When Life Knocks You Down

 Nobody goes through life without getting knocked down a few times. Financial reversals hit. A simple medical test reveals some potential problems that require further testing. Relationships fail when someone you loved walks out. Companies downsize and you're no longer needed. Sometimes it seems like we get knocked down by one thing, and by the time we get back up, something else knocks us off our feet. I know I've been knocked down more than once. But, there is something else I know.

God has always been there to help pick me up. Sometimes I stayed down longer than necessary, but that was a choice I made. There's been times I was ready to give up, but He wouldn't let me. I'm thankful for that. A passage of Scripture has become my personal mantra. Jesus said, "I'll never leave you nor forsake you." I have repeated that to myself many, many times when I've been going through difficult times. Believing that to be true has been the one thing that has brought me through some tough times.

I recently read about a one-legged skier competing in the Paralympics. She was competing against another one-legged skier who fell down during her run. The second skier was confident she would win until she also fell. The other person took the gold. When the silver medalist was told the other person was a faster skier she responded, "No. She just got up faster than I did."

Victory in life comes to those who get up quickly when they get knocked down. It's easy to have a pity party when life knocks you down, but that doesn't gain a person anything. Few people want to come to your pity party, but when you get back up and continue to live life to the fullest, people will cheer.

Three things have helped me when I've been knocked down. One, is the promise I mentioned earlier. I know God will never abandon me. The second thing is the church. Some people today think the church is irrelevant, but I have found in my seven decades of life that it is one of the most relevant things I've ever known. The third is my wife of almost 58 years. She has been my greatest cheerleader.

I would love to tell you how God can help when life knocks you down. Contact me.

Overcoming adversity

 I recently preached a funeral service for a young lady whom I did  not know. I had learned very little about her before the service except that she had battled a number of illnesses for much of her life and what I learned from the obituary. My approach to a funeral message is to include personal information about the individual so my lack of knowledge was a concern before the service. Fortunately, three people asked to speak prior to my message. All of them spoke with passion about her courage and positive attitude. They spoke of her encouragement to others, her desire to serve others and of her faith in God. By the time it was my turn to speak I thanked them for making my job easy!

We seem to live in a time when everyone's a victim. There seems to be no lack of things to protest and complain about. Almost everyone is offended about something, and they demand some type of satisfaction. Billboards and commercials suggest that many people "may be entitled to substantial compensation." Nothing is the fault of the individual. It's always somebody's else's fault. 

As I thought of what the people were saying about the lady whose funeral service we were doing I thought how easy it would have been for her to have become a perpetual victim. She could have used her illnesses as an excuse for developing a bitter attitude, to announce that she was helpless and needed others to care for her, but she chose not to do any of those things. She understood her calling in life, pursued a degree that helped prepare her for that calling, and then lived it. When illness set her on the sidelines for a season she accepted it with courage and told all who would listen that "Things will get better."

I cannot tell you how much I came to admire this woman I had never met. She overcame every adversity life threw at her with dignity and a joy that spoke to all who knew her. I have no doubt that her faith in God was a major reason she lived her life as she did.

There is nothing in the Bible that suggests that becoming a Christian provides us with an escape from life's problems. In fact, Jesus makes it clear that to follow Him is to enter a life that is often challenging and difficult. The One who wore a crown of thorns never promised us a rose garden. What He did promise is that He would never leave us when we walk through the valleys we will encounter in life. The God Who spoke this world into existence promises to be with us every step of the way throughout this life and to receive us into the life to come. Such a promise does not make adversity easier, but it does make it possible to overcome every adversity.

Few people, if any, will escape adversity in this life. Some will be overwhelmed by it. Others will overcome it with faith and courage. We each get to choose which group we will be in.

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. 

Leading change in a small church

I told our congregation recently that no one likes change except a wet baby. They all laughed because it's a funny line and because it's true. Congregations do not like change, and neither does the pastor for that matter. Change is often hard and always challenging. It's easier to keep doing what makes everyone comfortable, but this seldom leads to growth. People do not grow by doing what they've always done and neither do churches. When pastors serve a church that is change-resistant or has not experienced any change in a long time, what is the best way to proceed?  S-l-o-w-l-y.

This a challenge for me. Patience is not one of my spiritual gifts, but I have learned that anything important that needs to change in a church will take much longer than I think it should. Some pastors get too far ahead of their congregations which can lead to an early exit.

One important thing to remember when leading change is to start small and let the church get some wins under their belt. When that small change is accomplished, celebrate before moving on to the next challenge.

In my first church we needed to do something that would cost the church about $1,600.00. The church did not have that much money so we began raising the funds for the project. It took us a year to raise $1,600.00, but we were able to do the project. The congregation felt good about their success so we were ready to move on to the next project that needed done. Guess what, that one would also cost &1,600.00. We were able to raise it in about 9 months. Now we had two small victories that we could build on which we did. More changes were introduced into the church, most of which were successful leading to a more positive image the church had of itself.

Notice I said most changes were successful. Some of the ones we attempted failed, but because we had more victories than losses, those losses did not have a negative impact on the church. We were able to look at it as an effort to change something that didn't work without feeling defeated.

The second thing to remember when introducing change is to create a sense of urgency. Failing to create a sense of urgency is one of the major reasons most change efforts fail. There must be a reason for the change, and the more urgent the reason the more likely the church will support it. If there is no urgency, it becomes easier to put it on the back burner for another time.

Change does not have to have an negative impact on a church. When properly presented pastors often find their people are not as change-resistant as they might have thought.

 

Spiritual winters

Much of the US is experiencing record low temperatures, and many parts are getting hit with some serious snow and icy conditions. Winter has definitely arrived. While the more southern states are expected to see more reasonable conditions soon, other areas are going to suffer with more cold weather and wintery conditions. I can remember a time when I enjoyed colder weather and snow, but that was many decades ago! 

Eventually, it will be spring and summer again. The birds will be singing, the sun shining, and the fish will be biting. Maybe I'll even get back on the golf course again. 

But, what do you do when you go through a spiritual winter? How do you hold on to God during those times?

Spiritual winters can come into our lives in many different ways. They can come when we lose someone we loved very much. They can be the result of dreams that we realize will never be fulfilled. Spiritual winters can happen when we lose a job or the doctor calls with lab results you were not expecting or a child takes a different path than you planned. I experienced a spiritual winter after closing a business that caused us serious financial problems. Regardless of the cause, spiritual winters cause us to feel that God is so far away that we're not sure we will ever find Him again.

Various Psalms were written by people going through spiritual winters. They could not find God in the midst of their problems. The books of Lamentations and Ecclesiastes describe spiritual winters. Job is another biblical example of someone experiencing a spiritual winter who wondered where God was in the midst of his trials. When the Israelites were led away into captivity they felt that God was far off and had abandoned them. Spiritual winters are nothing new.

What each of these biblical writers learned, and can teach us, is that God is not far away, and He has not abandoned us in our spiritual winters. He is just as close to us during the valley times in our lives as He is during our mountaintop experiences. Even though we may not feel Him as much as we do in our better times, He is still there.

So, what did they do? They kept seeking God. They continued to pray. They continued to worship, and eventually they came through that wintery time in their lives and experienced victory. That's also how I came through my own winter time. When we are unable to feel God close by it's necessary, by faith, to keep praying, keep worshiping and keep seeking God. It will be an act of faith because, if you are like me and others in the Scriptures, you may not feel His presence during this time, but in His time He will show Himself strong in your life once again.

When the voices won't be silent

 Have you ever had times when the voices in your head kept insisting that you were going to fail? Or maybe they were telling you that you were in danger? Maybe it wasn't a physical danger you were facing, but it was a financial danger or a relationship danger or some other type of danger. Perhaps the voices were shouting that you were in over your head in some matter, and you wouldn't emerge victorious this time. Even worse, no matter how hard you tried, you couldn't silence those voices. They kept replaying the tape over and over again in your mind, and at night the volume seemed to get louder.

Maybe you've not experienced this. I have. Yes, even ministers can battle anxiety and have times when the voices in our heads seem to overwhelm us. If a mighty prophet like Elijah had to fight such battles I figure I'm not immune to them either.

You might remember that after Elijah defeated the false prophets the wicked queen Jezebel sent word that she was going to take Elijah's life. You might think that after the victory Elijah had over the prophets he wouldn't be scared of such threats, but he was. He ran for his life and begged God to take his life. He told God he had had enough and couldn't take any more. I can identify, and I'm guessing some of you can as well. Being a Christian doesn't make us immune from such feelings.

Even though we know God is with us and will bring us the final victory in all things, there are times we feel we've had all we can handle. Fears and anxieties begin to threaten to overwhelm us. We begin to believe the voices that tell us this time God isn't going to come through, and the more we begin to believe this the louder the voices get. Is there anything we can do to conquer these voices and fears?

The thing that has helped me is to spend more time in the Word and prayer. I keep reminding myself of God's promises, and I talk through my feelings with someone I trust completely. That person is my wife. It needs to be someone who won't judge you or think less of you because of your fears and doubts. Unfortunately, some Christians will make you feel worse in such times because they will question your lack of faith or even your walk with God. Avoid those people! Be honest with those who will walk with you during this valley in your life. God will use them to help you through, and when you get through the other side you will realize God was with you through the entire journey. He has promised to never leave us nor forsake us, and He never will!

Dealing with our fears

I have read that when we are born we are only afraid of two things: the fear of falling and the fear of loud noises. All the other fears we have are learned, often through experience. Scripture teaches us that God has not given us a spirit of fear and yet fear is a constant companion of many of us. What are some of the common fears that seem so prevalent in the human race, and how can we overcome them?

The first fear is the fear of loss. This loss can involve losing our loved ones, our finances, our careers, our youth or anything else that we hold valuable. Opposing change is often no more than the fear of loss. We are afraid of losing the roles we played in the old system. We fear that our role would change in a new system, or even worse, we might not have a role.

A second common fear is the fear of failure. How many people do you know who want to do a new thing but are afraid they will fail? We set goals that are easily achieved rather than ones that would stretch us so we don't risk failure. Unfortunately, doing that prevents us from living life to the fullest. This week I am holding my first online auction. For the past few weeks I've had to learn a platform that would enable me to post my auctions online. It's been a challenge, and I'm still learning it. I enjoyed the live auctions, the bid calling, and everything that went along with live auctions, but with the uncertainties associated with Covid I felt I needed to move my auctions online. This move might not be successful, but I'll never know if I don't try. You can't let the fear of failure keep you from pursuing your dreams.

The fear of rejection is another big one. There wasn't anything worse that could happen to a young man when he asked a girl to go to the prom with him and she rejected him. The same was true when the young lady hoped a certain person would ask her to the prom but he took someone else. That rejection can follow a person for years! People with this fear often become people-pleasers. They go overboard to ensure people will like them so they won't feel rejected again.

Another common fear is the fear of the unknown. Some people live their entire lives afraid that something bad is going to happen to them, and that something never comes. There are people who live almost in panic that some unknown tragedy will come into their lives. It's a tough way to live.

What can we do to overcome these fears? We begin by realizing that we are trusting our fears more than God. The things we fear the most are the areas in which we trust God the least. It's important that we begin to trust God in every area of our lives if we want to conquer our fears. We can do that by studying the Scriptures that address the areas in which we have our greatest fears. For instance, the person who fears losing his possessions will find a wealth of Scriptures that remind us that God is the ultimate provider of all our needs.

As we begin to learn to trust God more, when we feel the fears start coming back, we can stop and ask ourselves who is really in control of our lives? Are we in charge, or is God? If God is in charge we can begin to visualize Him watching over us and our circumstances. We can pray to Him about our situation and trust Him to help us overcome our fears.

Where there is a will...

Since my desktop crashed I've been using a laptop while waiting on my new computer to arrive. There are many things I dislike about this laptop, but the one biggest complaint I have is that my cursor keeps jumping around on the screen while I'm trying to type. I've tried the fixes suggested by people online, but none of them has helped. It has taken at least three times longer to type anything because I have to keep watching the screen to make sure I'm typing where I'm supposed to. It's almost been enough to make a cursor out of me!

A few minutes ago I thought of something I should have realized from day 1. My computer keyboard works just fine. I plugged it into the laptop, and now I'm typing without any problems at all! At my age I guess I should expect to be a little slow on the uptake.

I was about to give up trying to write anything until I got my new computer set up, but it isn't expected to be delivered for several more days. I was determined to not let the problems with the laptop stop me from doing what I wanted to do, and finally a solution presented itself.

This is an important lesson for anyone in ministry. It doesn't take long in ministry to realize that most things are not going to go as you want. We have an enemy that will try to put roadblocks in front of us to bring our work to a halt or at least slow it down. The key is to not allow that to happen. Just keep plugging away. Stay determined. If your first attempt doesn't work, try something new. Eventually a solution will present itself. Often, it will seem so simple that you'll wonder why you didn't think of it earlier. Don't worry about it. You have the solution now so make the best of it.

A church wanted to build on to their facility but needed additional land for their septic system. For two years they tried to buy a small corner of a field adjacent to the church, but the owner would not sell it. It appeared the church would not be able to go forward until someone asked if the landowner would lease them the land for their septic system. When approached he readily agreed to a very small fee for a 99 year lease. The septic system was moved, and the new addition was built.

If God has given you a vision for ministry do not let temporary roadblocks derail you. If you have a will to succeed God will provide the way.

Do we recognize when the power is gone?

Our area was recently hit with an ice storm that knocked out power for many people. A few had their power restored rather quickly, but for some it was several days before they had electricity. I know a few who moved into local hotels waiting for their power to be restored. Others borrowed generators to get them through the cold weather. Most just waited it out with extra blankets and coats.

Just before writing this post I went to a local supermarket to pick up a few things. As I walked in the door the lights went out. Someone announced the registers were down and customers needed to leave the store. After the recent problem due to the ice storm there was a lot of grumbling overheard as people were leaving.

It's easy to tell when we lose power in our homes. Everything grows dark, and this time of the year it becomes colder. But, do we know when our churches lose power? I would say not as powerless churches are a major problem in our country right now.

Jesus said, "You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has comes upon you....(Acts 1:8)" The Holy Spirit is the source of our power. Without Him the church is powerless. We might have programs, education, technology, strategies, mission statements and strategic planning, but we will have no power without the Holy Spirit at work in our churches.

It is possible for churches to keep doing what they've always done and never notice that the Spirit has departed their efforts. They can have services each week, enjoy entertaining sermons and wonderful music, and maintain their decades-old ministries without the Holy Spirit. Like cut flowers in a vase, they look good, but because they are not rooted in anything they cannot grow and will eventually die.

Because things are not going as well as we might hope we might assume everyone needs to work a little harder. Maybe it's time for a new minister or staff person. Maybe a fresh coat of paint would improve things. I know one church that has painted everything that doesn't move and can't understand why things haven't got better. Congregations sit around remembering "the good old days" and wonder why things have changed. In all their conversations about what they need to do seldom does anyone look to the source of power in the church - the Holy Spirit.

For many churches He is the forgotten member of the Trinity. We might mention Him from time to time, but many of our churches are reluctant to talk about Him too often. We have at least some understanding of God the Father and God the Son, but God the Holy Spirit is another matter. For many churches in my denomination I think people are afraid of Him. When He is given free rein things happen. He can't be controlled and might do things that are not found in our policy manuals.

When you read the book of Acts you quickly realize He can't be controlled, but will do things upsetting to people, especially the religious crowd. But you also find that people's lives are changed when He's in control. People are saved. Marriages and homes are restored. Devils are defeated, and people are set free.

What the church needs more than anything is an understanding that a powerless church is a church without the Holy Spirit, and that our greatest need is a Spirit-sent revival in our land that will bring the power of the Spirit back into our churches. We've been trying to do church without Him for too long, and we've given up too much ground to the Devil. It's time we get reconnected to our power supply and once again become the church God has called us to be.

Flee not fight temptation

By now you've probably seen the viral video of the Weather Channel reporter fighting the winds and water while giving his report while two teenagers are seen calmly walking behind him. It's a wonderful example of how the news, including the weather, is presented in a way that is not necessarily accurate. The Weather Channel has claimed that their reporter was trying to maintain his footing on wet grass while the teens are walking on concrete. So, was the reporter not smart enough to leave the wet grass for the solid footing the concrete obviously provided? It's a hilarious clip that won't soon be forgotten.

But, it does offer insight into a much bigger issue. How many of us are fighting temptations that threaten to overwhelm us rather than fleeing from them? Numerous times in Scripture the apostle Paul tells us to flee from temptations. Fighting temptations can result in our losing the battle, and many of us often experience those losses. Fleeing from them gives us a much better chance of being victorious over them.

An alcoholic should not go into a bar but should avoid places where he will be tempted to drink. Recovering drug addicts need to find new friends and avoid the old ones who will provide fresh temptations. Many marriages have been destroyed in recent years due to old flames reconnecting on social media. Just because someone gives you a friend request doesn't mean you have to accept it. There are people you don't need to have contact with on social media.

Speaking of social media, it seems many Christians are unable to resist commenting on posts with which they disagree. It does the Kingdom of God no good for Christians to engage in battles with unbelievers and other Christians on social media. A few times I've wanted to challenge something I read but refrained because I knew it would only result in an online argument that would accomplish nothing. For those of you who don't know, it's OK to read something online with which you disagree and not comment on it.

Fighting temptations is often like trying to walk on wet, slick grass in 90 MPH winds. Life is much easier if you just walk away to the more solid footing of the concrete.

Put your hope in the right place

In an upcoming interview first lady Michelle Obama suggests that America has lost hope now that Donald Trump has been elected President. Her husband ran his campaign on hope and change, and now that he's leaving office his wife believes the hope America felt is gone as well.

She's not the only person to feel this way. People have been screaming the sky is falling ever since the election. College students, who should be approaching adulthood, need to see counselors to address the anxiety they feel with Trump taking office. Some former Facebook friends expressed their anxieties over a Trump presidency about every two hours after the election which is why they are former FB friends. (I just got tired of all the drama.)

The problem with Michelle Obama's claim that America is losing hope, and all the other Chicken Littles out there freaking out over the election, is that it reflects a secular worldview regarding hope. No person is going to fix your life or make you happy. If your hope is in an individual you are going to go through life very disappointed. Did President Obama do some good things in office? Yes, he did. He also did some things that were not so good. History will one day judge his overall effectiveness as President. Guess what? President Trump will also do some good things and some things not so good. If your hope goes up and down based on what the President does your life is going to be very unsettled.

In our Western society today we have the mistaken belief that everyone should be happy all the time. It is a symptom of our entitlement mentality. People want free healthcare. College students want free tuition. Here's a newsflash for some people: Life can be tough sometimes. There is no free lunch. Someone is going to pay for that free healthcare and free tuition. Grown up people understand that they have to provide for their own needs. If your hope is based on the belief that the government or some other entity is going to take care of you then your hope is based on the wrong thing.

Our hope must be focused on the one thing or person that can never change, and that is God. We celebrate Christmas because the birth of Jesus Christ ushered in the one hope that will never fail. Our expectations of God might fail us at times, but He will never fail.

For many elections now I have reminded congregations and others that God does not fly on Air Force One. He's not up for election every four years, and He doesn't make decisions based on the latest polls, how many in Congress He can get to agree with His policies or the make-up of the Supreme Court. He provides us with a solid foundation for our lives that we can rely on regardless of what occurs in our lives, and that is the foundation for a hope that will never fail us.

If you believe that the election of Donald Trump is going to usher in a new era of suffering in America, I just finished reading Timothy Keller's book Walking with God through Pain and Suffering. I mentioned it a few days ago and said that it would probably be my favorite book of 2016, and now that I've finished it I have not changed my mind. It is an excellent book that speaks to this whole issue of pain and suffering and the evil that exists in the world. As he points out, a Christian worldview does not deny the existence of evil and suffering, but it also points to the one true source of hope we have when such times come into our lives. If you've not read this book it should be on your 2017 reading list.

Success is just around the corner

Why does one marriage work out while another one ends in divorce? Why does one small business succeed and another one down the road closes its doors within months after opening? Why do some churches seem to attract people to Christ while others struggle to keep their doors open? Why do some teams seem to always be ranked near the top and others rarely have winning seasons? We could ask similar questions of every endeavor known to man, but the fact is that some have found the secret to success, if it may be called a secret, and others seem unable to recognize what it takes to succeed.

A few months ago I read a very insightful book about success called Take the Stairs: 7 Steps to Achieving True Success by Rory Vaden. One of the reasons I enjoyed the book is because Vaden doesn't pretend there are secrets to success. In fact, he insists throughout the book that success is hard work, and that is a fact that many in our society today have either forgotten or want to pretend it isn't true. He writes

"The vast majority of Western societies have adopted an 'escalator mentality' - one that says getting what we want shouldn't require much work, and that there are always shortcuts in business and in life." There are no shortcuts to success. There is no easy way to the top. Most of us will find that finding success is more like climbing stairs than riding an escalator.

He goes on to write that, "There is one thing that all successful people have in common: Successful people have all had to do things they didn't feel like doing in order to get where they are."

We've all heard the saying: No pain, no gain. Well, this is certainly true when we think of success. It's true whether you are considering how to have a better marriage, a more profitable business, or a growing church. All require a lot of hard work, and there will be times when you find yourself doing things you would prefer to not do in order to enjoy the results you are seeking.

Many decide the hard work isn't worth it. They prefer to take the easy way out and seek a new spouse, a new career, or a different church. Surely, they think, the reason the current situation isn't working out is because they chose the wrong spouse, the wrong career, or the wrong church, and all their problems will be over once they correct their mistake. WRONG!

Running from one spouse to the next isn't going to solve your marriage problems. Jumping from one company to another probably won't be the solution. Church leaders who go from one church to another certain that this one will be the perfect church for them soon come face-to-face with the reality that there are no perfect churches. Success comes to those who are willing to work hard to make their current situation the right one.

Vaden points out in his book that success is often just beyond the point you feel like quitting. It's often just around the corner. I wonder if there will come a time in eternity where we will discover how many times we were inches from the goal line of success only to walk away defeated. One more play would have put us over, but instead we gave up.

It's almost always too soon to give up. When you feel that you've done everything you know to do, think of something else to try. Ask to see someone else's playbook. There's lot of things you can still try to do to succeed. Isn't success worth at least one more effort on your part?

The power of goals

This is the time of year I normally begin to work on setting goals for the upcoming year. Several years ago I heard Zig Ziglar talk about the power of goals. He stated that the vast majority of people never set goals and tend to fare much worse in many categories in life than those who do. I don't remember now the figures he would share, but there was a substantial benefit enjoyed by those who set and achieved their goals. He offered a goal-setting program which I purchased and began to use. After just a couple of years I was convinced that setting goals did improve my life, and I have been a big believer in goal setting ever since.

Many people, perhaps a majority, drift through life hoping that something good will somehow happen to them. Some play the lottery and hope to win big one day. Maybe they jump from job to job, or marriage to marriage, hoping to find just the right match that will bring them great success and joy. Others have given up on life and simply live lives of quiet desperation. They go through the motions of living, but their lives are really empty shells of what they could be.

Those of us who set goals and work to achieve them experience life on a different level. While we also hope for good things to happen to us we also know that hope is not a strategy. We're not going to sit around and wait for something good to happen; we're going to make it happen. We going to identify the things we want to accomplish and determine the things we need to do to help make that happen.

I still use the same goal-setting system I purchased from Ziglar years ago. In this system you not only write down your goal but you go into detail about what it will take to achieve it. This requires some thinking, but it makes for a much more effective goal. On a sheet of paper I write down the goal and then answer a number of questions surrounding the goal.

1. What are the benefits of reaching this goal?
2. What are the major obstacles I can expect to face while trying to reach the goal?
3. What skills or knowledge do I need to reach the goal?
4. Who are the individuals or groups I need to work with?
5. What is my plan of action? These are the steps I need to take to enable me to achieve the goal.

When I have my goal written down and I've been able to answer these questions I am ready to begin working towards achieving the goal.

I try to have one or two goals for many areas of my life including my family, my ministry, my auction business, my health, my finances, and anything I feel the Lord is especially wanting me to focus on in the upcoming year. I want to have short-, mid-, and long-term goals for some of these areas. I also want to have several action steps laid out in advance so I can track my journey towards achieving the goal.

There are few things more rewarding that to live life on purpose and with clear goals to guide your actions and thoughts. To complete an action step that takes me one step closer to achieving a goal is a very satisfying feeling. An even more rewarding feeling is realizing that the goal has been achieved. This is far more satisfying that drifting through life with no sense of purpose and little sense of achievement.

Begin today thinking about some worthy goals for your own life. Think through those goals so you can answer the questions listed above and then begin to write them out. If you do so I can almost guarantee you will find you've achieved far more this next year than you normally do and you'll find life much more rewarding.

Life can get challenging

This has been quite an interesting week. As mentioned in yesterday's post, Madison FBC called me as their interim pastor this week, and I will begin in that capacity starting Sunday. I had a meeting this morning with the Associate Pastor to get some information about events coming up soon. I also had a chance to talk to the office manager for a few minutes. Both are great people who will be a joy to work with. I've known both of them for several years, and they are super people. I've also known the Children's Director for several years and consider her one of the best. As in any transition, there will be challenges, but with the quality of the church staff and lay leadership I think we'll meet those challenges.

Much of my attention has been focused on preparing for an auction I have for tomorrow (Saturday). The family has moved out of state and sold their home which closes a few days after the auction which means we need to sell their personal property. As the week has progressed we have encountered one challenge after another.

• The date of the auction is the same as a festival in a small community about a mile from the site of the auction. Trying to not conflict any more than necessary I moved the auction to a noon starting time which is later than usual.
• I was told this week that part of the major highway that will bring people to the auction will be shut down for about an hour for a parade. If things run on time it should reopen about a half hour before the auction is scheduled to begin.
• We have a 60 percent change of showers and thunderstorms throughout the day of the auction. I've had to set up everything with the expectation that most of it will have to sell inside. This will make for crowded conditions if the number of people I'm expecting shows up.
• Several of my regular workers are gone on vacation. Due to the closing on the house we could not schedule a day when everyone will be back. I will be using experienced people, but they haven't worked with me before.
• Since I initially looked at what will be sold the family brought out many items that I had not seen. This will be a big sale.
• The state highway decided to mow the grass on the roads leading to the auction. In doing so, they ran over my directional signs tearing them to shreds. I'll have to install new ones on my way to the sale Saturday morning.
• On Wednesday I was checking my supplies and realized I had almost no clerking sheets. I thought I had a half-box full of clerking sheets, but it turned out that box contained other supplies. I quickly ordered the sheets and asked that they be shipped overnight. Doing so made the shipping costs more than double the cost of the sheets I ordered, but I had no choice. You cannot have an auction without clerking sheets. I called that extra cost "stupid tax." It's the price you pay for doing stupid things like not checking my supply inventory earlier.
• I've been battling a cold since last Saturday. Although I no longer have a sore throat, I'm fighting sinus issues and coughing spells. None of that is good for an auctioneer.

This week has definitely been a challenge, but I still see God at work in my life. What if I hadn't checked my quantity of clerking sheets until the day of the auction? When I realized I had more to sell than I first realized I asked a fellow auctioneer if he could sell in a second ring for part of the auction. He agreed, and found the additional people I needed to work the auction. My signs are destroyed, but last year I had additional signs made, so I have them available to put up. With the expectation of rain we probably won't be able to park people in the field behind the house, but the house sits on a corner so there is plenty of paved county road for people to park. I'm not 100%, but my cold has improved. I'm thankful it didn't begin this Saturday just before the auction. The rain? Well, I can't do much about that, but we'll see what God might do. Maybe it will hold off long enough to sell what needs to sell outside, and even if it doesn't, we'll make it work.

Just because life can throw challenges at us doesn't mean that God isn't at work. As each one of these challenges have been met I've been able to say, "Thank you, Lord." I'm sure there will be times in this interim pastorate I'm about to begin when things become very challenging, but I also know that God will be with me and others as we lead this church through this transition period.

Don't ever assume that because things are difficult that God has abandoned you or is no longer interested in your life. I believe God is at work even when we do not necessarily see his activity. The Bible is very clear that God is interested in our lives and ministries. Let your challenges drive you to your knees in prayer and let them cause you to lift up your eyes to the heavens where your help comes from.

There are exciting days ahead for the church

No one would argue that the church in the US is not facing serious problems. Declining attendance. declining finances, aging congregations, a general mistrust of millennials towards religious institutions, divisions between and within denominations, and a general rejection of traditional biblical teachings by lawmakers and the courts have diluted the church's impact on society in the 21st century. Still, I believe there are exciting days ahead for the church.

The things that have had a negative impact on the church in recent decades teach us that doing church as usual isn't an option, and that's a good thing. The church had become too complacent over the years, and the problems facing the church has forced us out of that complacency.

Right now we are living in an in-between time. We may recognize that what we've been doing isn't working, but we still haven't identified what will work. We have more questions than answers. How do we reach the millennials who have little respect for organized religion? How do we present the Gospel to a postmodern culture that rejects absolute truth? How do we help Christians mature in their faith? How can the church respond biblically to the immigration issue that has so divided our nation? The same question can be asked about the racial divide that continues to plague our society. These are just the tip of the iceberg of all the questions the church needs to answer if it wants to have any sort of effective ministry to our society.

The questions are tough and so are the challenges facing the church, but I remain an optimist about the church for one very simple reason.  Jesus said, "I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. (Mt. 16:18)" Although we may not know the answers to all our questions, He does. We may not know how to address the many challenges confronting the church, but He does. As the church seeks Him and allows Him to lead us, those answers will be revealed to us.

I'm convinced the church will look much different in the next few years than it does now. Some find that threatening, but I find it exciting. Those changes will enable the church to once again minister to an ever-changing culture. Just as Jesus Christ rose from the dead, the church will rise above its current struggles and once again become a light to the world pointing a lost world to the Lord Jesus Christ, and that is exciting!

Others have faced your struggles before you

In 1967 I went away to Navy boot camp at Great Lakes, Illinois. The first week was especially hard. An experienced recruit who was half-way finished with boot camp was in charge of us during that first week, and he was determined to make it as difficult for us as it had been for him. It's probably safe to say that all 80 of us in our company hated him...until the last evening he had us.

The next morning we would leave processing and go across the highway to really begin our boot camp experience. Before we turned in that final night he called us all together and admitted he knew he had been difficult on us. He said it would only get harder when we went across the road the next morning, but he wanted us to remember one thing. We would never be asked to do something we could not do, and we would never be asked to do something that tens of thousands of sailors had not done before us. He assured us that the things we might be asked to do may seem impossible, but they were not.

I've never forgotten that advice. It serve me well during my 12 week boot camp experience and throughout my four year enlistment. I still remind myself of those words of wisdom even though it has been 48 years since they were spoken to me. Life can get hard sometimes, and it's helpful to remember that others have  faced the same challenges I've had to face, and they came through those challenges victorious.

Like every bivocational pastor, I faced numerous challenges during my ministry. There were times I felt like giving up. A few times I wasn't sure I could do what needed to be done, and there were times I wasn't sure it was worth it even if I could. Then God would remind me that He would never ask me to do something I could not do and that thousands of other bivocational pastors had not done before me. That reminder never failed to renew my strength and my commitment to the calling God had given me.

No doubt, you have had those challenges that threatened to overwhelm you. Family and friends may have even told you that it's too much and you need to give up. Please don't do that. Whatever you are going through, you are not the first one to experience it. Others have overcome the same challenges that you face, and you can too.

My latest book, The Art and Practice of Bivocational Ministry: A Pastor's Guide, tells the story of ten ministers I have coached over the years. These ten were chosen from the many I've worked with because the challenges they were facing will be common to many of us in ministry. In our coaching sessions each minister has the opportunity to tell me what he or she wanted to work on in that session. We tried to identify the main issue and find solutions to address that issue. At the end of each chapter, the ministers tell how they benefited from our coaching relationship and the victories they enjoyed over their challenges.

Chances are good you will find some of your challenges in their stories. You may even find that the solutions that worked for them will also work for you. At the very least, you'll be encouraged to know that others have faced the same issues you face and were not destroyed by those challenges. Remember, others have faced your struggles before you and found ways to emerge victorious over them. So can you.

When things look dark remember Sunday's coming

Regular readers have probably noticed I've not posted any articles on my blog for the past several days. I was supposed to be gone on vacation. Unfortunately, due to several factors which included a kidney stone that decided to move on the first day, I didn't get to go anywhere. I ended up canceling the vacation but decided to go ahead with my plan to not write on the blog for the days I was supposed to be away.

It turned out to be quite a week with many things that could have been addressed. The church shooting in Charleston, the resignation of Tullian Tchividjian after his confession of an affair, and the SCOTUS ruling that makes same sex marriage legal in all 50 states would have likely been addressed if I had been blogging this past week.

As I've considered what to say about these events now that I'm back I decided to say very little. There has already been much written about each of them, and I'm sure that others will continue to write and discuss each of them. At this point, I don't think there is anything I could say that hasn't already been written, so I'm just going to say one thing and move on.

None of these events caught God by surprise. At no point this past week did God ever once look at what was occurring and shake his head in amazement. I'm sure some will ask that if God knew this young man was going to kill the people in the church why didn't God stop him? Why didn't God stop this young pastor from having the affair that forced him to resign from the pulpit at Coral Ridge Church? One atheist who supported the Supreme Court's decision on same sex marriage asked why, if God exists and is against such marriage, did he not answer the many prayers that Christians prayed that the court would not rule in favor of such marriages?

Quite honestly, I can't answer any of those questions and feel no reason to try. I guess if I could explain God's actions I would be God, and I'm not, and neither are you. What I do know is that God was not surprised by any of these events. I also know that he is still God, and in the end his decision on each of these events will be the only one that matters.

As we study the Bible we often find that the times were the darkest just before God turned things around. We see that scenario played out time and time again in the life of Israel in the Old Testament and even more in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ in the New Testament.

That Friday when Jesus died on the cross was the darkest day this world has ever known. No doubt, the demons of hell celebrated the death of the Son of God. Those who had followed Jesus must have felt that the world was coming to an end. What no one realized was that it was only Friday. Sunday was coming. When Sunday morning dawned the stone was rolled away, and the world hasn't been the same since.

No, the events of the past few days did not catch God by surprise, and Jesus is still alive. The church is not to give up hope. We are not to hide behind locked doors. We have work to do. God's will shall be done on earth as it is in heaven so let each of us be about our Father's business.

Change, conflict, growth

Several months ago a pastor search committee for a small, rural church told me they wanted a pastor who would grow the church.  I had never done this before, but when they said that I responded, "Are you sure about that?"  They looked at me a little stunned as if I should not be asking that question so I continued, "If you could grow this church by doing what you've been doing you would already be growing.  So, what you are telling me is that you want a pastor who will come in here and begin to change everything you have been doing.  Is that what you really want?"  They looked at one another and began to smile.  One of them spoke up and said, "Maybe we need to rethink this."

Another church contacted me five or six years ago asking me to meet with their newly formed Church Growth Committee and talk to them about how they could grow their church without making anybody mad.  I told the caller that I would save myself a trip and them a meeting by telling them right now that what they wanted to do was impossible.  Once again I explained that if they could grow by doing what they've been doing they would already be growing.  If they were serious about growing their church they would have to make some changes, and some of those changes were going to upset some people and create problems.

As Shannon O'Dell explains in his book Transforming Church in Rural America, "If we are to fulfill our vision, we have no other choice.  It's change, conflict, growth; change, conflict, growth; and you have to walk through that process...we must go through change and then conflict in order to see growth."  This is not easy for a small, rural church that puts so much emphasis on being a family church.  The assumption is that families avoid conflict so anything that creates conflict is avoided.

There are a couple of things wrong with that assumption.  One, is that families do not avoid conflict.  Some families are known for conflict.  (As are some churches!)  But, even in the healthiest families there are going to be conflicts because families are made up of people who do not always agree.

The second thing that is wrong with that assumption is the belief that all conflict is bad.  We want to avoid conflict because conflict is bad, but not all conflict is bad.  Conflict is needed if the church is to move forward.  The way conflict is sometimes handled is bad, but the conflict itself isn't necessarily bad.  Too many churches are stuck because they try so hard to avoid conflict that they won't do anything new if even one person is opposed, and there will usually be at least one that prefers the status quo.

Change, conflict, growth.  These are the steps that must be taken if growth is the desired end result.  Growth can have many facets so it's important to begin with the desired growth and work backwards.  In what ways does the church want to experience growth?  Does it want to see an increase in worship attendance?  Does it want to see larger numbers involved in discipleship programs?  Does it want to see increased financial giving?  Does it want to develop new ministries either for the existing congregation or the community?   There are countless additional areas in which a church can grow, but the point is that the desired area of growth must be identified.  Once that is done the leaders can begin to work backwards.

What would have to change in order to make it possible to experience growth in your desired areas?  For most smaller churches, when they talk about growth they are referring to numerical growth.  So what has to change in order to make that happen?  Do you need to adjust the times of your worship services that would make it possible for more people to attend?  Does the format of the worship need to change to better appeal to unchurched people in your community?  Does the church need training in hospitality to make a better impression on first-time guests?  Does the church need a better image in the community?  I've had some churches admit to me that they have a horrible reputation in their communities because of past events that occurred in their churches.  Those churches are unlikely to see any numerical growth until they overcome the poor images people have of them.  Does your pastor need different skills sets?  Again, the list goes on and on, but you must identify the issues that are preventing your church from growing and begin to address those issues.

However, be assured that when you address even some of the worst issues that may exist in your church there may well be some people who want to preserve those issues.  That is where the conflict will occur, but until you overcome the conflict and change the things that are preventing growth from occurring, your church will never grow.

Change, conflict, growth.  It is a pattern that will exist in any church serious about growing.  O'Dell's book is a good resource to help the smaller church enter into that pattern whether the church is in a rural area of not.

 

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!

The problem of pastors leaving the ministry

A statistic I find very troubling is one I first heard several years ago and continue to see it repeated.  Approximately 50 percent of pastors will leave the ministry within five years of graduating from seminary.  That is very troubling.  I assume that most of these people, at some point in their lives, felt called to the ministry.  They invested a great deal of time and money into earning their college and seminary degrees.  No doubt they felt excited about being involved in ministry, and yet within a few short years they turn their back on that calling.  Why?

For some it is as simple as burnout.  Ministry is challenging work.  Pastors often find themselves at odds with controllers in the church who insist everything must be done to suit them regardless of the impact on others or the overall ministry of the church, and they often find the congregation will support the controllers.  A pastor may feel called to the ministry but is also a human being who will quickly grow tired of being beaten up every week by unhealthy church systems.  Selling insurance can start to look pretty good to a pastor whose work is consistently criticized by persons who do not understand the nature of ministry.

Some leave for financial reasons.  I recently had a conversation with a church leader who was upset that they have not been able to find a pastor despite searching for one for a year.  They've interviewed several candidates but nothing has worked out.  I reminded him again of an earlier conversation I had with the church regarding their salary and benefit package.  At the time I encouraged them to seek a bivocational person to serve as their pastor, but they insist that their pastor must be fully-funded.  He said that none of the candidates who decided to not go there made their decision because of the salary package the church was offering.  I have to wonder how many of them may have given other reasons so as not to appear greedy but that the minimal salary the church is offering was simply not enough to support their families.  Churches need to understand that few people ever reach a spiritual maturity level where they no longer need to eat.

A number of ministers leave because of moral failure in their lives.  They make choices that disqualify them for ministry, and they have no choice but to leave the ministry.  I have sometimes wondered how many of them may have wanted out of ministry, but saw no way out unless they were forced out.  So, they participated in behavior that would cause them to be removed from ministry.  This would mean that such a person would prefer to be known as a person who had moral failure in his or her life than to be known as someone who walked away from God's calling.  I don't know if this theory could be right, but I would love to see someone do a study on this.  Such a study could be invaluable to denominational leaders and pastoral leaders, especially if my theory is right.

However, at the core of all the surface reasons people leave the ministry after only a few short years is their inability to create healthy boundaries in their lives.  Too many neglect their families for the sake of ministry.  They allow others to regulate their calendars and their lives.  They build up debt which cannot be covered by the salaries many churches can afford to pay.  They do not practice good self-care leading to physical and emotional problems.  They isolate themselves from others and soon feel they are all alone in ministry.  They put themselves in situations where poor moral choices are more easily made.  Ministry is tough, and pastors need to be very intentional about finding ways to ease the pressures of their ministries.

After being in ministry for over three decades and working with hundreds of pastors I understand some of those pressures.  That led me to write a book called The Healthy Pastor: Easing the Pressures of Ministry.  It addresses each of the issues listed above and several others and provides recommendations for how to avoid them and how to create healthier boundaries for your life and ministry.  I believe the call to ministry is a life-long calling.  While ministry will always be challenging, there are many things a minister can do to ease many of the pressures he or she will face.  It is my prayer that this book will help the reader take intentional steps to enjoy a healthy and effective ministry and a more enjoyable life.