Tag Archives: pastor

Prayer is the Relationship

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It seems I do everything else more than I pray when I should be praying more than anything else. And being a pastor just means I have gone pro at this misdirection.

Many of us are excellent organizers, promoters, strategists, leaders, but we are poor pray-ers. Many of us rely on our gifts and talents instead of God who gave those gifts and talents, and that reliance and power is in prayer. Where there is little prayer there is little power.

Prayer is not an element of our relationship with God. Prayer IS your relationship with God. [Tweet That]

Do I want a powerful new relationship with God? Do I hunger and thirst for deeper spiritual filling and vibrant ministry. I can go nowhere God is not already (Ps. 139:7-12). I cannot escape his presence, but I can entirely miss him.

God, allow my heart to be affected by this word.

Gone forever: challenge to pastors and ministry leaders

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gone

Upon reflecting on any regrets he had, Billy Graham said, “Every day I was absent from my family is gone forever.”

While we realize physical absence certainly has an affect, I am thinking today of the realities of emotional absence. As a pastor and leader, you are expected to be on-call and at the ready at all times. You are to be fully available for everyone at all times, and we too often justify this as “the life of ministry”.

Pastors, ministry leaders, those days you are absent (both physically and emotionally) are gone forever. [TWEET THAT]

Look at the ministry you have and realize that everything you do can be done or shared by someone else. Only you can be husband to your wife (or wife to your husband). Only you can be mom or dad to your kids.

I am trying to challenge myself to lose less and less days forever.

Random Reflections: Tuesday

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I often do not think it was the Spirit because it sounded rude to me.

It is always important to remember that we have a real enemy, and he is always at work. Satan wants to take whole nations; he is not just about you, it goes beyond you. Satan wants to blanket nations. Satan thinks he owns nations. He even offers them to Jesus in temptation.

God wants nations. Jesus wants nations. We are not here to be Americans, we are here to be Kingdom People.

There is a power of God to be released in the power of prayer. Satan wants the believer to be more analytical than anything else…to think constantly with many ideologies. We see issues and look away saying, “Thank God I’m going to heaven.” We have to move from ideology to belief and then to lifestyle.

Is your life, your ministry, your family program oriented or prayer oriented? When we work we work, when we pray God works. Prayer is not and should not be a burden.

We often have such a small vision of God.

When your pastor seeks God and presents a vision, ask what you can contribute to it.

God is not experimenting. He has done this before. You may be next in line, but you have to need him. God does not intrude. God is not attracted to need but to prayer. He does not come to a need, he comes to a prayer because we have to ask.

Seems pretty clear: NO PRAYER, NO ANSWERS. MORE PRAYER, MORE ANSWERS!

4 Encouragements for Discouraged Leaders

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A few days ago I spoke with my old intern about leadership and ministry. One of the things I told him, as he is on the forefront of full-time professional ministry, is to not only recognize the small encouraging moments, but to save them and hold on to them. They do not come your way very often.

As a leader of people, you are almost never going to get encouragement or praise from those you lead. In fact, you will always hear the things people are angry or frustrated with you over.

Here are 4 things I have learned (or am learning) to keep in mind as you navigate the discouraging weight of leadership:

1. The minority is louder than the majority
Resist the strong temptation to believe the opinion of that person who dislikes what you are doing and who you are is the opinion of everyone. Remember that most people are never going to tell you that they love what you are doing, but the few who do not like what you are doing will almost ALWAYS tell you. Remember that THIS person does not like what is happening, but everyone else is good with you. IF there is not all-out anarchy, start assuming most people are on-board.

2. Save the good stuff somewhere
A good ministry friend of mine once posted about a special box he has where he saves any encouraging letter, note, or comment he gets. Have a place to save those little things for a couple reasons. First, you do not get them very often. Second, those days when you are getting very discouraged and wondering if anything you are doing is making a difference or even working, pull out that box and read through those reflections from real people you are leading and caring for.

3. Surround yourself well
I try (though right now not completely) to surround myself with a few different types of people, because otherwise, I will suffocate in ministry and leadership. First, I need to have friends who are not involved in my or any ministry. I need people don’t know Pastor PC. They know relaxed, laughs a lot, homebrews, watches SNL and SYTYCD, drinks beer and wine, wears shorts sometimes, watches A LOT of college football PC. Second, I need friends in my specific ministry area. I meet once a month with nearly ALL of the college and young adult pastors and ministry directors in the Sacramento area. It is important for me to chat and sometimes vent with people who know exactly what I am talking about or up against in my area of leadership. It is more than networking; it is a monthly injection of keep-at-it. Lastly, I need wise people. I need someone who has been engaged in ministry for longer and at a different level than I have. I need them to challenge my attitude, my growth, and my actual actions. We all need a mentor, a counselor, a discipler (this is where I STILL lack right now as my mentor moved to another state).

4. Your obligation remains (remember your why)
I was reading in Numbers 16 an incredible story about a large group of people complaining about their leader (Moses). Just read the chapter; a CRAZY story! In reflection, I read this by Matthew Henry: “If others fail in their duty to us, that does not take away the obligation we are under to seek their welfare.” Do not forget WHY you do what you do. Do not forget WHY you started doing this in the first place. That obligation, that passion, that heart still remains; its just been knocked around a bit.

A pastor of mine once said, “Ministry would be great if it weren’t for all the people.” Leadership is always going to be difficult and messy, because we are working with PEOPLE. But be encouraged! You are doing a great job. Let me be one to tell you!

My most recommended books

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People frequently ask me for book recommendations. It may have to do with me being a big reader, me being a pastor, or me being a book review blogger; I am not certain why. I love recommending books to people for specific reasons or issues, but here are some of the books I most frequently recommend. (not necessarily my FAVORITE books, but certainly the ones I keep finding myself recommending)

Ragamuffin Gospel by Brennan Manning
For anyone wanting to know more about grace, God’s relentless love, what it looks like to accept that in theory AND practice. No surprise to those who know me. It is simply my favorite book. It allowed me to accept grace and my faith in moments when it was difficult to do so. Manning is my favorite author to read for his tender portrayal of grace that simply stunts our understanding.

Abba’s Child by Brennan Manning (okay, anything by Brennan)
For anyone struggling to see and relate to God as “Father”. The only book to make me weep at one point.

The Return of the Prodigal Son by Henri Nouwen
For anyone who feels the distance from God that comes with sin, guilt, shame, and pride. After Brennan Manning, Henri Nouwen would be a very close second in favorite authors. (Also love The Wounded Healer, In Jesus Name, The Beloved, and The Inner Voice of Love)

The Artist’s Way by Julie Cameron
For any creative person who lacks inspiration at any given point. (This description describes every human being I’ve ever met.) This book by Cameron is the best book I’ve ever read about creativity, artistic expression, and inspiration.

Primal by Mark Batterson
For anyone who wants to know what it really means to love God with all that they are. What does it mean to love God with all of your heart, soul, mind, and strength. I just read this book for the first time last year, and I’ve already taught classes through it and recommended it to several people.

Seizing Your Divine Moment by Erwin McManus
For anyone wanting to know God’s will for their life. As a college pastor, this is likely the most common question I spend time talking to students about, but I imagine you don’t have to be in college to be wracked with wonder over God’s will for your life. This is maybe the best book I’ve read about God’s will. (McManus basically re-released this book under the title Chasing Daylight)

Where is God When it Hurts by Phillip Yancey
For anyone who has ever asked that question. *period*

Reaching for the Invisible God by Phillip Yancey
For anyone trying to understand faith in a God they cannot see, touch, feel, smell, etc. For anyone who is struggling to have faith in a God that is so far beyond our senses. I read this book at that point in my life, and I have recommended the book to others who are in that place.

They Like Jesus But Not The Church by Dan Kimball
For anyone who wants to know what it looks like to love, reach, and minister to the “postmodern” “post-Christian” culture. It is one of the very best books I’ve ever read that hits on this culture. It is not even the most recent book (considering cultures change so rapidly), but the questions Kimball asks in this book get at the real challenge for Christians in any culture. You will see answers in this book from people you will not typically get answers from, but they are exactly the people we are trying to love and reach.

A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Don Miller (what? not BLJ?)
For anyone who feels like life is stuck, boring, stagnant, or lacks passion. Yes, I realize Blue Like Jazz is the big Miller favorite, and I really did love BLJ. I not only think Million Miles is Miller’s best book yet, but it also has more driven purpose and focus than BLJ.

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Which books do you most frequently find yourself recommending to others?

Abide: a pastor’s prayer

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Jesus, I need you. My heart is deflated inside itself. I want to make your name known to others, and I fear I have not done so well with this. My heart and spirit are faint within me right now. (Ps. 142) I do not want to miss the opportunities you have for me to spread your word and your name to the students I have in my life, but I have been discouraged lately. You know the cry of my heart. You know the discouragement I am up against.

I also know I have not been abiding in you much lately. I realize that without being near to you, I am never going to see fruit in my life or ministry. (Jn.15) If I am not abiding in you, I will not see fruit in the ministry you have placed before me to lead. If the ministry itself is not abiding in you, it will never see fruit.

If you, your leaders, and your ministry are not abiding in Christ, you will not see ministry fruit.

My Lord, help me abide. Please hear my prayer from a deflated heart that needs you so much. Only you are our vine. Only you can produce the fruit in my life and ministry, but that is only going to happen if I abide in you. If my leaders abide in you! If the ministry begins to abide in you.

You are a refuge.
You are Inspiration.
You are Counselor.
You are Teacher.

Teach me, lead me, and move me.
Teach us, lead us, move us.

Amen!

Quote Month – Gifts

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“The great stumbling block in the way of some people being simple disciples is that they are so gifted they won’t trust God.” – Oswald Chambers

Many leaders have fallen prey to the temptation I frequently battle. Instilled with particular gifting, I can become dependent upon those gifts instead of the God who gave them to me.

Reality is that great leaders can form large churches and organizations without the help of God.

Let that statement sink in…allow yourself to get frustrated with me for writing it…

Now realize large does not mean healthy. Large does not mean growth. Large does not mean consecrated, holy, spirit-driven, or even good. It simply means large.

Leaders have a tendency to recognize and even use the gifts God has given them to a dangerous degree to which they end up depending on the gift. I’ve taken my fair share of profiles, tests, and questionnaires to have a strong understanding of the gifts God has given me. The danger lies in the reality that I depend heavily on the gift instead of the God who gave me those gifts.

We are frequently challenged to avoid stifling our gifts…to thrive or seize opportunities to use those gifts, but we are not frequently enough challenged to depend on the Holy Spirit more than we depend on those gifts.

Of course, this is not only a lesson for leaders. We have all been given gifts, but we have to remember what it means to trust outrageously in God.

Perhaps we have too much to really need a Provider.
Perhaps we know too much to need a Counselor.
Perhaps we are too comfortable to need a Comforter.
Perhaps we we know and do too much for God to be Sovereign.
Perhaps we are trying to save too many people to need a Christ.
Perhaps people seek us more than they do The Truth.
Perhaps we are too busy being the 4th person of the Trinity.

Perhaps we are depending too much on our gifts and not enough on the God who gave us our gifts.

Pumpin’ the wattage into your cottage

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I was asked this morning to be on the radio this Thursday to speak about college and young adult ministry. It is a great opportunity to spread the word about a demographic the church knows less and less how to reach and particularly about what it does look like.

We have already briefly discussed the reality that this is a group that is rapidly giving up on church, faith, etc. That reality drives a lot of us who doing what we can to reach out to this group.

They have asked that I prepare about 15 questions they can ask of me.

HERE’S WHERE I NEED YOUR HELP!

If you are involved in college and young adult ministry:
If you were were given this opportunity, what would you want to be sure you addressed? If you were given an open radio mic to speak about the ministry you love to and for college students and young adults, what would you want to broadcast to many people who do not know how to reach this ‘people group’ we love?

If you are NOT involved in college and young adult ministry:
Do you ever read this blog or hear other things from me and wonder “What the heck is he doing anyway?” If you could ask a college pastor anything about reaching this ‘postmodern’, ‘post-Christian’, generation-X-Y-Z, etc., what would you want to ask? Do you just wonder what I actually do at the coffee shop every day? What questions do you have?

I will be on air this Thursday, so I need your questions as soon as possible. You can comment them here at Ragamuffin Ramblings.

You can email them to ragamuffinpc@gmail.com

You can tweet me your questions @ragamuffinpc

My Inept Ministry Degree

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Undergrad Graduation Day
Many pastors and ministers to be are thrilled to “go unto the world and preach the gospel”. Chalk full of theology, exegesis, and confidence, and we are ready to reach the world for Jesus Christ.

Year Following Graduation
Work the backroom at American Eagle or make lattes for Starbucks while you apply for grad school or seminary.

Graduate School/Seminary Graduation
The joke that theologians are just people answering questions nobody is asking is not funny. More and more confidence abounds to will-be-pastors and ministers.

I was ready and prepared to do ministry now. I am pretty solid on where I stand doctrinally, theologically, and most importantly, I know where I fall on the T.U.L.I.P. scale.

First Month of Pastoral Ministry
I have no idea what to tell a student who comes to me fearing she may have contracted AIDS while doing missions work in Africa.

Where was THAT class?

Second Month of Pastoral Ministry
Random jibberish terms like: ministry budget, proposed budget, faith budget, overdrawn, fleeting resources, income not meeting spending, church mortgage, pay roll, etc.

“It was my understanding there would be no math.”

Third Month of Pastoral Ministry
A call is made of an elderly man in the ICU who is not expected to live through the weekend. All he wants is to speak to a pastor.

You’re a pastor! Your nicely framed diploma says so.

It turns out a man who has owned more cars than years you’ve been alive does not want to hear much from a young ministry graduate as he’s preparing to meet Jesus face to face.

He asks nothing about total depravity. Too bad, I was prepared for that question.

Fourth Month of Pastoral Ministry
Another homeless addict has made his way through the doors wanting to speak to a pastor. Maybe he’s in dire need! Maybe he’s manipulating you for things he does not need that you do not have.

I don’t remember learning about this anywhere.

Fifth Month of Pastoral Ministry
The congregation is already a bit upset with changes you have made when God continues to inspire you to new things. One person wants to talk about it WITH YOU (if you’re lucky).

Conflict!

And it is not conflict about whether baptism should be sprinkle or immersion.

Conflict = YOU! You are the problem…always!

Where was my class about that?

Sixth Month of Pastoral Ministry
Start to wonder if your pastoral ministry degree and classes really gave you everything needed to be a pastor.