The truth and a leader's integrity

The Clinton campaign is insisting that her medical problems this past weekend is due to her having pneumonia. The video clearly showed that she would have fallen to the ground if the Secret Service men had not held her up. The way she was dragging her feet in the video indicated she may have even been unconscious when they put her in the car although she was able to communicate that she did not want to go to the hospital but to her daughter's home instead.

There has been a lot of speculation in recent weeks about her health. Some have suggested she might be dealing with Parkinson's Disease while others have speculated she may have other undisclosed medical problems. I've mostly ignored the speculations  simply because it's an election campaign and candidates on both sides long ago stopped discussing real issues and just look for ways to attack the other person. Still, this recent video does give one cause for concern.

Of course, social media was buzzing with speculation about the cause of Clinton's medical condition after this latest video went viral. Very troubling was the number of persons whose posts seemed to relish the possibility that Clinton has a serious medical condition, and this includes some Christians who posted about this event. I don't care how much one may dislike an individual, to wish poor health on them is far from Christlike.

Eventually, her campaign announced that she is being treated for pneumonia. Of course, her campaign was criticized for withholding this information from the public until they were forced to admit it. Some also question whether this is true or if she does have more serious medical issues.

The problem is that a majority of people do not trust her honesty. She lied about Benghazi. She lied about her emails. She lied about landing under fire overseas as Secretary of State when videos clearly showed her arrival was normal. She is the person who has cried wolf so many times that she cannot be trusted to tell the truth. Maybe her condition is no more serious than pneumonia, which is serious enough but treatable. But, how can anyone be sure?

This isn't a rant against Hillary Clinton. It is a demonstration about the negative impact being untruthful has on one's ability to lead. No leader can effectively lead a church, a business, or a nation if that person cannot be trusted to be truthful. Sometimes the truth hurts, but avoiding the truth eventually proves to be even more harmful to a leader.

As a judicatory leader I encountered a few situations where the church lost their ability to believe their pastor. He had been caught in too many lies and half-truths for the people to trust him. It was impossible for him to lead that church because he had no integrity with the people there.

Tell the truth. Do what you say you will do when you say you will do it. Be a person of integrity so that when you say something the people believe it. Only then will you be able to effectively lead your church.

5 questions the church must answer

Yesterday marked my first Sunday as the Transitional Pastor of Madison FBC. As a church seeks new pastoral leadership it is important that it spends time reflecting on its history and even more on its future. In my message I challenged the church to begin asking five questions to prepare them as they move forward. These questions need to be asked periodically by every congregation as it seeks to minister.

1. Why are we here? This goes to purpose and mission. Many churches struggle with their purpose for being. They don't understand the mission they've been given. Actually, the mission for every church is the same: The Great Commission and the Great Commandment. Churches that do not understand that fulfilling this mission will find themselves struggling to enjoy a productive ministry.
2. How will we accomplish our purpose? This goes to vision. While the mission of every church is the same, the vision will be different for every church. Churches are made up of different people with various gifts and ministry interests, plus each church serves in different areas that have different needs. The challenge for each church is to understand God's vision for their ministry.
3. What will hinder us from achieving our purpose? This goes to leadership. As John Maxwell reminds us, "Everything rises and falls on leadership." No organization, including a church, will rise any higher than its leadership. This includes both pastoral and lay leadership. Churches need strong leadership, and we need to develop leadership pipelines that are developing future leaders so when time comes they will be ready to provide the leadership the church needs.
4. Who are we here for? When a church answers that question it is ready to begin preparing its budget for the upcoming year and to develop its programming. The church should be the one organization that exists for its non-members. While we do need to minister to one another and enjoy times of fellowship, we always need to remember that our primary focus must be on those who do not yet have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
5. Is what we are doing here today worth the life of the Son of God? This may be the most powerful question we must answer. When I think of some of the things churches have focused on, fought over, and divided because of, I have to ask this question. Did Jesus really leave the glory of heaven to die on a cross just so churches could do some of the things they do?

These are not easy questions to answer, and no congregation that seeks to answer them should expect every answer to be pleasant. However, answering these questions will prepare us for the future ministry God wants to do in and through us.

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.

Starting a new ministry

Last night something happened that I had not planned when I retired last December. Madison FBC voted to call me as their interim pastor. I had really not given much thought to doing interim work when I retired. Although I had interviewed with another church that asked me to serve as their interim pastor, I had decided to not accept their offer. I was preaching just about every week somewhere, leading my workshops and conferences, and growing my auction business. I thought that was enough for a retired person!

Several times in the past few weeks Madison FBC had asked me to fill their pulpit. This is a church I've known for over 30 years and was happy to do so. A couple of weeks ago their pastor search team asked me to consider becoming their interim pastor. After some prayer I decided to accept, and last night a congregational vote made it a reality.

Madison FBC is a great church that has served this area for over 200 years. The church has an Associate Pastor who also leads a dynamic youth program and a Children's Director who leads a great children's ministry. A number of lay leaders are also involved in leading various ministries. The church has a traditional service at 8:45 and a contemporary service at 11:00. Both services are very well done. During my time as a Resource Minister in our region I worked with the church on two occasions when they were seeking pastor leadership. Now, I get to be part of its transition in a new way.

I find this call to be both exciting and humbling. It's exciting because it's an opportunity to lead a church through a transition period as they prepare for and seek a new pastor. It's humbling because of the rich history of ministry that this church has known over the years and the excellent ministerial leadership it has known.

As I tell pastors in some of my workshops, do not limit what God might want to do in your life. I've been surprised at the ministry doors God has opened throughout my ministry. This one is no different. What we need to do is to be open to God's leading and be willing to walk through the doors He opens.

Please keep me and the church in your prayers.

The pastor and evangelism

For years we have relied on information about evangelism from old sources that are no longer valid. For instance, Gary McIntosh, in his book Growing God's Church: How People Are Actually Coming to Faith Today, points out that "in the 1980s it was reported that 85 to 90 percent of people were coming to Christ through family and friends. This statistic is still widely quoted, but my research reveals it is no longer factual. Family and friends now account for just 59 percent of faith conversions...Another example reveals that thirty years ago pastors were responsible for just 6 percent of faith decisions, but my new research reveals that pastors and other staff members are now responsible for 17 percent of all commitments to Christ." While that is still lower than family and others, it indicates that the role of the pastor is much more influential in a person's decision to become a Christian.

When McIntosh asked new converts to Christianity to name the factors of the pastor's ministry that led them to the church they now attend they identified five.

1. Preaching that teaches and applies to life
2. Authenticity of the pastor
3. Personal contact by the pastor
4. Pastor's sense of humor
5. Pastor's leadership skills.

He also noted that in smaller churches it is often the pastor who actually leads the persons to faith in Jesus Christ. While members and others may bring the person to church, it is often the pastor who actually leads the individual to faith.

If a pastor is serious about evangelism, what are the ways he or she can increase his or her effectiveness? Again, McIntosh shares several ideas.

1. Maintain your passion for evangelism. If the pastor is not passionate about evangelism the church will also not have that passion.
2. Build relationships with unbelievers and spend time with them.
3. Pray every day for the salvation of people in your family and others with whom you have a relationship.
4. Create casual forums for spiritual conversations.
5. Preach regularly on salvation and the need people have for a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
6. Begin a class that will train 10 percent of your people each year in evangelism.
7. Continually work to improve your preaching and public speaking.

Doing each of these things will help create an evangelistic climate in the church. As more and more people begin to share your passion for evangelism, you will see more people making decisions for Christ.

Rope-a-Dope

In a match in 1974 known as the Rumble in the Jungle George Foreman was considered a heavy favorite to defeat Muhammad Ali due to his superior punching ability. However, Ali decided to use a strategy that would be known as rope-a-dope. Early in the fight he angered Foreman causing him to drive Ali to the ropes where he threw punch after punch. Ali laid back on the ropes, allowing them to absorb much of the punishment, and let Foreman wear himself out throwing punches. Finally, when Foreman was noticeably tired, Ali came off the ropes and quickly ended the fight by knocking him out.

This fighting strategy came to mind last week as I began to wonder why Clinton was spending little time on the campaign trail. I wondered if the rumors about her health might be true. Or, perhaps she was just avoiding questions about her e-mails or foundation. Maybe she felt she had such a comfortable lead that she didn't need to campaign and just preferred spending time with major contributors. After Trump's trip to Mexico which seemed to make him appear more presidential which was followed by his continued statements about immigration and the wall which he insists Mexico will pay for I decided that maybe Clinton is just employing the old rope-a-dope strategy. Let the opponent defeat himself.

The strategy is well named. The only way it works is if the person it's being used against isn't smart enough to recognize what is happening. Other boxers tried to use it against their opponents only to find that they refused to take the bait. The opponent just waited in the middle of the ring and challenged the boxer to meet them there. Rather than challenging Clinton's policies, her wisdom, and her fitness for office he seems unwilling to do that. He just keeps swinging wildly making statements that continues to drive up his negative ratings while Clinton sits on the sidelines watching him self-destruct. It is a strategy that is serving her well.

Sometimes, this isn't a bad strategy for those of us in ministry leadership. We will certainly have persons who oppose us and what we are trying to do. Some of them will make outrageous claims about us. Our initial reaction is often to respond in kind in an effort to defend ourselves. At least, that's my first reaction. However, there are times when the best strategy might be to ignore their attacks and continue doing what God has called us to do.

Give some people enough rope and they will eventually hang themselves. When people hear the complaints of your accusers and yet see you living and ministering with integrity and humility, they will see through the complaints. On the other hand, if they see you and your accuser each throwing mud at one another they may decide there might be some truth in what is being said about you.

I'm not saying there is never a time to defend yourself, but choose carefully the battles you engage in. As I told a group of ministers recently, you don't need to die on every hill. Lean back in the arms of Christ and let him absorb the blows you are receiving.

The next generation of ministers

For fourteen years as a Resource Minister in our denomination I worked with dozens of pastor search committees. It was often an exciting and frustrating time for the committee and me. One of the most frustrating aspects was the small number of pastors available for the churches to interview. By a few number I'm writing more about the quality than the quantity. Sometimes I could get 40-50 resumes, but often there would be no more than 3-4 who actually fit the church and its needs.

Smaller churches faced the biggest challenge due to the growing number of people who will not even consider interviewing with smaller churches. Many of these churches are bivocational, and the majority of pastors are still seeking fully-funded positions. Many of these pastors will soon realize the number of these fully-funded pastorates are rapidly declining as many churches are becoming bivocational.

Even larger churches often face challenges when seeking new pastoral leadership. Due to a lack of education, a lack of pastoral experience, or a host of other issues, churches often find it difficult to find a candidate that will be a good match for their current needs.

I thought that this problem might be isolated to the denomination in which I serve, but as I talk with leaders in other denominations I find they struggle to find good matches for their churches. Is there a solution? There is, but it's not a quick one.

Growing up I heard my pastors give an invitation every Sunday at the close of the service. The primary purpose of the invitation was for those who wanted to ask Jesus Christ into their lives as Lord and Savior to come forward. However, almost every invitation in those days also included a call to persons who might sense a call to "full-time Christian service." That was the term I remember hearing most often. Many churches do not give an invitation any more, but among those who do, very few invite persons who sense a call to ministry to respond.

I find this odd because nearly every minister I talk to tells me they are in ministry today because someone asked them to consider that God might be calling them to such service. Many of those conversations may have been private, but there are still many of us who were first challenged by the invitation our pastor gave at the close of each worship service.

Those of us in ministry today need to help others hear God's call on their lives. We cannot call anyone into the ministry. That is God's job, but we can challenge persons to consider that they may have such a call on their lives. If we are to have ministers in the future we need to be prayerfully challenging persons today to consider that call on their lives.