the reluctant leader

Self-Absorbed Leaders

Self-absorbed leaders cannot build multi-generational ministries or businesses. In fact, they repel potential next generation leaders.

The ancient prophet Isaiah tells a sad story about a self-absorbed one-generation-wonder named Hezekiah.

In many ways Hezekiah was a good king. But when it came to next generation leadership, he failed royally.

Here's what happened:

1. DISASTER. The prophet boldly warns the king that A DAY IS COMING when everything he owns will be stolen by his enemy, the evil Babylonians. (Isaiah 39:6) Hezekiah sees no problem since this refers to a future disaster.

2. DESCENDANTS. The prophet also warns that the next generation, Hezekiah's descendants, will be kidnapped and dragged to Babylon. (verse 7) Again, no worries since this affects future generations not Hezekiah himself.

3. DECEPTION. You don't need a prophetic interpreter to tell you that this is bad news, yet the king responds: "The word of the Lord you have spoken is good, " For he thought, "There will be PEACE AND SECURITY IN MY LIFETIME." (verse 8)

Self-absorbed leaders only concern themselves with their own lifetime, and that is why they will never build multi-generational ministries. They sellout future generations for momentary glory rather than sacrificing now so that future generations can succeed.

(WARNING: short political rant... And that is exactly how American political leaders think as they accumulate astronomical debt, selling out future generations for temporal peace and security and entitlements and votes...)

I Have Accomplished Nothing

Some of you reading this blog are in the process of becoming successful. Some are already successful. Others are... VERY successful.

Think with me for a minute about some of your accomplishments. From the sandlot to the board room. From kindergarten to grad school. From diapers to the marriage altar.

Academic excellence. Athletic victories. Political power. Business connections. Wealth accumulation. Social justice. Ministry growth.

Maybe your greatest accomplishment is that you are still married to the same person after all these years. That accomplishment alone gives you superhero status in today's world of disposable relationships.

Even on a bad day when we feel like total failures, if we stop to think about it, we realize we have actually accomplished some important things.

Or, have we?

A few thousand years ago a wise old long-bearded white-haired prophet had an interesting perspective on success and human accomplishment:

"all that we have accomplished, You have done for us." (Isaiah 26:12)

In other words, all I think I have accomplished through my cleverness, discipline and superior intelligence actually had little to do with me. God did it all. And he did not need my help, my cooperation or my permission.

The only question that remains is will I acknowledge his role, or will I continue to pretend I do it all on my own?

Are You Serving God the Old Way or the New Way?

There are basically two ways to serve God:

1. "The Old Way of the Written Code" (Human effort, good works, religious duty)

2. "The New Way of the Spirit" (Grace, faith, power of the Holy Spirit)

Paul, a very religious man, finally figured out he had spent his entire life serving God the old way, living by the written code. He then tried to explain his new revelation to the Romans. "We have been released from the law so that we serve in the NEW WAY OF THE SPIRIT, and not in the OLD WAY OF THE WRITTEN CODE." (Romans 7:6)

This is one of those either/or things, not a both/and thing. We can't do both. We can't live the old way and the new way at the same time. We either trust in God's grace or we trust in our works. We either trust in what God did for us or what we do for him. Either/or.

I know you are serving God, but are you doing it the old way or the new way?

 

 

 

A Judgment Day Blog

Reading Romans on my early morning Nashville to Minneapolis to Calgary flight... (I hate early morning flights!)

In chapter 2 Paul writes about what many modern preachers are afraid to talk about: JUDGMENT.

Sorry, but the J word is all over the Bible, so we can't just ignore it and hope it is edited out of the next translation. We must preach it, teach it, tweet it, blog it, prepare for it, and help others prepare for it.

Romans 2 teaches us four facts about God as Judge and about Judgment Day.

1. No Excuses Accepted.
"You, therefore, have NO EXCUSE..." (Romans 2:1)
I've heard and created lots of really good excuses to disobey and dishonor God, but none will ever be good enough.

2. No Escape Possible.
"...do you think you will ESCAPE God's judgment?" (Romans 2:3
No one in history has ever escaped God's judgment. And no one ever will. Not me. Not you.

3. No Favoritism Extended.
"God does not show FAVORITISM." (Romans 2:11)
It does not matter how popular you are, how much money you have, who you are related to, or who owes you one - none of that helps on Judgment Day.

4. No Secrets Unknown.
"...God will judge men's SECRETS (Romans 2:11)
You know that thing you did and got away with and no one else on the planet knows about? God knows.

Are you ready for J Day? Pastors, are you helping people get ready?

"Since you call on a Father who judges each man's work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear." (1 Peter 1:17)

No More Excuses!

I'm pretty good at making excuses. Always have been. What about you?

In Luke 14 Jesus tells a story about excuses. Bottom line: Jesus doesn't really like excuses.

Here's the parable paraphrased: Rich dude threw a party; really a lavish banquet. Many who were invited made EXCUSES why they couldn't attend.

[18] "But they all alike began to MAKE EXCUSES. The first said, `I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. PLEASE EXCUSE ME.' [19] "Another said, `I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I'm on my way to try them out. PLEASE EXCUSE ME.' [20] "Still another said, `I just got married, so I can't come.'

None of their excuses were accepted; none of ours will ever be accepted either.

[23] "Then the master told his servant, `Go out to the roads and country lanes and make them come in, SO THAT MY HOUSE WILL BE FULL."

Here's my summary of the parable:

1. God wants his house (church) full.

2. God wants us to stop making excuses for not being full.

3. God wants us to "GO OUT" so his "house will be full"

What are you waiting for? Time to go and make disciples!

I Hate Fasting But I Do it Anyway, Here's Why...

I hate fasting but, I do it anyway. For as long as I remember I have started my year with a week of prayer, fasting and consecration. Here's a blog I wrote a few years ago that explains why I fast...

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When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Jesus said that our heavenly Father rewards fasting. Following are seven rewards of fasting:

1. Fasting turns back God’s wrath and judgment.
Moses recorded that God was angry enough to destroy Aaron and the children of Israel because of their gold cow idol (Dt 9:18-20). But, as we know, God’s wrath was turned back after Moses fasted and prayed. There has been much said and written the past few years about God’s wrath and judgment on different nations. I’m convinced that Christians can turn back God’s judgment through fasting and prayer. Of course that will never happen unless God’s people get more concerned about the next generation than their next meal

2. Fasting releases prophetic strategies for victory.
The Moabites, Amonites, and several other hostile nations were arrayed against Israel. (See 2 Chr 20:1-30.) King Jehoshaphat called for a fast. You know you are in a desperate situation when a guy nicknamed J-PHAT calls for a fast. During the fast, a prophetic word was given that laid out God’s strategy for their battle. “No swords. No shields. No spears. Get your tambourines ready, we’re going to war!” I’m sure there were some battle-hardened warriors who thought that word was way off. After all, “We’ve never fought a battle like that before.” As always, God knew best. If we are willing to skip a few meals, we may receive prophetic strategies to influence our cities for God’s glory. They may be new and untried strategies, but if they are from God, we can be confident they will work.

3. Fasting activates people and provision for God’s work.
Nehemiah’s building project was preceded by corporate fasting. Would it have been as successful without the fasting? I don’t think so. In 1984, God opened the door for our fledgling Manila church to have its own (rented) building in Manila’s crowded University-Belt as we fasted and prayed.  Each time our church has expanded to a new building to own or rent, a vital part of our fund-raising strategy has been prayer and fasting.

4. Fasting releases wisdom and favor.
Daniel and his friends went on a partial fast (vegetables and water only). At the end of the fast, they were compared with the rest of the young men of Babylon. The results are recorded in Daniel 1:20. In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom. Would you like to be ten times better than your competitors? Just lay off the pizza for a few days and seek God wholeheartedly.

5. Fasting clarifies and redirects callings and ministries.
Paul, Barnabas, and a few other Antioch church leaders were me eting together, and while they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said: set apart for me Barnabas . . . (Acts 13:1-3). While they were fasting, the Holy Spirit spoke. Would He have spoken this new direction even if they had not fasted? Probably. The real question is: Would they have been sensitive enough to hear the Holy Spirit speak if they had not fasted? Maybe. Maybe not. Are you seeking God for a new direction in your life or ministry? Good time to fast.

6. Fasting breaks demonic strongholds.
On one occasion, the disciples unsuccessfully attempted to cast out a demon. When they asked Jesus why they had failed, He responded:  this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting (Matt 17:21). This seems to indicate that there are certain demonic situations that, for one reason or another, can only be defeated through fasting. Isaiah said that true fasting will loose chains . . . untie the cords of yoke . . . set the oppressed free and break every yoke (Is 58:6). Have you ever encountered a stubborn demonic situation? Maybe it’s the kind that only goes out by prayer and fasting.

7. Fasting increases spiritual power.
Luke records that Jesus was full of the Holy Spirit and that He was led by the Spirit.  After His forty day fast, He returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit (Lk 4:1,14). How many Christians do you know who are full of the Spirit and led by the Spirit, but do not walk in the power of the Spirit? Need more power? Spiritual power is one of the rewards of fasting.

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This blog was originally an article called "Freedom From the Stomach God" written for Evangelicals Today magazine. I edited it, made it much shorter and posted it here. Hope it helps those who are starting 2008 with a season of fasting and prayer.

Also, I recently wrote several fasting blogs on my "accidental missionary" site. The first was called "I Hate Fasting."

(Note: We encourage only healthy adults to fast. If you are pregnant or nursing, you should not fast. If you have any medical condition, you should check with your doctor before fasting.)

Top 10 Books I Read in 2011

Someone really famous, important and/or smart person once said, "readers are leaders" or maybe it was, "leaders are readers." I don't know, but I hope you are a reader and a leader.

Here are some of the best books I read in 2011, in random order. (And here's the 2010 list, and a bunch of other random & interesting top 10 lists - you never know what will show up on one of my top 10 lists. Back to the books...)

1. Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. Amazing true story of a WWII hero. Warning: once you start reading, it's impossible to stop.

2. Stolen Lives: Twenty Years in a Desert Jail by Malika Oufkir & Michèle Fitoussi. True story of Morrocan Muslim brutality. The result of reading this book: I'm praying that the Lord of the Harvest would send workers to Northern Africa. Who will go?

3. Living a Life of Fire by Reinhard Bonnke. Just when you think you have accomplished something with your life, you pick up a Bonnke book.

4. Creating Magic: 10 Common Sense Leadership Strategies from a Life at Disney by Lee Cockerell. Recommended for all church planters, pastors, missionaries and anyone who leads people and/or organizations.  

5. The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs: How to be Insanely Great in Front of Any Audience by Carmine Gallo. One of the best how-to communication books ever. Confession: I have never seen a Steve Jobs presentation. But I still think every preacher, teacher, presenter and small group leader should read this one. Here's a review of the book, using the presentation secrets of Steve J.

6. Contempt of Court: The Turn-of-the-Century Lynching that Launched a Hundred Years of Federalism by Mark Curriden and Leroy Phillips. A gift from my friend, Melvin Malone. This tragic story reads like a Grisham legal thriller. Summary: In 1906, an innocent black man was found guilty of raping a white teen & sentenced to die in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Two unknown black lawyers took the case all the way to the Supreme Court & won a surprise stay of execution. Local rednecks responded by lynching the innocent man. The result forever changed the way the Supreme Court views the authority of state courts.  

7. The Confession by John Grisham. Speaking of Grisham legal thrillers, gotta love it when a law-breaking pastor is the hero.

8. Where Has Oprah Taken Us: The Religious Influence of the World's Most Famous Woman by Stephen Mansfield. I have never watched an episode of Oprah, but I am glad I read this book. It is not so much about "Pastor Oprah" as it is about modern religion. Every pastor who preaches in the West should read this insightfully scary book by my friend.

9. Decision Points by George W Bush. No matter what you think about Bush, Republicans or American foreign policy, this is a great leadership book. Not the typical presidential memoir, this is a book about leadership decisions. Bush tells us the why behind decisions including why he stopped drinking, why he ran for governor of Texas, why the surge, why he hired and fired certain people, and other difficult decisions both personal and political. He also freely admits many mistakes, which in presidential memoirs, is rarer than a Sasquatch sighting. If you are a decision-maker, you should read this one.

10. Pacific Rims: Beermen Ballin' in Flip-Flops and the Philippine's Unlikely Love Affair with Basketball By Rafe Bartholomew. Written by a young American basketball fanatic while on a Fullbright schlarship in the Philippines. I don't know the author, but I do know several people who show up on the pages of his book. Fun book for all who love the Philippines and the PBA. 

2011 Snubs: Other good books that did not make my list include works by Tim Keller, RT Kendall, Philip Yancy, Vince Flynn, Gavin Menzies (interesting views on history) and lesser known writers. And, I read and snubbed that book about love by a former pastor (glad I read it but not glad he wrote it).

Next year's list will include the Eric Metaxas Bonhoeffer book which I started last week but will not finish until 2012, and Joey Bonifacio's "Lego Principle" which I read in 2011 but will not be published until fall of 2012.

What good books did you read in 2011?

Almost forgot, one more book you should buy - would be good to read it too - but you definitely should BUY 1 or 2 or 10 copies of THIS BOOK.