Surviving the Recessions of Ministry

"It’s a recession when your neighbor loses his job, its a depression when you lose yours."

Recession is the buzz word of the hour- economic recession! Downturn in stock market, banks, jobs, personal income and investments and on and on.

But these are not the only areas of recession- we can experience recession in our ministries that are just as debilitating as the economic recessions.

Recession- the act of becoming more distant; act or action of receding; withdrawal-(1): social or emotional detachment (2): a pathological retreat from objective reality.

There is great danger in the recession that a pastor might experience. If it is not stopped it can lead to depression, detachment, and then to ultimate destruction!

Pastoral Recession occurs:
1. When your dreams and vision are slow in being realized!
2. When your finances are down or misuse of them.
3. When people disappoint you and abandon you.
4. When you experience a moral failure.
5. Feelings of being unappreciated.

If one is going to re-engage during a pastoral recession, one must:
(a) Adapt to what has happened.
(b) Appreciate what you can learn from it.
(c) Accept the opportunities it presents.
(d) Acquire support.

Jeremiah 17:7-8 NIV ""But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit."

Pastor friend, let's guard our lives during ministry recessions so that we stay the course of God's calling on our lives and maintain our care of the God's flock!

Top Of My Wishlist! For Your Consideration--

This is at the top of my wishlist- actually the model I want is the DeLonghi Magnifica EAM3500 Super Auto Espresso Machine. (The title on the YouTube video is wrong- this is the EAM3500 machine they are demonstrating in the video).

You can buy it for me new or refurbished (at a significant reduction)!

I am really not lazy, but this is a way too cool machine. A member in our church has one-- I am not coveting!

Group Sessions for Bloggers and Twitters

New way to communicate- no need of social or communication skills!

Oooops, I think I see me in this pic!

LOL!!!- the electronic cigarette?

The e-cigarette! After watching this clip and the 'Facts' aspect of it- it will make one not want to smoke nor buy this product!

el stupido!!!

disclaimer- by presenting this product on my blog 1)it is not an endorsement for smoking (I don't) 2)not an endorsement of this product (I didn't buy it) 3)I disclaim anything else I might be accused of!

Unappreciated!

The Cherish Sisters have a great song called Unappreciated. Click here to see the video. The chorus reads:

I'm feeling really unappreciated.
You takin` my love for granted, babe.
I don't know how much more,
I can take from you.
You don't do the things you use to do.
You don't even say I love you too.
and lately I've been feeling,
Feeling unappreciated.

The the song captures the cry of the human heart to feel appreciated. The lyrics are of a woman feeling spurned and unloved.

We all experience these same emotions in life. Spouses can take each other for granted. Children can be so unappreciative of their parents and parents can treat the children the same. At work, you toil and labor but yet there is no 'Thank You.' Even Pastors who pour their hearts and lives out day in and day out can struggle with the thanklessness. It is as though one is performing before a packed house and there is no response from the audience!

So, if one is unappreciated (as the song suggests) it begins to eat at the very core of your being. One feels unloved, separated, insecure, and rejected!

You do so much for so many, now you just want a little appreciation in return. Right? A 'thank you' or 'I appreciate you' would be refreshing water to your brittle soul. But, where do you turn when those words are not forthcoming?

Obviously to God! Your Heavenly Father appreciates you for all you do, and all you are. He has put you exactly where He needs you and you are fulfilling His purpose every day! When you understand that, you'll begin to find meaning in everything you do. He is the reason - others are just the (unappreciative at times) beneficiaries!

"He will not forget your work and the love you have shown…" Hebrews 6:10 NIV
"Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord" Colossians 3:17 NIV

Don't let somebody's response or lack thereof decide the level of your joy! They may not notice, but God does.

He records and He rewards. Count on it! He appreciates you today... and, by the way, so do I!

Raising Money or Raising People?

I preached on 'Rebuking the Devourer' this past Sunday. In light of the hard economic times the one area we can't cut back on is the tithe. By staying faithful with the tithe, God said He would reward one with 2 things: provision and protection! Mal 3:10-11.

This is a very humorous video of a very serious matter to God and to us. Hope you enjoy it.

God's plan for the tithe is not to raise money for a budget, but to raise His people for Provision and Protection.

Pastoral Landmines

In a day when church is so much about technique, bells and whistles, and the like I chose to teach at our staff retreat on Pastoral Care. Bottom line for the church is what takes place after Sunday! How are God's people treated and cared for. Are they left to fend for themselves or are there those that care for them in their times of need, which by the way, most often happen at other times than Sunday?

1 Peter 5:2-3 ...not bossily telling others what to do, but tenderly showing them the way. TMB

My teaching points:
1. Don't Lord it over them.
2. Treat them as you want to be treated.
3. Don't do anything to hurt them.
4. If you must confront, do it with tears.
5. Don't abuse them. How?

a. by yelling at them
b. by threatening them
c. by belittling and demeaning them
d. by speaking down to them
e. by criticizing them
f. by reconciling with them when you offend them
g. if they offend you, suck it up, forgive them, seek God's restoration and healing of your hurts. Don't retaliate!

6. Beware of Pastoral Landmines:

a. Talking about their children
b. Criticizing parenting skills and decisions
c. Criticizing their spouse.
d. Challenging their 'perceived' God's direction for their lives.
e. Talking openly and negatively about the church, church people, church staff, or the Pastor.

Can you add other 'landmines' to the list?

Blessed Man I Am!

Back to blog land after trip to Costa Rica for my son Jason's wedding to Lina. It was a great trip and a wonderful wedding ceremony. Here are a few pics of Costa Rica and of the Wedding.

Ryan, Charity, Lina, Jason
I was just meditating this morning on how blessed I am in this life. This scripture below speaks of my delight in my sons and their wives.

Ps 127:3-5 TMB
Don't you see that children are God's best gift? the fruit of the womb his generous legacy? Like a warrior's fistful of arrows are the children of a vigorous youth. Oh, how blessed are you parents, with your quivers full of children! Your enemies don't stand a chance against you; you'll sweep them right off your doorstep.

Thank you to all my family and friends that have had input into my children's lives. Thank you Debi for being the world's greatest mother to our sons and now their wives!

Failed Co-Mission

I am sitting here in Costa Rica on a balcony looking out to the Pacific with lush greenery, amazing Condos and homes spread around this beautiful resort, Reserva Conchal. Yet within miles of this place it still has much poverty and the need of Jesus.

It reminded me of the American church scene. We are building opulent ‘ghettos’ in the midst of suffering and poverty. We can hide out in our ‘resorts’ and soon forget why we are really here.

The American church scene is full of destruct, reconstruct, makeovers, get back to the basics, new models, new generation paradigms, build it bigger and they will come, have ‘rock concert’ performances and call it worship, etc. all trying to make the church better (?) and getting sidetracked in the process. Hundreds of thousands if not millions of dollars are spent on conferences to teach us how to do it better, tear it down and redo it, criticize the current ones, establish new models, etc. Not to mention the countless man hours wasted getting to these conferences then sitting there dialoging about it all. There are even people who want to get paid to strategize, talk, dream and attend conferences. They want me to pay for a lifestyle of meaningless activity that falls short of producing any meaningful change for the Kingdom of God.

We have become a Mars Hill experience and are in danger of erecting a monument to the ‘unknown god’ because we have forgotten Him, His commands and His power. Forgetting that Jesus said He would build His church we have tried to contextualize it, homogenize it, strategize it, box it and then sell it.

My prayer is that all the naysayers will get off their big butts and get back to the stuff. If we don’t the world will still perish on our watch.

On My Way!! Costa Rica-

Debi and I, her Parents- Harry and Arleen, our son Ryan and his wife Charity are on our way today to Costa Rica. Jason is on another flight later on today. We will spend the week in preparation for Jason's wedding. He will be married to a beautiful girl Lina- http://twitpic.com/r3i9

I will be doing the wedding on Saturday, Jan 31, 2009. This pic above shows the facilities where the wedding will take place. I am pumped!

Also, I will down mega gallons of Costa Rican coffee while there. Life is rough! No good! No great!!!

This Baby Not Aborted!

President Obama should be thankful today that he is still here - the odds were against him - many declare this enough to abort a viable human baby. Life begins at Conception!

Tumbleweeds or a Sequoia?

I like this time of the year. It is a season of new things, new promises, new goals, and new determination. The church gets especially blessed as members make a new effort to attend regularly and many guests are attending looking for a church and a place to fulfill their new goals.

It is like the following Sundays after ‘Black Tuesday’ September 11, 2001. Attendance at churches spiked dramatically across the nation. We too had a great increase in attendance here at The Vine. Bible sales went up 28%. Many people had spiritual questions. But, it didn’t last! Why? Our sense of urgency didn’t last. President Bush did keep us from another attack. He sacrificed his popularity and Presidency on protecting you and me. I salute and honor him.

It will be the same again in a few weeks as our promises and goals fade. Soon we’re back to work, back to PTA meetings, soccer matches, carpooling, and yard work. Although we were sincere at the time about seeking God, slowly our motivation dissipates.

Do you know what makes tumbleweeds so susceptible to the wind? Tumbleweeds only put down one root, and that root is very shallow. So tumbleweeds are easily uprooted when the wind blows. Soon the tumbleweed is blowing wherever the wind pushes it, without any sense of direction or stability.

Contrast tumbleweeds with a tree, like a sequoia, that puts down lots of roots and these roots go deep. Even in the midst of strong winds, sequoias stand firm, because their root structure is strong and deep.

Is your spiritual life more like tumbleweeds or a sequoia? If you only have one or two roots in your spiritual life and these roots don’t go very deep, you’re more like tumbleweeds. And when the winds of life come, the winds of suffering and tragedy, or the breeze of business and routine, you’ll be easily uprooted. But if you have deep spiritual roots, you’ll find yourself standing firm no matter what comes into your life.

How deep are your roots? Are you more like tumbleweeds or a sequoia?

News You Can Use- and laugh at!

Is it just me or was this funny or what?

Wingsuit Base Jumping-

What are you doing today with your free time?

thanks Ryan--

Toddler Preaching!

This young guy is getting an early start- may not be able to understand him, but he knows how to hold a mic and has the moves!

--Amazing--

you can see the link here

Staying the Course!

The testing of your faith produces endurance. James 1:3 NAS

I have been preaching a series on 'Staying the Course' here at the church over the past few weeks. It means that we need to start right, finish right, and abide in your calling. There is a fourth aspect that carries us on between starting and finishing and that is staying the course.

Many of you know that I have run 5 marathons- 3 Blue Angel Marathons in Pensacola, FL; Vulcan Marathon in Birmingham, AL; and the New York City Marathon. I know a little about endurance and staying the course.

Endurance means "staying the course." But endurance is only a word until you have to deal with a strife-torn marriage, the long road back from bankruptcy, divorce or illness, the rebuilding of your life, or the required preparation for success in any field. It takes commitment to keep going when friends fail you, discouragement whispers "give up," and doubt says "it can't be done." That's when endurance takes on new meaning. It becomes your anchor in the storm, your compass in times of confusion, and the head of steam that gets you up the next hill (ie. the many hills of the Vulcan Marathon!)

2 Ti 4:7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. NIV

Staying the course is important for the Christian. We must complete our race! Paul told Timothy that he had run his race and was ready to receive the crown. So it is important that we finish well. But in the process we find there is an advantage for others who are watching us. There was not a single sidewalk in New York City Marathon that did not have people lining them cheering us on. They are encouraged as they watch our response to trials, disappointments, and the ability that we show them to stay the course.

Paul writes, "People are watching us as we stay at our post… working hard, working late, working without eating; with pure heart, clear head, steady hand; in gentleness, holiness and honest love; when we're telling the truth… when God's showing His power; when we're doing our best setting things right; when we're praised, and when we're blamed; slandered, and honored; true to our word, though distrusted; ignored by the world, but recognized by God… immersed in tears yet always filled with deep joy; living on handouts, yet enriching many; having nothing, having it all" (2 Corinthians 6:3-10 TMB).

That's called "staying the course." We all are called to endure and stay the course.

What do people see when they watch you?

Abiding in The Vine in 2009

Ever have trouble with certain passages of scripture? Passages that maybe you wish God hadn’t put in the Bible? There are passages that can be very difficult to understand.

Case in point. “Anyone born of God does not sin.” (1 John 3: 9) When I became a Christian, the Holy Spirit entered my existence and began convicting me of sin. He showed me again and again, day after day; just how much was in my life that shouldn't be there. I was only saved about 6 months when I ran across this one. My world came crashing down. I was really bothered with this one!

I must not be truly saved! It must not have taken! Why, because I was still dealing with sin and this said ‘anyone born of God does not sin’ period! Or so I thought. Was John saying, OK, folks, I have my doubts about a few of you; some of you might not be saved. I'm pretty sure a few of you are really lost. In fact, here's how we can tell who are the phonies among you are: those of you who still sin, you're not saved?

I went to see a pastor about it, and he explained to me that the Greek verb was in the present tense and indicated "on-going" sin, and he showed me how other translations rendered the verse differently: "No one born of God practices sin (NASV)." "No one born of God will continue to sin (NIV)."

Oh, I thought, he's not talking about one sin. He's talking about on-going, continuous sin. Guess what? It didn't make me feel better. I still qualified for John's exclusion. I "continued to sin." I had been living the Christian life for six months, and I was still sinning every day. I thought, If no one born of God continues to sin, that rules me out. I must not be saved. I became convinced that my conversion didn't work. It didn't take!

I now understand when he says, "No one born of God continues to sin"—that's not a threat; it's a promise. He's not trying to make his readers doubt their salvation; he's trying to give them hope. He's saying: You belong to God, we've already established that. And since you have been born of God, you won't continue to sin. You can be free of its grip. “And you know that Jesus came to take away our sins.” (v. 5)

John tells us in verse 6: "No one who abides in him sins." When you're abiding in Jesus—the word abide means to remain or reside—you cannot practice sin. When you're abiding in Jesus, or as John also calls it, walking in the light as he is in the light, the Holy Spirit convicts your heart of every thought and action that comes between you and God. You cannot continue in that thought or action. Your new nature—the life of God that is in you—will rise up against it.

There's a difference between being saved and abiding in Jesus. You received salvation when you invited Jesus Christ to come into your life and forgive you of your sin. It's a one-time event; it's an act of God that you receive by faith. But that's not where the God part of our lives ends. It's where it begins. Those who have been saved are called to abide in Jesus.

What does this mean and how do you do it? Here's what it means to abide in Jesus: It means acknowledging His presence in everything you do, and yielding to His leadership at every turn. Brother Lawrence called it practicing the presence of God. Bill Bright called it ‘spiritual breathing.’ It's receiving God's presence in your life each day, each moment of the day. John says "no one born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him" because the seed that God has placed in your life will continue to grow, continue to mature, continue to blossom, until the image of Jesus Christ is fully developed in your life.

Abiding in Christ means that God has to be inside of us and we have to be inside of Him!

We are God's people. He has put His life in us so that we can experience power over sin and can be changed into the image of Christ.

Great Staff Retreat 2009

We had a great time at our annual Vine Fellowship Staff Retreat. We travelled to Glen Rose TX to the Riverbend Retreat Center. Great facilities, we stayed in their new motel like rooms and the meeting room was a kitchen/meeting room. Auto coffee machine that even made espresso shots. We kept it active.

I taught on Pastoral Care: Do's and Don'ts; How NOT To Abuse God's People; and Pastoral Care Land Mines. We then worshiped and prayed for each other. Closed the evening by playing a game and eating junk food.

On Saturday, we dialogued about the vision for the Vine in 2009. Good and productive discussion led by Pastor Rob.

And of course, a stop at Hammond's BBQ on the way home! Did anybody mention besides the great BBQ their Peanut Butter Cream Pie?

Love to hang with our staff, great people, great servants, great men and women of God!

Thoughts on Diet--

Great Reads for the Health Conscious

Diet, not exercise, plays key role in weight loss.
click here-

Think these 8 foods are healthy? Wrong!
click here-

Flat Belly Diet-
If you've been unsuccessful in losing weight around your middle, here's some good news! The key ingredients found in the Flat Belly Diet—"MUFAs" (monounsaturated fatty acid—a healthy fat!) hold the power to truly change your body and specifically target hard-to-lose belly fat. Pair these fabulous foods with a reduced-calorie eating plan and you’ll slim down where you want to—your belly.

Here, 10 belly-fat-fighting superstars:

Almonds
The MUFAs and vitamin E in almonds work together to cut cholesterol. Almonds are also a great source of vegetable protein and fiber.
Eating Tip: Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of almonds over low-fat unsweetened yogurt and berries for an energizing morning meal.

Avocado
Avocados, a great source of heart-healthy MUFA, contain more of the cholesterol-smashing beta-sitosterol than any other fruit.
Eating Tip: Mash a ¼ cup Hass avocado with lime juice, salt and pepper and serve with baked chips or raw vegetables.

Dark or Semi-Sweet Chocolate
Chocolate or, more specifically, cocoa powder made from ground, defatted cocoa beans, contains compounds that have the potential to protect against heart disease, stroke, cancer, and diabetes.
Eating Tip: Melt ¼ cup of dark or semi-sweet chocolate. Drizzle over fresh strawberries for a belly-flattening dessert.

Flaxseed Oil
Flaxseed oil is the best plant source of omega-3 fatty acids and helps reduce systemic inflammation, which researchers believe may lead to heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.
Eating Tip: Stir 1 tablespoon into a smoothie as a healthy afternoon snack.

Macadamia Nuts
Adding nuts and seeds to your diet can yield heart-health benefits. Macadamia nuts also contain fiber to help with digestion.
Eating Tip: Crush 2 tablespoons macadamia nuts. Dip one 3-ounce portion of chicken breast or 4 ounce piece of fish in low-fat milk, then press nuts to adhere. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10-20 minutes or until done.

Natural Peanut Butter
A serving of peanut butter contains the antioxidant vitamin E, bone-building magnesium, muscle-friendly potassium, and immunity-boosting vitamin B6.
Eating Tip: Toss a half-cup of whole grain noodles with 3 oz cooked shrimp, minced scallions, and ¼ cup sliced red bell pepper. Dress with a mixture of 2 tbsp peanut butter, 2 tbsp warm water and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes.

Olive Oil
Olive oil is the best all around for cooking and salads because it contains mostly MUFA, which lowers "bad" LDL cholesterol without affecting "good" HDL cholesterol. The greener the oil, the more antioxidants, so go for extra-virgin.
Eating Tip: Basil pesto and sundried tomato paste are also good sources of olive oil.

Pistachios
Pistachios contain lutein and zeaxanthin, two carotenoids that help protect against age-related macular degeneration.
Eating Tip: Stir 2 tablespoons toasted pistachios into ½ cup part-skim ricotta cheese with 2 teaspoons honey and 2 tablespoons semi-sweet chocolate chips for a sweet snack.

Sunflower Seeds
Sunflower seeds are packed with B vitamins, which play an important role in protecting against inflammation—and they're an excellent source of vitamin E. Sunflower seeds are also great for curbing hunger.
Eating Tip: Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of toasted sunflower seeds in your salad.

Walnuts
Like seafood and flaxseed, walnuts contain omega-3 fatty acids, which help protect your heart and preserve brain health. If you're nuts about walnuts, try this easy snack: Mix 1/2 cup (4 oz) canned pineapple into 1/2 cup cottage cheese. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of walnuts for only 325 calories.
Eating Tip: Add a MUFA to your favorite salad by adding 2 tablespoons of roasted walnuts.

Happy right eating in 2009!

THOUGHTS ON EXERCISE

Okay, one more humorous blog on exercise- really this is the last! Have a Happy (and healthful) New Year!

~ I joined a health club last year, spent about 400 bucks. Haven't lost a pound. Apparently, you have to show up.
~ If God meant us to touch our toes, he would have put them further up our body.
~ I have flabby thighs, but fortunately my stomach covers them.
~ If you are going to try cross-country skiing, start with a small country.
~ The only reason I would take up jogging is so that I could hear heavy breathing again.
~ I don't jog. It makes the ice jump right out of my glass.
~ I like long walks, especially when they are taken by people who annoy me.
~ I have to exercise early in the morning before my brain figures out what I'm doing.