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Biblical Ministry: Oversight

10/31/2017

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First Peter 5:2 reads, "shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness..."

Over the past few months, I've been studying the letters by Peter. Here's a wonderful passage that I would like to take the next few weeks and walk through the passage and explore each word and/or phrase. 

Here's the outline that will be used as we explore:
1. Word
2. Dig Deeper
​3. Application

Word
  • New Living Translation - Watch over it willingly
  • English Standard Version - Exercising Oversight
  • New International Version - Watching over them

Dig Deeper
  • exercising oversight, episkopeō, verb. 
  • Episkopeō is a combination of two words (Epi and Skopeo). Skopeo which means to look at actively and to observe; Epi means simply 'upon'. So, the word means to actively look upon and observe.
  • As Peter continues to speak to the elders,  ​the goal is for the elders to be watching over the flock of God. 
  • Reference Hebrews 12:15

Application
  • The elders are to watch over God's flock. Not necessarily a physical observation, rather to look over their souls. 
  • A few questions to ask would be, "Where is the flock at spiritually?", "Where do I want the flock to go spiritually?"
  • The Biblical Shepherd must know the big picture of the spiritual condition of the flock. 
  • Exercising oversight isn't an easy task. For the Biblical Shepherd will at times be tired, hungry, distracted and may lose focus himself. So the Biblical Shepherd must always be seeking the strength of the Great Shepherd and seeking to oversee with the strength He alone can provide. 

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Three Ways to recast vision

10/24/2017

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Where are we heading?

As any growing leader is aware, having a vision (where you believe God is leading the ministry) for your ministry is essential to the growth of the ministry. But simply having a vision isn't going to spark growth. The vision must be communicated to those you are leading. 

However, once you have communicated the vision to those you lead, the task isn't completed. You must then begin to develop a plan to recast the vision in order to keep the vision in front of those you are leading. 

Below, are three ways a leader can recast the vision:

Email Communication 
With over 3 billion email users worldwide, email is still an important form of communication in 2017. Take time at least once a month to communicate the vision and the direction you believe God is leading the ministry. Mailchimp is an email service you can utilize to send your monthly vision recast. 

mailchimp.com/

Social Media Usage
Images are dominating social media in 2017. One way to take advantage of the use of images in recasting your vision is with the app 'Over'. With Over, you can place text over an image and then post it to social media. Make sure you don't over communicate on the image. Simply place a few words on the image, then be more descriptive once you post the image to social media.  

madewithover.com/

Promotional Material
Promotional materials to physically distribute and to have available on location is another method to use in communicating the vision. Brochures, magnets, bookmarks, banners and posters are all tools that can communicate the vision and have it before them each week. While there are other companies available, Vistaprint is an online company that can be inexpensive on most products.

www.vistaprint.com/

What are the different methods you have used to recast the vision?

Links used:
www.lifewire.com/how-many-email-users-are-there-1171213

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Time Management and God's Glory

10/24/2017

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We all have 168 hours that God has blessed us with this week. How will you use these hours? Look at the list below and write in how many hours will be needed this week for the following:

Sleep - ________
Exercise - ________
Family Time - _______
God Time - ______
Work - _______
Friend/Networking - ______
Prayer - ______
Child Sports - ______

Well, that's all, right? Or did I forget:

Netflix - ______
Social Media - ______
Video Game - ______
Fantasy Sports - ______
Shopping - ______

I could continue, but I'll stop there. With all of the options we face each day, how do we manage our time? Paul writes to the church at Corinth: "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." -- First Corinthians 10:31

Here are a few tips on managing the time God has blessed us with for His Glory. 

  • Rely on God's Wisdom 
An attribute about God is He is all-wise. God knows everything there is to know and this does not only include future events, past events, and what is done in secret. But this also includes the best way for you and I to use our 168 hours. 

Isaiah writes in Isaiah 55:8-9, "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways," declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher then your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts."

We can rely on God's Wisdom by taking time at the beginning of each week and the beginning of each day asking Him to direct our steps and to grant wisdom to us in using the time He's given. 

  • Be a Good Steward of what God has given - Time
Not only should we rely on God's wisdom, but we should also, remember that God is the One who has blessed us with this precious gift - Time. Psalm 24:1, David writes, "The earth is the LORD's and everything in it." Yes, the trees, grass, animals, humans, all belong to God. So does "time". 

So, as we seek God's wisdom in how to use time, ask Him to remind us that time is a precious gift from Him. 

  • Tips for Time Management
Not only has God blessed us with "time" each day, but He has also blessed us with tools that we can use to manage our time. Here is a list that I have used in the past or currently using:

Google Calendar - www.google.com/calendar
Asana - www.asana.com

Trello - www.trello.com
​Wunderlist - 
https://www.wunderlist.com/
RescueTime - www.rescuetime.com

Do you struggle with time management? How are you currently working on managing your 168 hours?

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Leadership: Always Growing

10/17/2017

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My goal is to learn more about leadership daily. Here are a few of the principles I've learned over the past five years along with a few people I've been learning from recently:

1.. Be a Follower - In order to be a leader, I must first learn how to follow. Here are some people I currently learn from (a distance):
  • Daniel Montgomery - His book titled, "Leadership Mosaic" was refreshing as he gave a different approach to leadership. Check it out here: www.amazon.com/Leadership-Mosaic-Principles-Ministry-Everyday/dp/1433552558
  • Brian Howard - I first met Brian in Louisville, Kentucky and have been following him on twitter/facebook since. He gives a humble approach to leadership. Check out his site here: contextcoaching.org/
  • Michael Hyatt - I've never met Michael, but I receive his daily email. The former CEO of Thomas Nelson is worth following and learning from.- michaelhyatt.com/welcome/​
  • God - The Great Leader is transparent and wants those He created to follow Him. I cannot lead others well if I am not following Him. I follow Him not from a distance, but communicate with Him daily, seeking wisdom and direction from the best selling book of all time.


2. Be a Learner - I'm almost embarrassed to admit this, but I'm extremely new to the John Maxwell scene. But he challenges his readers to 'always be learning'. So, here are some people I seek to learn from:
  • John Maxwell - His book 'Seven Habits of Highly Effective People' is a classic: www.amazon.com/Habits-Highly-Effective-People-Anniversary/dp/1511317299
  • Daniel Montgomery - Again, check out his link above for his book "Leadership Mosaic".
  • The One Thing Book - A concussion forced me to dive into this book and it was helpful in my recovery. In my opinion, this book is vital to leadership. Check it out here: www.amazon.com/ONE-Thing-Surprisingly-Extraordinary-Results/dp/1885167776/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1507934811&sr=1-1&keywords=the+one+thing
  • Bible - The Apostle Paul wrote, "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, reproof, correction, for training in righteous, so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work." More importantly, I learn more about God through reading the Bible and how to lead for His glory.

3. Be a Thinker - This is very new to me in the area of leadership. I enjoy thinking, but I often become so focused on 'tasks' that I fail to stop and think. So, I have learned to schedule blocks of time to think. Here are a few areas I am seeking to grow:

When I think - I take time to think in the mornings, before anyone else is awake in my home. I spend time reading, in prayer, reflecting on God's Kindness, then I simply think. There's nothing specific I think about, but I just let my thoughts begin and then apply Second Corinthians 10:5 and make sure my thoughts are in obedience to Christ.

Think Big - This one is a struggle for me, but I'm trying to learn this principle. In all areas that I lead, whether it's in ministry, home or the community, I am trying to think 'Big' in all things. Again, I am still learning with this principle. Do you have any thoughts on thinking big in leadership?

I'd love to hear what you have been learning about leadership. Comment below.


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Growing in God: The Scriptures

10/15/2017

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Jesus said in John 5:39, "You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me."

The Jews were trying to kill Jesus because He was breaking their Sabbath laws and also calling God His own Father. Jesus begins to tell them about the many different witnesses to the truth of who He is. The witness of John, the witness of His works, the witness of the Father, and here, the witness of the Scriptures. 

When talking about the Scriptures, Jesus is talking about the Old Testament. Instead of seeking life in the rules and regulations the Jews had added to the Law of God, Jesus tells them the Law points the people to Himself. True life is found in Jesus Christ and the Scriptures should direct us toward Him.

As I read through the Bible, I ask myself these three questions:

1. What does this passage tell me about God?
2. How does this passage show me Jesus?
3. How can I now live for the glory of God because of this passage?

If the Scriptures testify about Christ, then I need to read the Scriptures with this in mind. As I grow in knowledge of God and knowing Him through Christ, then this same message must go forth to those God has called me to lead and teach. 

Do you have a specific Bible reading method you use?

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Leadership: The To-do List

10/10/2017

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One of my favorite aspects of pastoral ministry is the preparation of the lesson or sermon. Depending on the week, there could be three to four lessons per week that need to be prepared. However, there's always the 'growing' to-do list. Here's a small sample of what my to-do list could look like after a typical Sunday morning:






  • Call and encourage key volunteer 
  • Make 25 copies for First Grade class
  • Annual Review due
  • Order coffee for leadership team
  • Create job description for Leadership Coach

Not only will I have four lessons to prepare for for the upcoming week, now I have an additional five things (on an easy Sunday). However, I often noticed that my list grows with each day of the week. Action items pile up and the next thing I know, I'm late with the annual review; I failed to call the key volunteer; I didn't make the 25 copies the first grade class needed; we go another Sunday without coffee during our Leadership Team prayer time; and the new Leadership Coach still doesn't have a job description.

After a few years of a growing to-do list and items not being completed, one of the ways I've found effective is to actually schedule my to-do list on an online calendar. Here's how it works:

1. Create an online calendar - I personally use Google Calendar. I have downloaded the app on my phone so I can see my calendar on my phone and also on a desktop computer. 

2. Action Items - When an action item arises, I immediately find a time to plug it into my calendar. If I'm away from the office, I immediately take my phone, open the Google Calendar app and enter the task. If someone has asked me to do something for them, I ask them to stay with me while I enter the task into my phone/computer. If not, I can easily be tempted to do something else and forget to even enter the requested task on my calendar. 

3. Priorities - Because I've already entered in the items that I feel are most important (at the end of the previous week), I am able to make sure that the to-do list doesn't take over my calendar. See www.drakecaudill.com/blogs/leadership-set-your-schedule

4, List - I still have a to-do list. But it's for long term items like long term ministry planning, programs and events. But for items that need immediate action, they are scheduled on my calendar. 

For this season of life and ministry, this has been effective for me. What are some ways you deal with your to-do lists to make sure each item is completed?

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Biblical Ministry: The local shepherd

10/9/2017

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First Peter 5:2 reads, "shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness..."

Over the past few months, I've been studying the letters by Peter. Here's a wonderful passage that I would like to take the next few weeks and walk through the passage and explore each word and/or phrase. 



Here's the outline that will be used as we explore:
1. Word
2. Dig Deeper
​3. Application

I'll tend to follow the example of John Calvin when writing about Scripture. As Bingham wrote, "When expounding Scripture, Calvin was remarkably straightforward and to the point. He did not launch his message with a captivating story, a compelling quote or a personal anecdote." www.ligonier.org/blog/10-distinguishing-marks-john-calvins-preaching/. Let's jump in.

WORD
  • Shepherd (ESV)
  • Feed (KJV)
  • Care (NLT)
  • Be shepherds (ISV)

DIG DEEPER
  • Greek - Poimaino, verb meaning keeping sheep/to feed, to tend to a flock
  • Tending to the sheep, the entire work of the shepherd. Feeding, caring, guiding, protecting
  • Peter is speaking to the elders among the churches that are scattered (1:1). He's giving a command to the local elders, speaking to them as a fellow elder. 
  • Reference John 21:16

APPLICATION
  • There are many within the church who suffer. Some are persecuted, some are sick, some are hungry, some are tired. Whatever the situation, the people of God need care. While Jesus is the Chief Shepherd, He has placed some within the church to be shepherds. 
  • Shepherding is an active role. 'The LORD is my Shepherd' is a famous passage (Psalm 23), but this passage shows God is actively at work in the life of His flock. Here, Peter states God has placed shepherds within the church to play an active role in the care of their soul, in the feeding of the Truth of God to the flock, in guiding them toward the True Gate (John 10:7), and protecting the flock from wolves (John 10:12). 

Peter continues next by saying who they are shepherding, "The Flock of God". That's the passage we'll take a look at next time. 

Do you have any thoughts about the shepherd?

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Leadership: Set your schedule

10/7/2017

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God has called me to remind people of their chief end: To glorify God and enjoy Him. But in order to do this effectively, I have found that I need a plan - schedule. Here's how I set my weekly schedule:

1. Look ahead - I end each Thursday by looking ahead to the upcoming week. I look to see what's coming up with my family, personal and ministry calendar.

2. Priorities - If I'm not careful, I'll place my work ahead of my family and myself (sleep less, stress, etc.). So I begin placing what I consider are my most important items on my calendar. I understand that within ministry, emergencies will arise. So I am aware that my schedule can be changed. However, on a typical day/week, here's what I consider most important:
  • Quiet Time - I schedule this to happen each morning. Bible intake and prayer.
  • Wife - Ensure my wife is able to meet her goals for the upcoming week.
  • Family Events - Soccer games, ballet, gymnastics, play dates, etc.
  • Teaching Preparation - If I'm not careful, preparing for lessons/sermons can fall to the wayside and lesson preparation can be neglected until the end of the week. I consider teaching/preaching extremely important to my ministry, so I have learned over the years to make sure I schedule time to study and prepare for upcoming lessons.
  • Read/Pray - I need to schedule time to grow. A friend recently reminded me 'Leaders are Readers'. I also schedule in another time to pray throughout the day.
  • Meetings - I schedule staff meetings and other appointments.
  • Ministry Programs/Program Planning - What events or programs are coming up? I look ahead and plan time to finalize details and also look ahead a few weeks and schedule time to plan for programs that will be upcoming in the next few weeks/months.
  • Contacts - Who will I contact this week? Leaders, volunteers, families? I schedule this for the upcoming week.

Over the years, taking time at the end of the week to plan the upcoming week actually frees me to do the work of the ministry. Yes, emergencies arise and I adjust for the sake of ministering to others. But it's then that I am blessed to remind others of our chief end. Not weekly agendas or a perfectly planned week, but our chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him.

http://www.johnmaxwell.com/blog/5-steps-to-prioritize-your-priorities

https://michaelhyatt.com/productive-day.html

How do you plan your day/week?

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