The next post

I just wanted to do a quick post and let you know that I will be posting very little during the next few months. I am in my last semester of school...at least for a while....and I have very little time to blog with all the meetings that God has been placing on my schedule lately. I am doing some life coaching and marriage coaching and between work, school and the coaching meetings, it doesn't leave much time for typing my thoughts for a few of you to read....I just counted on one hand the number of people who may read this blog, so no major life alterations should occur due to my brief absence. Anywho, I will be back in full swing in January of 2006.

Our first "Band of Brothers" sabbatical retreat is scheduled for February 24-26, 2006....if you would like more information on this, please go to www.connectionpoint.org and fill out the form and we will send you all the details.

God is really doing some great and exciting things with ConnectionPoint lately and we are very thankful for His leading in this adventure! Keep us in your prayers.

Until the next post................

The Courage to Die Well

Colossians 3:3.... “Your old life is dead. Your new life, which is your real life – even though invisible to spectators – is with Christ in God. He is your life. When Christ (your real life, remember) shows up again on this earth, you’ll show up, too – the real you, the glorious you. Meanwhile, be content with obscurity, like Christ.” –The Message

Grasping this concept of the Christian walk is vital to our growth as a Jesus follower; the life through death concept. The only way that we have true life is through the death of Jesus Christ and the only way to really live out this true life is through the death of our sinful nature. Jesus has already done His part by dying for us, now it is our turn to make the choice to die to our selfish nature. There really are two deaths that bring the one true life of a saint.

So often we miss this “second death” of our self as part of the equation because we hide it in the grace that God gives so freely for salvation. Understand here I am not talking about salvation alone. I am talking about being a disciple of Christ (A Jesus Follower). For salvation, there is only grace through faith in the “first death”....the death of Jesus on the cross. I am saved only by His act of death and victory over death with the resurrection. However, to be a disciple and live the true life that I speak of, it relies solely on my own decision to put my selfish nature to death and follow the will of the Father. This is why the root word of disciple is discipline.....because that’s what it takes on our part. Sadly, many of us today have very little self-control and discipline. We are spoiled and still asking for more for ourselves rather than sharing what we have with others in need.

One of my favorite lines in the movie “Braveheart” is when William Wallace is in prison facing the imminent death, he prays, “God give me the strength to die well.” I think that should be my prayer more than I should have a safe and happy life on earth. We get fooled so easily into thinking that this world is our home. We forget that we are temporary visitors here, and that our prayer is to be “thy kingdom come, on earth as it is in heaven”. When we live for His Kingdom, we have the courage we need to die well.

“For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?” -- Mark 8:35-36

Timing is Everything

"You see, at just the right time, when we are still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly." ---Romans 5:6


As I go along the journey with the Father, I am realizing that He likes to enter the situations at just the right time. Last month I was looking forward to our first minister's retreat for ConnectionPoint with 10 couples in ministry together for a weekend of rest and refreshing in relationships with God and each other. God seems to have other plans. However, I am not discouraged about this situation. I know that God has placed this desire on my heart to reach out to those who are in vocational ministry (part/full time, paid/volunteer). This has not changed. The only thing that has changed is the timing of the first sabbatical retreat. It will most likely be next year; I will keep everyone updated on this as dates are solidified. In the meantime, there is a distinct possibility that the first event will instead be a wilderness adventure for the guys in ministry. This is now being planned for February 2006....details will follow in future blogs.

I say all of this to let you know where I have been for the last few months. Melissa and I are growing on a spiritual level that we have never visited before. Our house church is getting some direction and heading into a "deeper" place than its ever been before. I am finding that God's timing for me may include my house church family as my means of support to be able to do this ministry to ministers called ConnectionPoint. I had always looked at doing one or the other, when I am now leaning toward that I can't do one without the other. God is still on the throne~! Nothing ever "shocks" Him off the throne either. He never worries! It is all in His timing. I actually think I am learning to live at peace with not knowing exactly what's next, but simply trusting God who is in control of all things!

Father, I pray that you will help my unbelief. Help me to continue to desire the growth in my relationship with you. I pray for our house church family, that we will be more deliberate in our mission to Love God and Love others! Help us to love the unloveable and to touch the untouchables. Father, I pray for ConnectionPoint, that it will be all that you want it to be....help me not to settle for only what I want it to be! I thank you for the "fellowships of the heart" that you have placed in my life....please bless my ministry friends and family.
William Wallace said in the movie Braveheart, "All men die....but, few men truly live." Lord, I want to truly Live for you! Help me have the courage to die well! (Galatians 2:20)
Thank you, Father....for loving me!
Amen.

New Update to the blog

We will be making some changes to the blog over the next month to make it more of a on-line newsletter/connectionpoint for those involved or interested in ConnectionPoint (a ministry to ministers). We plan many future events and activites that will from this point forward be posted on this blog....such as couples' retreats for those in ministry and thier spouses, seminars and one-on-one life coaching for ministers.

In Christ,
Keith

ConnectionPoint Retreat

Just wanted to do a quick post to let everyone know about our very first retreat for those in full/part time or volunteer vocational ministry. We have limited space, so if you want info, please email me at keith@connectionpoint.org and I will send info. The dates are September 22-25, 2005.
I hope everyone has a great day.....I will post more later!

Father's Day Thanks!!!

Melissa and I had a friend give us a fax machine to use for the ministry this weekend! God is AWESOME! Just when we need it, He always comes through. I know....you may think I am flipping out over a fax machine, but hey, it is pretty encouraging to me when God gives something that we have specifically asked for and proves to us that he is there and cares about our dream of making ConnectionPoint a reality.
ConnectionPoint is going to be a coaching ministry for those who are in vocational ministry. We will be planning our first retreat for pastors/youthpastors/staff/and any other minister who God leads our way sometime in September of this year. Keep checking for more info on details of this. Our goal is to be doing ConnectionPoint full time by January of 2006. So, please pray in that direction. God is faithful and He will make ConnectionPoint exactly what He wants and when He wants....and we are okay with that! His plan is better than our plan.
I will update with a post later.....but I just wanted to say Thanks to Daddy for taking care of me and Melissa this weekend! It was truly FATHER'S DAY!
Until next time......

The Master's Plan

As I look back over the last few months (2 to be exact) since I've posted, I can't really give a good explanation for not posting more often. I could make many excuses....but I am certain that you don't want to hear those!
God is teaching us many things lately; such as, how to trust Him more in the little things as well as the big things. Also, we are learning that there is always a test to pass before a promotion. And that the promotion can sometimes look and feel just like a de-motion. The one thing that must change is our outlook on the whole situation. We must stop looking at things in our life as only for our purpose......we are just a small part in the plan....the master plan (the Master's plan). The hard part seems to be staying on the master plan when things feel bad and don't go the way "we" planned. We must endure, preservers....press on toward the prize of the "high calling"! It makes sense when you look at it closely. Jesus had the highest calling and he was led to a cross to face death......because that was the plan!
So, why should we expect God to bless us beyond measure with the worldly comforts and successes that are the destination of our plans, if Jesus himself went to the cross. Are we better than him? the disciples? (almost all died for what they believed).
In Hebrews 11-12 we read that all those who had the faith in the master plan never saw it come to pass in their lifetimes.....but still they pressed on. That is FAITH!
So, my encouragement for you who have a dream that God has placed in your heart is simply press on! Never give up! Keep trusting the plan God has for you to get to that point in your life where you are focused and totally consumed with HIM.....then and only then can your "dreams come true"! He knows your dreams.....He gave them to you in the first place. All He is asking us is to give those very dreams back to Him and let Him make them what only HE can make them....PERFECT!
Until next time......I am Trusting in HIS PLAN!....and HIS TIMING!

Checking In

Just wanted to post a quick note to let everyone know that ConnecionPoint is on the verge of some big changes......the incorporation process is moving along and God has supplied some wonderful Lawyers who are willing to help us navigate the non-profit status waters. We are hope to have our first retreat sometime this year (2005)! Please keep this in your prayers and keep looking to the blog for updates.

Til next time,

Morning Coffee

This morning I am sippin' on a cup of java and pondering all the possibilities that God may bring into my life in the next year or so. To be honest, its a little scary! But it is a lot exciting! Anytime in my life I have been on the verge of discovering a new facet in my relationship with the Father, I get the feeling. You know "the feeling" don't you? Like the one you get just before your birthday when you are a kid. Knowing that better and brighter things are ahead, yet just a bit scared at the thought of being more "adult" and having to take responsibility for your own actions.
It is that very feeling that I have every time I am "growing up" a level in my walk. God is doing some incredible things right now as far as ConnectionPoint is concerned. I will be sharing more in the future about the "next step" in the journey. As for now, if you pray...pray for me.....that I will walk through my fears and follow the Father into the great unknown!
Well, I know this one was short, but my coffee's getting cold and I have to finish up some homework for my business strategy class on Thursday. Have a great day my friends, and remember just when you are the most scared......that's when God is about to work in your situation!

Quick note

Melissa and I are in Danville visiting her family. We are having a great time and are excited to see the little nephew growing so much. God is so evident in little children! It is just awesome. I just wanted to post a quick note and say, keep reading.....I will be posting soon. Life seems busy since getting a "real job".

We had a wonderful visit with some friends in Columbia, SC last weekend and we are working on the planning of a retreat for pastors and those in ministry. I don't know for sure what it will be, but it will not be your typical retreat. We want to offer Peace and rest for the weary minsiter and thier spouse. A romantic getaway for ministers if you will. A place to focus on filling up instead of giving...giving....giving of yourself for others. I will keep everyone posted on the progress of ConnectionPoint Retreat CPR.

Take care and we will catch you later!

I am still Alive!

I am still alive....even though I have not posted in over a month. 2004 was a great year for Melissa and I; a new home, a new job, a new church in our house, several new and fresh relationships with other believers. GOD IS SO GOOD!!
I just wanted to ramble a bit about what God seems to be teaching me lately and I don't have much time these days with family, community, work, school, coaching, and other things that I can't even think of right now. So here goes.............

It seems that the Lord is opening up my eyes to the fact of relationship; how relationship is the key to understanding His plan for me.....as a matter of fact, His plan for me is all about THE RELATIONSHIP with Him and how I live out that relationship with others that are placed in my path. In James, I read this morning that "...the prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective." (James 5:16) I do not consider myself to be all that righteous, yet God answers my prayers because of the righteousness of Christ in me.....therefore even while I am yet a "sinner"--because of life of Christ in me....I am righteous in Father's sight! Oh how He must love me. I think if we could ever grasp just how much God loves us, we would never get over it!
Most teaching that I have heard in church says that the more righteous I live, the closer my relationship with God. I disagree! In fact, it is just the opposite. The closer I am in relationship with God, the more righteous I live......yet I am completely unaware of my own righteousness because I am too overwhelmed with His righteousness.
You see it is all about focus......who is the focus on if I am living a wonderfully righteous life? Well the answer depends much more on your attitude than your actions. You can do the right thing the wrong way. I find that the more we try to hogg the glory that rightly belongs to God, the more off track we get. We still struggle with spiritual role reversal....we try to do God's job and try to make Him do our job....and it just doesn't work.
Well, if I can learn the lessons that God is trying to teach me during this year, I am sure that my blog postings will be better and more helpful to you...the two people who actually read this thing.
I have to go now! I hope it has been worth your time in reading this...please email me and let me know....by leaving a post or emailing directly to keith@connectionpoint.org.
Catch you next time!

Real relationship is virtually impossible in a large crowd, without breaking down into smaller, more simple assemblies.

Just as we cannot live the complete life that God wants alone, we also struggle with living that complete life in a large group. There are various reasons for this, however, the most glaring reason is that it is so easy to “fake it” in a large crowd. We can blend, hide and whatever else to avoid a real venerability and relationship in a crowd. In order to experience real intimate relationship and true biblical fellowship, we must become involved in each other’s lives. To do this we must get to know the other people deeply. This just doesn’t happen in a large crowd. Don’t misunderstand that to mean a large church cannot have true fellowship/relationship. However, it will not happen in the weekend “large” worship service gathering. It most likely happens in the small group/Sunday School or discipleship training classes, or in some other small group format. This should also not be misunderstood to mean that you cannot worship God in a large crowd. You most certainly can. As a matter of fact, you can’t experience corporate worship by yourself. And it seems the more people you have in a corporate worship, the more awesome it seems. Hey, even the church in Acts chapter 2 met in the “temple courts” as well. I don’t discount the coming together of large groups of the body of Christ. I am just saying that it takes very little commitment and discipline (root word of disciple) to be involved in a corporate worship. However, it takes an investment of your life into another life to be involved in deep, biblical fellowship with another brother or sister in Christ. You cannot make disciples by having them attend a huge group gathering once per week.
If a large church is truly growing spiritually, there will be some type of small group ministry or outlet where people can experience a “fellowship of the heart” as John Eldredge calls them in “Waking the Dead”. It gets back to the same reason that one pastor cannot possibly be the pastor/shepherd to more than a small group of people. Biblically, it is the local church leadership’s job to equip the saints for the work of the ministry, not simply administrate the programs and be the CEO of the local body. In order to equip the saints, the leadership must equip a small group that will eventually be leaders of other small groups, which will lead others...and they will in turn lead others....you get the point. That process called discipleship is how we accomplish the mission of the Church to “make disciples”. It is virtually impossible to do in a large group. So why to pastor’s lay in bed at night a pray for incredible crowds? Well, partly because they want as many people as possible to hear and receive the message of Christ. There are others, if they are honest, who would like to be the “big-dog” on the block in their particular Christian circle. Don’t get me wrong here; I am not being critical of God’s anointed. I am simply stating facts of pastors (and other humans) that I have met in every town or association that I have served as youth pastor for the last 10 or so years. I am not only talking about them, and how susceptible they are to P-R-I-D-E; I am also talking about me (and you) and any human. History teaches us that it is pride that can remove kings and presidents...and pastors. Anyone who is up in front of a large group of people (even small groups at times) can become addicted to the appreciation and applause of mankind. The larger the crowd, the greater the temptation. That is why I would like to keep our crowd small enough to fit into my living room.
In most churches, the weekend worship service is still the big focus. I am not sure that it should be that way. I think that it is important to have a worship service, but I think it is far more important to worship God with the living of your life in a way that honor’s Him. I just don’t understand why most churches make the “big” weekend worship service the entry point for potential church members. I can go to most churches in our area (the middle of the Bible belt) and join their church or at least attend the weekend worship service for years, and not ever really get to know anyone. Oh, there would be surface greetings and “how are you” smiles; however, there is no real relationship. My fear is that most church members are so afraid to let people into their real lives, because they will be exposed for the fraudulent Christian life they are living. If they is the case, it would explain many of the typical church problems, such as politics and control issues that are faced today in many churches. Why not make the worship service (big group) the last thing that guests are to attend. Let’s turn the pyramid upside down and let the guest enter at the small group level and after their discipleship process is in full swing, then have an all-group (meeting of all the small churches) worship gathering. Why do you think it is so awesome to meet with a group like promise keepers or a huge conference with many believers? It is because most of the people there are in a real relationship with Christ already. In most churches (according to Billy Graham) many of those in regular attendance are not even a Christian! You can’t worship God if you are not in right relationship with Jesus Christ.
These are just some thoughts and ramblings of a former youth pastor, who many think have flipped his lid. I am more inclined to say that God has taken hold of my life and turned it upside down! And I LOVE IT! Keep reading and let me know what you think.

We can never accomplish alone the great things that we can accomplish together

It was once said that TEAM stood for Together Everyone Accomplishes More. I think that most sports figures would agree. Sure there are the Michael Jordans who are gifted individually beyond belief; however, one of Mr. Jordan’s greatest accomplishments was to play as part of a Team. Even, Mike can’t beat a whole team of talented professional ball players who are working together to beat him. As the Community of Christ, we cannot go it alone. As Rick Warren says in “The Purpose Driven Life”, “We are created for fellowship”. John Eldredge agrees by calling the Body of Christ “fellowships of the heart” in his book “Waking the Dead”.

Physically it makes perfect sense to us. None of us would have a baby just to leave it at birth on the street corner to fin for itself. It would be ridiculous to expect an infant to survive in those conditions for even a few days. In the same way, we should consider it just as ridiculous for an infant (baby) Christian to make it in the Christian life of discipleship (follow-ship of Jesus) without help from a fellowship of believers. Yet, we in the American Church focus seemingly only on “getting the lost ones saved” and as soon as they walk an isle and “join” the membership of a local church, we drop them like a hot potato. I do not read the great commission (Matt. 28:19-20) to say that we are to “make converts”; but it says that the mission of the Body of Christ (the Church) is to “make disciples”. If we would stop to think logically about the situation (something I have unfortunately found to be rare in the “church circles”) we could see that being a “soul winner” is much more about discipleship (building relationship with God through Christ’s Body – The Church) than with placing notches in our spiritual “gun-belt” and dropping the “saved” off on someone else to disciple.

It is much easier to make a convert with manipulative words and emotional meetings, than to invest the time into a person who, quiet frankly, you may not even like very much, to make them a disciple of Christ. I personally think that discipleship begins way before a person comes to a saving knowledge of Christ. It begins with the initial connection of a true disciple and a non-believer. It has come full circle when that non-believer is actively involved in making another new disciple. We can’t do alone what we were meant to accomplish together as the living, breathing Body of Jesus Christ! Our connection as a Community is found all throughout scripture, and it cannot be overlooked that even Jesus had a community of brothers around him as a community called the Apostles. They shared life together as they built relationships with each other and with Jesus. They were symbolic of the true community of Israel and the Kingdom of God. They are our example of what we should be doing…making disciples who are making disciples…who are making disciples…and we can’t do it alone! Together Everyone Accomplishes More! GO TEAM!!

Keep checking back

Many things have happened this month that I was not expecting, and I will be continuing the series on The connectedness Factor in the month of October. (possibly even November) So keep checking back to read the latest installment! If you pray, please pray for me as I am starting up a new business! Nothing can be more helpful to me as I venture out into the great unknown, than to know that someone is praying for me and God is faithful!
Thanks and have a great day!

Acknowledging the sin in our own life should always proceed acknowledging the sin in another’s life.

The basis of this statement is found in Luke 6:41-42. I find it ironic that some Christians have trouble with telling others about the speck of dust in someone else’s eye and other Christians have trouble seeing the plank in their own eye. It is a two fold problem. If I am to be a good friend to a brother or sister in the Lord, I must be willing to do two things: (1) speak the TRUTH and (2) speak the truth IN LOVE. It seems that it’s hard to find someone in our culture today that will do those two things for us. Oh, it is easy to find someone to speak the truth to you. Many well-intentioned church members (and leaders) are adept at speaking the truth; but to speak the truth with love and compassion for the fallen is another matter all together. Likewise, it is fairly easy to find a group of people willing to love and accept me right along with any sin I want to coddle; but to have that same group actually speak the truth is highly unlikely.
You see there is an order of operations to the acknowledging the sin. First, we must be willing to admit that we don’t have it all together. (This is usually harder for pastors and church staff, because the unspoken, unrealistic expectation is always there for them to have it all together….all the time) Once we have admitted the sin in our own life and have asked God’s forgiveness and repented (turned away from) that sin, we are now ready to be used by God to help others see their way clearly.
We must never forget where God has brought us from. I have met so many people who were former drug abusers or alcoholics who have “found religion” (maybe that’s the initial problem) and then go back to the friends that they used to party with and treat them like they aren’t worth anything….not even to God. This is what the bible calls hypocrite: to say one thing then do another. I am closer to God now than I have ever been in my life, but I am still very aware of the sin that lurks in the shadow of my flesh. I am not immune to sin, although through Jesus and the Power of His resurrection, I am no longer bound by sin.
It gets back to the two different types of people: those who are concerned with Truth and not Love, then those who are concerned with Love and not Truth. When Jesus stated who He was in John 14:6 and I John 4:8, He answered the question once for us all! Jesus is Love and He is also Truth! We cannot have one without the other and say that we are in the will of God. The key is balance and admitting your own weaknesses before trying to “minister” to others in their weakness. We minister to others from the overflow of what God is giving to us as he ministers to us. If we are not allowing God to minister to us, then there is nothing we can do for others. God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Always acknowledge the sin in your own life, before acknowledging sin in others.

Authentic relationship with others is the result of authentic relationship with God.

We are now living in the age of the pseudo-Christian. Many have taken on a “form of godliness, but deny its power.” To attend a meeting once (maybe more) per week is plenty enough in our society to call yourself a good Christian. However, it is not enough to call what you have authentic. Our ability to be, as Rich Mullins stated, “comfortable in our own skin” is one of the greatest indicators of our authenticity with God. Do you know who you are in Christ Jesus? Are your relationships “real”? If your relationship with God is “real”, then chances are the other relationships in your life are as well.
Notice the order. First is our relationship with God, and then comes our relationship with others. So many times we get this order reversed and it always leads to trouble. How I have seen this time and time again as a Youth Pastor. The parents are more concerned with the relationship with their children, than their relationship with God. It is ironic, because the God connection will inevitably improve the child connection, yet parents too often focus primarily on the latter. Of course, the relationships we have with our family and friends are important, they are all based around how we view ourselves in Christ Jesus. This view comes from a real relationship with Him.
Just like any other relationship we have in our life, the depth of our relationship with God will be determined by the amount of time and effort we invest in getting to know the other person. That is why the bible says plainly in James 4:8, “Come near to God and He will come near to you…” If we will invest time and effort into our relationship with God, then He will grow us closer to Himself. Once this happens, then we see clearly that the most important things in life are our relationships, and we re-invest in others what God has invested in us. It is simply unavoidable. The more we get to know God, the more we see others with His eyes and not our own. Once we have God’s perspective on the people He has placed around us, we begin to be Christ body (the Church) to them. We lay our lives down with His and in doing so, we become closer to Christ as He raises us up. This is the process of authentic relationship with God called, Discipleship. This discipleship cannot be hidden from those around us. It will always show itself in authentic relationship with others. Therefore, authentic relationship with others is the result of authentic relationship with God.

Jesus: The Ultimate ConnectionPoint

A ConnectionPoint is a point at which power is transferred from the source of power to the object in need of the power. Using this definition, Jesus becomes the ultimate ConnectionPoint between God (the source of all power) and mankind (the object in need of the power). One of the most interesting points about the whole “connectionpoint” concept is that it’s all based on relationship. God needed to relate to us in a way that we would understand. He had to become a man, taking on the form of a servant. There was a consequence of the sin of mankind – death. The only way to redeem a sinful man to God was through the blood of a perfect sacrificial lamb. Jesus is the perfect Lamb of God. His sacrifice on the cross is the ultimate example of how far God will go to reach us with His forgiveness and Love. Jesus was, and is, the ultimate connectionpoint between us and God.
The power that is transferred is the power of eternal life; life that is full, not some dead religion that is nothing more than a set of rules. It is real power! Do you think that a set of ritualistic rule-keepers would have been able to turn the world upside down as the disciples did? I don’t think that the power that most professing Christians possess today could change much of anything, but what the Apostles and the early Christians had was something powerful….it was full of God’s power, given through Jesus Christ. Most of all, it was REAL! It was so real that those who came in contact with the real power of Christ (not a dead religion side-show) were never the same. If we are to ever see that kind of power in the Church today, we must lay aside all the things that so easily distract us, like (some) traditions and ritual piety that has driven more people away from God than it has drawn to Him. We must make the priority of our lives our own relationship with Christ!
When we are connected to Jesus and others we are able to keep our mission clearly before us. That mission is found in Matthew 22:37-40 and 28:19-20. In it’s simplest form: Love God and Love Others. If, by the power of being connected to Jesus, we can connect to others with His Love we are accomplishing the two greatest commandments of scripture on which hang all the Law and Prophets. It seems that we have either one of two great tragedies in the Church today. We either have those who appear to be connected with God, but have no connection with others who are in deepest need of God. Or, we have those who appear to be connected very well with the culture of the day, who are either not connected with God at all or have a pseudo connection to something “spiritual”—which is not God.
The only way to accomplish the true mission of the Church, the Body of Christ, is to be connected first to God through a vital, daily relationship with Jesus Christ; and second, to connect with those around us in our specific sphere of influence through genuine, caring relationships. Steve Camp said it best in a song, “Don’t tell them Jesus loves them, until your ready to love them too!” We must be connected to the ultimate ConnectionPoint, Jesus Christ before we will ever know God. And don’t forget that our greatest calling in life is to simply know God. Once we know Him, we cannot be isolated from others. His love in us will not allow it. Check back again when I will ramble more about the authenticity of our connections.

The Connectedness Factor (series)

Over the past year or so, I have noticed a few things about being connected to others. Below are the five things that I have observed regarding what I call “The Connectedness Factor.”

1. Jesus Christ is the ultimate ConnectionPoint.
2. Authentic relationship with others is the result of authentic relationship with God.
3. Acknowledging the sin in our own life should always proceed acknowledging the sin in another’s life.
4. We can never accomplish alone the great things that we can accomplish together.
5. Real relationship is virtually impossible in a large crowd, without breaking down into smaller, more simple assemblies.
   

In order for me to put the thoughts down in a post and still have time to live my life, I will post more detailed descriptions of each of the five subjects listed above at separate times throughout the month of September. Please check back periodically throughout the month for more of my ramblings.

August 3, 2004

I was reading an article in Christianity Today about John Eldredge entitled, “Wildheart” this past week and I found a quote that really stood out to me by John’s friend Craig McConnell. He said, “So much of what is asked of the church – life, vitality, engagement, bearing one another’s burdens – can only happen, it seems to me, in small groups. Living with these people is a whole lot harder than being in a large church, because they see my blemishes and I see theirs.” McConnell also states, “In a sermon before 2,000 people, I can appear to be vulnerable and real. But what does my wife say? What do my kids say? The quality of character and life in pastors is often unknown and just assumed.”
This last part really jumped out at me, a former youth pastor for 10 + years. How true this has been in my own life and unfortunately in the lives of many of my pastor friends. It is really easy to hide behind a “position” in the church staff. You may ask, “What is it that you were hiding?” Well, I didn’t feel at the time like I was hiding anything. However, the more that I explore the true freedom I have in Christ; I am beginning to see that I was hiding my real self most of all. How many of us church staffers have a hard time being ourselves (being real) because we are too worried about pleasing people? The Sr. Pastor, the board or committee, even the congregation. It could be a number of people whom we allow to assume the throne only God should occupy in our lives and ministries.
If we are real with others, it will mean that they have ammunition to use against us. It is a risk that we have to take if the Church is going to survive. Two observations that I have made over time is: (1) many pastors do not honestly feel like they can trust the people they are ministering to enough to be themselves. I know several pastors who have admitted this to me personally. I don’t know why we are shocked to hear that pastors (and other staffers) feel this way when you consider what Dr. Billy Graham said years ago. He stated that he believed as many as 80% of all church members were not truly in a real relationship with Christ. That would explain at least some of the junk that we see in churches today. I would rather meet a non-Christian person who is not religious than one who is religious. Religion is killing Christianity…..and again we should not be shocked since Religion killed Christ as well!
The second observation is: (2) if a pastor doesn’t have anyone in whom he confides and is sharing an authentic relationship, he will destroy himself, his family and the work God has called him to do. Many pastors I have known (including myself) do not want to share all their feelings with their spouses because they (we) are trying to protect them in some way from the harmful things that are typically said about church leaders. It is easy to understand this issue, because I can take someone degrading me much better than I can take someone degrading my spouse. The spouse of a pastor is no different. So to whom does the pastor go...other frustrated pastors who are usually of no real help because they are stuck in the same trap as well. Oh we can moan and groan to one another and get some venting out of the way, but as far as getting real help, it is usually not found in our frustrated fellow-laborers.
There can be real problems with the self-sufficient pastor who states that he doesn’t need anyone in whom to confide and share his weaknesses. You see pastors and other church leaders are the “professional” spiritual people and they would rather share with others from their strengths….but Christ (as strong as he was spiritually) chose to become weak and by doing so we were offered redemption! I pray that no one takes this the wrong way; I am one who struggled for most of my years on a church staff with this same issue. I am not condemning anyone. However, I am saying that enough is enough with our egos and pride as pastors. I know of a pastor who left his family of over 20 years and ran off with a church employee mainly because he refused to be in authentic relationship with other believers. It is funny how that same pastor would probably have argued that we should “forsake not the assembling of ourselves together” (referring to church attendance), yet that is exactly what we do as pastors when we isolate ourselves off from everything and just try to focus on sin management, instead of sin elimination through authentic relationship with Jesus Christ and support from other believers.
I am now at an all time low as far as ministry position and pay goes…..I have neither! But as I am without what I always thought was God’s will for me, I am finding His true will for me is to just be me for Him! He doesn’t want my incredible knowledge or insight. He doesn’t want my giftedness or my money. He wants my heart! And he wants your heart too! Please contact me through http://www.connectionpoint.org/ if you have any comments and you are not a blog member. I am an all time high as far as where I am in my relationship with God and with others around me, and it feels great! “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:36

The Gospel Commandments of Leadership

This is something that I came across from a friend of mine. I hope you get something from it. I will be posting at a minmum of one time per month (maybe more) until I finish school! Too much stuff, not enough time! Have a great month.

1. People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered. Love and trust them anyway.
“Father forgive them. They know not what they do.” Luke 23:34

2. If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. Do good anyway.
“And Jesus told them, you are like children who don’t know what they want. John the Baptist came neither eating nor drinking, and you said he had a demon. The Son of Man comes eating and drinking and you say I a glutton, a friend of sinners.” Matthew 11:16-19

3. If you are successful you will win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway.
“The crowds who cheered Him on Sunday and called Him King were the same who on Friday cried, “Crucify Him!” Even the priests said, “We have no King but Caesar.”” Luke 19:36-40; John 10:1-6

4. The service you render today will be forgotten tomorrow. Serve people anyway.
“Were not ten lepers cleansed, and only one returned to give thanks? My words will bring division.” Luke 17:11-19

5. Honesty and frankness will make you vulnerable. Be honest and frank anyway.
“And Jesus said; Do not think I’ve come to bring peace to the world.” Luke 12:51; 13:5

6. The biggest men with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest of men with the smallest ideas. Think big anyway.
“During the supper the Lord Jesus foretold that one of them would betray Him…the Disciples questioned which one it might be, and a dispute rose among them as to which was the greatest.” Luke 22:22-24

7. People pretend to love the “little people”, but sell their souls to the “big people”. Fight for the “little people” anyway.
“Let the little children come unto me, for as such is the Kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 19:13-14

8. What you spend years building may be destroyed over night. Build anyway.
“Judas came, kissed him, and they took hold of Him…then all the disciples forsook Him and fled. Matthew 26:36-56

9. People really need help, but may attack you if you do help. Help people anyway.
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me…to preach…but all who heard Him thrust Him out.
Luke 4:16-30

10. Give the world the best you have and you’ll get kicked in the teeth. Give the world the best you have anyway.
“Pilate said, “Who shall I give unto you…the murderer and robber, Barabbus, or Jesus, who is called Christ?” And they all cried, Give us Barabbus!” Matthew 27:15-27