?  Do you believe He has done all that just to be done with your church now?  I don't, so if your church is one of the approximately 100 churches that closes their doors every week it won't be His fault. 

Your church is much like people.  It doesn't matter how much of a reprobate they may be, God can still transform their lives if they will allow Him to.  It doesn't matter where your church is today, God can transform it into a ministry center that changes people's lives if you will allow Him to.  Make this a matter of prayer this week.  Get this book, read it, and listen for what God might say to you as you read.  Your church can be transformed.

When asked to pray

Maybe I'm the only one who's done it, but somehow I don't think so.  You're walking through a store when you see a friend in the next aisle.  Suddenly, you remember that last week he had asked you to keep him in your prayers although you can't remember why.  However, you do remember that you've not prayed for him once since then.  Quickly, you send up a prayer bolt, "Lord, be with ________." About that time he turns the corner and begins walking down your aisle.  As the two of you meet you ask, "How are things going?  I've prayed for you."

Prayer.  There are probably few things in our churches that are talked about more and done less than prayer.  I don't think it's intentional.  We are just so busy that few Christians are satisfied with their prayer life.  We mean to pray more but it never seems to happen.  Then we start feeling really convicted and vow that we are going to spend more time in prayer every day...starting tomorrow.  Of course, the problem is that tomorrow comes and nothing changes.

I got to thinking about this earlier today as I was leaving my bank.  I had stepped up to one of the teller's windows to make a deposit.  She stepped away to do something and one of the managers came over to the window and began looking at me with tremendous pain in her eyes.  She leaned forward, took me by the hand, and whispered, "Please pray for me.  I am under a great deal of stress right now."  I looked at her and started to respond that I would keep her in my prayers when I felt a nudge from the Holy Spirit saying, "Pray now."  I have prayed for people in public settings like that but not very often.  I paused for only a moment and when I looked back in her eyes I knew she needed to hear me pray.  I took both of her hands in mine, leaned forward and began to quietly pray for her.  Only she could hear what I was saying, but it was obvious to everyone in the bank what was happening.  The prayer itself didn't last but a minute or so, but I'm hopeful it helped make the rest of her day a little better.  She whispered, "Thank you" and went on about her work.

A couple of years ago I was on the campus of Campbellsville University for a meeting.  I passed three students on the sidewalk holding hands and praying.  As I walked past I could tell they were praying for a fellow student.  The fact that three college students would pray publicly for a classmate showed me they believed in prayer.  These young people refused to just talk about praying; they were committed to prayer even to the point of standing on a university campus to pray publicly for a friend.

Jesus cautioned about praying in public but His warning was to those who did it for show.  Other than two tellers in the bank this morning I couldn't tell you if anyone else was there or not.  I didn't pray for the manager this morning to attract attention to us but because she needed prayer, and I could sense she needed to hear someone praying for her.  Those three students were not attracting a crowd nor were they praying over a loudspeaker to draw attention to themselves.  Like me, they sensed that prayer was needed then, not just later, and certainly not if they happened to remember to pray.

When someone asks you to pray for them they are inviting you into a very important part of their life.  We need to take that more seriously.  I would just encourage you at such times to be sensitive to the Spirit to determine if you should pray right then for the person.  It may not always be feasible to do so, and you certainly want to respect the privacy of the other person, but if you feel led to pray then for the person, do so.  Quietly.  Privately.  And, whether you pray then or not, be sure to keep that person in your prayers and check back with them in a few days to see how they are doing.

Campbellsville University

Yesterday was the fall meeting of the Church Relations Council at Campbellsville University.  It was exciting to hear of all the things that occurred on campus this summer and the plans for this fall and the future.  A number of summer camps were held on campus this summer attracting large groups of children to the campus for the first time.  Several of those children made first time decisions for Jesus Christ while attending their camp.  New dorms are being built to house the growing numbers of students who are coming to this Christian university to prepare themselves for the calling God has on their lives.  Some new programs have been started, a number of new sports teams are now available, and a growing number of people are now taking courses that are available online.  Add to all this, several students spent their summer on mission trips in areas throughout the US and around the world that were made available through Campbellsville University.  It was a great day hearing about all that is happening on this wonderful university.  If you have young people considering colleges you owe it to them to suggest they explore the opportunities that exist for them at Campbellsville University.  As a member of the Church Relations Council I would be happy to arrange a campus visit for those students and their parents.  You can get much more information about the university at their website, www.campbellsville.edu.

Also attending the meeting yesterday were a couple of long-time advocates for bivocational ministry.  David Sanders recently retired as the Director of the Center for Bivocational Ministry at Campbellsville University but returned yesterday to attend the meeting.  Coming with David was Ray Gilder, National Coordinator for the Bivocational Small Church Leadership Network, who has done much to support and encourage bivocational ministers throughout the Southern Baptist Convention and across denominations.  Ray serves a similar capacity in the Tennessee Baptist Convention.  I had not seen Ray in a few years so it was good to touch base with him yesterday and hear about some of his recent work.  You can find out more about the ministry of this organization and the support they offer bivocational ministries at http://www.bivosmallchurch.net/.

It was a great day with people who share my beliefs about bivocational ministry and the importance of Christian higher education.  Even though few students were on campus, there was an energy there that I could feel as soon as I got out of my car.  As I was leaving I took a few minutes to drive around the campus and was amazed at the changes that have occurred there since I began serving on this council a few years ago.  The president, Dr. Michael Carter, and his staff and faculty are doing a great work there, but each of them will be quick to point out that all the credit goes to God.  He has truly blessed this university and continues to do so.  Campbellsville University is receiving students and producing servant leaders, and that excites me about the future.