Archive for October, 2006
Belgian Horses
I had the opportunity to attend a seminar taught by legendary Zig Ziglar two years ago in Dallas. The man is a marvel of energy, excitement, and positive thinking that I’d never witnessed before.
One illustration particularly touching that Zig tells is what happens when Belgian horses are linked together and pull. He tells how one horse alone can pull around 8,000 pounds. Then when you yoke two horses together they pull an amazing 18,000 pounds – over double!
The most exciting aspect is when you train two horses together, it’s been found they can pull over 25,000 pounds – more than triple!
It seems that when we get focused and we pull together – at the same time, and we do so with dogged unity in vision – we accomplish much more than we ever could apart or unfocused.
This highlights an important truth - focused teams always accomplish more.
“Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.“
1 Corinthians 1:10 (NKJV)
You are God’s Greatest Resource (Philippians 2:1-2)
YOU ARE GOD’S GREATEST RESOURCE (10/29/2006)
We are strong when we’re one in spirit, mind, purpose
Philippians 2:1-2
It’s easy to lose your way – when your attention is divided – and make mistakes like this! And when we’re too busy and we divide our efforts between a multitude of activities and events.
Often when I’ve divided my attention I’ve found I end up failing at everything I attempt. I realize that I’m not alone. Everytime we get unfocused – we lose. Don’t you feel like you have less and less time to get more and more accomplished? Isn’t it common to feel like you’re wearing yourself out? How many times do we have more work than week to get it done? When we’re not focused we work HARDER not SMARTER: we’re overwhelmed!
Recent Gallup Poll: Americans who say they, 67%: Need a vacation; 66%: Often feel stressed; 60%: Feel time is crunched; 48%: Feel overwhelmed. We eat too fast, we drive too fast, we live very fast lives. Email à Pony Express/Telegraph. Microwave. Instant is better!
Dr. Thom Rainer and LifeWay recently published research that concludes more programs, more activities, more meetings, more events, and more policies are not producing what we originally agreed upon was our highest goal as a church – Life Transformation in Jesus Christ.
Today we find ourselves overworked, underappreciated, stressed out, and exhausted. And for our efforts Southern Baptist Churches across the nation are leveling off in growth or are in a nose-dive of decline.
Many believers long for a return to the simpler faith – basics – one where relationships were important and life change our goal. TECHNOLOGY: iPod, Google: LESS IS MORE!
We long for less clutter that gets in the way of the Gospel’s message. Luckily, our frustration is nothing new. Paul writes to a church facing similar issues. Paul instructs them that if they want to be faithful, they must be united as a church & focused on one goal not spread thinly.
The Bible says, “If then there is any encouragement in Christ, if any consolation of love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by thinking the same way, having the same love, sharing the same feelings, focusing on one goal.” Philippians 2:1-2 (HCSB)
Paul encourages the Philippian church by sharing some of the greatest vision for the church. Think the same way. A simpler faith – a united church. And when the church is united and when you are focused: “YOU ARE GOD’S GREATEST RESOURCE”
I love how the Baptist Faith & Message words it, “Man is the special creation of God, made in His own image. He created them male and female as the crowning work of His creation.” WOW – crowning work! BUT that resource is nearing uselessness when you are spread too thin.
You wear yourself out and achieve little because you’ve lost FOCUS. Paul says, FOCUS ON ONE GOAL – to be effective!
YOUR NEXT STEP: Get Focused on ONE Goal: UNITY. Paul teaches that mature believers put aside personal preferences
Imagine if we LIVED this truth. The power of the church is when God’s people unite under ONE common goal, and PUSH forward!
If we want to combat spinning our wheels: feeling overworked, underappreciated, stressed out, and exhausted we must FOCUS on ONE goal and get on board with the power of unity – in personal & church life!
In my discussion groups so far I’ve been able to meet many of you – and hope to meet more of you today at lunch. I’ve been so impressed at the resources God is building up here – I believe that we have been brought together in this place for “such a time as this.”
When Jesus prayed for us in John 17, he poured out his heart and vision for believers and for the church, “I pray not only for these, but also for those who believe in Me through their message. May they all be one, as You, Father, are in Me and I am in You. May they also be one in Us, so the world may believe You sent Me.” My prayer is that we might discover the power of one / unity / focus.
The incredible disappearing Good News…
One of my recurring nightmares is that I wake up one day and find that I’m the only one sitting in a pristine white chapel. It looks like a country church (that I’ve never been to – maybe I’ve seen it in a photo).
I realize that I’m alone and so I go to look for all the people. In my neo-Huxleyian glimpse of tomorrow the crosses are all gone, the people are all tired of church, and the church is all tired of itself.
I assume that I’m in a small rural area and that I’ll step outside into a cow pasture ripe with wheat and corn.
As I step out into the Brave New World I am nearly run over and the reality begins to drive itself into my mind: The church sits on a busy street corner. Busy businesses, restaurants, and shops all surround the lonely little white chapel.
As I turn back to take in this spectacle of a white chapel in the midst of a bustling society moving too fast for the traditions of yesterday I notice a small plaque affixed to the cornerstone of the building.
I always wakeup right after I read the historical marker’s engraved words (this is the gist at least),
“On this site in 1931 pioneers of this community founded the First Baptist Church. Initially it served the public good by meeting the needs of this area’s residents for spiritual, physical, material, and emotional encouragement.
However as the world moved forward First Baptist did not, instead relying on only the original traditions and programs created by its membership. The community around realized early on that First Baptist was no longer really needed, but it was a nice building, and the members seemed friendly enough – but no one knew them as friends.
After 75 years of no growth, no new building, expansion, or any focused attempt at outreach, the last remaining member (a dedicated churchman, deacon and chairman of each of the remaining 37 committees) died on May 28, 2006.
First Baptist’s building was transferred to the local historical society and this building is preserved just as it was when the church closed as a reminder that those who do not adapt have no hope for survival.
“for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness.” – Matthew 23:27 KJV (ONLY)
Debunking Program Mythology
I’ve been wading through the expanse of knowledge in Seth Godin’s Small is the new Big and he has a fascinating concept that church leaders really ought to listen to under his section heading, “Myths”.
His premise is that many myths have, “far outlasted the data that proved them to be wrong.” For instance that the Earth is flat or that heavy objects fall faster than light ones.
In church life how many still believe that Arthur Flake’s Sunday School formula is the way to go, or that a program of door-to-door visitation is a sure-fire way to grow your church, or that a new program will surely be the one to spark growth?
All of these myths fall in the face of the preponderance of evidence against them. Small groups work best outside of church building walls, Door-to-door visitation hasn’t produced results in decades (think: Vacuum Salesman or Cult Religions), and programs typically are underappreciated, underattended, and overpriced.
As Godin points out however, myths tend to make people emotional, and because of that myths create people who passionately hold onto their sinking ship.
The question really boils down to Godin’s conclusion, “Do you want to bet your future on a process that’s getting less effective every day?”
Well of course, because we’ve never done it any other way before!
How many churches have to close their doors, uttering those same words before God’s people realize: this isn’t a game, this is life or death, the myth of tradition must not usurp the Father.
Simple Church
I recently finished Simple Church by Thom Rainer and Eric Geiger. Wow! This book is a must read for any Christian but especially those involved in church leadership.
The tone and conclusions reminded me of one of my favorite writers, Michael Yaconelli, in his book: Messy Spirituality (also a top-notch read).
The basic premise is that we’ve become too cluttered today with programs, statements, policies, activities, and events. And I am chief among these sinners.
The work is very convincting for those of us that think bigger is always better and than we must always add more in order to be faithful. Rainer encourages the reader to get back to the basics: Worship, Discipleship, and Ministry – and further than that he provides the HOW instead of just the why and what answers.
I’ve always wondered why a clear process didn’t exist for someone to go from Pagan to Minister. When I went to college (God Bless O-B-U…..!) it was painfully obvious in catalogs, bulletin boards, flyers, etc – exactly what I needed to do in order to go from a beanie wearing freshman to a graduating senior. No hype, no tricks, no dead-ends: just progression.
Similarly I agree with the authors, we need a clear progression a clear way to move people forward in our congregations. So many times leaders are frustrated because their folks are not moving forward in their walk with God.
Perhaps, it’s less their fault and more ours for not showing a clear path to walk forward with God.
About
Clark Frailey is a husband, father, and Lead Pastor of Coffee Creek Baptist Church in Edmond, Oklahoma.
clarkfrailey.com
