Thursday, February 21, 2008

Eclipes

We had some stellar excitement around our house last night after our small group gathering. Everyone ran outside to see the lunar eclipse. We had been told by the weather man that it would be too cloudy for us to see, but there it was, clear as could be.
Sooo. . . I am about to blog on a subject that is "as old as the hills", the unusual circumstances that make a lunar eclipse happen.

We all know that the moon has no light of its own. It is a hunk of rock or cheese, depending upon your educational background. When we see it "shining" in the sky it is because the light from the sun is being reflected from its surface.

A lunar eclipse takes place when the earth gets between the sun and the moon. You can watch it happening as darkness slowly blocks out the brightness of the moon.

Hey, this isn't just a lunar happening. The same is true of us as Christ followers. We have no light or life of our own. Whatever shines about us is a result of the reflection of Christ in our lives. When we allow the world to get between us and the Son we eventually experience a spiritual eclipse.

People who are observing our lives can see the process as clearly as we can see a lunar eclipse taking place. The moon really has no choice. It is doomed to follow a predetermined orbital sequence that is totally predictable. We do have a choice. We can stay close enough to the Lord that the world has no place to get in the middle.

Lunar eclipses are kind of cool to watch. Spiritual eclipses are a tragedy and a heartache to watch. How much have you allowed the world to shadow and dull the Lord's light in your life?

Just Thinking about eclipses.

Friday, February 15, 2008

Fathering a Vision Builds Dynamic Relationships

I am wrestling with the concept of team building in my responsibilities as leadership development pastor. We all need to find people to do the work that a growing ministry requires. I can develop org charts, develop leadership roles and training, and recruit by gifts and abilities, but a true movement of God creates growth that far exceeds the capabilities of these tools.

It seems to me that Christ gave us some insight into team building in his relational paradym as seen in Mark 3. He said that those who were engaged in the will of God were his brothers, sisters, and mother. Those who were engaged in His vision were His family.

The relationship between leaders and followers becomes as strong and dynamic as blood relationships.

Good leaders have a vision: better leaders share a vision: great leaders invite others to join them in spreading this vision. Movements create bonds between people who have never met but embrace a common vision.

It seems that great leaders are so pregnant with vision that it requires them to birth it in other leaders who in turn birth it in others. Every "job" in the church should be driven by the vision not by the present need. Vision entergizes. A person filled with vision will do what is necessary to advance the movement in fulfillment of the vision.

How pregnant are you? Are you delivering vision or building a church? Sharing your vision will create a monument. Implanting your vision in others will create a movement. How big is your visionary family? Who are your brothers, sisters, and mothers ?

Changing lives that change the world by helping people take steps toward God to begin a journey with Christ. What a great vision!!

Just Thinking.

Thursday, February 14, 2008

Recruits/Volunteers

I am excited to see that 17 people raised their hand to join the Outreach Team here at Barefoot. I am just as excited to realize that there are many other leaders in the church who received names of individuals who have stepped forward to become part of the Team. Most of them were recruited on Sunday as Clay shared why Teamwork is one of our core values.

When I served in the Army we were referred to as "recruits." In reality there were two types of recruits. One recruit was drafted and ordered to report for duty. Another recruit was a volunteer soldier who wasn't forced to join. I was one of the latter. Throughout my tours in Vietnam my mother would remind me that my "number" had not been drawn in the draft and I would not have had to go fight. It was hard to deal with the realities and difficulties of waking up in a war zone for over two years, but I can't imagine how hard it would be if I had been forced to be there because I was drafted.
I am sure some of the volunteers that I will be calling will sooner or later say, "What have I gotten into?" Serving has its issues but God honors those who volunteer to join His Army. There is a spiritual warfare taking place and God is asking His children to report for duty to rescue the perishing. When God wins and the victory celebration begins I am sure many will say, "I wish I had volunteered when I had the chance."
What a privilege it is to be a part of what God is doing here in North Myrtle Beach! To the new recruits, I say, welcome. You just joined a band of brothers and sisters who are out to change the world by loving God, loving people, and proclaiming the Gospel of Christ in the spiritual war zone of this world. Report for duty. Serve with honor and courage. Be excited about whatever assignment the Lord has given you.

Celebrating Serving.