What Opinion Matters

There are three categories of people whose opinion makes a difference in our lives. Each group takes a part in making a person who he/she is. Whether we know it or not, or whether we like it or not, the opinion of another person does contribute to who we are and how we feel about ourselves. The trick is to not let any of these inputs get out of balance.

• A person's opinion of herself is important. Every human needs to have a realistic view of who she is. That means that we must all know what our strengths and weaknesses are. It was Socrates who said, "The unexamined life is not worth living." I could not agree more. We must know who we are, what we are good at, and what we cannot do. When we have a good grasp of who we really are, when we have an honest opinion of our abilities and limitations, then we can be a more complete person.
• The opinions of other people is important. Whether we like to admit it or not, every person cares what others think about him. It is not always healthy, but it is definitely unhealthy to not care at all about the opinions of others. Take into account the person whose opinion you are considering. Does he have a good track record? Do you generally value his opinion on other matters? Is it his desire to build up or tear down?
• God's opinion matters to a person. Unfortunately, God's opinion is often not taken into account in a person's self-analysis. We buy into pop-philosophies like "I'm OK, you're OK," and think that's all there is to it. Shame on us. We should consider what God wants for us and from us first.

There is at least one thing to remember though: You must have a balance between all of the inputs. It will leave a person insecure and flaky if he is only concerned about what someone else thinks. Likewise, you will find yourself egotistical and lonely if you think too much of yourself. Begin by listening to God, then mix in the other factors and you will be set. You will be on your way to becoming a well-balanced person.

My Purpose

I think that critical self-reflection is important. It was Socrates who told us, "The unexamined life is not worth living." You and I have a serious need to think about what we say, do, believe and think. We should hold ourselves accountable for our plans and decisions. Unfortunately, too many people do not have plans. Life moves somewhat aimlessly from day to day, event to event, crisis to crisis for them.

My 2010 Lenten journey has been especially filled with this sort of introspection. I want to be the best person that I possibly can be. It is important for me to have a focus and an end in mind to my life. I want to know where I am going, and how I am going to get there.

Several years ago I evaluated my purpose in life. (This evaluation corresponded roughly to my fortieth birthday and a "mid-life crisis.") I studied, thought, meditated and prayed about what I should be doing with my life. I believed at my fortieth birthday that I was roughly half way through my life. I was trying to discover what to do with the last 40 years of my life.

I believe that God has a purpose for every person, and therefore, I felt a need to discover God's purpose for the rest of my life. I discovered three things. Here they are in no particular order.

1. I am supposed to raise up leaders for the church, especially among young people. To that end, I have focused more of my time and energy on students- children, teens and young adults.
2. I am supposed to teach the Bible and foster a love for it among God's people.
3. I am supposed to renew worship in the United Methodist Church. This does not mean that I have to get people to change their preferred musical style, but that they would get a new understanding of what worship means.

That's it. I'm down to about 33-34 years. I'm going to make the most of them, though. With God's help.

Problems I Have with the Church

People who know me will not be surprised that the church is a problem for me. I love the church with all my heart. After all, the church is the Bride of Christ, God's instrument to bring about the salvation of the world. I love being in church. I love worship. I love church people, church traditions and church language. But I have some problems with the church.

What follows are some reflections about what the church is and what it should be. Take them as you will. Add to them or argue with them. But do it in the spirit of Christian love.

• The church needs to find new ways to expand its outreach. The old methods do not work to reach new people.
• Expansion needs to be about reaching out to people, not asking people to come to us. There is too much competition for us to assume that people are going to continue to come to us. We need to learn to go to them.
• The church needs to be about building people, not buildings, programs or celebrities. Our focus must be on others, not ourselves.
• We need to move the church away from an emphasis on programs and attendance increases to building relationships.
• The church needs to use its buildings and resources more effectively and efficiently. For many days each week our huge buildings, offices, classrooms and recreation areas are empty. This ought to be a sin.
• The church ought to be about reconciling people to God and one another, rather than continuing to alienate the culture around us. For many people Christians are evil. This must change.

I know there are more things to work on. What would you add to the list?

In the Loop and On the Web

Generally speaking, this blog is a collection of my thoughts. There are some general themes, but for the most part what you read here is what is going on in my head, good or bad. Today is no exception to that rule. I am thinking about relationships and networking. I am focusing on being in the loop and extending on the web.

The reason that I am so concerned with this is two-fold. On the one hand, networking seems to be an important way to get things done. I try to remember who I have met, and what they do. I hope to respond to people who call on me for help or assistance. I feel as though a big part of my life is helping others explore issues of faith. I want to be available for anyone who wants to move farther on that journey, or who wants to help others move along that path.

On the other hand, there seems to be a very real danger. How am I to be sure that I am not using and abusing the relationships, the friendships, that I have developed? When do a cross the line between caring about another person to using them for their gifts? Or, more personally, how do I know when someone is using me to further their agenda?

I do not want to ever lose sight of these questions or diminish their significance. I want to build a network that seeks to do the work of the Kingdom of God, but I do not want to take advantage of anyone. I want to help others, and be helped by them, but I want to avoid ever taking anyone for granted, or being taken for granted.

To those ends, from here on, my priorities in relationships are:

• To care for each person for who they are, not for what they can do.
• To listen and care about needs, and to not be concerned about the time they are taking.
• To connect people to one another for God's purposes, not my own.
• To love all people, regardless of their abilities, connections or position.
• To always remember that God is first, others are second. Me and my needs are always last.

Five Practices?

I recently read a book that had some interesting information in it. In all fairness, I did not choose to read this book. It was an assignment by my denominational superiors. Five Practices of Fruitful Congregations by Robert Schnase is a little book that outlines some "best practices" that many successful congregations have in common.

I will not even broach the subject of what makes a successful congregation. That is an argument that is beyond my energy or commitment to win. Suffice it to say that there are several definitions of success in congregations. Sometimes Schnase seems to equate "fruitfulness" with numerical growth. At other times success seems to equal meaningful outreach or peaceful congregations or growing budgets.

The biggest flaw in the book is that the title implies some help in determining and implementing the practices that will make a church fruitful. We never get that. We are given the five practices and some examples of how they work and change churches. But there is never a hint of how to affect the change necessary to carry out the practices.

• Radical Hospitality. The first practice is not mis-named, but it is definitely out of place. For Schnase hospitality happens when a person comes to visit your church. This is a problem because people do not just show up in church any more. If we are to be truly fruitful, we need to go beyond hospitality to reaching out.
• Passionate Worship. Schnase focuses on planning, preparation and balance in worship. I could not agree more. The old hymn admonishes us to "give of your best to the master." In worship we should certainly offer God the first fruits, the very best effort that we can muster.
• Intentional Faith Development. I could not agree with this point more. Well-meaning Christians are more likely to let their their faith slide than to be serious about growing in relationship to Christ. This needs to be addressed by individuals and congregations.
• Risk-taking Mission and Service. There is nothing, I believe, that causes faith to grow more and more quickly than mission. Doing what God calls you to do is great faith development and it is obedience to God's command.
• Extravagant Generosity. I felt that Schnase gave a disproportionate amount of attention to the matter of giving. If the church is faithful in all the other practices, generosity is sure to follow. One other weakness here is that generosity is limited to financial stewardship.

Schnase has written a book that does identify some common practices in successful churches, but this is all information that we have heard and read elsewhere.

Being a Difference Maker

One of the biggest frustrations I have in life is trying to make a difference. There are so many things that are wrong in the world that I am tempted to throw up my hands and surrender at the impossibility of it all. I am just one person, after all, what can I do? There are so many needs, so many causes, so many hurts, so many opportunities that I get overwhelmed.

I am not the first to come to this place of confusion and futility. It is likely that you have had these same thoughts and concerns. You want to change the world, but it is hopeless. The problems are overwhelming. There are thousands (millions?) of people smarter than us, richer than us and with more influence than us who cannot solve these problems. Who do we think that we are?

Unfortunately, many people get to this point in the process and give up. There is no point in continuing when you cannot find and enact solutions. So we decide to do nothing. We sit on our hands and complain about how bad things are and that no one is doing anything about it. Shame on us.

In earlier posts I have encouraged doing "something." The idea is that no one can do everything, but everyone can do one thing. So I want to suggest that everyone do one thing. Find a place where you can make a difference, and then make it.

• Become a mentor for a younger person.
• Volunteer for Big Brothers/Big Sisters.
• Teach a Sunday School class.
• Help out with story time at your local library.
• Get to know some young people in your community.
• Volunteer to be a part of your local community association.
• Sponsor a child in a third world country.
• Read to an elderly neighbor.
• Visit your local nursing home.
• Offer to help your local youth sports leagues.
• Give time to a charity that you would like to support.
• Offer to clean or do office work in a free medical clinic.

Here is how I am currently trying to make a difference:

Fred

Fred is pastor of the Mutungo United Methodist Church in Kampala, Uganda. His church meets on a rented lot with some poles on it. The wooden poles hold up part of a roof over their dirt-floor sanctuary. The few members of the church cannot afford the rent on this "shed." The $40 monthly is more than they can raise. The ladies of the church make beads that they sell to raise some of the necessary funds, but that is not enough.

I cannot do much, but I can make a difference for Fred and his church. I have brought some of the ladies' beads to the USA and I am selling them for Mutungo. In addition, my congregation has committed to support the rent for this church for two years. It is not a lot of money. In fact, we will likely not even miss it. But it will make a huge difference for Fred and his little church.

Joseph

Joseph is young man who was born in Rwanda. During the genocide of the 1990's Joseph watched as soldiers cut off his father's arms and legs and then killed him. Later his mother died of HIV/AIDS leaving Joseph to care for his HIV positive twin sisters. Joseph is now going to college. He survives on money he earns from selling second hand blue jeans.

I cannot solve all of Joseph's problems, but I can help him. I regularly encourage him via email. Occasionally I am able to help him with his college and living expenses (one year of college in Rwanda costs about $1000).

You see, you can make a difference too. Just find a place and do it.

Three Questions + 1

Several years ago I read an interesting book by Robert Schuller. This was definitely a stretch for me at the time. I had a firm belief that Schuller, and people like him, were guilty of "watering down" the gospel to make it palatable for the masses. I believed that Schuller resisted preaching the hard parts of the gospel because it would hurt his crowd and his offerings.

But, I also knew that he had built a very large, innovative and creative church. I wanted to know how he did it. So I read my first Robert Schuller book, Your Church Has a Fantastic Future. I was not disappointed. I got information on what Schuller did, how he did it, and most importantly, why he did it. The books contains a lot of the groundwork for his ministry philosophy. It turns out that Robert Schuller is a pretty orthodox Christian after all.

The most important thing in the book- for me anyway- is the questions that Schuller asks before embarking on any ministry programming. There are three questions that Schuller uses to evaluate any idea, ministry, mission or program. Since reading this book, I have added another question to the list. (I am sure that I heard it somewhere else, but I am not sure where.)

1. Will this ministry be a great thing for God? Do not even begin anything that will not have a great impact on someone, somehow.
2. Is there a need for this ministry? There is no use in spinning your wheels trying to do something that no one wants or needs.
3. Is anyone else doing this ministry? If they are, support them. If not, get moving on it.
4. Will this ministry help people? There are lots of programs that are popular events, but do not make a difference. Do not waste your time with unnecessary, ineffectual window dressing.

Life Verse

Philip is my hero. There are lots of reasons for this, but the primary one is what is said about him in Acts 21.9. Since finding this seemingly unimportant verse a few years ago, my life has changed and my focus has improved dramatically. Here is why.

"Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied." Acts 21.9

That now sums up my purpose, my life. It is partly because my only child is a daughter and because Philip had a heart for evangelism, but mostly I love this verse because Philip was a father. I, like Philip, am called to be a father, not only to my own child, but to spiritual children as well.

• I am called to reproduce children who are holy. Philip's daughters were virgins. This is true in the physical, moral sense of the word, but I believe it means that they were young women of integrity. My calling is to reproduce myself in this way as well.
• I am called to reproduce children who are spiritual leaders. Philip's daughters were ministers who shared the message of God with others through prophecy. I am called to build ministers as well.

There you have it. That is what I do (at least, what I should do). Keep me on track.

Ministry Values

There are certain values that I hold in ministry. These are things that I intend to accomplish, but more importantly, these are the beliefs that under gird what I do and why I do it. And although this is a somewhat fluid list- things are added, items are changed, rankings vary- it serves as the foundation for my life and ministry.

I do not believe that this list is somehow inspired or necessary for all Christians, or Christian leaders. I think that God works in each believer to manifest himself in their lives in personal, unique and specific ways. So, this should not be a standard that anyone uses to measure their own life purposes or values, but rather, an encouragement to evaluate and develop their own.

• Leadership Development- This is becoming more and more true in my life. Every thing I do and think is about recruiting, training and sending leaders.
• Fellowship Evangelism- I believe that all Christians are called to do the work of evangelism. I further believe that the most effective way to do it in our current culture is through fun. Spending time with people, sharing your life with them and caring about them is the best way to make disciples.
• Authentic Relationships- This is very much related to leadership development and fellowship evangelism. Relationships with all people must be real. It is not enough to know people for the sake of evangelism or leadership. You must know individuals and care about them individually.
• Radical Creativity- Just because something has always worked does not mean that we should continue doing it. If a thing isn't broken it may not need to be fixed, but we might be able to make it work better. It is always open season for new ideas and new ways of doing things.

With Apologies to Dr Coleman

I believe that it was in the 1960's that Robert Coleman wrote his classic book, The Master Plan of Evangelism. That work, foundational as it is for evangelism, discipleship and leadership training, has varied in its influence on my life and ministry. Right now, I cannot think of doing ministry any other way. It is the most practical and effective model for ministry development.


It is based in the ministry pattern and strategies of no less than Jesus himself. I have tried to adopt this way of developing leaders into my own work, in and outside the church. The mission trips that I have led have been built on these principles.

• Potential leaders need to experience the ministry to which they are being called. They should know the ministry from the inside. It is best if a ministry leader is first a ministry recipient.
• From those who are involved in the ministry, leaders are recruited. Potential leaders should be men and women (and young people) who exhibit the fruit of the ministry and passion for it.
• Leaders must be trained for ministry. Basic discipleship, leadership principles and fellowship basics need to be foundational to this sort of training.
• This step is the most crucial. New leaders must be given the opportunity to lead while still under your supervision. They need to be given tasks to complete, studies to lead, program to oversee, etc. All of this should be completed while above the safety net of your supervision.
• Finally, these new leaders need to be given assignments for ministry and deployed to do the work. The most frustrating thing is to be excited about a project, prepared and trained to complete, and then to be left with no responsibilities. Put your people to work.

Raising Up Leaders

Here are some traits to instill in your children, and others that you lead. For leaders to be effective, they need to possess the following traits:

• Intelligence- This does not mean that they necessarily have to excel on aptitude or intelligence tests, but rather that they are proficient and equipped in their particular area to do the work, planning and thinking that are required.
• Quick thinking- The ability to decisively think on one's feet is more important than ever, and getting more important every year.
• Global thinking- Leaders of the future (and today's leaders) must be able to see and think beyond their own personal context. The whole world needs to be considered. Always be looking for the big picture.
• Good communications- Expressing your views in effective ways and by appropriate means is more important than ever, but being able to hear and understand the views of others is also very important.
• Articulate- The ability to express your thoughts is crucial.
• Sense of humor- Humor will be able to diffuse tense situations and make communicating easier in many settings.
• Flexible- There may be more than one way to accomplish a task. Not only that, you may learn that the task should not be accomplished. Flexibility, along with a willingness to be corrected, is a necessity for today's leader.
• Integrity- Although it may not be very popular, the morals of a leader are very important. Always be committed to doing the right thing. Always.
• Empathy- Good and effective leaders will be filled with concern and emotion for those that they lead.
• Self-awareness- Be sure that you know your strengths, weaknesses and beliefs. A good leader will know what s/he is capable of, and what s/he should not even think about.

Here are some beginning points to help you develop these traits in yourself and in others.

• Encourage them to develop their knowledge in their areas of interest.
• Reward curiosity.
• Encourage adventure and create opportunities for many different experiences.
• Support and encourage critical thinking.
• Expose them to various opinions and ways of thinking.
• Encourage and support risk-taking.
• Remind them of their uniqueness and what makes them unique.
• Encourage productive and substantive debate.
• Build courage and self-esteem.
• Model integrity and character.
• Allow them to be tolerant of diversity.
• Create and expose them to good role models.

This information is adapted from the article, Raising Up Leaders, by Charrise McCrorey in the October 2007 issue of Michiana Family Magazine.

Recruiting Leaders

Jesus told a story about a farmer who scattered a lot of seed in a lot places. He apparently had no expectation that all of his seed would take root and grow. It turns out that some of the seed landed in bad soil, some on rocky soil and some even ended up on a well-worn path. Certainly no seed could be expected to thrive in these settings. And in fact, it does not. However, some of the seed does have some success in each of these less than ideal soils.

The point that Jesus is trying to make is very simple. Spread your seed all over. Drop it wherever you can. The more seed you scatter, the more that will take root. And the more seed that takes root, the more that will flourish and ultimately bear fruit.

This philosophy is also true in recruiting leaders. Recruit leaders from everywhere. There is nowhere (NOWHERE) that you should not be recruiting, or at least thinking about recruiting. I am always on the lookout for someone who can assist me in my work. I am constantly encouraging people to get training, to spend time in study, to try new things so I can see their leadership potential.

Jesus also said that we should be praying for more workers. As far as I am concerned, this is a clear admonition to leader recruitment. There is enough work to do for everyone. In fact, there is too much work. We need help!

So, that quiet teen-ager is a potential leader. The single mother with no job is a potential leader. The elderly man in poor health, he is a potential leader. (Remember that Moses was 80 years old when God called him.)

All of this means that every conversation I have is a job interview. Every place that I go is a job search. I am always looking for leaders. Once in a very great while, someone will come to me and volunteer. That is by far the exception to the rule. Almost always the most effective leaders have to be sought out and encouraged from the very beginning.

The leaders are there. The work will get done. Part of my job is to find and prepare the people who will do the work.

A Philosophy of Leadership Development

One of the things that is the most energizing to my life is working with, training and developing leaders. I love recruiting, encouraging and helping those who lead other people. Because leadership development is so fulfilling in my life I have begun to develop a strategy to continue to develop leaders. This philosophy is by no means set in stone, but it provides a framework from which I can work to build leaders.

• Leaders that you are training must have a stake in the organization. Potential leaders must be included in planning, decision making and policy proposals for the group. Give them the opportunity to contribute early on. The success of the program, and your leadership development, will depend upon sharing responsibility.
• Potential leaders must be given the opportunity to lead. Shielding leaders from the actual work of leading does no one any favors.
• You must be open and honest with your future leaders. Dishonesty and secrecy will hinder your relationship with any potential leaders.
• Your relationship with your leaders is more important than any content you might share with them. There is no substitute for time and attention with those who will become leaders.
• Leaders must be encouraged at every point, even when they fail. Never become so negative that your protege becomes discouraged or disheartened.
• Reinforce positive behaviors too much. Do not ever be afraid that you are over-doing the praising of your leaders. Praise is the one thing that most of us do not get enough of.
• Create a team atmosphere with all your projects. Always be looking for the next person that can take over leadership and include them as a teammate. Do not be 'in charge,' be cooperative.
• Listen to suggestions and ideas of team members. Give everyone an opportunity to share and contribute.

Living on Purpose

When I was in high school I dated a girl that was a couple of years older than me. This was not an issue until election time rolled around. She was over 18 and was planning to vote. I, on the other hand, wanted to vote in the worst way, but was too young. This was extremely frustrating to me because I was politically aware and engaged, and she was not. A further complication was that she was planning to vote for candidates that I did not support. Finally, I could take it no more. I asked her why she was supporting all the wrong candidates. She told me in no uncertain terms that she was voting that way because that is what her dad told her to do.

Many of us live our entire lives that way. We drift from one event to another, one day to the next. We never know what we are doing, or why we are doing. Since we have to vote, we might as well vote for someone else's preference. Too many people have bought into the philosophy that life happens. So what?

In one way, everything is so much simpler if we take life as it comes. If we don't consider the implications of our words, or the consequences of our actions we do not have to feel bad about what we have done or caused. Some individuals have never considered the possibility that there might be a reason to do a particular thing (or not to do it).

It was Socrates that said, "The unexamined life is not worth living." I have to agree with that, and all it's implications. I am committed to knowing all I can about my life and the world I live in. This means that I must not only make good choices, but I need to know why those choices are good. I need to know what I am doing, why I am doing it and what will happen because of it.

I must live my life on purpose. I will make plans and set goals. I will think about what comes next, and after that and after that. I will consider the motivations for my actions. I will quit living by chance. No more life by happenstance and coincidence. I am in charge of my own life and my own decisions. How about you?

Why I Do It

I was involved in Christian ministry for several years before I truly evaluated what I did, what I was trying to accomplish and why I did it. In many ways it was a waste of time. All that I accomplished before this self-evaluation was good, and my work was effective. But I had no focus. There was no understanding or purpose behind what I was doing.

This all changed the first time I really read Ephesians 4. Now I had read this Scripture dozens, maybe hundreds of times, but when I read God's plan for his work in it, my life and work were brought into clear focus.

"He gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ." (Ephesians 4.12-13 NKJV)

It is clear that God has a big picture mentality. You and I are part of his big picture. I get to be an evangelist and you get to be a pastor-teacher. Once we find our place in God's ministry-order we can begin to equip the saints. And then, once the saints- that is, Christian people- are equipped, they can begin doing the work of ministry. When the saints are doing ministry two things happen. First of all, new saints are added to the number. As we do our work for the glory of God, new men and women will come into the faith. Secondly, the edifying of the body of Christ serves to equip saints for ministry. That is, as we are equipped to do ministry, we realize that our ministry is to equip someone else.

All these thoughts were rambling around in my head when I came up with the three points that make up my philosophy of ministry. This is why I do it.

1. Do evangelism. This is a hard one because I do not believe that I have the gift of evangelism. Each Christian is given specific gifts by God. My gifts do not include being and evangelist. However, that does not negate my responsibility to do the work of evangelism. I am called to take the message of the gospel to as many people in as many places as possible.
2. Make disciples. Often Christians get the idea that the only work they are required to do is to make a convert. This is not the case. And I am sure that it is not so in my life. My job is not only to get an individual to make a declaration of faith in Christ. I am also responsible for helping disciple them. I am to encourage them to become more Christ-like.
3. Develop Leaders. I am supposed to help increase the level of leadership in the church and the world, and the increase the effectiveness of the leaders I know. I am charged with equipping the saints so that they can be effective in ministry. Helping them become better leaders makes everyone (including myself) more effective.

God People

Here is something I believe: All people are basically bad. That is, we are all victims of what theologians call original sin. We are born with an attitude, a desire, a proclivity to do wrong. Now, I know that no one sets out to do bad stuff. Our situation is that we are selfish. We spend all of our time and energy thinking of ourselves. "This is what I want." "Look out for Number One." "Watch your back." "What's in it for me?"

Our selfishness is realized early in our lives. It is instinctual. How many of us have bristled at a baby's cry? After all, a baby's cry is essentially a mark of selfishness. It says, "look at me," "feed me," "change my pants," "make me warm," "I want." As we get older we refine our presentation. We stay selfish, but we dress it up a little bit now and then.

If the truth were known, we are so selfish that we deny our own selfishness. We believe that we are basically good. Surely we are not bad people. We justify our self-centeredness by pointing condescendingly to someone who is more selfish than us. It is so easy to make ourselves feel better by making others look bad.

So there it is. Although I am bad, I think I am good. At least, I want others to think that I am good.

And that is where I see the greatest need of Christians in 21st century America. We must learn how to help those people who are 'good' to become people who follow God.

I believe that my call is to help good people become God people.

This means that, like the Apostle Paul and so many others throughout history, I need to become all things to all people. It means that I must sometimes go to places where I am not comfortable. I must spend time with people who are unlike me. I must do things that I am not interested in. But all of this is for the greater good of me (a selfish motivation and a sign of my 'badness'?), my community and the world.

I will help good people become God people.

My Three Things

A couple of years ago I read a book by Steve Sjogren that really had a profound impact on me. The book, The Perfectly Imperfect Church, proposed that most churches try to do to much. Every church wants to be a mega-church, or at least compete with one. We feel as though we have to provide all the same programs and activities as the large church, or we are doing something wrong. The problem is that no one can do everything. No church, especially a small, or medium sized one, can meet every need.

At this point, Sjogren suggests that every church focus on three things that it can do. There should be three ministries/programs that any given church should get involved with and pursue. Most churches do not have the resources or personnel to carry out much more than that. To that end, Sjogren says, every church should confine itself to only a few things.

The natural corollary to that is that no person can do everything. However, every individual is created by God to do something. God has gifted every human to do work in and for His Kingdom. To that end, each of us should be seeking our purpose, our calling. Many leaders would have you believe that all Christians have a generic, one-size-fits-all calling. I do not buy this. Jesus loves me and he has called me. I have specific gifts and interests that no one else has. My purpose, my calling is special to me.

So I had a mid-life crisis and prayed a lot. I thought that if my life was half over I should make sure that I was doing God's work for the second half. After months of study, pray and counsel, I think God showed me what I am supposed to be doing for the rest of my life. Here it is:

• For the rest of my life I will be teaching the Bible and encouraging people to love the Scriptures as I do.
• For the rest of my life I will be working toward the renewal of worship, particularly in my congregation(s) and denomination.
• For the rest of my life I will be raising up leaders for the church, particularly young people for the purpose of reaching young people.

Because of this focus, I will evaluate all that I do. To the best of my ability my activities will be able to fall under one of these purposes. I will endeavor to give my life to the purposes for which I have been called.

Mini-church vision

The church is in a rut because we believe that the world should come to us. We sit back and wait for the lost and hurting to come to our worship services and our programs. Then we get frustrated because we are offering all these great opportunities and no one is coming. There are too many options (distractions) for most people to even realize that they need Jesus, let alone church. That is why it is time to make some changes.

The church must do things differently to reach the world.

• First of all, the church must go to where people are. After all, this was a command of Jesus (Matthew 28.19). If people do not come to us, it does not remove our responsibility. We must reach people, wherever they are.
• We need to get over our traditions and rituals. For the last 30 years there have been arguments about appropriate music in church and worship settings. That dispute is nothing compared to what we need to be discussing. Where can we have worship? What makes spiritual growth? Do we need to sing? Do we need a sermon? How can we be more accountable?
• Our concerns with proper authority, responsibility and offices are probably hindering more than helping us when reaching new people. We need to consider calling, gifts and passion when assigning and accepting leadership rather than education, experience and political affiliation.

At least for my lifetime there will be a church, at least in the traditional understanding of church. However, the church will continue to decrease in attendance, in importance and relevance. The Kingdom of God will not decline. The Kingdom of God will march on. The question for us is will we be marching along.

Reasons People Do Not Pray

One of the greatest problems with Christians- at least in USA- is the lack of prayer and the subsequent spiritual anemia. There is no one that is against prayer. In fact, nearly every person I know, Christian and not, would say that they should pray more than we do. We understand that we should pray and we feel guilty that we do not. So why do Christians not pray?

1. We do not pray because we do not know how. No one ever taught us how to pray. They taught us that we should pray, and helped us to feel guilty when we did not. But for the most part, our churches, pastors, Sunday Schools and Bible studies have failed to teach us how to pray.
2. We do not pray because it is boring. Too often this response is a result of the MTV world. Prayer often requires silence, waiting, stillness, and we get too anxious for that kind of commitment.
3. We do not pray because it does not work. After a life time of prayer 'wish-lists' that have gone unfulfilled, you may have given up. If God didn't answer by now, why would he answer at all.
4. We do not pray because we think that God is too busy for us. Our needs are less significant than those of other people we know. Surely, we shouldn't bother God.
5. We do not pray because we think that we can solve our own problems. We have been taught to do it ourselves, after all. Prayer could be construed as a sign of weakness or dependence.
6. We do not pray because we do not understand it as communication in a relationship with God.
7. We do not pray because we are lazy. Prayer is hard. It takes time. It is sometimes frustrating and disappointing. It is easier if I just don't do it.
8. We do not pray because we do not want to be considered 'religious fanatics.' Other people will look down on me or think that I am weird if I spend too much time praying.
9. We do not pray because we do not have time. There is too much to do and prayer is so 'non-productive.' We can't afford to spend our time on it.
10. We do not pray because we do not know all of the proper religious language. You have to sound spiritual or godly to pray. I just don't have the vocabulary.

Obviously, every one of these reasons is ridiculous. Prayer is the lifeline for every Christian. Get off your seat and start doing what God has called you to do.

Local Church Vision Plan

As our churches consider what it means to have a mission statement, or a vision plan, let me propose these steps.

1. A 'dream team' of leaders from both congregations should be appointed. This team will deal with the rest of this plan and offer proposals to the church councils of both congregations.
2. The 'dream team' will be charged with guiding the congregations (and other interested persons) through an analysis of the local church(es), it's needs, strengths and the desires of it's constituents. The dream team will also assess the needs- social and spiritual- of the churches and the surrounding community. Vision planning will result from these assessments and analyses. Finally, the dream team will set goals that will move us to accomplishment of this new vision.
3. The dream team will set action steps for the church to follow. These will include concerns in the areas of facilities and resources, spiritual life (including discipleship, ministry and fellowship) and programming.
4. The Church Council of each congregation will then receive, discuss and approve the mission/ vision statement, goals and action steps.
5. The Church Council will then become responsible for the implementation of the vision plan.