A hammer and a nail...
My pastor reminded me of an interesting reality. Maybe you can relate to it. In a recent message my pastor said,
“To a hammer, every problem looks like a nail.”
Have you ever heard that? Now, a hammer is a great tool. A powerful tool. A useful tool. I’ve watched master craftsmen use a hammer to build my home, everything from framing up the walls to the fine trim work that finished out the interior.
But a hammer isn’t the only tool in the toolbox. And it isn’t the right tool for everything. If you need a screw driven in, a hammer isn’t the tool to use. If wood needs sanding, or tile needs cutting, a hammer is a poor choice.
What do you do when a problem arises in your organization? Do you grab a hammer? You can’t pound every problem as if it’s a nail. It may be a person who is part of the problem. They may not need to be pounded. This person may need encouragement, better training, more appropriate work conditions. There may be many reasons that this person is a problem. Don’t be too quick to reach for a hammer.
Leadership is not pounding on someone until they get it right. Businessman and author Max Dupree describes leadership as, “...liberating people to do what is required of them in the most effective and humane way possible.”
The Apostle Peter, under the Holy Spirit’s direction, gives insight into how we deal with those God has entrusted to us in ministry and work.
[blockquote author="1 Peter 5:3 NLT" link="" target="_blank"]Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example.[/blockquote]
The next time a problem arises in your ministry or organization, don’t assume it is a nail that needs pounding. Look for the right tool, and use it wisely.
Check your Contract
I heard the frustration in his voice. Too much to do, and not enough people to do the job. It was Sunday morning…crunch time in ministry…and this media leader knew the job had to be done.
Have you experienced that kind of frustration? I certainly have. In my seven decades of life and 50 plus years of media work, the challenges of the tasks were sometimes overwhelming. I suspect you have been there, too. I’ve often had a recurring “radio” dream that the song was ending, it was time for me to read news, and I had no copy. And there were no more songs to play. Nothing but dead air...and frustration!
Now…you may think I’m going to share some nice words about how God will move the obstacles and the challenges of ministry, making your way lighter and brighter. Sorry. Not this time. I’ll just begin by sharing the words of an old Black pastor.
“Check your contract.”
God never promised a life of ease and comfort.
We sometimes equate being in the center of God’s will with a lack of problems. I remember a devotional from my friend Joni Eareckson Tada, who has spent some 50 years in a wheelchair. She reflected on the challenging time Mary and Joseph had before Jesus was born...and afterwards, too. The ridicule, the difficult trip from Nazareth to Bethlehem, the stable, the exile to Egypt. Great challenges. And Mary and Joseph were in the very center of God’s will.
No, ease and comfort are not the marks of being in God’s will. In fact, I know some non-believers who are financially set for life, who have a nice home, and seem to have no challenges. But they are clearly NOT in God’s will.
Yes, we can all learn to delegate, work more efficiently, plan better, and learn other skills to help us better manage our time, ourselves, and others. Yet, we will likely still have challenges and trials.
Jesus said it. “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows.” (John 16:33 NLT) James echoed it. “Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy.” (James 1:3 NLT)
You WILL have trials. WHEN troubles come. These verses leave no doubt. But the Apostle Paul reminds us to keep all these trials, troubles, and frustrations in perspective.
[blockquote author="2 Corinthians 4:17 NLT" link="" target="_blank"]For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever![/blockquote]
So, check your contract, and understand that our faithful God will be with us through any trial, and through any challenge, no matter how great or how small.
One more passage and promise to remember when going through one of these trials.
[blockquote author="Hebrews 10:35-36 NLT" link="" target="_blank"]So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised. [/blockquote]
To put that thought in the immortal words of the 1960s hit song... “Hang on, Sloopy, hang on!”
So you failed. So what!
You failed. Or you rebelled. So…what happens now? What does God do with our failure or rebellion? You may be surprised.
The story is so familiar, even to non-Christians, that we have a tendency to skip over parts of the biblical account.
I’m talking about Jonah, his rebellion, and God’s reaction. You remember the story. God told Jonah to go to Nineveh to preach, and he rebelled…went the other way. He boarded a ship bound for Tarshish, and God brought a violent storm.
In the story in Jonah, chapter 1, we see that the sailors were not followers of the God of Israel. The scripture says that in the midst of the storm, these weathered seamen shouted to their gods for help. In fear for their lives, they find that Jonah and his rebellion was the cause for the storm. Jonah tells them that the way to stop the storm is to throw him overboard. These sailors didn’t want to do it. And in the process of dealing with the crisis, they began to pray to Jonah’s God. And, finally, they did what Jonah asked. They tossed him into the sea.
Now, before we quickly jump to the part about the fish, take a look at what God did right here. Remember, Jonah was rebellious to God, a failure at following His will. Yet, when the seamen tossed him into the raging sea, immediately the storm stopped. Calm. Quiet. Peace.
Here’s the passage that amazes me.
[blockquote author="Jonah 1:5-16 NLT" link="" target="_blank"]Then the sailors picked Jonah up and threw him into the raging sea, and the storm stopped at once! The sailors were awestruck by the Lord’s great power, and they offered him a sacrifice and vowed to serve him.[/blockquote]
Do you see that? The sailors sacrificed to the one true God, and vowed to serve Him.
Yes, the rest of the story is amazing, too. The fish. Jonah’s repentance. The revival in Nineveh. God at work. But this is what gets me. God used Jonah’s rebellion and his failure to bring a witness of the Lord’s great power to hardened sailors. And they began to follow Him.
We look at the dark side of our stumbles, our missteps, our failures and rebellion, and often miss what God may be up to. No…we shouldn’t rebel just to see what God does with it. But we need to be reminded of the greatness of God, His love and compassion for all, and His ability to use even our failures for His grand purpose.
One. Just one.
Through my 50+ years in broadcasting, that phrase has been the mantra on how we should communicate through radio. We often talk of radio being an “intimate” medium, meaning that there is a direct relationship from the on-air person to the listener. Long gone are the days when people sat around the radio as a family or as a group, though we sometimes hear of that in some remote regions of our world.
Most often, we are talking to one person...in their car, or on ear buds while jogging, working, or riding mass transit. Even though television may be watched by a group or a family, the best communication takes place when you think the person on TV is talking just to you. It is harder to get that sense of intimacy through television, and there is always that glass screen to provide separation. But in radio, the person you listen to on the air is in your head!
As a young adult, when I considered radio as a vocation, I thought of some of the top radio people I knew. There was one standout DJ (disk jockey, announcer, presenter) in our market named Ron Chapman. From my high school days (yes…a long time ago) up until about 10 years ago, this man commanded the radio market. He was the best. Why? He connected with the listeners…one to one.
When I moved into Christian radio, I began to think about Ron Chapman and his success. First, he was very, very good. He was innovative and creative. There was always a fresh idea on the air, and he was willing to take chances. It made for very good radio. But what I recognized as the real key was the relationship he had with the listeners.
Ron Chapman and I talked on a few occasions. One time I mentioned what I had learned by listening to him through the years. I told him, “You always made me feel like you knew what the street where I lived looked like.” He said, “I’ve never heard it put that way, but, yeah.” What I meant is that he seemed to know my neighborhood. He knew my world. And, I concluded, he knew me.
Ron Chapman didn’t know me. He certainly didn’t say anything personal about me on the radio. But I felt like he knew me. And, therefore, I listened to him…as did many thousands of others for decades.
I think of Jesus and the accounts of His life on earth. Yes, he spoke to the thousands on hillsides and harbors. But His most moving encounters came in one to one engagements with individuals. The Samaritan woman at the well. Peter on the seashore. The blind man Jesus healed. Encounters with individuals. Great examples for us.
Do you want to be a good communicator…in radio, television, or even public speaking? Connect with your listener. Let them know you understand their world. And they will listen to you as friend to friend. That becomes a powerful tool…for your message…and for the Gospel.
Someplace Else in Your Mind
My wife, Judy, is an excellent pianist. Along with teaching others to play, she uses her gift for the Lord, playing at our church, at our local Christian university, and for other ministry opportunities.
Recently, we were talking about something we recognize that is critical in what we both do...music and media.
Keep your focus.
Judy says she must stay “in the moment” ...not get ahead of herself in the music, or think of mistakes in the past. In the media realm, I often told our on-air radio staff that the most important moment of their air shift was the next moment.
That is good advice as we do the task God has called us to do. Stay focused.
But there is a balance.
There was a time in Jesus’ ministry when the disciples wanted Jesus to stay right where they were. To focus on that one place. Makes sense. They were seeing great success and favor. It was comfortable. But the Lord had a different idea...a different urging.
[blockquote author="Luke 4:43 NLT" link="" target="_blank"]But he [Jesus] replied, 'I must preach the Good News of the Kingdom of God in other towns, too, because that is why I was sent.c[/blockquote]
Today, there are other paces that need the Gospel, the Good News of the Kingdom of God. Other places that need the hope that only Christ can bring.
The Apostle Paul understood that in his life and ministry. He asked the believers in Thessalonica to pray for him and the spread of the Gospel.
[blockquote author="II Thessalonians 3:1 NLT" link="" target="_blank"]...dear brothers and sisters, we ask you to pray for us. Pray that the Lord’s message will spread rapidly and be honored wherever it goes, just as when it came to you.[/blockquote]
So, yes, focus on the job at hand. Stay in the moment. Don’t let past mistakes or future concerns distract you. But be open to God’s urging...His calling...to take the message of hope, found only in Jesus Christ, to the other cities also. Remember...someone brought the Gospel to you.
Are you an influencer?
At the MEDIAlliance Summit a few months ago, Dr. O. S. Hawkins talked to the global media leaders about being a VIP...a very influential person. We learned that all of us have an opportunity to influence others. But how do we do that?
John Maxwell writes in the Maxwell Leadership Bible about influence, using the life of Samuel as an example and pattern for us. It’s based on an account of Samuel’s leadership found in 1 Samuel 7:1-17. Maxwell points out three characteristics in the prophet Samuel’s life, and shows how Samuel effectively influenced people for the Lord.
Here are the traits:
1. Competence – Samuel listened for God’s voice. Of course, this he learned at a very early age as he served Eli in the temple. Because of this relationship with the Lord, he could discern the future, and wisely knew what the people should do. The people saw this and listened to the prophet.
2. Character – Unlike his predecessor Eli, Samuel exhibited great integrity and honesty in every area of his life. They considered Samuel utterly trustworthy, and knew he had the people’s interest in mind. They depended on him to intercede for them before God.
3. Connection – Samuel knew how to connect with the people. He spoke their language. He showed compassion for their situation. And he brought courage to them and told them what the Lord would have them do.
Maxwell sees this as a formula, a pattern that works today as it did those thousands of years ago.
Competence + Character + Connection = Influence
You are a leader. There are those who look to you for decisions and for direction, both professionally and personally. You have an opportunity to influence these people in the ways of the Lord, so that they might follow His will and lead lives of satisfaction and joy.
Competence. Character. Connection. God has given you all you need to be His agent...His ambassador...His influencer.
[blockquote author="Psalm 112:1, 9b NLT" link="" target="_blank"]
How joyful are those who fear the Lord
and delight in obeying his commands....
... Their good deeds will be remembered forever.
They will have influence and honor.
[/blockquote]
Who is MEDIAlliance
MEDIAlliance
is a global nonprofit organization helping evangelical Christian broadcasters. Our clients are nationals who have established Christian stations in their native ountries. The scope of our work comprises five areas.
1. Programming: MEDIAlliance provides connections to doctrinally-sound evangelical program resources. The goal is to provide solid Bible teaching by radio, television, and other media in under served areas of the world.
2.Technology: MEDIAlliance provides technical strategies for stations needing to improve their efforts. This may include improvements in studio systems to raise the standard of commercial broadcast excellence, or transmission systems, with assistance in procuring equipment for increasing a station's signal strength...and more.
3. Mentoring: MEDIAlliance dialogues with its client broadcasters on topics such as how to develop involvement strategies to engage listeners in the communities they serve and...most importantly...how to connect new Christians with a local church. When listeners take "ownership" and tell friends, the Gospel takes hold and grows.
4. Training: MEDIAlliance provides training for broadcasters, both individually and in extensive seminars, on localities conentient to them.
5. Networking: MEDIAlliance training events bring entrepreneurial Christian broadcasters together, where they form friendships, share ideas, and begin networking together.
Questions...to ask myself!
I recently saw a list of questions that leaders should be asking themselves in order to be more effective. There were some obvious ones, like, “What do I want to accomplish today?”
But there were some others that should be among those questions we ask ourselves in the leadership role God has for us. Here is my take on a few of them:
1. What can I hand over? You can’t do everything, so you need to decide what you can pass on to someone else. That may need to be asked every day, or at least every week.
2. Are my values evident in my leadership? We want our values to mean something, both to us and to those around us. Are we passing them on in the way we lead?
3. Am I doing my best? Simple evaluation. If the answer is no, then the next questions should be, “Why not?”
4. Who succeeded today? Everyone benefits when someone on your team succeeds. That should cause us to want to celebrate the successes and praise those who hit the marks and even exceed the goals.
5. What are my sticking points? What are the things that get in my way in succeeding and in leadership?
6. How did I treat people today? Some leaders think an abrasive style of leadership is good. Your team probably doesn’t feel that way. Remember the Golden Rule.
7. Am I enjoying this? Not every day is a barrel of laughs. But there should be a sense of satisfaction in what is being accomplished. Constant frustration is not a good sign.
8. What did I do today that will matter in the future? That’s a heavy one that may require some deep thought.
To this good list, put together by Bryan Mohr of Y Scouts, I would add another one.
Did I please the Lord Jesus in all my actions, words, and thoughts?
[blockquote author="Romans 14:17-18 NLT" link="" target="_blank"]For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too.[/blockquote]
[blockquote author="Philippians 2:13 NLT" link="" target="_blank"]For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.[/blockquote]
Are you worth your salary
To say the least, I was shocked! I was in my late 20’s and had just begun as Minister of Music at my home church. It was a large one by that day’s standards, and I was already feeling a bit inadequate. I knew I lacked all the experience needed to lead the large music program of the church.
That’s when the pastor’s wife pulled me aside and shocked me with these words. “Any staff member worth his ‘salt’ will earn his salary by the new people he draws to the church.” I was speechless. I had no clever comment. Nothing. But I sure thought about her words. And I have thought about them for years after that encounter. And I came to a conclusion.
She was absolutely right!
Through the years, I’ve interviewed many folks for ministry. Some have told me, “I don’t want to raise my own salary with fundraising.” I usually respond with a variation of what I was told those many years ago. You see, everyone should realize that what they do relates directly with what they make. In essence, they are “raising” their own salary. The impact of their work makes a difference for good or for bad for the ministry, organization, or company.
And that’s true whether it's a non-profit or a for-profit.
The bookkeeper should earn their salary by the quality of the job they do. The same is true for the graphic artist, the editor, the janitor, or the managing director. The organization should benefit financially by what you do. The head of the ministry or the CEO of a business should raise their own salary by how they do their job.
Yes, there are times we may struggle financially. It’s a good time to make sure we are doing all we should do, and that we are doing it with the right spirit and heart. There are also times we are blessed financially with abundance. We should, with grateful hearts, show our thanks to God by serving Him with our whole heart.
Remember the words of Jesus:
[blockquote author="Matthew 5:16 NASB" link="" target="_blank"]Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.[/blockquote]
Are you raising your salary? Are you a workman (or workwoman) worthy of your hire?
My failure...God's love
A verse in my morning Bible reading started me down an interesting path,
one that had several high hills and deep valleys. While reading in the book written by John the Apostle, here is what caught my attention and my heart:
[blockquote author="John 12:43 NLT" link="" target="_blank"]
For they loved human praise
more than the praise of God.
[/blockquote]
John was writing about some of the Jewish leaders who secretly believed in Jesus, but would not admit it publically. While it is easy to quickly criticize those Jews for not identifying with our Lord, my mind immediately went to my own life and actions.
To my discredit, there are times when I have not let others know of my love for Jesus. No, you can’t stop every person you see and let them know. But in the course of my daily activities, I must admit I have sometimes failed to give praise to the Lord Jesus when I could and when I should.
But God.
But God in His grace and mercy allows me to grow into the individual he designed me and desires for me to be. The Old Testament is full of the story of God’s chosen people rejecting Him. Yet when they repented and desired to praise and serve the Lord, He accepted them back and blessed them.
What love.
What love the Father bestows on us. What grace he shows in our lives. What patience he exhibits as we fail to serve Him with our whole heart. What great love.
Do you remember the hymn about God’s love? The story is told that one of the verses in the hymn was found scratched on the wall of a Jewish insane asylum. Somehow the love of God had penetrated the twisted mind of a person, and they could not keep from acknowledging the Lord’s amazing love. That final verse of “The Love of God” is a canticle of praise to a loving Lord.
Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade;
To write the love of God above
Would drain the ocean dry;
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.
Refrain:
Oh, love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure—
The saints’ and angels’ song.
May we strive to live in a way that shows we desire the praise of God over the praise of men...every day.
