One of the things I have enjoyed doing for the past year and a half is the opportunity to coach bivocational ministers. Each of the bivocational ministers I've worked with during this time have expressed how helpful coaching has been to their ministries. They had the opportunity to talk with someone who had been where they are and had experienced many of the challenges they were facing. They were able to share their ideas with me for their ministries and know that I would discuss possible ways to introduce those ideas to their churches. Most also wanted some help in better managing their time so they could spend more time with their families. We covered a wide range of topics that are common to most bivocational ministers, and the persons being coached felt that our time together was helpful to their ministry success.
If it is approved my DMin dissertation will focus on how coaching can improve the ministry effectiveness of bivocational ministers. I am still waiting for that approval by the DMin director.
If you would like to have a coach to help you address ministry and life issues I would enjoy working with you. If you feel stuck in some aspect of your ministry, coaching is a great way to help you get unstuck. If you feel frustrated with the difficulty in balancing your family life with your church life and other career while trying to find ways to have time for yourself, a coach can help you overcome that frustration. If you feel that now is the time for your church to go to the next level of ministry to your community but you are not sure how to lead that, having a coach to walk you through that might be very helpful.
I have coached bivocational ministers from across the nation. Coaching sessions occur over the telephone at pre-arranged times. We work from your agenda so we are always focusing on the issues that you want to address. My coaching fees are very low and are discounted even more for bivocational ministers. Because of all my other responsbilities I can only accept five persons being coached at one time, but I do have some openings right now. Contact me today if you believe having a coach would benefit you, your family, and your church.
Sunday, September 9, 2007
Thursday, September 6, 2007
National Quartet Convention
Next week the National Quartet Convention will be in Louisville, KY. It is a week of great Southern Gospel music that my wife and I really enjoy. For the past few years we have been permanent seat holders for all six nights. Because we live an hour away from Louisville and the program runs from 6:00 pm to around midnight each night we don't always attend all six nights, but we know we have excellent seats for any night we do want to attend.
As much as we enjoy it, I do have to admit that we feel the past few years we have seen a decline in the convention. Singers move around from one group to another which impacts their sound. Older groups are retiring. The ongoing conflict between Bill Gaither and the NQC board continues to have a negative impact on the convention. More groups are saving money by replacing their bands with recorded music causing many of them to sound very much alike. We see a decline in both attendance and quality each year, and we wonder how long the NQC will continue if it doesn't start changing some things.
Still, it's a great week of worship. If you are in the area stop in one evening. I think you'll like it.
As much as we enjoy it, I do have to admit that we feel the past few years we have seen a decline in the convention. Singers move around from one group to another which impacts their sound. Older groups are retiring. The ongoing conflict between Bill Gaither and the NQC board continues to have a negative impact on the convention. More groups are saving money by replacing their bands with recorded music causing many of them to sound very much alike. We see a decline in both attendance and quality each year, and we wonder how long the NQC will continue if it doesn't start changing some things.
Still, it's a great week of worship. If you are in the area stop in one evening. I think you'll like it.
Monday, September 3, 2007
The new apostolic age
George Hunter III wrote a great book in 1992 that I am currently re-reading. The title is How to Reach Secular People. I didn't fully understand the book when I first read it because I wasn't as aware of postmodernism and its impact on the church as I am now. Fifteen years ago Hunter was explaining to those who could understand that the church had entered a time that closely resembled the first century, and if the church was going to successfully proclaim the gospel to our generation we needed to go back to the techniques the first century church used. Read these insightful words from Hunter:
For the christian movement's first three centuries, the communicators of Christianity had to achieve four objectives: (1) Facing a population with no knowledge of the gospel, the christian movement had to inform people of the story of Jesus, the good news, its claims, and its offer. (2) Facing hostile populations and the persecution of the state, the Church had to "win friends and influence people" to a positive attitude toward the movement. (3) Facing an Empire with several entrenched religions, the Christians had to convince people of Christianity's truth, or at least its plausibility. (4) Since entry into the faith is by an act of the will, Christians had to invite people to adopt this faith and join the messianic community and follow Jesus as Lord...
The early Church was intentional about achieving each of these four objectives. They informed people by creatively communicating and interpreting their gospel in conversations, synagogue presentations, and open-air speaking. They influenced people's attitudes by their changed lives, their ministries of service, their love for one another, and by their love for nonchristians and even their enemies, even in martyrdom. They convinced people by reasoning from the Scriptures and by their common-sense apologetics. They invited responsive people to confess faith and be baptized unto the messianic community. (pp. 35-36)
We often get so caught up in programs and looking for the latest and greatest techniques that I believe we overlook a simple truth. If we are ministering in a time that closely resembles the first century then perhaps we need to simply minister as the early church did. We need to focus on the basics of informing, influencing, convincing, and inviting. We need to model changed lives if we truly want others to believe that a relationship with Jesus Christ changes lives. We need to love others and find ways to minister to them even when they are sometimes hostile to our efforts.
The good news about this for bivocational churches is that such ministry doesn't require a lot of resources or special programs. It only requires that God's people be committed to serving the communities in which God has placed them. It requires that we become missional churches, i.e. churches that are on mission with God reaching out to a world that does not know Him. When we do that we will begin to impact our world in ways we could never have imagined.
For the christian movement's first three centuries, the communicators of Christianity had to achieve four objectives: (1) Facing a population with no knowledge of the gospel, the christian movement had to inform people of the story of Jesus, the good news, its claims, and its offer. (2) Facing hostile populations and the persecution of the state, the Church had to "win friends and influence people" to a positive attitude toward the movement. (3) Facing an Empire with several entrenched religions, the Christians had to convince people of Christianity's truth, or at least its plausibility. (4) Since entry into the faith is by an act of the will, Christians had to invite people to adopt this faith and join the messianic community and follow Jesus as Lord...
The early Church was intentional about achieving each of these four objectives. They informed people by creatively communicating and interpreting their gospel in conversations, synagogue presentations, and open-air speaking. They influenced people's attitudes by their changed lives, their ministries of service, their love for one another, and by their love for nonchristians and even their enemies, even in martyrdom. They convinced people by reasoning from the Scriptures and by their common-sense apologetics. They invited responsive people to confess faith and be baptized unto the messianic community. (pp. 35-36)
We often get so caught up in programs and looking for the latest and greatest techniques that I believe we overlook a simple truth. If we are ministering in a time that closely resembles the first century then perhaps we need to simply minister as the early church did. We need to focus on the basics of informing, influencing, convincing, and inviting. We need to model changed lives if we truly want others to believe that a relationship with Jesus Christ changes lives. We need to love others and find ways to minister to them even when they are sometimes hostile to our efforts.
The good news about this for bivocational churches is that such ministry doesn't require a lot of resources or special programs. It only requires that God's people be committed to serving the communities in which God has placed them. It requires that we become missional churches, i.e. churches that are on mission with God reaching out to a world that does not know Him. When we do that we will begin to impact our world in ways we could never have imagined.
Sunday, September 2, 2007
Ministry passion
I visited a church yesterday that recently started a food ministry to its community. People can order food at a much reduced price and two weeks later pick up their food at the church. This ministry has only existed at the church for five months, and they are already serving approximately 150 families. It was rather quiet when I was there to watch people place their orders, but the organizer told me I should come back in two weeks when the food is delivered. That's when it gets exciting around there!
What a great ministry this church had started, and it really began as a passion of a few folks in the church who felt the church needed to be more involved in ministry in its community. This church is currently seeking a pastor, so this ministry is not pastor-driven. Lay people in the church saw a need and felt passionate about meeting that need. They found a company that makes this ministry possible, and they brought it to their church as an outreach opportunity to the community.
Great ministry occurs when people who have gifts and a passion meet a need. It does not usually happen when a denomination decides to create a new program that it thinks its churches need, nor does it often happen when a pastor comes back from a conference on the latest and greatest ministry techniques. It happens as needs are identified and met.
Isn't that what Jesus did? In the gospels we find Him moving about the countryside and meeting various needs of people He encountered. In the process He offered them not only a ministry to their physical needs, but he also introduced them to the Kingdom of God and offered them a personal relationship with Him. His church needs to do no less today.
I was impressed with the passion of the people I spoke with yesterday who were taking food orders. Each of us needs to have the same passion about the ministries God has given us, and when enough of God's people feel passionate about using their God-given gifts to serve one another we will see amazing things begin to happen in people's lives.
What gifts has God given you? What do you feel most passionate about? What needs exist in your community that you most want to see addressed? It is there you will find your greatest ministry.
What a great ministry this church had started, and it really began as a passion of a few folks in the church who felt the church needed to be more involved in ministry in its community. This church is currently seeking a pastor, so this ministry is not pastor-driven. Lay people in the church saw a need and felt passionate about meeting that need. They found a company that makes this ministry possible, and they brought it to their church as an outreach opportunity to the community.
Great ministry occurs when people who have gifts and a passion meet a need. It does not usually happen when a denomination decides to create a new program that it thinks its churches need, nor does it often happen when a pastor comes back from a conference on the latest and greatest ministry techniques. It happens as needs are identified and met.
Isn't that what Jesus did? In the gospels we find Him moving about the countryside and meeting various needs of people He encountered. In the process He offered them not only a ministry to their physical needs, but he also introduced them to the Kingdom of God and offered them a personal relationship with Him. His church needs to do no less today.
I was impressed with the passion of the people I spoke with yesterday who were taking food orders. Each of us needs to have the same passion about the ministries God has given us, and when enough of God's people feel passionate about using their God-given gifts to serve one another we will see amazing things begin to happen in people's lives.
What gifts has God given you? What do you feel most passionate about? What needs exist in your community that you most want to see addressed? It is there you will find your greatest ministry.
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
The funeral
We had Dad's funeral service yesterday. It was a difficult time for each of us, but we were surrounded by friends and family who brought us a great deal of comfort and support. My children kept reminding me to remember all the things I've told others who had lost loved ones. Today, everyone has returned to their homes so it's a little quiet. I have some time to reflect on Dad and his impact on my life and the lives of so many people. Over 700 people came to the viewing on Saturday evening which I think shows some of his impact on others.
I want to thank each of you for keeping us in your prayers these past few days. Without God's support I do not know how we would have survived the ups and downs of the previous week and a half. Once again, He has proven Himself to be faithful to His children, and we praise Him for that.
I want to thank each of you for keeping us in your prayers these past few days. Without God's support I do not know how we would have survived the ups and downs of the previous week and a half. Once again, He has proven Himself to be faithful to His children, and we praise Him for that.
Friday, August 24, 2007
Dad's passing
Early this morning around 2:00 am we made the decision to remove the machines that was keeping Dad alive. Thursday he went into multi-organ system failure and did not respond to any of the treatments the doctors attempted. As his condition worsened we determined that further attempts would also not be successful, so the decision was made to allow him to go home to be with his Lord.
It had been a difficult week. His hospital was about an hour's drive from my house, and we were there every day. The week was made more difficult as we could not see him making any progress following his surgery on Monday. It is never easy to make the decisions we had to make, but it would have been more difficult to allow him to continue to suffer.
We just left the funeral home where we made his final arrangements. Please keep our family in your prayers during the next few days. Thank you.
It had been a difficult week. His hospital was about an hour's drive from my house, and we were there every day. The week was made more difficult as we could not see him making any progress following his surgery on Monday. It is never easy to make the decisions we had to make, but it would have been more difficult to allow him to continue to suffer.
We just left the funeral home where we made his final arrangements. Please keep our family in your prayers during the next few days. Thank you.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Update on Dad
We expected Dad to have one artery by-passed and a heart valve repaired yesterday, but the doctors by-passed two arteries and repaired two valves. Due to his previous by-pass surgery 25 years ago he had a lot of scarring which created additional problems. There was more than a normal amount of bleeding which caused the surgery to take much longer than anticipated. He was resting comfortably when we left him yesterday evening.
At 4:15 this morning my sister called saying she had just received a phone call from the hospital saying Dad was having problems and was being taken back into surgery. By 6:00 I was back at the hospital, and an hour later the surgeon came to talk to us. Some medicine Dad had been taking caused his blood to not clot as it needed to, and a pool of blood had formed around his heart. This was all cleaned out, and this gave the surgeon an opportunity to look at the previous day's work as well. He assured us everything looked good. My sister had a talk with Dad's nurse this evening who told her his vital signs continues to improve. We are praying this continues.
Thank all of you for your prayers. I've had a number of e-mails from our readers telling me they had read the previous posting about his surgery and had been praying for him, and our family certainly appreciates every prayer.
At 4:15 this morning my sister called saying she had just received a phone call from the hospital saying Dad was having problems and was being taken back into surgery. By 6:00 I was back at the hospital, and an hour later the surgeon came to talk to us. Some medicine Dad had been taking caused his blood to not clot as it needed to, and a pool of blood had formed around his heart. This was all cleaned out, and this gave the surgeon an opportunity to look at the previous day's work as well. He assured us everything looked good. My sister had a talk with Dad's nurse this evening who told her his vital signs continues to improve. We are praying this continues.
Thank all of you for your prayers. I've had a number of e-mails from our readers telling me they had read the previous posting about his surgery and had been praying for him, and our family certainly appreciates every prayer.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)