A winning team!
It got me thinking of the task of assembling teams for ministry and work. How do you identify good team members, and how do you prepare them for success?
John Maxwell in his Maxwell Leadership Bible looks at the team that Jesus assembled to be his disciples. Tax collectors, fishermen, those who were unloved and showed little promise from a human perspective. Yet the “team” Jesus identified and taught became the team that shook the world!
From the account in The Gospel of Mark, Maxwell points to examples of this group the Lord called, and posed some questions based on his observations.
- What positive qualities exist that may be seen as negative behavior? (I think of Peter, who said things and did things without thinking them through.)
- Do the individuals show initiative, even if it has been misdirected?
- Would these people add positive chemistry and unique value if placed on the team?
- Are they hungry to become more than something they are now? (“You are fishing for fish. I’ll teach you how to fish for men.”)
- Do they demonstrate passion that could be redirected [toward God’s goals]?
- Could they play a needed role on the team?
I’m sure there are other qualities and traits that can and should be considered. However, these speak to the issue of identifying things in a person that, if channeled in the right way, can lead to a strong team and can accomplishes great things. Yes, Jesus had a lot of teaching and training to do with the rough men he chose. However, He was willing to invest years in the lives of His team members...His disciples...so that they might ultimately be a powerful force even after Jesus was gone.
As I have watched the Dallas Baptist Patriot baseball team have winning seasons year after year, I have thought about the recruiting of new team members. Many of them were overlooked by much larger schools with big budgets. Yet these players have shown that with encouragement and an investment in training and development, overlooked athletes can become elite team members and achieve great success.
Final note from the baseball analogy: DBU baseball coach Dan Heefner tells his team to get one percent better each day. That seems to be a small, highly accomplishable thing. One percent better each day.
What if your team got one percent better in using media to share God’s Hope with those they serve? What could be accomplished in your ministry with your team...for the sake of the Gospel?
Spinning your wheels...
When Judy and I got married, almost 53 years ago, we honeymooned near the Texas Gulf Coast. And as we started for home, I wanted to do what my family had often done on trips to Galveston and the Bolivar Peninsula. We pulled off the highway to cross a path through some small sand dunes to get to the beach. We wanted to spend some time walking along the beach, hand in hand, listening to the sound of the surf and the gulls as they flew overhead. Sounds romantic, right?
It would have been romantic...except for one thing. The sand dunes. My car got bogged down in the soft, dry sand and I couldn’t go forward or backwards. I tried to dig out the sand from around the wheels with my hands, but nothing worked. I was stuck.
After a while a man came along with a shovel and we tried to dig some more. Still stuck. I would press the accelerator, the wheels would spin, but I could not go forward or backwards. It was frustrating and very un-romantic!
Eventually someone in a truck passed by who had a chain and he was able to pull and jerk my dad’s 1963 Chevrolet and get us on to solid ground. I was thankful for a rather good ending to this true story.
I must confess, there have been other times in my life when I felt frustrated and it seemed like I was spinning my wheels. No matter what I tried, the end results were not good. Maybe you have felt that frustration, too.
In the Old Testament book of Haggai, the Lord addressed His people with an explanation of some of their “wheel spinning” situations.
Listen.
Look at what’s happening to you! You have planted much but harvest little. You eat but are not satisfied. You drink but are still thirsty. You put on clothes but cannot keep warm. Your wages disappear as though you were putting them in pockets filled with holes! Haggai 1:5-6 NLT
It sounds liked God’s people were spinning their wheels. And the Lord explained through Haggai what was going on, why His people were having so much trouble. They had been putting themselves and their comfort and prosperity above the Lord. Earlier God quoted what the Israelites had been saying. “The time has not yet come to rebuild the house of the Lord.” (v.2) Yet, He said they were living in luxury and His house was in ruins.
I wonder how often we have neglected the important things of the Lord in order to be comfortable. I wonder how many times we have overlooked God’s will and God’s way so that we might fulfill our own ideas. Have I put myself and my plans above those of the Lord? Have I said, in effect, “Lord, I have a better idea. I’ll get around to You and Your way later.”
Listen to God’s Word:
Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you. Psalm 37:5 NLT
Commit your actions to the Lord, and your plans will succeed. Proverbs 16:3 NLT
Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Proverbs 3:5-6 NLT
A bit later in Haggai we see God’s promise to His people when they decided to put the Lord first and they began work on the temple.
I am giving you a promise now while the seed is still in the barn. You have not yet harvested your grain, and your grapevines, fig trees, pomegranates, and olive trees have not yet produced their crops. But from this day onward I will bless you. Haggai 2:19 NLT
Let’s stop spinning our wheels. Let’s be sure we are putting the Lord and His ways...His plans...first. And then let’s see what happens in our lives and our ministries as the Lord keeps His promises to us. He is faithful!
You can say that again! And again...
• Tell the audience what you are going to tell them.
• Tell them.
• Then...tell them what you told them.
That’s true for everything from beginning speech class right on through to the ministry leader or the corporate CEO. What is amazing is how many leaders think they are communicating when they are not.
My friend Don McMinn recently wrote about this in a blog, and he pointed to a study that was done a few years ago.
In their book The Leader’s Voice, Clark and Clarkson wrote, “The biggest problem with leadership communication is the illusion that it has occurred. A 2002 survey of 1,104 business professionals showed that while 86% of their leaders feel that they are great communicators, only 17% believe their leaders are, indeed, effective communicators.”
In that study, the authors identified four assumptions that leaders make that hinder good communication:
1. Listeners understand what was communicated.
2. Listeners agree with what was communicated.
3. Listeners care about what was communicated.
4. Listeners will take appropriate action.
If number one doesn’t happen, the other points are...well...pointless. People need to know what you are saying and retain that in a memorable way. Maybe that’s why God told Joshua over and over, “Be strong and of good courage.” (Joshua 1 KJV) Maybe that’s why the Apostle Paul wrote, “Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, rejoice.” (Philippians 4:4 KJV)
The other points mentioned above are valuable in order to be sure that what you say takes hold with those in your audience. The Bible talks about being doers of the Word, not just hearers. The listener needs to understand why they should care about what you are telling them. In other words, why it should matter to them. And for these points you may need appropriate feedback from the listener.
Many times, you can read your audience, seeing the intensity of their eyes as you speak, the nodding of their head, the note taking, and other body language tips.
To be very sure, it is a good idea to get direct feedback. Asking the listener a question can help you know if you got your point or points across. Asking them their opinion, what they think about what they heard, will tell you if they agree with you. And asking them what steps they think they should take as a result of what they heard will start them on the path to be more than a hearer, to be a doer!
Now that I think about this, I should probably have a form for you to fill out with these kinds of questions that you can send back to me. However, I’ll trust you take this to heart so you might be a better communicator and can lead more effectively to accomplish what the Lord has for you in ministry and life.
Where are today’s big miracles?
When Solomon finished praying, fire flashed down from heaven and burned up the burnt offerings and sacrifices, and the glorious presence of the Lord filled the Temple. The priests could not enter the Temple of the Lord because the glorious presence of the Lord filled it. 2 Chronicles 7: 1-2 NLT
I came across this passage in my early morning Bible reading and wondered: What would it have been like to be there when this miracle happened? The fire from heaven. The visible presence of the Lord. The awe and wonder at His glorious presence. And then I thought...
Where are today’s big miracles?
Why don’t we see these things today?
That started me on a brief journey on the subject of miracles. Pastor John Piper says that there were fewer miracles in the Bible than we probably think. And he points out they had very specific purposes...to point people to God.
Piper also says that there are probably more miracles going on around us today than we understand. The stories of God at work around the world…through the lives of missionaries, in lands hostile to the Gospel, in dire situations in our land or yours...if all were known, we would likely be awed by the hand of God showing Himself in a miraculous way.
The reality is that most of the people of the Bible did not see great miracles...but they learned of them through the telling and retelling of God’s faithfulness. Jesus performed miracles to verify His authority as God’s Son. He gave His disciples the ability to do miraculous things in order for the people to see and comprehend the fulfillment of God’s salvation through His Son Jesus.
Even then, Jesus didn’t heal everyone. Nor did His disciples. Jesus raised three people from the dead, but many he did not. There were those around Jesus who suffered and died without a miracle in their lives. Even His disciples suffered for their faith, most dying painful deaths at the hands of Christ’s enemies.
So, what about today? And what about the lack of miracles of biblical proportions? Pastor Piper explains:
“Christianity is basically a life lived by looking back with confidence in the work of Christ, and looking forward in hope because of that past...”
In other words, we shouldn’t need to see the big miracles in order to live out our faith. We can trust God for His ability to do His work in our lives, and then look forward with hope for the future.
And what about miracles today? I have four children whom God brought into our family in miraculous ways. One biological child and three adopted ones. I have often made the comment that it took eight parents to bring our four children into this world. But by God’s miraculous grace, we are one family.
We all have probably seen a life changed by the power of God’s Holy Spirit and we can say it is only a miracle of the Lord. Some people receive miraculous reports from the doctors that they are healed, or that cancer previously detected is now gone. A modern-day miracle. But that doesn’t happen in every case. The fact that God even answers prayer is a miracle when we realize that the great God of the universe doesn’t owe us anything.
It may also be that we aren’t looking for God’s miracles today. It may be that our faith isn’t so strong and that those special experiences don’t’ happen. Ultimately, though, we need to remember that God is Sovereign. It is His will that determines if something miraculous happens.
And it is for His purpose, not our personal experience.
Of course, our own salvation is a miracle of God. He has no reason to save me, except by His miraculous grace. And that is a miracle we should be telling over and over...that others might come to know our Lord Jesus. Then we would experience another miracle...another life changed by Christ Jesus.
Christian media is NOT the answer
Nope...Christian media is NOT the Answer!
What? I’ve given much of my working life to Christian media. My focus at MEDIAlliance is Christian media. Is this some new revolution? Some new technology? Some new tool?
No. I’m just looking into God’s Word and trying to be sure what we do is on target, that our hearts are right, and that we are understanding the power the Lord gives us. And I found the answer in the Old Testament. In 2 Kings 4 we read of a woman who was kind to the prophet Elisha by building him a room on her roof. In return, Elisha blessed the woman who greatly wanted a son. The prophet told her in one year she would give birth to her first son. And she did.
Fast forward some years, and this treasured boy dies. And the mother heads straight for Elisha. She obviously felt the man of God could do something. Elisha starts out with her to her home where her dead son is lying. Then Elisha does something unusual. He sends his rod...his staff...ahead with his servant with the instructions to lay it on the young dead boy.
Then Elisha said to Gehazi, “Get ready to travel; take my staff and go! Don’t talk to anyone along the way. Go quickly and lay the staff on the child’s face.” Gehazi hurried on ahead and laid the staff on the child’s face, but nothing happened. There was no sign of life. He returned to meet Elisha and told him, “The child is still dead.” 2 Kings 4:29,31 NLT
Why did the prophet do that? Undoubtedly, he knew of how God had used a rod in the past to do miraculous things. It worked before, right?
If we had been writing the story the boy would have been revived and been playing in the courtyard when his mother and the man of God arrived. That’s not what happened. The boy lay in the room dead. What went wrong? It seems Elisha knew right away.
The prophet went into the room with the boy alone and did something unusual. The Bible graphically describes how Elisha lay down on the boy,“...placing his mouth on the child’s mouth, his eyes on the child’s eyes, and his hands on the child’s hands.” (v. 34)
I think we can easily see the picture of Elisha lying prone on this young boy, totally covering him. He does this twice and then the boy revives. Amazing.
I really thought about that in relation to what we do in Christian media. We see God at work and we celebrate these amazing things. I have great stories of hundreds coming to Christ, or even one person who could only be reached through Christian media. So why am I saying Christian media isn’t the answer?
Christian media is only the way...one way...that God’s message and the power of the Holy Spirit gets transmitted to an individual. Useful tools, but not the reason someone’s life is changed. It is God. His power at work. It is the Gospel. Today’s media tools are just that...tools. If the technology changes, the Gospel will still be the power that changes lives.
Notice something else about this story. It wasn’t until Elishatotally committed to bringing that boy back to life that it happened. The prophet couldn’t just send a servant with a tool. It took total commitment...total investment...for the work to be accomplished. For all of us who use Christian media...radio, television, social media, the internet...we can’t just “phone it in” and expect great things. It is never the tool that brings about a change in someone’s life.
Christian media isn’t the answer. Our total commitment to God and what He wants to accomplish will make the difference as we depend on the Lord Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit.
Yikes! I’ve got to speak in public!
The fear is often there with us at one level or another. We are called on to speak in public...to present our ministry or share new plans to a board or donors. It may be that we have the opportunity to talk before college or high school students. And if we are honest with ourselves, we are a bit nervous about doing it.
Most public speakers, even those who do it often, would admit to various levels of nervousness or even fear. And that’s not a bad thing. Often it drives us to prepare better...or it should. Yes, there are times when we are called upon in an impromptu setting to speak. It is in those times that we must fall back on our prior experiences and apply some simple principles...such as have an interesting opening, know the audience, and simply be yourself.
I recently came across an article by Sean McDowell. I don’t know Sean, but I have known his father, Josh McDowell, for many years. In the blog, Sean listed nine tips for public speaking. I won’t list all of them, but here are a few that may help you next time you have the opportunity to stand before others and share a message.
Public Speaking Tips by Sean McDowell
• TELL STORIES. People love stories. Jesus communicated by asking questions and telling stories. The first time I ever spoke at a weekend retreat my dad offered me three words of advice: stories, stories, stories. People also remember stories well.
• SPEAK WITH PASSION. I love listening to speakers who really care about their subject, regardless of what it is. It’s important not to overdue passion and sound like a salesman, but if you speak with genuine passion people will listen.
• PREPARE WELL. My dad spends about an hour of research for every minute of a talk. This may not always be possible, but you will be much more confident and effective if you have prepared well. And the audience can tell.
• IF POSSIBLE, HAVE ONE KEY POINT PER TALK. People typically forget the majority of what they hear in a talk within a few hours. But they remember stories and the key theme of a talk (if it was communicated well). Have one key point you want the audience to remember and repeat it and support it with stories, illustrations, examples, stats and more.
• START STRONG. Even though I have been speaking for a decade, I still get nervous every time. One of the ways I am able to overcome my nervousness is to start with a story or joke that immediately connects me to the audience. This helps me build confidence and sets the pace for the rest of the talk.
• BE YOURSELF. I made a lot of mistakes early in my speaking career by trying to have the same speaking style as my dad. While I’ve learned some amazing tips from him, I’ve become much more effective (and genuine) as I’ve learned my own personal style. Learn from others, but ultimately be true to your gifting, passion, and style.
• LOVE THE AUDIENCE. One of the best ways to win over an audience is to truly love them. My dad does this by showing up early at every talk to meet the audience and shake as many hands as he can.
I saved one of Sean’s points for last, because it is a great one to remember each time you speak.
• TALK TO GOD BEFORE YOU TALK TO PEOPLE. Only God can change someone’s heart, not persuasive words or arguments (although God may use our efforts). I try to always pray for wisdom, understanding, and love for my audience before every talk. It’s about God, not us.
What will be the one point you want to leave with your audience next time you speak? Do you want them to remember you...or remember God’s message to their heart? Many are searching...not for your wisdom and insight...but for that of the Lord. Like the Greeks who came to Philip, many are saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”
Speak well...and show others Jesus.
Staying at the Top of Your Game
Most of us can recall a time with a sport or an activity that we got lucky and did great. We hit the bulls eye in archery. We scored high on a quiz. Once. But as time went on, we weren’t able to achieve that same level of greatness. Excellence over time is not easy.
The website Vocabulary.com says this about excellence: "Excellence means greatness — the very best. Achieving excellence is never easy to do. Excellence is a quality that people really appreciate, because it's so hard to find. Excellence is the quality of excelling, of being truly the best at something."
The key word there is being truly best. We can accidentally hit the bulls eye. We can happen to know the particular questions to a quiz. But how do we achieve excellence...greatness...again and again?
By the way, the desire and the striving for consistent excellence is not a new thing. The Greek philosopher Aristotle had some words of wisdom for those seeking to achieve at a high level.
"Excellence is never an accident. It is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, and intelligent execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives—choice, not chance, determines your destiny."
Someone has said, “Excellence is not a skill. It is an attitude.” Hard work doesn’t always produce excellence. But an attitude that doesn’t accept poor work will move you in the right direction. Here are some thoughts for you to ponder and apply.
- Set a high standard and keep working toward it in key areas of your work and life.
- Check your work. How does it measure up to your standard? If it misses the mark, what can you do to bring it up to your standard?
- If you are consistently missing your standard of excellence, what is holding you back? Time? Knowledge of the needed skills? Lack of clear direction? Work to change those things and try again.
- Be willing to go the extra mile to make your project excellent.
- Remember that you are working not for man’s approval, but in service to the Lord, who provided an excellent sacrifice for your salvation.
Our motivation for excellence is not for better pay, better position, or anything that is simply the world’s standard. We have a much higher calling as we serve the Lord. Paul’s words...his call to excellence...to the Christ-followers at Colossae instruct us today.
Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better. Colossians 1:10 NLT
The former president of IBM, Thomas J. Watson, put out this challenge:
"If you want to achieve excellence, you can get there today. As of this second, quit doing less-than-excellent work."
A final thought from Aristotle.
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit."
Make striving for excellence a habit with you. And do your work as unto the Lord.
Who stands fast?
One of my privileges is to work with media leaders and faithful Christ-followers in over 40 countries. And each person in each country and culture enriches my life. In fact, many are my heroes...and I learn much from being with them.
So many of these (and you may be in this group) serve in hard places, facing government challenges and cultural pushback for their work in Christian media. Yet you stand fast. You are teaching many of us what it means to stay committed to the cause of Christ even in the face of adversity.
German theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer was one who stood his ground against great odds...and it ultimately cost Bonhoeffer his life. Prior to his death, this Christian leader...who stood strong in the midst of overwhelming moral compromise in his land...wrote this:
“Who stands fast? Only the man whose final standard is not his reason, his principles, his conscience, his freedom, or his virtue, but who is ready to sacrifice all this when he is called to obedient and responsible action in faith and in exclusive allegiance to God—
the responsible man, who tries to make his whole life an answer to the question and call of God. Where are these responsible people?”
A good question. Where are these responsible people? Yes, Bonhoeffer’s stand on his allegiance to Christ resulted in his tragic death. But Dietrich Bonhoeffer understood that God changes tribulation to glory. He believed, as the Apostle Paul, who told the Christ-followers in Colossae:
We pray that you’ll live well for the Master, making him proud of you as you work hard in his orchard. As you learn more and more how God works, you will learn how to do your work. We pray that you’ll have the strength to stick it out over the long haul—not the grim strength of gritting your teeth but the glory-strength God gives. It is strength that endures the unendurable and spills over into joy, thanking the Father who makes us strong enough to take part in everything bright and beautiful that he has for us. Colossians 1:11 MSG
Strength that endures the unendurable...
and spills over into joy.
That is quite a challenge...and quite a calling. Thank you who serve so faithfully for teaching me about commitment. May my life-long learning surpass just the technical or the interesting things of life. May it focus mostly on learning how to serve our Lord Jesus, proclaiming His Name and His hope to a lost and hopeless world, and do it with great joy. Our example is Jesus...
...the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Hebrews 12:2 NLT
May the year 2020 give us new vision, new insight, new resolve, and new commitment to serve the One who endured the cross that we might have hope and life eternal with Him. And may our Heavenly Father count each of us among those who stand fast!
When joy escapes us...
The singing of carols... the worship of our Savior...time with our loved ones...the gathering of family and friends...the happy faces of the children at Christmas. All these bring joy to our hearts. And rightly so. It is a meaningful time for us as followers of Christ as we celebrate His birth, remember His life, and rejoice in His resurrection...all part of God’s great plan from the beginning of time.
But what happens when the joy escapes us? What happens when the circumstances of life rob us of the joy, and we find ourselves in a downward spiral of emotions and feelings?
Depression.
It happens to many this time of year. And the fact that so many are filled with joy seems to exacerbate the despair one may feel. Is that you?
My long-time friend and pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church in Dallas, Dr. Jack Graham, recently wrote of a time when he battled depression. It was after surgery for cancer that Jack found himself in that downward spiral that robbed him of the usual joy of his life as a faithful servant of the Lord Jesus. In an opinion piece for Fox News Dr. Graham wrote:
"Having gone through a strong bout of depression myself after prostate cancer surgery 10 years ago, I can tell you this illness can be crippling. Depression makes you feel as if you are dead inside.
"Some of the classic symptoms are a sense of hopelessness and loneliness, loss of appetite and insomnia. I knew I was in trouble when I couldn’t eat and when I began to lose sleep.
"It took me well over a year to come out of that dark valley."
Jack said that during that year of depression he sought help through professional counseling, exercise, and surrounding himself with those who could encourage him as he confided in them. But there was something else that helped Pastor Graham greatly.
Gratitude.
"One thing that was recommended to me by a counselor was keeping a gratitude journal. Every day, I would write three things I was thankful for in life.
"This simple exercise lifts your sight out of the darkness and helps you see the truth around you: there are people who love and care for you, there’s purpose in life and God has not given up on you yet."
I appreciate Jack Graham’s openness to what went through, and what many deal with, some throughout their lives. It reminds me of what King David expressed in Psalm 40 as he cried out to the Lord in the midst of his depression, his time in the pit.
He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along.He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord. Psalm 40:2-3 NLT
Yes, even our times of discouragement, despair, and depression can result in the blessing of the Lord in the lives of others as they see God at work in us. We can be grateful to the Lord for that encouragement. And what promises from God!
• Lifted out of the pit of despair.
• Feet set on solid rock.
• Steadied along the path.
• A new song to sing.
• A hymn of praise to our God.
• Others will come to put their trust in the Lord.
Depression is real and a reality for many. There is hope...because we have a loving, amazing, and all-powerful God. And the act of expressing gratitude for God’s rich blessings may be part of the path God has in times of despair.
Rejoice...and give thanks!
And may the New Year be filled with gratitude to our Lord for His presence in our lives throughout 2020.
If they squeak, I oil them!
I don’t think about them 
much. Hinges. If they squeak, I oil them. If they are rusted and stuck, I replace them. But even that doesn’t demand much of my attention.
Done and done!
Don’t get me wrong. Hinges are important. Even critical. Doors swing open or closed on hinges. Those doors may be to new opportunities. They may be to emergency rooms for medical issues. They may be to our warm home on a cold night...or to our church at Christmas Eve, so we may sing praise to the One born in a manger. O come, let us adore Him...
But I still don’t think about hinges very much. Do you? We should.
It is at Christmas that I recall the phrase penned by Ralph W. Sockman, a Methodist pastor, teacher, and radio preacher of the last century. Ever since I read it in a little Christmas book years ago it has captured my heart.
“The hinge of history is on
the door of a Bethlehem stable.”
Oh, I don’t know if there really was a hinge on that stable door. Probably not if it were the cave in Bethlehem. But the meaning of the phrase isn’t diminished. What happened two thousand years ago when Jesus was born of a virgin in that little town of Bethlehem has opened the door for my salvation and for yours. It changed the course of history. It fulfilled centuries-old prophecy.
For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6 NLT
And the impact of that event continues to make a difference in our lives and the lives of millions around the world. It also gives hope to billions who have yet to see the Babe of Bethlehem as their Savior.
We have the opportunity provided by that “hinge” to share God's hope. To tell the world of Jesus and His love. To reach beyond the walls of our homes and churches to go tell it on the mountain, over the hills and everywhere.
A hinge. A door. A story. A Savior.
Let’s celebrate Christ at Christmas and tell of His love all year long.
From the staff and Board of MEDIAlliance International...
God’s best...