 |
|
|
Some time ago I read about a German farmer who settled in Guatemala and became prosperous. While sailing back to Germany to visit his family, he discovered a tropical flea had taken up residence under a toenail and laid its eggs. He was fascinated with this process and wanted his family to see the exotic insect. So instead of dealing with the painful problem then and there, he let the toe fester. By the time he got to Germany, blood poisoning had set in and the farmer died. One of the most important challenges for Christian leaders is recognizing what is urgent and what is not. It is easy to spend your time on good things that keep you from investing your time in the most important things. As you set priorities for the coming week, think about what you can do with your time to make the greatest investment in the work of the Kingdom. "Be very careful, then, how you live — not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity . . ." (Eph. 5:15-16) Michael
Duduit, Editor Click here to visit "I Was Just Thinking" for insights and observations about faith and culture issues.
Preaching model has changed, Robinson says During a discussion following his lectures on preaching at Beeson Divinity School some time ago, Haddon Robinson expressed concern that, "The model for the preacher has changed. Up through the 1940's into the 50's — at least among evangelicals — the model for the preacher was the evangelist . . . "In the late 50's and 60's, the model in many circles became the Bible teacher . . . [corresponding to the emergence of the Bible church movement] "In the 80's to 90's, the model of the preacher (became) the therapist — the task of the preacher is to meet the needs of the converted people who are still secular . . . Sermons today are much more likely to be topical than expository . . . and many of the materials in the sermon come out of the behavioral sciences . . . "The
aim of most sermons today is not to explain the biblical text.
The aim of most sermons is to connect with the listeners' felt
needs . . . The Bible is used as a way to get a divine imprint
on what is simply good advice."
Feedback on church structure We received lots of responses — pro and con — to last week's item on church structure. (Just in case you missed it, click here to read.) Here are a few selected comments: "If we were to examine the church I currently pastor, we would find that the crew within the cockpit does not agree on which instruments should be used. We would find people fighting over who gets to be pilot and copilot — not judging our vote on that decision based on who is experienced, who has put in the most time in the simulators, or who has shown the most growth in their training. My "crew" bases their vote on who they like and/or dislike. In fact, we have put people in the crew who don't even like to fly! I ask you, then, wouldn't you feel safe if we were flying you? Can you say 'Crash Landing?'" "In my 10 years of experience as an associate pastor, I have found out that 50% of the Congregation make 90% of the decisions that 10% of us carry out." "A Pastor is not the only one in the Church to have a ministry. . . . If the Pastor burns on both sides, yes, the Church WILL eventually close it's doors." "The church is not a plane. We are all a royal priesthood. It is not my job to fly the plane. It is Jesus' job to fly the plane. I am just the messenger and the steward telling people how to keep safe when the crash does happen." "The analogy about the airplane to the church was not a good one. We are shepherds to God's people; we have to know their concerns and needs to lead them. It is arrogance to assume we just know better. I hear the Lord speak through the people of my church . . ." "How can leaders get on with flying and setting direction while ensuring that the congregation is not merely a bunch of consumers who are just on board for the ride?" "If churches were like airplanes, pilots wouldn't bail out in mid flight, leaving the steering to the people in coach. Often power struggles are a result of pastors who leave after 18 months to take the next higher paying job, or put the church in debt and leave, or use the church as a launching pad for other things." There's a lot more where these came from. To read a full list of feedback sent to us on this question, click here. http://www.preaching.com/preaching/misc/feedback0205.htm
Pastor hands out money The Parable of the Talents took on new meaning recently for members of Newsong Church in Grove, Oklahoma. That's when pastor Steve Dyer handed out $14,000 to congregation members with instructions to invest the funds for seven weeks, then bring the money and profits back to the church to be used in missionary work. Members of the 125-member congregation ripped open envelopes containing $100 and $50 bills after the Sunday sermon. According to a Feb. 15 Associated Press story, Dyer had placed crisp $100 bills in red envelopes for adults and $50 bills in green envelopes for school-age children. "That is going to be a lot of fun," Dyer said. "A lot of people already have ideas." Dyer
said the church isn't keeping track of who has the money, but
did give one stipulation: it was not to be used to buy lottery
tickets or to gamble. http://apnews1.iwon.com/article/20050215/D8898L6G0.html
Last Week for Conference Discounts March 7 is the deadline to save $25 on your registration for the National Conference on Preaching, slated for April 18-20, 2005 in Nashville, Tennessee. The theme of NCP 2005 will be "Preaching With Passion," and an outstanding line-up of speakers will be participating, including William Willimon, Dave Stone, H. Beecher Hicks, James Earl Massey, Ray Ortlund, Jr., Robert Smith, Jim Shaddix, Mike Glenn, Bill Self, Carol Noren, R. Leslie Holmes, and more. The annual conference is sponsored by Preaching magazine. In addition to the plenary sessions and workshops for preachers, NCP 2005 will also have workshop tracks for worship leaders, student/youth pastors and ministry spouses. So plan to bring your entire leadership team! The regular registration is $250, but if you register by March 7 the cost is only $225 — a $25 savings! Additional registrants from the same church (and spouses) can register for just $100 per person. For more information or to register, call 1-800-288-9673 (outside the US call 615-599-9889), or visit us on the web at www.preaching.com/ncp. Airline Discounts Available for NCP Participants
in the National Conference on Preaching can take advantage of
discounts on Northwest, Continental and Continental Express Airlines.
Discounts of 5-15% are available, based on the type of fare and
the date ordered — the earlier you purchase your tickets, the
greater the available discount. To make reservations or get information,
contact the Northwest Meeting Services Reservation Desk at 1-800-328-1111
(open Mon-Fri, 7:00 am to 7:30 pm Central), and refer to WorldFile
NYTTN.
Illustration: Evil In his new book Unspeakable (HarperCollins), Os Guinness helps us deal with the question of evil in a culture scarred by terror. Early in the book he observes, "A basic fact of life is that any of us may suffer and all of us will die . . . Another basic fact of life is that countless human beings live in abject daily fear of evil and the brutal people who abuse power and oppress them. For much of the world, evil is — and always has been — a daily fact of life. "These two ancient issues are dark and difficult enough in themselves. But there is a modern twist to the discussion that makes it harder still. The events of September 11 hit America and the West at large at a time when intellectual and moral responses to evil are weaker, more controversial, and more confused than they have been for centuries. Put simply, we no longer have a shared understanding about whether there is any such thing as evil. Some even question whether it is proper to speak of anyone as our enemy. The consequences of our uncertainty damage us on all sorts of levels." (Click here to learn more about the book Unspeakable.)
ILLUSTRATION: Sexuality, Immorality In a recent column, Linda Chavez quotes from a study by Carrie Lukas for the Independent Women's Forum. Chavez notes that, "libertine behavior exacts a heavier toll on females than males. Women are more susceptible to sexually transmitted diseases than men, for example. A woman is eight times more likely than a man to contract HIV from a single sexual encounter and four times more likely to get gonorrhea when exposed. Women are also more likely to suffer serious damage, such as sterility or cervical cancer, from STDs. And the risks are not just physical. "Many studies show that promiscuous behavior entails greater psychological costs for even the most 'liberated' women." (Click here to read the full column.) http://www.townhall.com/columnists/lindachavez/lc20050216.shtml
ILLUSTRATION: Defeat, Diappointment John Huffman shares: "Vanderlei Lima went to Athens to do what no other Brazilian had ever done — win a medal in the Olympic Marathon. This race was special. The runners would retrace the 2,500-year-old route of Phidipedes, the original marathoner. When Lima neared the last leg of the race, he was in first place. Throngs of flag-waving spectators cheered him on. It was one of those moments when people of various backgrounds put their differences aside. "The joyful celebration turned to bewilderment, however, when an eccentric spectator, a defrocked Irish priest wearing a red, white and green kilt, bolted from the crowd and tackled him. There was no injury, but the delay dashed Lima's hopes of the gold medal, as in the ensuing chaos he lost twenty minutes, and two other runners sped by him to win the gold and the silver. This world-class athlete expressed this reaction: I'm not going to cry forever about the incident, although it broke my concentration. But I managed to finish, and the bronze medal, in such a difficult marathon, is also a great achievement.' "One
can live a self-protected existence, merely surviving at life,
refusing to take any risks. But one who tackles life with exuberance
exposes oneself to the potential of physical and emotional suffering.
As persons of all walks of life know, the very "entering
of the arena" exposes one to the possibility of defeat, suffering,
misunderstanding and pain." (from sermon "Strength in
Suffering," which will be in the March edition of Preaching
On-Line)
ILLUSTRATION: Biblical Literacy The new pastor decided to visit the children's Sunday school. The teacher introduced him and said, "Pastor, this morning we're studying Joshua." "That's wonderful," said the new pastor, "let's see what you're learning. Who tore down the walls of Jericho?" Little Billy shyly raised hand and offered, "Pastor, I didn't do it." Taken aback, the pastor asked, "Come on, now, who tore down the walls of Jericho?" The teacher, interrupting, said, "Pastor, Billy's a good boy. If he says he didn't do it, I believe he didn't do it." Flustered, the pastor went to the Sunday school director and related the story to him. The director, looking worried, explained, "Well, sir, we've had some problems with Billy before. Let me talk to him and see what we can do." Really bothered now by the answers of the teacher and the director, the new pastor approached the deacons and related the whole story, including the responses of the teacher and the director. A
white-haired gentleman thoughtfully stroked his chin and said,
"Well, Pastor, I move we just take the money from the general
fund to pay for the walls and leave it at that." (from Pastor
Tim's CleanLaugh List)
ILLUSTRATION: Temptation In a Frank and Ernest cartoon, the two characters are standing before a priest and Frank asks, "How come opportunity knocks once, but temptation beats at my door every day?"
|
|||
| |||
|
ILLUSTRATION: Faith Rick Warren writes, "As a pastor, there are many things you don't have control over. You didn't choose when you'd be born or where you'd be born or what your natural talents would be. God, in his sovereignty, chose those things for you. But there is one thing you do have control over and that's the most important thing: It's how much you choose to believe God. "Philippians 1:6 says, 'I am sure that God who began this good work in you will carry it on until it is finished on the day of Jesus Christ.' You can trust him. Whatever he starts, he finishes — and finishes well."
Illustration: Prayer, Loneliness Because of Winn-Dixie is a delightful movie (now in theaters) that contains a number of spiritual insights. It is one of those films the entire family can enjoy, and one of the few recent films that treats Christian faith sympathetically. Our friends at MovieMinistry.com offer several illustrations from the film; here's one: The Big Idea: Don't whine — pray! Scene Setup: Opal has moved to the tiny town of Naomi, Florida, with her father is the preacher. Like many "new kids," freshly transplanted from elsewhere, Opal has no friends. Instead of whining about it to her dad, she decides to take it up with her Father. Scene: In a moving, beautiful little scene, Opal lifts her voice to God. She prays, "It's me, God. I'd like some friends." She then reviews the people available to her at church. One she describes as a girl with a pinched up face; another who is a five-year old finger sucker; and a couple of bald-headed boys. She says, "None of them wants to be friends." She also tells God that she wants to see her mother again. Application: It is not often that people pray genuine prayers in film, yet here is little Opal pouring her heart out to God in her loneliness. The other beautiful aspect of this prayer is that, from the look on Opal's face as she prays, she fully expects that God will answer her prayers — and He does — though not in the way she expects. In time, each of the children she initially rejects becomes a friend, and even though her mama never returns, she is blessed by the friendship of two older women in the town. Sometimes,
when we are feeling lonely, our instinct is to turn inward
and revel in self-pity. God tells us to cast our cares upon
Him, because He cares for us. When we do, we need to expect
a response, and we should be willing to see it, even if it
does not, at first, appear in the way we were expecting. (For
more movie-based illustrations visit www.movieministry.com)
Leader Links is a new web-based publication for Christian leaders. The March issue is now available at www.leaderlinks.com, and features an interview with former executive recruiter Bill Karlson, talking about how Christian leaders can work more effectively with their employees. The March issue features great articles, columns by Stan Toler and Michael Duduit, featured leadership resources, and more. You can also go to the site (or just click here) and subscribe to LeadingNow, a monthly e-mail newsletter featuring ideas and resources for Christian leaders.
Illustration: Marriage A man had just finished reading a book called Man Of The House while commuting home from work. When he got home, he stormed into the house, walked up to his wife, pointed his finger in her face and said, "From now on I want you to know that I am the man of this house and my word is law! You are to prepare me a gourmet meal tonight, and when I'm finished eating my meal, I expect a sumptuous dessert afterward. Then, after dinner, you're going to draw my bath so I can relax. And when I'm finished with my bath, guess who's going to dress me and comb my hair?" She
thought for a moment and responded, "The Funeral Director
is my guess." (from Mikey's Funnies)
And speaking of marriage . . . Randy Pope, pastor of Perimeter Church in Atlanta, has written an excellent book for singles called Finding Your Million Dollar Mate (Northfield). The book offers six principles to guide in finding the person you'll want to live with for the rest of your life. It would be a great gift for singles in your church. Randy writes: "With so many options for finding that perfect someone and no shortage of eligible singles, why are the odds stacked so high against marriage? I'm convinced there's something fundamentally wrong with the search process. Finding the right mate is a wonderful goal and a powerful desire in just about every person's life. Different cultures approach it in different ways. But whether it's Pakistan or Paducah, finding the right mate is serious business. "If you have any interest in marriage, the big questions you're likely asking are, Who will it be? How will I find that person? And how do I know when I do? Perhaps the most important question of all: How do I keep from becoming another bleak statistic? "I
believe there is a way to find lasting fulfillment in marriage
— to find that match truly made in heaven. But you likely
won't find him or her on a game show or in some trendy, smoke-filled
bar or even on the Internet. Finding the mate who's best for
you is about deciding what matters most. That requires honest
reflection about what drives you in life and determining your
overarching purpose for living." (Click
here to learn more about Finding Your Million Dollar
Mate)
Top 10 Ways a Church Choir Director Tells You That You Can't Sing: 10. The choir voted to move weekly practice to 3:30 a.m. Wednesday. It's OK if you don't like to get up that early. 9. When we ordered the sheet music for our upcoming special they left out the page with your part. 8. All the chairs in the Choir rehearsal room are full. 7. We're short an usher today; could you help? 6. We need strong singers like you in the congregation to help them sing the hymns. 5. Did you know singing can aggravate sinus problems? 4. We still need good people for the handbell choir. 3. It's a shame composers don't write more songs in your style. 2. You have a unique range — you hit both notes well. 1.
Did you know there is a new Bible study starting the same
night as choir (From Fodder and Joke A Day Ministries. To subscribe drop a note to Sermon_Fodder-subscribe@yahoogroups.com)
And finally . . . We've heard of Scotch-Irish before, but Scotch-Texas? During his recent European tour, President Bush sat down for a roundtable interview with European reporters, according to a Feb. 22 note in The Washington Times. One reporter asked the President about an upcoming meeting of the G-8, to be held at the Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland. Mr. Bush talked about the meeting, then related a story of how he had spent time in Perthshire, Scotland, in 1959, when he was a teenager. "I worked there as a 14-year-old kid," he said. "I went from Texas to Scotland to work on a sheep farm. I'm riding a bike taking this one sheep, you know, from here to there, and a big tour bus stops. They got off and a woman with a Texas accent said, 'Look at the little Scottish boy!'" The boy who would be president didn't try to dissuade the woman. Bush recalls: "I kept my mouth shut and gave them a little Scottish boy wave." (Click here to read the Times article. Free registration is required to access this article.)
Not a current subscriber to Preaching magazine? Why not share PreachingNow with a friend? Missing
an issue of PreachingNow? Problems
with links? Received
this by mistake? |
| PreachingNow is a publication of American Ministry
Resources. Editor: Dr. Michael Duduit. |