This weekend's message was ridiculous. And in case you missed any of the ridiculousness, here's a recap...
Pastor told the story of David and Goliath. Everyone was afraid of the giant, and no one wanted to fight him. They stood in fear on the sidelines, in the safety of their tents.
David showed up and said “I'll do it.”
His brothers quickly try to stop him. “This is crazy, David. There's no way you can kill this giant.”
Saul even tried to dissuade him. “This is ridiculous! You can't do it.”
Here's the thing...God works within the realm of the ridiculous. Teenage David took down the giant Goliath with a slingshot. Now that's ridiculous!
The brothers had to have been on the sidelines choking on their words, thinking to themselves, “that could have been me!”
How awful it must feel to know you missed out on being used for something great. I think of the parable of the talents in Matthew 25. A man gives three stewards money to handle while he was away. He comes back and the first and second stewards had invested the money and earned their master more. However, the third steward handled things a little differently...
“I was afraid I might disappoint you, so I found a good hiding place and secured your money. Here it is safe and sound down to the last cent.' The master was furious. 'That's a terrible way to live! It's criminal to live cautiously like that! If you knew I was after the best, why did you do less than the least?” Matt. 25:25-26 (Message)
How often do we stand on the sidelines, in the safe zone, watching others slay giants and accomplish the ridiculous for God? David stepped out to face the giant KNOWING God was going to take over and make it happen. It's all about faith and a willingness to be ridiculous for God. We think our presence in church is sufficient to make God happy, but it is so much more. God's after the best, so why settle for less?
God can only use you if you are available. That may mean stepping out of your comfort zone. That may mean volunteering to help with children's ministry. It may even mean volunteering to help launch the Derry campus. But our attitude should be, “If God can use me, I'm all in.”
Whatever it may be, stop playing it safe and hold on tight. The ride is ridiculous!
Thursday, March 1
Wednesday, February 29
When People Leave: Thoughts for Pastors
A lot of pastors deal with feelings of hurt And betrayal. Yes, pastors have feelings too. Here are some things I shared with them:
1. People will leave your church. No one likes it, but it can be the best and healthiest thing that could happen to your church.
2. Never sell out on the vision. Because at the end of the day you will never be able to keep vision vandals happy anyway.
3. People who want an audience instead of guidance will leave your church when you speak into their issues. But at the end of the day, it's a pastors responsibility to share Biblical truth and make disciples.
4. Even God has had 1/3 of heaven bailout on him.
1. People will leave your church. No one likes it, but it can be the best and healthiest thing that could happen to your church.
2. Never sell out on the vision. Because at the end of the day you will never be able to keep vision vandals happy anyway.
3. People who want an audience instead of guidance will leave your church when you speak into their issues. But at the end of the day, it's a pastors responsibility to share Biblical truth and make disciples.
4. Even God has had 1/3 of heaven bailout on him.
5. Sometimes God just moves people. He can do that because they are His sheep. However, He always moves them for mission.
How to Keep People
The past few weeks many of my conversations with pastors have had a common theme...how to KEEP PEOPLE. Honestly, no pastor wants to lose people, but as pastors, we have to guard against trying to keep everyone, or doing church to please everyone. I shared a few thoughts...
1. Help your church fall IN LOVE with Jesus. When people fall in love with Jesus, they wont exist in the church just to be pampered, but to worship.
2. Help your church to follow the example of JESUS who didn't come to be served, but to serve, and to GIVE HIS LIFE for others. IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU!
3. Don't fall into the trap of trying to please SOMEONE in order to keep them, because you will tick off EVERYONE, and the church is suppose to be about THE ONE WHO IS THE WAY THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE.
4. Help the church move people from KINGDOM USERS to KINGDOM IMPACT PLAYERS. Kingdom users can walk away at any moment. They have either no investment or very little investment in the church. HOWEVER, remember sometimes God moves good people, this is the exception to the rule. KINGDOM IMPACT PLAYERS are vested in the body, they are a part of HEALTHY SMALL GROUPS, and involved on a MINISTRY TEAM.
5. DEAL WITH SIN. This is a big one. As pastors, when we see SPIRITUAL DRIFT, we must love people enough to speak to them EARLY IN THE DRIFT, as opposed to when things are too far gone. Some will respond amazingly well and will grow and stay.
GRANITE let's keep on keeping on for Jesus. LOVE GOD and LOVE PEOPLE! Let's keep the main thing the main thing! Come on somebody!
1. Help your church fall IN LOVE with Jesus. When people fall in love with Jesus, they wont exist in the church just to be pampered, but to worship.
2. Help your church to follow the example of JESUS who didn't come to be served, but to serve, and to GIVE HIS LIFE for others. IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU!
3. Don't fall into the trap of trying to please SOMEONE in order to keep them, because you will tick off EVERYONE, and the church is suppose to be about THE ONE WHO IS THE WAY THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE.
4. Help the church move people from KINGDOM USERS to KINGDOM IMPACT PLAYERS. Kingdom users can walk away at any moment. They have either no investment or very little investment in the church. HOWEVER, remember sometimes God moves good people, this is the exception to the rule. KINGDOM IMPACT PLAYERS are vested in the body, they are a part of HEALTHY SMALL GROUPS, and involved on a MINISTRY TEAM.
5. DEAL WITH SIN. This is a big one. As pastors, when we see SPIRITUAL DRIFT, we must love people enough to speak to them EARLY IN THE DRIFT, as opposed to when things are too far gone. Some will respond amazingly well and will grow and stay.
GRANITE let's keep on keeping on for Jesus. LOVE GOD and LOVE PEOPLE! Let's keep the main thing the main thing! Come on somebody!
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