Proper Way to Use Ministry

In keeping with the theme of what God has taught me the last 10 years, I have to write about the proper way churches should use ministry.

There is a phrase “Do not use people to build a ministry; use the ministry to build people.” I’ve seen both sides of this phrase played out in front of my eyes. A church that builds the ministry on the shoulders and backs of their volunteers have a high turn over rate because people tend to burn out and/or leave because they don’t feel loved; they feel used. The churches that follow the Ephesians 4:11-12 principle of equipping people to lead tends to use ministry to build their people. The people tend to feel loved and encouraged.

I feel God has had me be bi-vocational the last 10 years so can I relate to the lay-leaders or volunteers who give up their free time to serve in the church. The paid staff seems to (from my experience) either don’t consider the time management situation of their volunteers or feel the volunteers should work around the church’s schedule. People working 40 to 60 hour work weeks want to use their gifts to serve their God. They serve the best they can with their time. I think it awesome when I see men and women who I know have plates that are twice as full as the church staff step up and serve. At the same time, I do feel the church’s paid staff need to manage their time for family. It’s a fine line for a church to have healthy church staff and volunteers. If the church uses ministry to build their people, things will run smoother longer.

This is just my opinion. If you have a different one, feel free to make a comment.

Real Worship (The Learning Years)

What I know today about what real worship is truly about is partly due to the man God had replace me as music director of the church I grew up in and worked in as music director/associate pastor. Jerry came in with an idea of what worship is and taught the church what real worship is all about. Before moving to VA, Jerry spent several years studying the Bible and teaching principles of worship to the church he and John (new pastor) lead in Michigan. The year before God brought these men to VA, God was working in my life and those of our church in desiring to worship Him more. Jerry sat everyone down that was part of the music ministry and taught us first what worship is all about. After we learn the truth, he taught the church. Back in 1999, the idea of real worship was just coming to America from countries that already learned the truth years earlier. God used this time for me to learn how I can worship Him in a proper way and with a pure heart. I will always be grateful to Jerry for coming and teaching these truths to me.

Remembering (Time Flies)

Picture taken in Spring of 1996. Picture taken a few weeks ago.

As I look forward with anticipation to what God will do in Carrollton, I can’t help but remember what God has done for me in the past. We are who we are in part because of our experiences. I was thinking about that today, and was thinking about the last 10 years. The time flies by and before you know it, you are different than you were. I like to look back and focus on what was so I can remind myself of who God made me to be. I don’t dwell on failure but I try to remember because God has used it to mold me.

Way back in 1999, I had to step down from being the Minister of Music of the church I grew up in. The pastor had resigned and the new man brought own guy to lead worship. I knew and had worked with both men years earlier. I knew that my time as paid staff was ending with the coming of the new pastor and have taken steps to help make the change as smooth as possible. You see, the pastor who resigned did so after a hard year; his wife left him for another man and the church had decreased in number (from 425 people down to 175 people) so I was the last man standing. The youth pastor had moved back home to TN and the other associate had moved to GA to pastor a small church. I stayed in part because this is the church I grew up in and loved and I was waiting for God to direct me elsewhere. This period of my ministry life, from 1999 to present, is the time I’ve learned the most about God and His calling on my life.

I’ll write more on what I’ve learned and still learning in the next few days.

Good Day

God had His way today. The last half of this past week has been rainy with a forecast of rain today. Our desire was to hand out flyers in the Eagle Harbor Houses so we needed no rain. The day started with rain in the early morning (6:30 am). As we made it to Carrollton, the rain stopped. As I was leading the Discovery Groups’ study (John 3:1 – 21), the sun came out. It was awesome.
Gil had a great idea to speed up the process of putting out the flyers. Since there was Gil, Teresa, and I was putting out the flyers, we did it as a team in the car. Teresa drove the car, Gil sat in the back rolling up the flyers and handing them to me, and I sat in the right seat putting the flyers in the boxes under the mailbox. It went smoothly and fast. Since it was overcast, we saw and talked with only 2 people. But we were able to put out about 300 flyers in an hour and half. We pray God will use these flyers to further His Kingdom.
As Teresa and I drove back home, I was listening to K-Love and looking at my hands (Teresa was driving); as I listened to the music and looked at my hands, I wanted God to use us in Carrollton. God brought back to mind that He is the One Who does, and I’m commanded to follow His lead. My empty hands reminded me that I have nothing He needs. God doesn’t need me; God wants me. I couldn’t say anything but just sat there and said, “Thank you for wanting me.”
May God use these flyers to get something started in Eagle Harbor Houses.

CPN

I was able to make our local church planter network (CPN) meeting. I enjoy these because I get to talk with the men who are either planting a church or pastoring a new church. I enjoy talking with them. Today we had a visitor from our local newspaper. The reporter covers the "Religious" section of the paper. Steve is a real nice guy who just listened and took notes. He was talking with some of us about what we are doing so I gave him a business card.


We met at a church in downtown Norfolk. Robb is renting a old warehouse that was empty for years. I've always liked the idea of meeting in a warehouse so it was neat for me to see it done. The people this church is reaching out to is an artist community so they have art work where. The picture I have on this posting was done my a lady in 5 minutes. I love it. I almost asked if I could buy it. It's different.


I love the fact God uses different types of people to do His work. There is no cookie cutter when it comes to God and His work. He uses former drug users to reach drug uses. He uses the traditional churches to reach some people. Just as we have different tools in our tool boxes, God uses different people for special ministries. It's way cool.

On A Mission

I enjoy reading blogs when I have down time at work. One of these blog sites is written by Ben Arment in the Washington, D.C. area. Ben wrote this update today that made me think about my role as a church planter in Carrollton:

“I can think of dozens of planters who started successful churches because their itinerant ministry or local roots provided a ready remnant who were asking for a church.

Nothing wrong with starting a church from scratch, where nobody is asking you to do it. I did it. But just realize that, at that point, your role is not church planter; it's missionary. Your job is to raise up the remnant.”

We are starting a church from scratch in Carrollton. I do think it would nice to have a larger church sponsor us and give us an X amount of members to launch a church. God has other plans. I’ve never started anything from nothing so I’m completely dependent on God for the increase (no brainer there). There is a positive starting something from nothing; you are actually growing when people come into your group. I call increasing from people moving from one church to yours not growing but swelling. We grow when God draws people to Himself and they become His children. We are looking at outreaching to unchurched/unsaved people and to unchurched/saved (or back sliders). Starting from scratch and targeting unsaved and unchurched people means that it will take time and energy to equip people to grow in Christ but that’s our calling. It’s not about growing to 1000 people overnight. It’s about pointing people to Christ and after they are saved equipping them to grow in their walk with Him. As they grow in their walk with Christ, they point others to Him and the process continues.

I like Ben’s last thought about being more a missionary than a church planter when you start from scratch. My major in Bible College was Missions. I’ve learned to be a foreign missionary; in fact I wanted to be a missionary to Australia when I was a freshman. God has changed my direction since then; I’m a missionary to Carrollton.

The Idea of a Lifesong

Yesterday, I mentioned the idea of the Lifesong we all have to bring glory to God. The idea behind this is taken from Casting Crown’s song and from the book “Lifesong” written by Mark Hall (lead singer of Casting Crowns). It’s a very good book. With thinking about my Lifesong, I keep singing the song in my head. The other day, I was singing it in my head while sitting in my cubical at work and it happened; God manifested His presence to me and I was worshipping Him at my desk at work. It was an awesome experience. We are to worship God in Spirit and truth. We are to worship God everywhere and at every moment. I’ve put the song lyrics so you can read (and sing) it. Think about what your Lifesong is, and use it to bring God glory.

Empty hands held high

Such small sacrifice

If not joined with my life

I sing in vain tonight

May the words I say

And the things I do

Make my lifesong sing

Bring a smile to You

Let my lifesong sing to You, Let my lifesong sing to You

I want to sign Your name to the end of this day Knowing that my heart was true

Let my lifesong sing to You

Lord I give my life

A living sacrifice

To reach a world in need

To be Your hands and feet

So may the words I say

And the things I do

Make my lifesong sing

Bring a smile to You

Hallelujah Hallelujah

Let my lifesong sing to You

Written by Mark Hall ©2005 Club Zoo Music (BMI) / SWECS Music (BMI) (admin. by EMI CMG Publishing)

Lifesong

On Monday, I was at working sitting in my cubical and my cell phone rings. It was Brian, a friend and member of the men’s Bible group I lead on Sunday mornings, and he informed me that his dear friend’s wife had dead Sunday night. His friend’s wife was 28 years old and had 4 children ranging in age from 18 months to 7 years old. He was concerned for his friend and wanted me to pray for them. I told him I told and I prayed with him on the phone. I sent out a mass e-mail to those of our church on the prayer chain to pray for B.J. (Brian’s friend) and the family. The positive of this story is that B.J. is a Christian and so was his wife. She is home with the Lord and getting to dance and worship Him face-to-face.

I talked with Brian this morning to see how his friend and family are doing. It has been revealed that Brian’s friend’s wife had been sick off and on for a year. It didn’t seem serious so she just took over the counter medication. What had happen was that during this time mucus had built up in her lungs. When she took a nap on Sunday and fell asleep on her stomach, the mucus built up caused her to suffocate.

This is a sad story that hits home for Brian because his wife (Jessica) is only 2 years younger than B.J.’s wife. This is a reminder to us all that we are not promised our next breath or heartbeat. Everyday is a gift from God to us to bring Him glory. We all have a “Lifesong” that should be bringing God glory.

How are you bringing glory to God in your life? Think about it.

Boots on the Ground

On Saturday, 2/23, God willing we will be putting boots on the ground so to speak in the housing development behind the apartment complex we meet on Saturdays. I’ve just ordered the flyers that we will hand out. I was able to talk with the president of the home owners’ assoc., and he thought it would be alright to put the flyers in the boxes under the homes’ mailboxes. We aren’t allowed to put door hangers on the doors but we are able to put out the flyers. Our goal is to talk with whoever is outside and talk with them about either attending the Discovery Group meeting in the apartments or be willing host a group in their homes. Since I’m still an apprentice until March, I haven’t gotten any financial support except for what I get for being an apprentice. Because of that, we are trusting God to send us people of peace to open their homes up for groups.

We are excited to see what God will do in Carrollton. We will trust in what He will do. We will be faithful to what we should do and follow His leading. I have a meeting with a pastor of a church in the Carrollton area on Wednesday to talk with him and introduce myself to him. The main purpose to learn what he has learned leading a church in the area. To us, the future is unclear but we serve the One is the Great I AM so He knows what will happen to us and through us to bring Him glory. We are just trying to stay out of His way.

Opening Doors

I had a call last night from the president of the Eagle Harbor Home Owners Assoc. He gave me the impression that he is alright with us putting out flyers about our Bible Study. It’s very exciting! My prayer is that God would send us another person of peace for the homes; a person to be willing to open up their house for a Discovery Group. It’s awesome to see God doing His thing. I was informed by Roger (my pastor) that Common Ground will be willing to help with the paying for some of the cost for the flyers. God is providing. This is one of those Wow moments. You know when you see God working and say, “WOW!” It’s very cool.

I left a message with the Dean of Students of Central Baptist Seminary yesterday. I would like to talk with the students about being willing to help with the church plant. This would be a great opportunity for some of them to learn. I know that I would love to have been able to do something like this when I was in college. I got the idea from “Leadership From the Inside Out: Examining the Inner Life of a Healthy Church Leader” by Kevin G. Harney ($11.99 at Amazon.com). If God wants this to happen, the door will open. He already has people lined to help us. I know these people will come in God’s timing.

Keep praying for open doors that only God can open. That way, all will know that God is doing His thing and we are along just following Him. It’s all about bringing glory to God. He is the One who does, and we just follow.

What A Day!

Teresa's calling me Tigger because I'm bouncing around. God is doing His thing with us and Carrollton. We had 6 people in our group today. It is amazing!

A lady came today who I talked with on the phone. She will bring her next week. Gil talked with one of the apartment's office workers and he said he may come next Saturday since it he is off. Pray that God will bring him into the group. The room is comfortable with 6 people so we may need to "birth" a new group. Maybe a Wednesday night group in Gil's apartment. I lay this at God's feet. If He wants it to happen, we will need to do this. It is so awesome!!!

Taking myself out of the equation, God is letting Himself be seen. The main goal is to stay out of God's way and watch what He is doing; to ride the wave He is creating.

Surf's Up!!!

The Survey

A few days ago, I put together a sociology survey. I will use this to get to know the people of Carrollton/Isle of Wright County. There are a total of 7 questions. I handed a few out at work. Must of the returned surveys are what I expected, but one was placed on my desk when I came in this morning. It was the last one handed out. My co-worker who handed this in took her time to really answer these questions. Her answers to the last 3 questions speak volumes. She is a single mother who is very much into her son’s (who is around 6 or 7 years old) life. About 4 years ago, her husband wanted to be single and left her. She is raising her son on her own.

This is her background, and here are her answers to questions 4 through 7:

Question 4: What social issues concern you?
Answer: Cost of houses (over inflated), the overcrowded schools, gang violence, and the cost of groceries and of gas.
Question 5: What’s your religious background?
Answer: Raised as a Baptist; currently a non-believer.
Question 6: Do you currently attend a church?
Answer: No.
Question 7: If you answered no to question 6, would you mind sharing your reasons?
Answer: I no longer believe there is a God who rewards the faithful and punishes sinners. I believe there is only life, and in life bad things happen to good people and good things happen to bad people. It’s not fair but “that’s life.”

My first reaction was sadness because I could see the hurt and loneliness in these answers. There is a Savior who knows what it’s like to suffer loneliness and pain. He was abandon and rejected. He can answer all her needs and desires. Pray for this co-worker. I will reach out to her as I am able. We are called to love and point people to the One who knows the pains of this world, and gave His life for us.