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Showing posts from November, 2011

7 REASONS TO GIVE JESUS YOUR BEST

1.  The TRUTH - JESUS did for us what we couldn't do for ourselves so we could have what we don't       deserve! 2.  The INCARNATION - The WORD was made flesh! 3.  The CROSS - No one took His life, He gave it! 4.  The BLOOD - No BLOOD, No CLEANSING! 5.  The LOVE - We love JESUS, because JESUS first loved us, UNCONDITIONALLY! 6.  The PROMISE - Eternal life! 7.  THE WORD - Our LAMP, our LIGHT, JESUS never comes up short!

BUILDING LEADERSHIP TEAMS

The third question that I was asked to address at a recent pastors meeting was HOW IS IT THAT GRANITE HAS SO MANY HIGH LEVEL LEADERS, HOW DID WE GET THERE? So here are a few of the things I shared. 1. Developing leaders is both the hardest and most rewarding thing we can do as leaders. 2. Not developing leaders is to set Gods church up to fail. 3. Develeoping leaders requires an intentional plan. 4. Outside of prayer and study, NOTHING is more important the developing leaders. Without raising up and developing leaders the church is one generation from failure. 5. Recruiting leaders is seeing things in people that they sometimes don't see in themselves. 6. You want leaders who are initiaters, they do not need to be pulled along. 7. Schedule times to meet, pray, and read together, REGULARLY. 8. Show me your leaders and I will tell you what you believe God will do in your church Remember these are things that I shared with a group of church leaders, c

HOW TO SURVIVE MINISTRY...

One of the quesitons that came up at the PASTORS MEETING was how is it that I have survived ministry for 26 years?  I thought this was a great question because there are way to many people who start ministry and never finish.  I though about the question, and I also though about it in relationship to my personal life and marriage.  I came up with a ONE WORD ANSWER.  If the leaders that day were looking for some deep theological answer I am sure they were very dissapointed with my answer, but it was an hooest answer.  What was my ONE WORD ANSWER?  Its simple really, to SURVIVE MINISTRY, and to HAVE AN AMAZING MARRIAGE, you have to keep it... ready...no i mean are you really ready?  You have to keep it... F.U.N. Thats right, you have to have F.U.N.!  Study the life of Jesus, I mean really study it, and you will see Jesus was a man, a leader who was ENTHUSIASTICALLY ENJOYED life!  Really, with all the responsibilities He had on His shoulders, JESUS HAD FUN!  I know we usually dont th

IF IT WERE EASY...

I HAD THE HONOR OF SPEAKING TO OVER 50 CHURCH LEADER, PLANTERS AND TEAM MEMBERS IN MASSACHUSTTES.  THE NEXT FEW BLOGS WILL BE THINGS WE COVERED AS A RESULT OF THIER TOP FIVE QUESTIONS ASKED TO ME.  I PROMISED THESE GUYS I WOULD BLOG MY ANSWERS TO THEIR QUESTIONS. MINISTRY - If it was EASY everyone would be doing it. Did you know that in JOHN 6 there were a number of people who QUIT ON JESUS and HIS MISSION? There have always been those who rweach a certain level of committment then fing an excuse, a reason, to ABANDON, to QUIT the mission. If you read JOHN 6:61 you will discover the seed of DESERTING CHRIST is COMPLANING. The truth is the BIBLE doesnt sayanything else about these "disciples" their story, their opportunity seemed to have dissapeared. How sad! So let me encourage you with a few thoughts. 1. COMPLAINING IS ALWAYS THE FIRST STEP IN THE WRONG DIRECTION. 2. Jesus never said our calling would be easy, what He did promise was to never leave us or forsake us.

A PICTURE IS WORTH 1,000 WORDS!

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I love this picture, and I have been thinking about HOW LOVED we are by Jesus.  Doesn't the thought that JESUS DID FOR US WHAT WE COULDN'T DO FOR OURSELVES just flood you with all kinds of emotion?  He is THE GOOD SHEPHERD! This picture also reminds me of the responsibility and privilege we have been given by the Lord to care for HIS SHEEP on His behalf.  As leaders we have the AWESOME OPPORTUNITY to pour ourselves into our teams.  So here's what I want to ask you to do.  Over the next few days look at this picture, over and over, and think about how THE LORD'S EXAMPLE should influence your leadership and what does that look like practically. Take the time when you are ready to comment on the BLOG PAGE.