monday morning pastor

once upon a time in sunday school....

The Place to Be

When I was a child Sunday school grew like never before.  It was the place to be.  We packed 15 kids in little 5’ by 7’ classrooms with benches on three walls.  Adult women had classes named after women Bible characters.  Most made seat covers for their wooden and later metal folding chairs, each proudly embroidered with their class names.

We were careful to check the roll.  We thought it important to make 100% on your envelope by being in attendance, bringing your Bible, having read your lesson, giving an offering, doing your daily Bible readings, staying for church services, etc.  We even posted our scores for everyone in church to see how we were doing.  Sunday school was mentioned in church every Sunday and was preached about often.

Sunday school classes had slumber parties, camp outs and went places together on Saturdays.  Our teachers visited us when we were sick and sent us cards when we were absent.  All of that seemed to have worked pretty good for 20-25 years, even a little longer in some places.  We owe a great debt of gratitude for those who helped make the Sunday school serve us well for so many years.

Change Happens

A lot has changed since those days.  Our culture has changed.  Our churches have changed.  And, we have changed.  Many are sad to see Sunday school in decline, no one more than me. However, rather than becoming despondent about the changes, why not vow to do our best to offer Bible study at all times feasible in our own situations?

Take Another Look

Today, many people are in Bible study, depending upon how you do the counting.  If you have 75 in Sunday school,  17 in youth Bible study on Monday night and two ladies Bible studies with 12 in each one on Tuesday, plus AWANA or missions programs teaching God’s Word to 75 children on Wednesday evening – you are approaching 200 lives being fed from God’s Word.

Will Sunday schools grow again in the future?

The answer to that depends upon a myriad of factors, not the least of which is our own spiritual hunger to know and apply God’s Word.  Parents must once again make Bible study a priority for their families.

What Can I Do About Bible Study?

• Look to the future and make personal Bible study an important part of your life. 
• Give priority to those times when Bible study will take place. 
• Fall in love again with God and His Word. 

The grass withers, the flower fades,
    but the word of our God will stand forever.

Isaiah 40:8

10 Things Every Christian Should Know About Islam

The following article by Zane Pratt was originally published in Southern Seminary Magazine and was shortly thereafter posted on The Gospel Coalition blog. These are good things to know as we pray for Muslims together during this Ramadan month and proclaim Jesus to them. (HT: Justin Taylor’s helpful summary)

Muslim Man Islam is a fast-growing religion, especially in the Western world. Christians increasingly need to be aware of Islam and, most importantly, how to engage its adherents with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Here are 10 things I learned about Islam during my 20 years as a missionary in a Muslim-majority country.

1. “Muslim” and “Arab” are not the same thing. “Muslim” is a religious term. A Muslim is someone who adheres to the religion of Islam. “Arab,” on the contrary, is an ethno-linguistic term. An Arab is a member of the people group who speak the Arabic language. It is true that Islam originated among the Arabs, and the Qur’an was written in Arabic. However, some Arabs have historically been part of the ancient orthodox Christian churches. On the other hand, Islam spread far beyond the Arab world, and today most Muslims are not Arabs. This includes the Turks, the Kurds, the Iranians, the Pakistanis, other South Asian Muslims, the Malaysians and the Indonesians, almost all of whom are Muslim but none of whom is Arab.

2. The word “Islam” means submission. A Muslim is someone who submits to God. The Islamic conception of who God is, and how he is to be worshiped and served, is based on the teaching of Muhammad. Thus the Islamic creed is: “There is no God but God, and Muhammad is his prophet.”

3. There are two major denominations of Muslims. The two major denominations of Muslims are Sunni and Shi’a. Sunnis are the vast majority, at 85 percent of all Muslims. The split occurred in the first generation after Muhammad’s death and was based on a dispute over who should succeed him as leader of the Islamic community.

4. Islamic theology could be summarized as belief in one God, his prophets, his books, his angels, his decrees, and the final judgment. Islam teaches that humans are born spiritually neutral, perfectly capable of obeying God’s requirements completely, and that they remain this way even after they’ve personally sinned. The need of humanity, therefore, is not salvation but instruction; hence Islam has prophets, but no savior.

5. Islam teaches that Jesus was a great prophet. Islam affirms that Jesus was born of a virgin, that he lived a sinless life, that he performed mighty miracles, and that he will come again at the end of history. It even calls him a word from God. However, it explicitly denies the deity of Christ and repudiates the title “Son of God” as blasphemous. It also (according to the majority view) denies he died on the cross, claiming that Jesus’ visage was imposed on someone else, who was then crucified, and that Jesus was taken up into heaven without tasting death. Islam explicitly denies the possibility of substitutionary atonement.

a good pastor takes personal inventory

When I was growing up I worked in a drugstore.  Every year a team of expertly trained individuals came in and conducted an inventory of every item in the store.  It was amazing to watch each one do their job with great skill.  They moved throughout the store and tried their best to stay out of the way of business.

Why take an inventory, you ask?  Well, the owner wanted to know the total value of everything in the store.  Until taking the inventory his financial worth was just a guess.  After taking the inventory he had a trustworthy answer - a financial baseline from which to work.

A good pastor understands that taking inventory is worth the effort, as well.  He needs to determine the truth about himself and his church if he is to become more effective in ministry. 

Do all pastors do this?  Some do.  I would think most do not.  Why not?  Probably because it can be an uncomfortable process.  Identifying your own strengths and weaknesses can be intimdating. 

One place to start would be to take a basic spiritual gifts inventory.  It is easy to do, takes only 10 minutes and will help you get started in identifying your own giftedness.  You can do that right now absolutely free at this site:  http://www.lifeway.com/lwc/files/lwcF_MYCS_030526_Spiritual_Gifts_Survey.pdf 

Take the time to begin your own personal inventory today!

a good pastor cooperates with others

One of the attributes that makes a good pastor is his willingness to cooperate with others.

A good example of this is the part a pastor plays in his community gathering of pastors.  Such a group is composed of all the pastors/ministers serving churches in the community.  I have been a part of some good ones over the years.  What makes or breaks the effort is the willingness of pastors to cooperate with one another and to make the times of visioning and prayer a priority.

Although each pastor differs some from the others in what he believes about God and His Word, the group chooses, despite their differences, to work and pray together toward the common good of their community.  This can only happen when the pastor is willing to cooperate with others.

Where does this spirit of cooperation come from anyway?  I believe it comes from God Himself.  Nothing about cooperation comes naturally.  It has to be taught, modeled and learned. 

How do we pick up and learn this thing called cooperation?  It is taught to us by others, usually our parents and teachers.  When parents encourage their children to get along and play together, they are teaching cooperation for the good of everyone involved.  When we learn those lessons as children I believe they help us to get along with others for the rest of our lives. 

I like the picture above.  I would venture a guess that some parents are close by encouraging their kids to share and work together in building that sand castle.  Were the picture a 30 minute video I am sure we would see a few problems and lots of good illustrations as to why cooperating together is the better option.

Through the years, I have noticed that for some pastors community cooperation does not come naturally.  It is a chore to be a part of a group outside the boundaries they have set for themselves.  As a result, they are not comfortable doing things outside their own church family.  This is a tough one for those of us who are naturally outgoing and think all should cooperate at the same level we have chosen. It's hard for us to accept someone who stays to themselves.  But we should!

Sometimes, especially when a pastor is new to the community, he might need someone who can come alongside him, invest in him and help him know others in the community.   Still, some will not want to do that no matter what.  That does not make them bad or wrong, just different from you maybe.

Cooperation is a hallmark among churches here in the south.  This was not always the case.  We have seen a change as our churches have begun to emphasize Kingdom goals and efforts over solely those of one local church.  We should want to cooperate in getting the Lord's work done. 

I thank God for those who have gone before me and who have taught me the value of cooperation in both life and in ministry. 

 

 

 

 

 

the other pastor's study

 

People without a personal knowledge of the life of a pastor have little idea of the amount of study required to prepare a message of 25 to 30 minutes in length two or three times a week. 

For the average person the only way I know to describe it would be to refer them back to their days in high school when everyone had to do a research paper.  Some will remember the agony that those would cause every year.  Those papers were usually due at the end of the semester. 

 Preparing a sermon would be similar to that in many aspects except for two things, (1) it is a spiritual endeavor, and (2) you don't have all semester to finish.  Come what may, Sunday rolls back around once every seven days.  That means, if you have any integrity, you either learn how to prepare and deliver good sermons or you look for something else God might have you to do.  And many have.  Not everyone can stand up under the demands.

Thinking back over my years as a pastor I remember struggling with sermon preparation.  It was ever demanding.  It called for a "stick-to-it-ness" and I stuck with it for many years.  That's not to say I didn't considered giving up a time or two.  I believe most preachers have considered that option more than once.

During those times I was very tired and felt like I needed a break I can still remember coming home after church some Sunday evenings and closing my eyes for a few minutes.  I would usually in those moments thank God for the day and His help.  With an amen to that prayer would sometimes come the thought, now, three more!  Meaning, between now and next Sunday evening I would need to prepare and deliver three more sermons and or Bible studies.  (Hey, I'm being honest here!)

Sermon preparation can and will be all what you make it. 

• It can and should begin with confession of sin.  Don't serve your guests living water poured from a dirty vessel.  Take adequate time to seek God's forgiveness and to ask for His mercy and help.
   

• It can and should be a delightful spiritual discipline. God will honor your time in His Word and will bless you in the process.  Joy and satisfaction should be a by product.
  

• It can and should be a time of worship.  Long before the people hear the message on Sunday the pastor's heart has been searched and tried again and again.  As glorious truths mined from God's Word come to fruition the pastor worships God.
  

• It can and should be given priority in your life.  Some try and run from study and claiming that God will give them a message in due time.  But, after a few months of that, people will tire of the well worn phrases said to produce easy and cheap amens.  You must learn how to study to preach each week.  If you have never learned, stop and learn before going any further!

  "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." - 2 Timothy 2:15 (NKJV) 

read the classics - mere christianity

 

 An atheist until he was 30, Clive Staples Lewis (1898-1963) was one of the intellectual giants of the twentieth century and arguably the most influential Christian writer of his day. 

He wrote more than thirty books, allowing him to reach a vast audience, and his works continue to attract thousands of new readers every year.

C. S. Lewis was the most popular and best-selling theologian of the entire Twentieth Century, an amazing fact considering that technically, he wasn't a Theologian at all, but an Oxford Professor of English Medieval and Renaissance literature.

His books include  The Chronicles of Narnia fantasy series and his science fiction Space Trilogy.  Both series are must reading for all Christians interested in these genres.  His most famous book among non-Christians is The Screwtape Letters.

Theologian Trading Cards by Norman Jeune III

Zondervan’s Theologian Trading Cards offer an incredibly novel way to learn theology and church history. Creator Norman Jeune III came up with the idea to imitate baseball cards at seminary while listening to students discuss theologians as if they were baseball players.

The result is 288 trading cards featuring important figures in church history including heretics and philosophers.

Five Reasons Why You Should Consider Making “Abraham: Following God’s Promise” Your Next Bible Study

Recently I was invited to review the new Bible Study series entitled, Abraham: Following God’s Promise for Logos Bible Software.  It is part of the Studies in Faithful Living Series.

Allow me to quickly list for you five reasons why I believe you should consider it for your next small group or Sunday school Bible study.

1. Because it is digital, it is always available to you on the device or computer you are using.
2. Both leader and student editions can be used as stand-alone products or together.
3. Questions in both editions are forward looking, that is, seeking help with today’s issues from principles learned from the Biblical text.
4. The multimedia features included greatly enhance real learning and help maintain interest.  Each lesson comes with an introductory video as well as many slides and maps.
5. It is written with both scholarship and downhome faithfulness to the Word of God.

Take a look for yourself -

Abraham: Following God's Promise - $14.95

http://www.logos.com/product/20466/abraham-following-gods-promise 

or

Abraham: Following God’s Promise: Complete Church Curriculum for Leaders and Pastors - $99.95

http://www.logos.com/product/20888/abraham-following-gods-promise-complete-church-curriculum-for-leaders-and-pastors

how to prepare a topical Bible study

Pastors who have practiced their calling for a few years will invariably use different techniques in their preaching and teaching.  Granted, most will favor one over the other.  However, it is good to have knowledge and experience in preparing and delivering several different kinds of sermons and Bible studies.

via jimmydsmith.typepad.com

essentials in ministry part 1

What are the essentials in doing ministry?

That is a good question, the seriousness of which demands a thoughtful answer. Whatever we may put on our list, building and maintaining good relationships must be close to the top. Without good relationships our days will be numbered where we are.

I wish I could tell you that this is always easy. It is not. There are some people we do not care for personally. And there’s the rub. As pastors our very calling demands we relate well to everyone. We don’t get to pick and choose. We must ask God to help us love and serve all the sheep he has placed in under our care.

Relationship building comes naturally for some but is difficult and almost awkward for others. God does not expect us to be perfect in all of this, but he does expect us to try. Are we trying to build better relationships in our churches and communities?

Let me know what you think. What might be holding us back?