Showing posts with label Leadership. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Leadership. Show all posts

Are We Picking Fruits or Killing Roots?

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Monday, October 19, 2015 3:15 PM

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Do we really understand the heart of a problem if we only treat one symptom and ignore what is at the root? I am thinking of something very specific this week in light of the tragic events in Rosenburg, Oregon. I think we are a society that is happy to continue picking fruit to destroy the evil tree instead of taking a chainsaw to its roots.
Fruit is an indicator…it’s a teller of the tale of the tree. If you are eating delicious apples from a tree you know you have a healthy apple tree; however, if you are eating shriveled, wormy apples from a tree you know you have a diseased apple tree. Now, you can pick all the fruit you want to in an attempt to get rid of the disease, but if you don’t get to the root of the problem then the problem will continue.
Jesus said,
“So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit” (Matthew 7:17-18)
This is how I see the approach of our governmental leadership to the martyrdom of our nine sisters and brothers. Those killed were Lucero Alcaraz Treven Taylor Anspach, Rebecka Ann Carnes, Quinn Glen Cooper, Kim Saltmarsh Dietz, Lucas Eibel, Jason Dale Johnson, Lawrence Levine, and Sarena Dawn Moore. The President has never acknowledged that these nine gave their lives because they were Christians. He didn’t even hint that the shooter asked the question, “Are you a Christian.” Imagine that, believers in Jesus Christ in the United States of America were targeted and murdered for their faith, and most of the media outlets and the President refused to give that any attention. Instead he decided to take this opportunity to talk passionately about gun control. In my opinion all he wants to do is pick some fruit instead of addressing the heart of the problem.
What is at the very core of this issue is sin. The shooter had a bad heart and that is where we have to start. He had a history of behavior that would lead us to believe he was mentally unstable. I would contend that anybody who murders nine people in one morning is certainly not mentally stable. What we should be addressing is not gun control but the treatment of people’s hearts. People (like this young man) who are hurting, outcast, marginalized, neglected, forgotten and abused need help. Jesus had a special mercy for those suffering the way this young man obviously suffered. I just don’t think he woke up Thursday and decided to be a mass murderer.
So many in our society suffer as this young man did. It is too late to help him. His story is written, but those currently living in desperation can still be helped. We must get to the heart of their problem and show them how God wants to rewrite their story with a beautiful chapter of redemption and hope. If we genuinely want to prevent, or at least curtail, public mass shootings then we will begin to bring the heart problems people have into clearer focus. We will spend more time and dollars on mental illness than stiffer gun laws.
Are we going to go on picking fruits or killing roots?
Grace & Peace,
Scott

Ministers of Mercy

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Wednesday, August 22, 2012 2:48 PM

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Deacons are ministers of mercy. They have never been called to be the board members of the church, and I can’t find one Scriptural proof that says they are chosen to take care of the details of the building and grounds. Unfortunately this has become the modern paradigm (i.e., pattern). It is high time we get the deacons of Calvary Church out of the boardroom and building business.

We have all sorts of committees that take care things around here. For example, we have a Building and Grounds Committee that can make sure something gets fixed or the lawn gets mowed. If the deacons take over this area of serving then I have to ask the question: “Why do we need a committee to watch over the building and grounds?” And we can go right down the list.

Let’s begin with the word “deacon” itself. The term deacon simply means “servant.” They are called of God and chosen by God’s people to lead as servants. They are not called to plunge the toilet, unless of course they are either on that committee or in the immediate area! (We have a toilet plunging committee?) What I am trying to say is that a deacon can serve in a ministry of the church, but his office does not demand it.

Deacons first appear on the scene because mercy was not being adequately shown to the poor widows in Jerusalem (Acts 6). The apostles were so taking on the needs of the poor widows and because of the growth of the church they needed help. The needs of the poor were pulling them away from prayer and preparation to teach God’s Word. Something had to give. Very wisely, and under the leadership of the Holy Spirit, they decided to have the church choose seven men to take care of the poor widows. Their singular job description was to serve (provide mercy through relief) those widows.

At Calvary because of their leadership abilities the deacons provide oversight for the different committees. They provide relief for me to give myself to prayer and preparation in the Word. Without these men I would be overwhelmed.

As we choose deacons this week I want us to prepare by reading two passages of Scripture: Acts 6:1-7 and 1 Timothy 3:8-13. Read them diligently and decipher them carefully. Secondly, I want us all to continue zealously in prayer.

Grace & Peace,
Scott

Pride & Presumption

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Monday, October 10, 2011 3:19 PM

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"Are we being presumptuous by building a new building?" That question is one that I wrestled with three years ago and settled in my heart and mind back then. If I had not done this then I would have been a failure as a pastor-shepherd in leading Calvary Church to relocate, and it would be a little too late to just begin trying to answer it now.

The idea of presumption is one of assuming something will happen that in fact might or might not come to pass. For us as a church, relocating without first praying for the Lord's leadership, being considerate of the entire congregation, thinking through the cost, and believing in growth would be assuming many things that may or may not happen. Presumption is pride, and those who presume cannot afford to fail. While I certainly don't want to fail, I do believe we can fail in certain practical areas and it still won't destroy the work that God is doing. Read this carefully, I don't believe God will fail, but because we are human, working with other humans, we will fail and others will fail along the way.

Presumption also acts first and asks for God's blessing after. (You know the old saying, "It is easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission.") This is a very dangerous philosophy to follow when it comes to God's church; sometimes He just allows us to fall flat on our faces. I would argue that this is what will happen if what we are doing is motivated by pride. Remember what James teaches us, "God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6).

While I certainly don't know, nor can I predict, what will happen in the future of Calvary Baptist Church, I do believe that because we are seeking to honor God's majesty and help His children, that He will bless us immeasurably. As your pastor I rest securely on the following words from James,

Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit." - yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that (James 4:13-16, emphasis added).

Grace & Peace,
Scott

Touching Lives for Eternity

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Monday, December 21, 2009 11:41 AM

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I came across something while reading last week that arrested my attention and has had be thinking this week:

"I am not saying you have to go to church to be a Christian, but you also do not have to go home to be married" (R. Kent Hughes). Think about it!

"Going to church" has fallen on hard times and I can understand why. In large part it is due to the unbiblical emphasis on buildings, budgets and programs. The church has become big business with pastors we are seen as CEO's (or better yet CFO's). We (pastors) are clamoring for all the wrong things are are spending so much time in lunch meetings that the only thing growing is our waistline. (And when we are growing our waistline, then I believe it is a "waste of time"!) The important things of ministry have been long-neglected...things like studying the Word, praying for the sheep, and visiting the widows and orphans. When we (pastors) do this then we are subtly teaching the disciples of Jesus that cash flow is more important than God's honor and that the next strategy meeting is a higher priority than people's needs.

Change begins with the under-shepherd of the flock. I am reminded of what James worte,

Religion that is pure and undefiled before God, the Father, is this: to visit orphans and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained from the world. (James 1:27 ESV)

I believe that without people you can't have a church, and people won't come (much less stay) if you won't touch their lives. So, we need to give people a reason to come to Calvary Church and I believe that reason comes through personal contact, not in ornate buildings, or multi-million dollar budgets, or even elaborately planned programs.

Remember, if our focus is on buildings then people get used, but if our focus is on people then buildings get used!

Grace & Peace,
Scott

Reflections on Fatherhood

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Wednesday, June 17, 2009 3:10 PM

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I am no expert in the arena of parenting. The problem with my fatherhood is three-fold:

1. The jury is still out on me.

2. At times I have failed as a father.

3. I am still learning how to be a good father.

But I offer some reflections that have benefited me and hope they will help others.

Being a father is tough. Too often men enter into this sacred role flippantly and with little or no preparation and that is sad. Of the many demands on our lives guys, being a dad ranks as one of the most difficult and important. Why do we spend so much time on our vocations or planning for our retirement, when raising our kids is so important? I believe we can lose a job and recover, but if we lose our kids…then what?

One of my cherished possessions in my office is a piece of cross-stitch I’ve had since 1987. It reads, Any man can be a father but it takes someone special to be a daddy! I would only add that it takes a great deal of blood, sweat, and tears as well.

Kids grow up too quickly. This is not just a worn-out phrase…it is shockingly true. Some days I long to hold my kids just one more time on my lap; I want them to wrestle with me and jump all over me again. The sad truth is that this will never happen and I have to live with that. Kids grow up, period.

Two songs that I listen to over and over are Cats in the Cradle & Watching Scotty Grow. Cats is a sad song about a dad who is too busy to spend time with his growing son. The son wants to be just like him. In the end the dad wants to spend time with his son, but his son is now too busy for his dad—“He’d grown up just like me.” Watching (a song my Mom used to sing to me) is a song about a dad spending time with his son instead of spending time chasing dreams…he just wanted to watch his boy grow up. Two good songs…two lessons learned.

There are no guarantees in raising kids. I partially agree with this, but it is no excuse for us dads to be physically present but emotionally and spiritually checked out! The principle of scripture still holds true, Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it (Proverbs 22:6 ESV). Men, we must be doing the training and not using the “no guarantees” excuse to get us out of our responsibility. Don’t just show up; do something to train.

I am scared…I am scared out of my skin to have my kids walk away from God and His love for them. The most security kids can have is in an eternal relationship with God, and I want to do everything I can to make sure they have that security.

Solomon wrote, The father of the righteous will greatly rejoice; he who fathers a wise son will be glad in him. (Proverbs 23:24 ESV)

Grace & Peace, Scott

A Charge to Keep

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Monday, March 16, 2009 12:00 PM

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For many decades the church has gotten off the track regarding its deacons. The pendulum has swung from one extreme to the other in identifying the role and responsibilities of this group. On one extreme you have deacons who are only the “Pastor’s Pals”; they are there only to support whatever agenda he has…no questions asked. The other extreme envisions deacons as a group who “run” the church; they are the ones who call the shots and even the pastor better beware because his job is on the line if he disobeys the deacons.

I believe that both the above views are wrong. The one view dissolves the biblical vision of a deacon, while the other blurs any distinctive function of a deacon. From scripture I understand that a deacon’s responsibilities and priorities flow from that of the pastor’s. The Bible is very clear on a shepherd’s responsibilities and priorities:

“…We will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” (Acts 6:4)

A pastor’s clear focus must be on two priorities…prayer and the ministry of the Word. A single-minded tenacity on praying and ministering the Word is the most fulfilling work that I can do. This is the sacred charge that I have been given, and it is not something I take lightly. These two priorities have always been under attack. Getting focused on other good things is what hinders me from doing what God has called me to do. Any neglect of these priorities sabotages God’s work. Replacing these priorities with budgets, buildings and bean counting will highjack what God is trying to accomplish through me at Calvary.

Now please understand, I don’t believe I am “God’s gift to Calvary.” I can easily be replaced (not looking to be replaced though). I am just saying that from scripture I clearly see what I need to do. If a pastor’s priorities are prayer and the Word, then the deacon’s priorities involve ministering in ways that enable me to do this.

This brings me to what I want to say about our deacons at Calvary: They are Spirit-filled men who enable me to do what God has called me to do! I love and respect each of them and count it a privilege to serve alongside of them. They are enabling me to pray and spend time in the Word. They allow me the thrill of fulfilling my sacred charge. They understand that they too have a sacred charge from God. The deacons at Calvary are men who lift the burdens off me that don’t need to be there.

Much more could be written but I will save that for later. I just want to say, “Thank you deacons.”

Grace & Peace,
Scott

Deacons: Ministers of Mercy

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Monday, October 06, 2008 11:45 AM

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I am somewhat of a non-traditionalist in most areas of my life and ministry. One of my desires as a pastor is to allow God to shape Calvary from His Word and not the traditions of men. I sincerely don’t want to wake up ten years from now and ask, “What have I done?!” However, I do enjoy rich tradition in the church when it’s rooted in the biblical text. This is where I found myself last week when praying and studying for Calvary’s deacon ordination service. I was driven to Acts 6 because that is the first occurrence of deacons in the Bible (even though the word “deacon” can’t be found in the text).

One of the main focuses of the passage is the transference of ownership from the apostles to the deacons. You see, the apostles were finding themselves dealing with problems and putting out fires in the church. This in and of itself is not beyond the scope of any pastor, but they were doing this to the detriment of what God had called them to do—prayer and the ministry of the Word. They not only feared neglecting their God-given ministry, but they also feared a fracturing of the church if something wasn’t done immediately. The plan they came up with is to give the ministry of administering the finances for the ministry of mercy over to a well-qualified group of men whom the church trusted.

Once the church body chose seven men, one thing was left undone…the first deacons had to be given the authority and feel the responsibility of caring for the widows. This authority and responsibility was felt when the apostles laid their hands on the first deacons as a sign that they were transferring the ownership of this part of the ministry over to them.

This is what I wanted our deacons to feel Sunday. This is the heartbeat I desire when it comes to the deacons at Calvary Church. I don’t want us to have a group of men who are the CEO’s or the CFO’s or the CIO’s or any other CO’s who dictate the direction of the church. That is beyond the scope of New Testament deacons. I also don’t want a group of men who are the pastor’s assistants. God’s design and desire for deacons is that they be the Ministers of Mercy in the church.

Grace & Peace,
Scott
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