Our Pastors

JoHannah Reardon, associate editor with ChristianBibleStudies.com commented that in Steve Farrar book Finishing Strong, tells of a study conducted by Dr. Howard Hendricks of 246 men in full-time ministry: Professor Hendricks was able to find nearly 250 men who without a doubt were committed to Jesus Christ. Yet the thing they had in common was that within 24 months of each other they got involved in sexual immorality…. After interviewing each man, Dr. Hendricks discovered four correlations between all 246 men:

• None were involved in any kind of personal group.
• Each had ceased to invest in a daily personal time of prayer, Scripture reading, and worship.
• Over 80 percent of them became sexually involved with another woman as the result of counseling the woman.
• Without exception, each of the 246 had been convinced that moral failure “will never happen to me.”

Another sad statistic is 175 SBC Pastors leave the pulpit or are fired a month. Below are some other statistics compiled by Rich Murphy in Bad News About Your Pastor. The full article can be found at http://www.maranathalife.com/lifeline/bad-news.htm.

"Take a look at these alarming statistics:

• Fifteen hundred pastors leave the ministry each month due to moral failure, spiritual burnout or contention in their churches.


• Four thousand new churches begin each year, but over seven thousand churches close.


• Fifty percent of pastors' marriages will end in divorce.


• Eighty percent of pastors and eighty-four percent of their spouses feel unqualified and discouraged in their role as pastors.


• Fifty percent of pastors are so discouraged that they would leave the ministry if they could, but have no other way of making a living.


• Eighty-five percent of pastors said their greatest problem is they are sick and tired of dealing with problem people, such as disgruntled elders, deacons, worship leaders, worship teams, board members, and associate pastors.


• Ninety percent said the hardest thing about ministry is dealing with uncooperative people.


• Seventy percent of pastors feel grossly underpaid.


• Eighty percent of pastors' spouses feel their spouse is overworked.


• Eighty percent of pastor' wives feel left out and unappreciated by the church members.


• Eighty percent of pastors' spouses wish their spouse would choose another profession.


• Eighty percent of pastors' wives feel pressured to do things and be something in the church that they are really not.


• The majority of pastor's wives surveyed said that the most destructive event that
  has occurred in their marriage and family was the day they entered the ministry.
  

Do you think being a pastor is a cakewalk? Do you pray for your pastor daily? Do you seek him out so to see what you can do to help out or do you seek him out so to see what he can do for you? Do you send him and his family encouraging notes? Do you give him and his family hugs and tell them you love them?

I challenge you to let your pastor have at least one day of rest. I ask of you to understand that he can't visit everyone all the time. Understand his time is valuable just like you believe your time is also. Before we complain maybe we need to see where we can help lighten the Pastor's load so he can be taking care of the truly needy. Remember we are all to minister. So when was the last time you checked on a shut-in or made a hospital visit? We as laypeople can take care of some of the light work and this will definitely lighten the pastors load. Till next time. KEEPING TABS for you.

God's Pie

John Piper Christ and Football

John Piper Against the Prosperity Gospel

This was an interesting piece I wrote in May 2008.

I started writing this article at 11:00pm and finished it at about 4AM. Later that day I received a call from my friend informing me of a great Pastor's conference he attended. The conference was sharing how to live a simplier lifestyle and even your savings accounts to 401ks could be given away if the Lord so led you to do so. The Lord works in mysterious ways!!!

As we start this volume there is a term we need to talk about “CRISIS OF BELIEF“. This phrase was coined by Henry Blackaby and Claude King in their book, ‘Experiencing God‘. I had the opportunity to take this study about 15 years ago. If you have never taken this study I strongly recommend you do take this study in the near future. Oh yes, back to the point, the “Crisis of Belief - An encounter with God requires faith. Encounters with God are God-sized. What you do in response to God’s revelation (invitation) reveals what you believe about God. True faith requires action. When God speaks, your response requires faith. All through scripture when God revealed Himself, His purposes, and His ways, the response to Him required faith. God is interested in your walking with Him by faith.” Are you at a place in your walk that you have reached a ‘Crisis Of belief‘? I know I have.

When you reach this point you need to continue to pray. Then if you know the Lord has spoken, then by faith, I need to take action. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord” (Isaiah 55:8 NIV). How are you going to prove to a skeptical world that your God is alive, unless you let God show Himself? This is accomplished by taking that step of walking by faith. We are placed here to honor and glorify our Lord. How can we do this if we only do as a fallen world and only use man’s methods? What glory do we bring to God by using the world’s methodology? We glorify God before men by letting God do the impossible. This way there is no question it was not I, but only God. So how are you going to respond during your next ‘Crisis Of Belief’?

The ‘Crisis Of Belief’ I am experiencing has brought me to this point. We are here to serve a risen Savior so if we truly believe in the Savior and he owns everything and he created everything what is the problem in doing what he wants us to do? Oh yeah, that carnal man thing, wants to do it his way, well the world’s way.

Take our various accounts like: savings account, investment account, retirement account, emergency savings, kids’ college savings fund, etc. could they be used for God’s purposes. Yes, I believe you are wise to have some or all of these types of accounts, but do we have the right to tell God, “Sorry these are not available for use”. I like these types of accounts because they give one security. But with this thinking we now position ourselves to rely on money instead of God for our future needs. Remember Matthew 6:24 "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”

Look at these scriptures: Proverbs 21:20 “In the house of the wise are stores of choice food and oil, but a foolish man devours all he has.” Proverbs 6:6-8 “Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise! It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest.” Or Proverbs 13:22 “A good man leaves an inheritance for his children's children.” But we need to make everything available to the Lord. If he requires you to give it away then you must be obedient. I am not saying everyone should give it, but just don’t hang onto it so tight that your faith is in the savings accounts. The first two verses talk about saving some items for future needs, but consider this; they didn’t say how long you should keep it. I do believe they kept it long enough until it was needed by them or someone in need. Please don’t cash in your accounts and foolishly spend it, this is not the point.

So the point is, if you have fully surrendered everything to the Lord, you are the manager, NOT THE OWNER. Then, when God request of His resources to be given, then we must obey. Never treat these accounts as sacred. A good illustration of holding back would be Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-10). There are several applications from this story like not to lie, about being greedy and being deceitful to the Lord. Also, another application is about holding back a portion from God. I believe they didn’t give it all because they were scared about not having enough for their future needs and after all, they owned that property for many years the money is mine, they thought (my paraphrase). The first century church shared their resources to help those in need so in turn when they were in need the others could share with them.

I know our living expenses are rapidly increasing, but are we truly doing all that we can be doing for the Kingdom. Are we managing God’s resources well? Are there others in need or is your church fully funding their budget or are there other ministries that are worthy of your support? Remember; live by faith because we only get to do this life thing once. Matthew 6:21 “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Remember it is about being a Kingdom Guard in God’s army. We serve and obey.

Till next time.

This was posted originally March 2008


The following link from bankrate.com is an article giving us advice on 10 smart things to do with your tax refund. This list can also be helpful in deciding how to spend the tax stimulus check. But this list is incomplete by our perspective. This list only includes things that will only benefit ourselves.
As Christians we should look for opportunities to help others. This might be the time that God wants you to help. Before deciding, spend some time praying and seeking God’s guidance in this matter.

If you are currently retired or had to quit because of your age check the Savvy Senior Online Employment for links to help find some job opportunities that need your experience. This is another resource from Crown Financial Ministries.

Tax Scams will be of interest to all of us so we can recognize them and not be a victim of these scams.

The quiz below comes from a newsletter sent from The TBA Bi-Vocational Ministers.

Can you name:
1) the five wealthiest people in the world;
2) the last five Heisman trophy winners;
3) the last five winners of the Miss America Pageant;
4) ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize;
5) the last half dozen Academy Award winner for best actor and actress;
6) the last decade's worth of World Series winners?
How did you do? The point is, none of us remember the headliners of
yesterday - and these are no "second-rate" achievers! But applause dies.
Achievements are forgotten.

HERE'S ANOTHER QUIZ:
1) List a few teachers who aided your journey through school;
2) Name 3 friends who have helped you through a difficult time;
3) 5 people who have taught you something worthwhile;
4) Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special;
5) Think of 5 people you enjoy spending time with.

Wasn't that easier? The lesson: The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the "most credentials", the most money, or the most awards. They are the ones that care!

I Originally wrote this piece September 10, 2007 for a newsletter.

When a person volunteers to serve in the military they are forfeiting several rights so they can be trained to be the best by the best. They are first stripped of everything they own. Their clothes are sent back home. The military provides for all your needs. They ask that you give them your all and in return they will prepare you for battle.

When Christ calls you for service he expects no less. We must 'deny self' and follow Him. He will provide for our needs. He asks that we follow him. Be obedient to His orders and to trust His leadership in every area of our lives.

I titled this blog 'The Kingdom Guard' because we are held to a higher standard. We are to be holy and righteous in all we do. Without Christ's sacrifice we know this is impossible. As a guard the responsibilities are the most important. Read the article below and see the importance of the guard.

"The duties of a guard are among the most important responsibilities in the military. It is the sentry who prevents the theft or destruction of vitally needed supplies. The sentry protects public and private property; and most importantly he protects his comrades while they rest.
Guard duty was viewed as solemn responsibility during the Civil War. One of the hardest tasks for commanders early in the war was to get their new civilian volunteers to understand the importance of guard duty. It took many examples of stern justice to those men failing in their duty to impart the proper respect towards the responsibility of guard duty.
Inattentive sentries have been key factors in many military disasters. The failure of guards to alert Union troops to the initial Southern assault at Shiloh almost caused a major catastrophe to Union forces. The failure of the Eleventh Corps guards to warn of Jackson’s attack at Chancellorsville was a key element in Jackson’s victory.
Guard duty was a highly structured affair. The entire procedure from the parading of personnel chosen for guard duty to the relief of the guard was a very formal affair.
In either garrison or camp a great number of guards were needed every day. Besides being detailed for regular guard duty for the protection of the bivouac area, guards were needed to protect fatigue details, and to watch over the quarters of generals and high ranking visitors.
If men were confined to the guard house, men were needed to watch over them. In addition, the homes of citizens may have been placed under guard to protect them from overzealous foraging parties."

R.W. Gregory 'Guard Duty'

We are called to guard everything the Lord has given us. We need to guard our hearts, time, talents and money to name a few of our duties. For us to be prepared on how best to guard God's resources we need to know what is happening in the world around us. The articles will be informative and enlightening.