5 Reasons Pastors (or anyone else) Should Not Threaten to Quit

"I quit!"
"I'm not doing this anymore."
"You can find someone else to take care of this!"


We've all been there.  We have either been so stressed, frustrated or both and we just wanted to scream at the top of our lungs the old song title, "Take this job and shove it!"  Perhaps quitting is not necessarily a bad thing, as long as it is done with a lot of prayer, preparation and in a loving a graceful way.  But, for those of you (and me!) who have been frustrated enough to say it, without meaning it, here are 5 reasons you might want to rethink letting those words leave your mouth.




5) People Resent It
           Depending on how close you are with someone, and whether or not that person is your boss, you may be able to get away with it once or twice. But eventually, those working with you are going to resent your continued threats.  You may not mean it. You may simply be venting, but eventually those you continue to threaten with this, will grow weary of hearing you complain. Be a fixer, not a griper.  Don't be that person who gives off the appearance of one who throws in the towel when things get tough.  If you're not a quitter, don't make yourself sound like one. 



4) Others Aren't Doing It
          Those people you keep saying this to are struggling as well. No one is always happy with their job. No one is always happy in their volunteer situation.  Face it, no one is always happy, period.  However, for those that hear you "quit" every time things get tough, they might be growing tired of hearing it because while they feel the same way at times, they are working to overcome that feeling. If you're not careful, someone might tell you to either "grow up" or "go ahead and quit."


3) It is the Wrong Response
           If you are a Christian, you are by definition, an overcomer.  You are one who rises up on the wings of eagles. You stand tall above the mountains and you face those giants with nothing more than a sling and a stone.  Because of Christ in you, there is nothing that can defeat you permanently.  Not even your difficult circumstances. However, if quitting is always your first response (even if you don't really mean it when you say it) it takes the place of where your thoughts should be, and that is on the way Jesus would handle it.  Getting mad, frustrated, or upset are normal and often times righteous emotions.  Threatening to take your ball and go home because you didn't get your way, is not. If you continue to do this, you might need to invest in a "crying room," that is, if you are not on a campus that offers them already.

2) It is Childish
            As an ambassador of Christ, we are called to react to struggles with faith and courage.  Paul clearly told us that we are not to act like children, because we are maturing Christians who must live out our faith in Christ every day.  If others are watching your example and you threaten to jump ship when things get tough or your feelings get hurt, what kind of example are you setting?


1) It's Manipulative
           I often wonder if we, as Christians, realize how many times we are being manipulative when we want to get our way.  This is a sobering thought, but any time we try to influence someone else by using guilt, threats, etc we are lowering ourselves to the tactics of the enemy. We cannot do that if we are ambassadors of Jesus.

I have struggled with this in my years and if you are struggling, it's time to make a change! What are some reasons you have for not making idle threats?

5 Things Your Pastor May Be Doing While You Sleep

Do you ever wonder "just what does my pastor do, anyway?"   It is okay, not only am I not offended by that question, I also once asked it myself.  For most of the congregation, seeing the pastor is limited to one or two hours per week and in the case of emergencies.  When this happens, it is not uncommon for people to begin questioning the role, purpose or time that the pastor spends doing, "God knows what!"

From my personal experience, and the experience of my colleagues, here are some things your pastor may be doing, while you sleep!


5) Praying

This may seem obvious, but understand that there are many times when I am up either late or early talking to God. Usually when I am up late doing this, I am doing it on behalf of someone else. Either a sick person, a suffering family, or the church as a whole.  When I am up late talking to God, it's because I can't sleep and when I can't sleep, it may be due to some issue or problem that is weighing on me, either personally or on behalf of others.

4) Visiting

You might be wondering, "who would my pastor be visiting while I am sleeping?"  I would venture to say that more often than not if your pastor is visiting someone late, it is either at a hospital, hospice, or the bed of someone who is about to die. I can't tell you the many times I have gotten up from dinner because the phone rang, kissed my wife and kids goodbye and ran off to the hospital or somebody's home in an emergency.  Your pastor's family will most likely understand this demand on him, but don't be fooled into thinking that it doesn't cost him valuable time with them.  If his family doesn't understand, it may cost him more than you would ever imagine.

3) Reading

I used to believe that being a full-time vocational pastor meant I would have countless hours to sit in my office and read. That is usually not the case.  There are times that I can shut my door and enjoy a good book that helps me become a better pastor, leader, preacher, teacher, scholar, etc.  However, I can't remember the last time I read, at the office, uninterrupted and don't try and do it a coffee shop or restaurant in a small town.  That is an invitation for interruption.  No, the majority of my seminary work (before I graduated), Bible reading, personal development, etc happens after my family has fallen asleep for the night.  Your pastor may be up for hours, enjoying the quiet time that he finally has to sit down and grow, himself.


 2) Thinking

After everyone is asleep and the house is quiet, I tend to do a lot of thinking.  I think about the day today and the day tomorrow. I think about all the things I did wrong and how I could go about them a different way. I think about what is coming in the days, weeks and even months to come. I think about sermons, illustrations, families, tragedies, celebrations, birthdays, the pile on my desk, my family, am I being a good husband, father, friend, the members who are mad with me and the members who are not, and the list goes on and on.  You see, just like many of you, there isn't time to think about all of this during the day, so it gets pushed to the night.


1) Supporting Friends

The statistics are staggeringly discouraging when you look at the number of pastors who either leave the ministry altogether.  Then there are those whose lives fall apart because they are unable to juggle and manage the expectations of their church.  Sadly, a high statistic is those who deal with severe depression and even suicide.  It is sad that among the anointed, gifted, called by God, pastors of our nation, so many are under attack from within the four walls they call their second home.  There have been many times that I've been up late either giving support to another pastor or getting it myself.  Being a pastor can be lonely. There aren't many people who will be your friends and if you've done this long enough, you put up walls to protect yourself. 


Don't get me wrong. On my worst day (although I would never admit this on my worst day), being a pastor is a wonderful and rewarding calling. I love what I do and there is no doubt in my mind that God anointed me for this very calling. I also realize that there are many other jobs out there, some of which you don't get paid well, work in horrible conditions, and never know if you're coming home or not (like our law enforcement officers).  Just remember, even though you don't always see what your pastor is doing, chances are, your pastor is carrying on with his duties as if their boss were watching them carefully, because after all, He is always watching.

What are your thoughts?

December 25th: Church or No Church?

As December 25th approaches, a glance at the calendar will remind you that this Christmas falls on a Sunday.  While this may seem exciting for the average church attender, it raises some interesting questions among smaller congregations and can even become a point of contention between local churches.  The question?  "do we have service on Sunday or cancel it?"


At the sound of this, some of you may be appalled!  You might think, "why wouldn't we have church on Christmas? This is perfect!"  However, just as quickly as that thought came to reader's minds, other readers may be thinking something quite opposite. "Whew! One less thing to do on Christmas" or "now we can go visit Aunt Lula Bell without feeling guilty for not going to church."

The problem with this question is that it comes down to preference and not biblical mandate.  Sure, it almost sounds sacrilegious to not have service on Christ's birthday. Well, that is until someone points out that Christ wasn't actually born on December 25th and we are simply celebrating it that day.  It begs the questions, "why can't we celebrate it on Dec 4th, or what about every day all year long?"  You could also get into a discussion about the pagan celebration of the winter solstice and how Christians joined pagan roots with the timing of the celebration, but that's for another day.

On the other side of this issue, at least for me, is the evangelism card. Let's face it, some people only go to church on Christmas and Easter. These people, while perhaps nice enough, are not walking as closely with the Lord as they could (then again, who is?).  If the church doors are closed on Christmas day, does this prevent a possible outreach opportunity for those who only show up twice a year? Perhaps. With the doors open, there is much more potential to reach someone, than with the doors closed.

So what is a church to do?   I believe it comes down to a Romans 14 issue.  It definitely is not a biblical mandated issue.  So the answer must be decided by each individual church's (or denominations) leadership.  That's really all we can say about this without getting caught up in our opinions.

What about the congregations?

Assuming your church is not having services and you aren't traveling or spending time with family, or maybe you are but you want to attend church first, I suggest visiting another church. Despite what some insecure pastors might think, you haven't committed "church adultery" because you were never married to the church. You are the church and the church is married to Christ. Besides, your church is closed that day.

So find a church that is open on December 25th and enjoy celebrating the birth of Christ with like minded saints.

Or,get up that morning and read the Christmas story with your family directly from the inspired Word of God.

Whatever you do this Christmas, make it something that will glorify the King, not divide His children.

The Actions of a Few

Mark 10:45 says: "For even the son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and give his life as a ransom for many."

This verse is a reminder to us that Jesus came and lowered himself to the lowest point possible, a sacrifice for others' sins. In the wake of more civil disobedience and unrest you may be tempted to take sides. As I watched the news break last night, I was tempted to take both sides. I found myself angry at the protesters and looters who were violent and not assembling peacefully, and then I found myself hurting for the families of those who lost loved ones.

This verse out of Mark reminds us that as Christians we are to be servants at all costs. What this means for us today is that instead of taking sides and pointing fingers, today can be the day that we show others we will not be divided by the Enemy, but instead we will rise up in the midst of turmoil and love each other the way God has instructed us to.

This morning my 11 year old and I were watching the news and they played a clip of a black man yelling that "all white people are the devil." Andrew got upset at this and I muted the TV and told him that was the opinion of one angry black person, not every black person and that we can't judge an entire race on the actions of a few. In his innocent eyes, I could tell he was trying to understand, but all he really knew was a black man called him the devil and it hurt him deeply.

So you've been hurt by racism....believe it or not, so have I. I remember it happening more than once as a kid and then again as a young adult. That's still no excuse for me to lump the actions of a few into the group of many. Instead, I am to emulate the love of Jesus, who died for everyone.
If your attempts to show love to others aren't received, don't fret. Your motivation isn't their receptiveness, it is your love for the Father that motivates you. Share a smile, open a door, offer a compliment and do it with the love of Christ flowing from your inner soul.

Be encouraged, by being a servant to the King!

Pastor's Book Club - Pastor's Pick September 2016

In my first blog post edition of "Pastor's Pick" I am sharing a book that I have had on my Kindle for nearly two months.  I picked it up while doing a study with our men from the series 33 Authentic Manhood.  In this study (Volume 1) it encouraged us as men, to invest not into just one area or role of our life, but those that are most important.  As a husband (and father) I wanted to seriously invest in my marriage. I would not suggest that Heather and I have a bad marriage, but rather quite the contrary, however, I know that there is always room for improvement (on her part!.....Just kidding!) 

As a man chasing after God and my wife, I began searching for a book that would speak to men like men speak to each other.  As a youth pastor, 10 years ago, I read The Purpose Driven Youth Group and have since passed it on as a recommendation to others.   When I came across this book, it was the name recognition of Doug Fields that led me (and of course the Holy Spirit) to download the sample. Within minutes I was hooked and downloaded the book so I could read it.

Since then, our church has purchased ten that are available for members/visitors/interested parties to easily purchase themselves. Whether you get this book because you are going to be a husband or because you want to be a better husband, get it with the intention of simply putting these truths into practice. I love to read, and I really loved reading this. I hope you will consider getting this, and that's my Pastor's Pick for the month of September!

 

A Thorn in the Flesh

As I write today's blog post, I am sitting in my recliner with a heating pad on my neck and back.  I have not kept it a secret that I hurt most of the time. Usually I can function without being hindered by the pain, but when I am hindered, it is serious. I realize that there are many people who have it way worse than I.  I don't pretend otherwise, but with that being said, this is my story.

In 2009 I was diagnosed with Advanced Spinal Stenosis and Advanced Degenerative Disc Disease.  Since then I have had two major back surgeries to correct damage in my L4/L5 and L5/S1 discs. The symptoms include;

Numbness in my left leg and foot
Pain in the left leg
Pain radiating in my left hip and down my left leg
Inability to walk/weakness in left leg
Constant pain
Growing weakness in left arm, hands and in extreme cases the entire left side of my body.

After my second surgery, and about 5 months of terrible leg/nerve pain it began to ease up.  At the end of last year, I began to experience neck pain. Just like before, we started out with the X-Ray (insurance requirement, even though it never shows anything)  followed by the MRI to find out that yet another disc was herniated, this one in my neck (C3/C4).  Although the pain was intense at times, the disc was yet to impinge on the spinal column and thus physical therapy was prescribed.  For the most part, PT helped to ease the pain, by creating more pain. I know, it sounds crazy, but even that was short lived. After about 10 weeks of therapy, the pain had only decreased slightly and was never fully gone.

Someone suggested the acupuncturist, to which I was ready to try anything.  I was surprised when after 3 sessions/weeks, the pain was all but gone.  I could live with it and at times I didn't even notice it.  It was a tremendous  blessing and I was able to put off surgery for six months.

However, here we are in September and it has returned angrier than ever.  Another two sessions, with a third on the way and the best relief I can hope for is 6 days.  Additionally, I have noticed a spot in my T-Spine that hurts as if someone has hit me with a hammer.  It burns and runs down into my lower back, causing the original symptoms, pre-surgeries 1 and 2, to return.

Just this morning I had to handle making sure someone (more than one) could cover at church. I really don't like missing church and when I don't get to preach, I feel down.  Coupled with the chronic pain and discomfort that seems to stay like an unwelcome guest, I grow weary of the condition that I feel is stealing my life away.

Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 12:7b-10
Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. ⁸ Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. ⁹ But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. ¹⁰ That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (NIV)

Although verses like Micah 6:8 and Ephesians 2:8-9 have been my life verses, over the last few years, 2 Cor 12:9 has become a verse I live out each day.  

Before you ask, we have run the first round of X-Rays and more than likely will be headed down the road of regular routine with the final destination being the operating table.  At 34 years old, I can't do the things that many others can, without ending up on my back or in a chair for days on end. In extreme cases, I have been in a wheelchair and heavily medicated.  There is no telling how much of my life I can't remember or was in a medicated stupor for.  Tens of thousands of dollars have piled up in medical bills and it seems as if tens of thousands more will do the same.

As I continue to walk down this road, I will remember two things:

1) My troubles, though my own, are not as bad as many other's
2) His Grace is and always will be sufficient

You probably have a thorn in your flesh as well.  It is in our weaknesses we can boast about the strength and power of our Lord.  I offer my pain as a sacrifice and look forward to the day when I will suffer no more.  Until then, I will move slowly and work hard for there is much harvesting to be done.

Are We Really Going to Bet it All?

"If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.”   John 15:10

         In the world of Texas-Holdem Poker and other such card games, there is a term “all in”.  This term simply means that no matter what the cards reveal, the player is willing to bet all of their money (chips) that they will win. It is one of the most dangerous moves a player can decide to make because it comes with the greatest risk. However, if it pays off for the player and they win, it will yield a great reward.

         Being a Disciple of Christ is slightly different, in that, you are guaranteed to win.  However, even being a Disciple of Christ comes with a risk.  You are betting everything on Jesus and believe that He will keep His word.  You might be wondering, but if there is a guarantee, how can there be a risk? What is there to lose? The risk is that you may lose your “friends,” you may lose your job and you may even lose your life.  While those risks aren’t guaranteed, what is guaranteed is that you will lose who you were and become who Jesus wants you to be.

         It seems that modern day Christians (and this isn’t really that far off from biblical Christians) struggle with being “all in”.  We want to bet a chip here and there, unsure of whether or not the hand that we hold is going to pay off.  We want assurances that the life we are going to live will be easy.  We want to know that when things get tough, someone else will jump in and take care of it for us.   We want to play, but we aren’t all in.

        Maturity as a Christian comes from betting it all. Put all your chips on the table. All your eggs in His basket.  Devote your life to following Jesus’ example and don’t fold your hand at the first sign of difficulty. 

4 Ways Christians are not Disicples

                     And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the  
                                             breaking of bread and the prayers. Acts 2:42


In the pages of the New Testament Jesus is quoted as saying, "follow me" to various people.  Sometimes He is speaking for them to follow him at that moment and other times He is speaking to them eternally. Ultimately all of his directives have eternal ramifications and from this, we can surmise that Jesus is calling us to follow his actions, character, and way of life. To follow Jesus truly, means we are acting like Him, copying his attitude, actions and lifestyle.  Another word for this is, "disciple".  We have been called to be his disciples, but the more time I spend in the ministry, the less disciples and disciple-makers I seem to find.

Here are a few ways that believers in Christ are not living as true disciples:


1) Devotion to Teaching
                 Although a person may attend church, even regularly (twice or more a month) being devoted to teaching is not just sitting in the sanctuary and listening to the preacher.  Nor is it just sitting in the Sunday School or Small Group room and following along in a study guide. I have found that many people, especially millennials, are devoted to attendance (and even that can be sporadic at times) but being devoted to the teaching means studying it during the week. Whether it is preparation for the class, a review of material covered, or both, there needs to be more devotion to the Word of God to truly be a disciple.

2) Devotion to Fellowship
               Some would argue that fellowship is not an issue in the church.  I would suggest that biblical fellowship is missing and this is what it looks like. Gathering with the saints of all ages, races, backgrounds, etc, not just "us four and no more."  It is easy to attend church with a desire to see your friends and there is nothing wrong with this, unless the only fellowship you do is with the people in your inner circle.  The church is the family of God and we must begin to act like it.Oh! And no gossiping allowed.

3) Actively Participating in Ministry 
               This is a tough one for me to address, simply because it is one of the single most frustrating things I have seen in my short nine years of ministry.  However, it is glaring at us from across the denominational spectrum.  For many, simply going to church should be enough.  I mean, how dare the pastor expect us to be active and use our God given gifts and talents for the ministry. It's not like the pastor is supposed to equip us for ministry, why would he dare suggest such nonsense. /sarcasm off.  We need a lot more doers of the Word and a lot less talkers about what they are going to do.

4) Making Other Disciples
               I am starting to understand why it seems there are so few workers for the harvest. It must be because the actual number of disciples is relatively small to begin with or at least in comparison to the number of self-proclaimed Christians. There must be follow up and action, a desire to see the lost come to know the Lord as savior. Yet, sadly enough, I recently heard a statistic that stated about 92% of people who considered themselves Evangelical Christians either had no plan or definitively were not going to share the Gospel with someone in the next year. A sad statistic, indeed.


You might wonder why "prayer" didn't make the list. The simple answer is, I don't know who is praying or who isn't.  At least, not as easily as these four. What are your thoughts?

The Top 3 Reasons for Cancelling Services During the Summer

While on vacation this week, I have enjoyed time with my family, the beach, amusement parks, and most importantly, the Lord.  Leaning towards my pessimistic side however, I have started counting down the days until the vacation is over.  We returned home on Tuesday and Wednesday morning Heather (my lovely wife) had things for me to do around the house. She didn't push, because we went on a 10 mile bike ride on Monday that nearly killed me and I'm as sore now as I have been in a long time, if ever!  Nevertheless, I did help out a little and found myself focusing on the few days left instead of the rest of my vacation.  In fact, one of our church leaders texted me this morning asking a question about church and then quickly followed up with "you're on vacation, never mind."  I tried to answer his question anyway, and he simply said, "I said you're on vacation." I smiled and texted "thanks."  As I sat here thinking about the upcoming weekend, services, music, sermons, the leadership training that starts in a few weeks, and Vacation Bible School this thought occurred to me...."We should cancel services for the summertime since people will be on vacations anyway."  Hence, here are my top 3 reasons to cancel services this summer.


3) People Will Be on Vacation 
                     I already said this in the long-winded introduction, but it stills holds true. It's summer and the kids are out of school.  It's hot and people need to hang out by the beach, pool or in their air-conditioned rooms. They don't need to be bothered with singing songs of praise and worship, getting up on a Sunday and going to church, volunteering in VBS or sharing the Gospel with the lost. I mean sure, those things are important for the Christian life and yes, they are expected of us, but really, what harm can 8 weeks off do?  Okay, okay, that's not the best reason to cancel services, but the next one is perfect!

2) People Will Read and Study on Their Own
                   Christians are commanded to read and study outside of their regular church attendance, right?  I mean, we know that it is up to us to make sure we are getting the "meat" of the Word, learning and growing, away from the church!  So it makes sense that we can expect people to do this during the summer on their own. What could go wrong?  I mean, many have trouble doing this during the year, so surely the time off will allow people to find more time to spend in God's Word and in prayer, right?  No? Ok, number 1 will convince you.

1) Numbers Will be Low
                   This may sound a little like number 3, but I assure you it is completely different. It is simple and right to the point.  The "Summer Slump" is inevitable. It begins around Memorial Day and doesn't go away until usually sometime in mid-August.  Since people won't be coming anyway, let's cancel services. Just think of what we could save on electricity and cleaning crews.  Of course, don't cut the salaries of the staff, they are still on call!  What's that? What about the faithful few or those who show up during the summer looking for Jesus?  Well, okay, I didn't think about that.  Forget this, it was too much like number 3 anyway!


Well, I tried, but try as I might I can't come up with any good reasons for letting our faithfulness and attendance wean during the summer.  I guess it comes down to priorities, so take your vacations and enjoy the beach, rivers and lakes. Just don't let those wonderful gifts that God has allowed us to have, become our Summer Idols.

5 Reasons Why Some Pastors May Seem to Not Care (and what you can do!)

      In my heart of hearts, I am saddened that places like Google and FaceBook treat their employees better than churches treat their pastors. Perhaps today, I can share with you how some pastors might reach this point in their ministry. 
First, it is important to acknowledge that there are some pastors who don't care anymore.  It may seem hard to understand, but for a variety of possible reasons (some not their own fault) they don't care. 


5) Spiritual Dryness (give your pastor time)
                       Many church members fail to remember that the pastor is human too. The pastor falls under the same need for forgiveness of sins, through the redemptive relationship with Jesus Christ.  The pastor is not any different in this area, but instead what may separate them is the high calling to lead God's sheep. This does not make them better than a church member, but instead it makes the target on their back much bigger. This is why it is important for your pastor to be in the Word and in prayer, much more than the average Christian.  It's not that your private time with God is less important, but in the ministry, the attacks are constant and come from all directions. If your pastor isn't prepared every day, how can they hold your hand and guide you when you're attacked?

 
4) Unnecessary and Continued Criticism  
                                                   (only take to your pastor, the spiritually important issues)

                     While this definitely applies to all forms of leadership, I have never been in a position quite like being a pastor, when it comes to criticism, let me explain.  The same people who smile to your pastor's face, invite him out to eat and love to show him off to friends as "My Pastor" when they run into him in town, are often the same people who will make life harder and call for him to be fired, or gossip and spread lies, when they don't get their way. In some cases, members of the church will get angry at their pastor for preaching the Gospel. Along with this are the people who bring every single little issue to the pastor. If your pastor has been called to this position, it will be natural for him to take your concern to heart and want to help you.  If you take every single little issue to him, however, you will overload him and burn him out faster than you can imagine. Also consider this, your pastor is probably his own biggest critic. So when you bring unnecessary criticism, it tears him down, even if he doesn't show it. When you have to bring necessary criticism to him, do it with gentleness, the way you would want him to come to you.


3) Lack of Support  (Think outside the box and do something special)
                      If your pastor is still in love with the ministry, then he may be throwing everything he can at it.  Unfortunately, some churches have come to expect that of the pastor. After all, they "pay him" to be there and do that. While your pastor needs encouragement from time to time, he may also need your help.  Before you call your pastor and say, "hey, anything I can do?" you should realize that he will probably say "no."  That isn't because he doesn't want your help, it's because he is so used to doing everything, he may not know how to delegate. Instead, pay attention to what it is he is doing and try to take the pressure off.  For example, offer to come and answer the phones so he can concentrate. Offer to pay for and deliver lunch by on a day that he will be in the office working.  Go pick up his vehicle and take it to the car wash, put some gas in it, and return it to him while he continues to study and work.  Make sure he takes vacations, observes the Sabbath and doesn't feel guilty for taking time away from the church/ministry. If you are thinking "we pay him, why should I do that?"I want to encourage you to try being different than the world.


2) Unrealistic Expectations (don't expect your pastor to do more than you)
                  Prep for 2 (sometimes 3 sermons), prep for a Sunday School class, lead a staff or volunteers, be prepared for any spiritual emergency that may come up, be involved in discipleship and evangelism, visit the sick and shut-in, respond to emergencies, be a husband/parent, disciple his wife and children, study (be ready in and out of season), plan for the direction of the church, implement that direction plan, train leaders, answer when you call, listen when you gripe, encourage you when you cry, perform weddings, funerals, counseling and attend every birthday, family reunion, and important event in the lives of the members.

                 All of these are reasonable in the life of a pastor. What many fail to realize is that no one person can do all of them.  It can't be done without sacrificing something and usually what ends up being sacrificed is the most important in the pastor's life.  His prayer life won't complain and gossip, his family usually takes a hit without making him miserable, and his rest and sleep can be reduced if need be.  These are the most important things that God has given your pastor, but he usually will sacrifice it first, because he knows that God loves him and will forgive him if he doesn't pray or read his Bible today.  His family loves him and they will understand if he can't be there tonight, for the fourth night in a row.  He loves himself and can sacrifice his extra rest, in order to do what needs to be done. What he might be more afraid of than letting those things suffer, is the barrage of attacks that will come from his church, if he fails to stroke their egos.  When this happens, the pastor may not only lose his church, he may also lose his joy, his family and sometimes even his life.

1) Apathetic Members (return to your First love)
                 If a church is made up of people who truly love God and will do whatever He has commanded of them, then they will despise apathy, from themselves and from other members.  Sometimes, the pastor finds himself in a situation where he is blamed for the apathy of the members.  I was going to say that perhaps it is sometimes his fault, but honestly, that's baloney. Now, the pastor can be a part of it, but it is up to the individual to obey Christ. If a member is apathetic, it is because they have forgotten the transforming love of Jesus Christ. Their own spiritual journey has suffered for, some reason, and tradition and temporal things are more important.  Some pastors are excellent at leading a church back to the Throne, but it can be a very exhausting and daunting task and with so many pastors quitting each year, it seems it is easier to give up and let God deal with them than be their leader into the "promised land". If Christians would find their First Love and get serious about their relationship with God, the struggle of the pastor would not be so hard.


These are just a few reasons that pastors might seem not to care anymore. What do you think?

Man! I Feel like a Woman!

     Before you begin reading, I probably should go ahead and warn you.  If the picture above makes you feel uncomfortable.........GOOD!!!  I know, you probably thought I was going to suggest that you turn away and stop reading. Well, honestly, that was my intention until I began typing. If you turn away from what I am about to share with you, you will either be in favor of this tragedy or you will be willing to turn a blind eye, thus being partially culpable. 

            Over the last year on my radio show, "Change 4 That!" I have given a lot of time to the issues of Gay Marriage and the SCOTUS ruling on the definition of marriage. It has been, and still remains, my opinion that as Christians we must be willing to look beyond the sins of the individual and share with them the life changing news of freedom from all sin and a life full of Grace that can only be found in a genuine, trasnformative relationship with Jesus Christ.  I did not bash GA Gov. Nathan Deal when he vetoed the Pastor Protection Act nor have I gone on the attack against the left-wing liberal minded administration that continues to infringe on the rights of Americans.  Furthermore, I have not taken up a pitchfork and charged after the RINO's on the right.  I have really tried to make sure we are staying focused and reaching people in spite of their sin, because we all have a struggle with sin in one way or another and it's by God's grace that believers are forgiven. We can't be good enough to earn God's forgiveness (Romans 3:10) (Ephesians 2:8-9)

              I am not afraid to say what is true and I am not afraid to share my opinion, but I am afraid, at least for now, that even I have to take a hard stance and call a spade, a spade, even if that means that I offend you. It's a risk I am willing to take.  Why? For the sake of my children and wife.

              The Family Research Council in Washington D.C. is only one of many who reached out through articles, emails, texts, and Facebook early this morning to inform me and others that "The Obama administration is ramping up its efforts to force public schools to allow students to use the restroom and locker rooms of the opposite sex. Boys who are clearly boys would be free to use the girls' facilities and vice versa. And if parents and students object? They are either ignored or vilified as bigots." (Follow that link to read the story)

              Although there has been a lot of crazy things to happen in recent years, I never thought we would see a day where something so asinine was suggested as if it were a normal and correct approach to fixing a "problem." Until recently,  I didn't want to believe that there are people in Washington who are really that hellbent on destroying Christianity.  I know there are some, but I could not find it in my heart to consider this a pressing issue.  Call it denial, call it naivete, call it what you will. Critics will call me a bigot, hypocrite and judgemental. They will ask me "where is the love that you preach, for the transgendered? Where is your Jesus in all of this??"

Let me break it down for you as simplistically as I can.

              If Jesus were walking on this earth, right now, and he had to use the restroom......he would go to the Men's room. Listen again, What would Jesus do???  Use the urinal.

               Now before you get all high and mighty on me, just save it for someone else. It's time we stopped pandering to the political correctness in this country and turned back towards God (2 Chronicles 7:14) 

               What we are dealing with is the issue of whether a biological and anatomically correct male should use the bathroom or dressing room with a biological and anatomically female.  What?! How in the world can this even be taken seriously?  Because the man says he feels like a woman?   No, I'm sorry. That is just plain stupid. It sounds like a high school excuse that some ne'er-do-well came up with after being caught in the girls locker-room.

                 I'm not suggesting that he really doesn't feel like a woman. I don't know what it's like to feel like a woman. Heck, some days I don't really feel like a man either (like when I see a spider).  And if he feels like this (or vice versa) it's not a bathroom he needs, it's a psychological evaluation.  Don't laugh, I'm not being funny.  That was a very politically incorrect thing to say, but guess what, it's the truth.


                  I will close with this extremity disturbing mental image....

• If you were born with a penis = male

• If you were not born with a penis = female

• If you were born with both, then I'm sorry. I don't know what to tell you, but I am sure there is a Christian doctor or a Christian therapist that can help you figure this one out.

                  By cutting funding from public schools, the Administration will effectively control whether a man, woman, boy or girl legally enters the bathroom with you, your child, your family, etc. What's next? National parks, post offices, city hall........your home?

                  So, fellow Christians.....those of you who have rode the fence for far too long, it's time to take a stand. And for those of you who don't know whether they feel like a man or a woman and refuse to get professional help or to the person who think they can leverage this to follow a child into a restroom, let me warn you, the administration is not interested in seeing that you are treated "fairly".  It's primary focus is to continue to dismantle this country and it's Christian foundation one idiotic issue at the time, while hiding not behind the cross, and not behind the flag, but behind the banner of Political Correctness, Racism and Fear.

This country had better decide who it's going to worship. Soon.

I'm back.....but you know how that goes....

       Well, I as the title suggests, I am back. Since it has been almost a year from my last post, I think I should clarify something.  Since last year I have learned a lot about myself and I thank God for showing me some painful things.  One of those painful revelations is just how bad I was at starting something and once it became "old hat," I didn't want to do it any more and I went on to something else. While there is nothing wrong with recognizing the change in a season of life, it is important to be honest and know when the season is changing vs. you just don't enjoy the snow any more.

So as I begin to write on my blog again, I encourage you to do this.....follow it, subscribe to it, get alerts.  Because who knows??? It may be another year before I post!  Oh, and what will I write about?  Well, that depends, but it will probably deal more with what's going on. You know, either what I am personally dealing with or what someone else is dealing with. That kind of thing. Maybe it will be about what you're dealing with! 

Keep the feedback coming and share with your friends...or don't.....yeah, please do.   See you soon.....or maybe not!

Chester