Tag: Holy Spirit

  • Letter #37 (Talents)

    Dear Small Church Pastor,

        (This one is a spiritual exercise as much as it is a letter.)

         Another indicator in determining your priorities is where you invest your talents (skills, abilities, God-given spiritual gifts).  You haven’t just learned knowledge that you can utilize.  You also have innate, natural abilities that come to you from your genetic makeup.  And the Holy Spirit has gifted you with one or more spiritual gifts as described in the New Testament letters.  All these combine to create a long list of talents you possess.

         Here are the questions you know are coming—How are you using your talents?  Where do you invest your knowledge and skills?  Have you shared your spiritual gifts with others to their benefit?

         Take a quick inventory.  What skills do you possess?  What specialized knowledge?  What spiritual gifts?

         Well, what are they?  I challenge you to make a list of what your talents are.  Go ahead.  Make an honest list.  Take a few minutes and write them down.

         Now that you have the list, what talents would you like to add to the list?  Write those down, too.

         How many of these talents are being used to bring glory to Jesus?  How many of them are strengthening the body of Christ?  How many of them are “the better gifts” that are designed to encourage and build up other disciples?

         At this point, it would be good for you to talk to the Holy Spirit and ask to be given the gifts He has available for you because scripture says He will give them out according to His will and His choice.  Then ask Him to help you develop any new gift He decides to give you and any new skill/knowledge He opens the door for you to acquire.

         Look at that list!  You are talented!  You have skills!  You have knowledge!  You have spiritual gifts!

         Use your talents to benefit the Kingdom of God.  If you are using some of them for other reasons than benefitting God’s Kingdom, ask yourself what those reasons are.  Then pray about the reasons that may not be helping others to get closer to God.  Ask the Holy Spirit for guidance if you believe you need to redirect some of your talents.  Ask God to show you how to use your talents best for your own growth, for our family’s future and for the advancement of the body of Christ.

         Remember, you will invest your talents into your priorities.

    Sincerely,

    A Small Church Pastor

  • Letter # 30–Unity (1)

    Dear Small Church Pastor,

         Unity is an elusive characteristic that we are told to strive to achieve.  We are told it is good when brothers can dwell in unity.  We should pray for unity.  We should seek it diligently.  We should encourage it.  But just how can we do this? 

         How can we develop unity within our congregation when there are personality clashes?  How do we achieve unity when the children of our leaders argue while in Children’s Church?  How do we unite if there are differences of opinion about how to move out of our four walls and into our community?

         To be honest, as far as I can determine, there are no “one size fits all” solutions to this challenge of creating unity.  There are some actions we can take, though, which will aid in the development of unity among our members.  Allow me to address one of these actions in this letter.

         A congregation that has agreed on a common goal and a plan to achieve that goal will usually develop a spirit of unity as the members do their part in working the plan.  In order to create that goal and its plan, there must be open and honest communication about the various possible goals and ways to achieve those goals.  All ideas presented must be accepted at face value and given the opportunity to be discussed and evaluated.  (Run it up the pole, brainstorm, dump the can and see what falls out, etc.)  Again, open communication and consideration is a must at this point.

         If you can get your congregation/leaders/committee to participate in that first phase of creating a common goal and a plan to achieve that goal, the hardest hurdle to unity is being overcome, and you will begin to see progress in creating the unity needed to achieve that common goal.

         But what do you do if you can’t get them to agree on a common goal and action plan?  If that’s the case, experience says you have a spiritual problem that is going to have to be faced and defeated before unity will arise in your people.  If you realize a small faction, a larger group, or even all the people are refusing to cooperate with others, there is some deception from the devil that has taken hold of minds and has convinced them they should not or cannot cooperate with each other.

         If this occurs, you will have to deal with the situation spiritually first before anything physical can be accomplished.  You will have to fast, pray, teach Biblical doctrine, counsel, encourage, face and conquer spiritual opposition, seek the Holy Spirit’s anointing and guidance and demonstrate love to your people every chance you get as you focus their attention on Jesus.  Then do that again.  And again.  And again.

         Dale Carnegie in the 20th century and Samuel Butler much earlier in the 17th century stated that a man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still.  In order to change a person’s opinion, the heart (the will) must change first.  If you can do your part as pastor to open truth to the people so the Holy Spirit can change hearts that are determined not to cooperate, that is all you can do.  It is the influence of the Holy Spirit spreading the love of God into hearts that can change them.  You can’t do that. 

         You can’t force the changes needed for unity to exist.  You can provide the opportunity for the changes to occur, but you cannot decide for someone else that they will change.  You face this every time you give an altar call for people to respond to the good news about Jesus.  You can tell them about Jesus and forgiveness, but you can’t make them choose to repent and seek forgiveness.  The same thing holds true for creating unity.  You can create opportunities for unity to be developed, but you cannot develop it in a heart.  God has to do that.

         If you will persist in doing your part and rely on God to do His, then you should be able to see unity begin to develop in your congregation.  When you begin to see the cooperation and mutual love that can exist in a congregation that is unified, all those prayers and seeking God will be rewarded as God’s presence envelopes all your people do together. 

         I’ve already written enough for you to pray about for now.  Remember lasting changes will occur slowly or quickly depending on the Holy Spirit’s presence and the people’s willingness to yield to that Spirit.  (I speak from experience here.)  We’ll cover more about unity in the next letter.

    Sincerely,

    A Small Church Pastor

  • Letter #26–Frustration

    Dear Small Church Pastor,

         Let’s talk about frustration for a bit.  We’ve all felt frustration.  When someone is a pastor, that feeling can appear from nowhere and last much longer than we would like to admit. 

         A carpenter can work on building a structure, and, at the end of the week, he can look on what he has accomplished because he can see visible results.  The frame is completed.  The roof is covered.  The windows are installed.  The walls are insulated.  He easily can review his progress, because the results of his labor are evident.

         Those obvious results of labor that can exist for a carpenter are not going to be so obvious for the pastor.  The pastor may teach on generosity for a month and not see an increase in giving of time, talents or treasure for six months.  The shepherd may steadily encourage his congregation to daily read their Bibles and not hear anyone mention having a regular devotion for the entire year.  The pastor may pray for someone to draw close to God’s forgiveness and not see anything happen for months, even years.

         Example: I once met a couple who started attending our worship services and discovered they were living together but not married.  I began praying that their relationship would be influenced by the Holy Spirit and that they would realize that marriage was God’s established institution and that their relationship should line up with God’s intended plan for one man and one woman.  After praying for them for over three years, they contacted me and asked me if I would lead a marriage ceremony for them.  I joyfully performed that ceremony and thanked God for that answer to prayer.  I admit that I had been frustrated that it took so long for them to ask to be married.

         The result of all that not seeing regular evidences of the ministry’s effects on the lives of the congregation can lead to frustration.  And when that frustration appears, it can have devastating effects on the pastor.  We all want to see that what we are doing is bringing positive changes into the lives of those to whom we are ministering.  But the reality is that our evidences many times do not come quickly.  In fact, we begin to wonder if they will come at all.  And we become frustrated and might begin to question our calling.

           How do we deal with frustration?  How do we battle that nagging thought that we are not accomplishing what we hope and pray about accomplishing for the cause of Christ?

         First, remember the source of the frustration.  God does not lead you into doubting His call on your life.  The Holy Spirit will not put thoughts of quitting into your head because of lack of obvious results.  Frustration does not come from the one who wants to see all come to repentance and to be forgiven.  It comes from the enemy of your calling, your very soul.  The next time you feel frustrated at what seems to be no results in what you are doing, remember that doubt, that fear, that worry does not come from good.  Frustration is from the evil one who is fighting your ministry. 

         Second, remember who made you, who called you, who empowered you and who promised you success if you will just trust in Him.  Jesus is the one who assured you that there will be a harvest if the seeds are planted.  Jesus is the one who put you where you are.  The Holy Spirit is your guide, comforter, teacher and source of energy.

         After remembering those two things and talking to yourself about what they mean to your ministry, go read Psalm 22.  Then read it again, slowly.  Can you see the frustration David experienced?  Can you sense his doubt and fear?  Now, do you see what David did in the middle of his frustration?  Do you understand how he dealt with it?

         Psalm 22 describes someone who is at a very low point.  It describes someone who is mocked, persecuted and at the mercy of enemies.  But that someone remembers what God has done in the past.  Then he prays for deliverance.  The next thing he does is state that he will proclaim God’s name to others.  He praises the Lord and declares future generations, even those not born yet, will hear about the wonders the Lord has performed.

         In the midst of his frustration, David turned to God and refocused on God’s power, protection, provision, promises and presence.  In the midst of your frustration, I encourage you to do the same. 

         Remember just how powerful God is and how the Father has placed all authority in heaven and on earth in the name of Jesus. 

         Remember every time God has protected you, not just form physical injury, but also from spiritual attack. 

         Remember every time you saw God provide for your own family and the families of those you shepherd. 

         Remember Jesus’ promises to those who place their trust in Him. 

         And remember how fulfilling, how empowering, how motivating it is to be in the Holy Spirit’s presence as you praise and worship your Lord and King.

         When you focus on all these memories, you will have found the key to dealing with and overcoming frustration that David found in Psalm 22.  Frustration may come, but you can defeat it.

    Sincerely,

    A Small Church Pastor

  • Letter #23–Changing Others–1

    Dear Small Church Pastor,

         This letter will begin a mini-series on the topic of changing others. 

         The very first thing you need to understand is that YOU cannot change anyone.  You can lead them, advise them and make suggestions to them, but you cannot make the decisions that must be made in order for a change to occur in anyone, especially not in a whole congregation of people.  Only the Holy Spirit can bring in the changes that will help your people become more like Jesus.  Remember who is in control and who is building the church Jesus established so long ago.

         That being said–

         When it comes to changing others, after we start working on changing ourselves, there are numerous issues that must be addressed before any changes in a congregation can occur.  Do the people see a need for change?  Are they willing to make any changes?  Are they completely controlled by their routines and comfort zones?  How open-minded are they when it comes to temporary changes as opposed to permanent changes?  I could go on, but you get the idea.

         Then there are the unseen taboos that exist that are never mentioned until the pastor (that would be you) suggests a change, even if the change is for a few days.  Example: I once wanted to cover a painting, which was located on the back wall of the platform, with a large drape for a couple of weeks during a special sermon series.  When I mentioned the idea to the people, I was immediately reprimanded for wanting to cover a painting that had been donated by one of the “founding fathers” of the church.  The period of a few days was immaterial.  I wanted to cover a “sacred cow” in the minds of some of the people.  Sacred cows fall under the list of taboos.

         Back to the matter of changing others–Any time a pastor is faced with the understanding that a change needs to be made, there are some questions that need to be asked.  Is the change necessary for the spiritual development of the congregation, or is this a change motivated by the latest trends in congregational structure and operation that are being instituted in other locations?  Example: About fifteen or twenty years ago, a local pastor set up a week-long revival at his church and felt led by the Holy Spirit to invite different speakers for each night of the revival.  The revival was a glowing success.  The next pastor down the road decided to do the same and held a revival with different speakers.  The next pastor farther down the road did just like the others were doing and had several speakers at his annual revival.

         As I watched what was happening, I realized the first pastor had followed the direction of the Holy Spirit and had been rewarded with a great outreach to his community.  It appeared to me that the others had looked at what he had done and decided that God was now moving by having revivals with several speakers.  I’m not judging the others for their decisions.  I am merely stating a pattern that I saw developing during each repetition of the original revival.  Many churches still follow that pattern in our area years later.

         Getting back to the question, again—do you feel that the change will help your congregation grow spiritually?  If the answer is “no,” then ask yourself why you want to make the change.  Remember, your motivations will have a definite impact on your congregation and its future.  If the answer is “yes,” ask yourself what would be the best way to make the change.  Remember, as their pastor, you should always seek what is best for the congregation as the Holy Spirit directs your steps.

         Here are some suggestions when you believe a change will help your congregation grow in their relationships with Jesus:

         Pray, pray and then pray some more before introducing the idea of any change to the structure or operation of the church.  Then ask the congregation to pray with you as you seek the Lord’s guidance about the future.

         Informally bring up the change in conversations with various members of the congregation beginning with your leaders.  Ask them “How do you feel about….” types of questions and really listen to their answers.

         Be patient.  If you’re going to move the piano, do it one inch at a time.  Changes that are lasting should occur in small increments whenever possible.  People need time to adjust themselves to new things, no matter how small the changes are.

         Never make a change for the sake of change.  Always have a definite goal in mind, and be sure the goal will benefit your people in the long run.

         As led by the Holy Spirit, minister to your people about the control routines and comfort zones have over everyone’s lives and how to overcome that control through God’s help and direction.  Remember to use examples from your own life and from scripture when you do this.  Don’t try to point out their routines and comfort zones to them.  Rely on the Holy Spirit to do that.

         There is much more to discuss on this topic of changing others through God’s guidance.  We’ll address other things in the next letter.  You already have enough in this one to ponder and pray about as you lead your people into necessary changes.

    Sincerely,

    A Small Church Pastor

  • Letter #15–Honesty

    Dear Small Church Pastor,

         That old saying “Honesty is the best policy” holds true in most aspects of life, especially in the small church setting.  Be honest with your congregation.  If you are having a rough time dealing with something life is throwing your way, be honest about it, and avoid the mistake of pretending everything is going great when you’re around your congregation.

         Small congregations have an ear to their community, and they’ll know if something isn’t going well in that community.  They may not bring it up, but they’ll know.  You might be surprised at how understanding they will be when you admit you’re struggling about something.

         No pastor is impervious to trials and setbacks.  No pastor is walking on cloud nine every single day.  So don’t pretend you are all the time.  Your congregation knows everyone is open to satanic attack, and they know everyone will have hard times, too.  Remember that they ask for prayer about things they’re going through and seek guidance and help in the hard times.  When you let them know your own prayer requests, you form a stronger bond with them through your honesty.

         Something else about honesty, never—NEVER—sugar-coat the gospel.  It’s great to preach about the love, mercy and grace of God.  Everybody loves those sermons.  But if you do not include God’s justice and punishment on evil, you’re doing your folks a great disservice.  Be honest about God’s judgment on wickedness, just as you are honest about God’s unconditional forgiveness for all who repent and seek that forgiveness.  Those who are under your spiritual umbrella need to hear about heaven and hell, not just heaven.

         If you are a small church pastor and feel God is leading your ministry to change something about how they all “do church,” tell them.  Explain what God’s guidance on this matter is and what the benefits are.  Include them in the decision-making process about any changes that are led through the Holy Spirit.  Have open, sincere conversations with them about God’s leading in your life as their pastor. 

         One last item today on this vast topic—avoid anything that remotely looks like manipulation when it comes to leading your flock.  Honesty in communication with them will dispel any idea the devil tries to plant in their minds that you’re attempting to get them to do something you want to do and they haven’t bought into yet.  Honesty in communication will also help you build more trust between them and you as their pastor.  When they can believe what you say, they should follow your lead as their pastor.

         When a congregation believes the pastor is honest with them, they tend to be honest with the pastor.  That honesty on both parts will benefit all concerned in the long run.

    Sincerely,

    A Small Church Pastor

    (PS—More about honesty later.)

  • Letter #14–Waiting

    Dear Small Church Pastor

         In the letters “Timing” and “Seasons,” I mentioned the concept of waiting on God.  Allow me to expand on this concept. 

         Our natural self does not like to wait.  The culture in which we exist prides itself on speed, all things immediate and following the quickest path to any destination on our GPS maps.  Fast food restaurants abound with their drive-through windows, and we become anxious or, possibly, somewhat annoyed if we don’t have a response to the text we sent forty seconds ago.  Essentially, we are addicted to not waiting.

         However, our propensity to want things now, right now, is our undoing when it comes to the things of God.  God’s timing and the seasons he brings into our lives do not go according to our addiction.  God is not bound by time, space or anything else.  We don’t have clocks and calendars for His sake.  When God set the sun into motion and this planet revolving around it and spinning on its axis to create day and night and the seasons, I believe He did that for our sakes, not His.  And no matter how much we would like to do it, we cannot speed up God’s created flow of time that influences our lives.

         The idea that God is taking too much time to work out the answers to our prayers originates in our addiction.  The urge to take control of a situation to see if we can influence how fast a resolution to a problem is discovered originates in our addiction. 

         Try as we will because of our addiction to quickness, we cannot alter for good any of God’s intended purposes that are being worked out in His timetable.  I don’t mean to insult you, but neither of us is smart enough to take command of a situation and work it out faster and better than God can.

         Here’s the rub in this matter of waiting—our natural self, our fleshly self, our sin-influenced self does not want to wait to get what it wants.  That even applies when we are dealing with spiritual matters.  The carnal self wants spiritual matters to yield to its desires, wants, whims and plans, and it wants them to yield NOW.  Waiting is the absolute antithesis of our sinful self.

         Because it is directly opposed to our “self” and its wants, waiting is an activity that must be enabled through something other than “self.”  Waiting will have to come from a source that is greater than us.  It must come from the only source of which I am aware that can overcome our addiction.  That source is the Holy Spirit of God.

         Those fruits of the Spirit described in Galatians 5 include longsuffering (patience) and temperance (self-control).  It is only through the help of the Holy Spirit that you will be able to develop the self-control (being tempered) necessary to possess patience (being willing to wait) when it comes to your ministry.  These two qualities are a couple of the evidences that the Holy Spirit is in control of your life.

         If you are facing problems, needs, or anything else that causes you to seek God sincerely in your prayers, you will need to wait for God to answer your prayers.  The best way to be able to wait for the answers is to seek God’s help in developing your patience and your self-control.  Ask God to help you develop and demonstrate the fruits of longsuffering and temperance.  Ask Him to fill you so full of His Spirit that these fruits become part of your daily life.  Ask God to help you wait on His answers.

         While waiting, resist the temptation to take back control of any situation you have given to God.  While waiting, tell yourself regularly who the boss is and what He has called you to do.  While waiting, quote aloud what you might call “waiting scriptures” like Genesis 8:1 & 12, Genesis 49:18, Psalm 5:3, Psalm 25:5, Psalm 27:14, Psalm 40:1 and the famous verse Isaiah 40:31.  While waiting, write down every time God has answered a prayer at just the right time.  While waiting, tell someone about how God has fulfilled His promises to you.  While waiting, occupy yourself in ministry to others.   

         Above all, set your mind and will on waiting through the help of the Holy Spirit.  You’ll have to choose to let Him, but God will help you wait.

    Sincerely,

    A Small Church Pastor

  • Letter #13–Not Alone

    Dear Small Church Pastor,

         You are not alone.  The devil will do everything he can to make you think you are.  However, whether you remember it or not, you are not alone.

              The enemy of Christ’s kingdom will use any method he can to try to isolate you physically or mentally and convince you that you don’t have any help in pastoring your small congregation.  He will try to make you think being God’s pastor has put you into the position of having no friends, no trusted confidants and no allies in the war against evil.  He will cause people to betray your trust or even desert you in a crisis.  He will do his best to convince you that nobody is responding to your sermons, nobody likes you anymore, nobody takes you seriously and nobody is willing to stick around during the hard times when nothing seems to be going the way you had hoped it would.

         Any time you begin to feel alone in your calling, get alone with your heavenly Father.  Ask Him to renew your calling.  Ask God to revive your spirit with His power.  Ask for wisdom, fresh anointing and a new vision.  Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you just how many are working beside you to accomplish God’s will in your life.  Ask Him to remind you of who “The Boss” is.

         Remember the great cloud of witnesses mentioned in Hebrews 12:1?  There have been millions who have gone before you who have served God.  You’re not the only one in town who is serving him today.  Remember how God had to remind the prophet Elijah in 1 Kings 19:18 that he wasn’t alone?  You’re not the only one who has had betrayals, troubles, threats or persecutions.  Wake up to these realities and pray until you have defeated Satan’s attempt to put you into a pity-party.

         Probably the most important thing you can do when you begin to feel alone is to remind yourself that Jesus has called you into His service.  He knows what you can do for His kingdom, and Jesus is depending on you to do it.  Remind yourself that Romans 8:26-27 states the Holy Spirit intercedes for YOU.  Remind yourself that Jesus Himself is at the right hand of God making intercession for YOU. (Romans 8:34)  Remind yourself that in John 17:20 Jesus prayed for all those who would believe in Him because of the message His disciples would spread, and that includes YOU.  Simply put, remind yourself that Jesus is on your side, and “If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Rom 8:31)

         There are millions of fellow disciples of Jesus around the world and in your own community today fighting the same battles you are.  You are not alone.

         Jesus and the Holy Spirit are on your side and are interceding for you.  You are not alone.

    You are not alone.

    Sincerely,

    A Small Church Pastor

  • Letter #12–Encourage List

    Dear Small Church Pastor,

         Let’s look for a moment at the Old Testament figure of Jacob’s son Joseph.  God moved for Joseph by giving him two audacious dreams as a youth that became reality as an adult.  He put Joseph in the right place with the right people at the right time.  (Potiphar, the jailer and the cup-bearer were all connected to Pharoah, who was later introduced to Joseph.)  God gave Joseph opportunities to reflect his faith in God to others.

         God moved in Joseph through his trials.  Romans 5:3-4 lets us know that “we can rejoice when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.  And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.” (NLT)  God used his trials to develop Joseph’s character to prepare him to guide a whole nation.

         God also moved in Joseph by giving him wisdom to be an administrator, wisdom which demonstrated itself as he was promoted by Potiphar, the jailer and, eventually, Pharoah.  Additionally, God gave Joseph an understanding of God’s purposes that were working in his life.  He realized God had set into motion events in his life that would lead to the saving of his own family.

         Finally, God worked through Joseph to be a blessing to others.  Every time he was promoted, his overseer was blessed by God.  Joseph’s ultimate authority in Egypt set the stage for the whole country to be blessed when every country around Egypt was in famine.  That action led to his own family being saved from the famine when they all moved to Egypt at Joseph’s invitation.  When Israel’s family moved to Egypt, God’s plan to give His chosen people their promised land moved another step closer to fulfillment.

         I’m writing this letter to admonish you and challenge you to create what I call an “Encourage List.”  We all need to be reminded from time to time that God will work for us, in us and through us.  We all need to remember just how far God has brought us, how much He has recreated us and how much He has accomplished through us by the power of the Holy Spirit.

         I suggest you write down what God has done for you, in you and through you.  It will be okay if you need more than one piece of paper.  Then put that list on your refrigerator door so you can see it every time you open that door.  Read it to yourself.  Read it to your family.  Remind yourself of all that God has done for, in and through you since you became one of His children.  Encourage yourself with an “Encourage List.”

    Sincerely,

    A Small Church Pastor

  • Letter #8–Seasons

    Dear Small Church Pastor,

         In the course of a year, we experience seasons as the weather changes from one general type of weather to the next.  The dormancy of Winter yields to the vibrancy of Spring.  Then the growth of Summer produces the harvest of Fall.  We continually experience these changes of seasons because God set all that into motion at creation.

         In addition to weather patterns, life has a way of flowing through seasons, too.  Childhood is referred to as the Spring of life, our working years as the Summer, retirement as the Fall and finally old age and Winter.  If we look around us, we’ll see that there are seasons in almost every aspect of life.  Some seasons are brief and some are lengthy.

         Do you remember how Moses was initially raised in the education and knowledge of Egyptian royalty?  Then he learned how to watch over and guide sheep.  Finally, God sent him to lead Israel out of Egypt.  Do you remember how long each of those seasons was in his life?  That’s right—forty years.  Those were long seasons, weren’t they.

         In my own life I’ve had some short seasons.  My first pastorate was two years.  I’ve also had some long seasons.  My wife Kathy and I became the managers of a Christian campground in April of 1993 and remained there in that ministry until the end of September of 2020.  That was a much longer season.

         During the seasons I have experienced, I realized God was teaching me some things I would need later in life.  Those lessons were expanded in succeeding years as I learned more about life and the various ministries into which I was directed by God.  He was always in control, guiding me and teaching me more about living as a disciple of Jesus.  God was preparing me in each season to deal with life and ministry in the next one.

         Jesus pulled together a small group of people and prepared them for about three years so they could enter their next season.  He taught them.  He demonstrated how to minister.  He told them how to pray.  He gave them the example they were to follow.  Then He sent them abroad into their next season.

         God is doing the same thing in your life.  Look back on where you were when you started your journey of faith.  Have you grown in faith?  Have you gained more knowledge and understanding about Jesus?  Are you better able to fulfill your calling from God today than you were when you first felt that call?  Can you see where God brought you along from one season of life into the next and into the next?

         Here’s the exciting part of this letter—there’s another season coming, and you’re being prepared for it right now.  God knows exactly what He wants you to do next, and He’s getting you ready for that something.  He’s teaching you, strengthening you, moulding you and anointing you for your next season. 

         God is getting you ready, just like He got Moses ready.  Jesus is preparing you, just like He prepared those original disciples.  Every trial, success, failure or achievement has been arranged to prepare you for the next season.  Every lesson learned, every gift sent, every moment of anointing by the Holy Spirit has been designed to get you ready for your next season.

         Get ready.  A new, exciting, potential-filled season is coming.

    Sincerely,

    A Small Church Pastor

  • Letter #7–K.I.S.S. Revisited

    Dear Small Church Pastor,

         In the first installment for K.I.S.S., I suggested you include the members of your congregation as ministry partners in order to simplify your life.  I pray you are encouraging your membership as they develop the gifts and talents resident in your congregation in order to accomplish that aspect of keeping ministry simple.

         Allow me to make a second recommendation toward achieving a more simple life for yourself and your congregation.  When preparing sermons or Bible lessons, focus on Jesus.  Focus on who Jesus is, what he has accomplished, what he taught his original disciples, and what he promised to do for, in and through them.  Focus on the gospel message and how to live out the teachings of Christ.  You will find that centering your message on the good news that there is forgiveness through faith in Jesus will simplify your ministry.

         Satan will try to get you sidetracked from this central message.  Remember he is the source of confusion, division and strife.  Satan will try to get you involved in arguments over controversial doctrinal points.  He will attempt to bring factional “us versus them” thinking into your congregation, and, if he can, he will use you to create unintended factions within your attenders through what seems to be innocent questions.

         Always remember Satan is a deceiver, a manipulator and a thief, and he wants nothing more than to steal, kill and destroy the works you and your congregation are doing for the kingdom of God.  In order to achieve his insidious purposes, he works through people to bring up “What do you think about…” kinds of questions.  He uses, “I heard…,” “I’m confused about…,” or “My friend/uncle/brother/neighbor/etc. says….”

         It’s during these seemingly innocent times that your spiritual enemy is working to complicate your life and ministry by getting you to “major on the minors” in life.  To combat these deceptions, I encourage you to always use scriptures in answering any question that might be a controversial subject.  My normal response to any doctrinal issue that arises is, “Let’s see what the Bible says about this.”  Always remember that the Bible holds the truth about any situation that arises in life.  What I think about a situation does not matter when it comes to what the Bible actually says.  Taken in its proper context, scripture always has the correct answer to any question, even the ones the devil tries to use to complicate ministry.

         When those controversial subjects arise, and they will arise eventually, attempt to steer the conversation back to the simplicity of the gospel.  If that fails, allow the Holy Spirit the opportunity to speak through scriptures to those who are posing the questions.  Remember Paul’s advice to his protégé Timothy in 1 Timothy 6:20 to “…avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called.” KJV (“Avoid godless, foolish discussions with those who oppose you with their so-called knowledge.” NLT)

         Allow me to give an example of this concept for maintaining simplicity in ministry.  A missionary we know operates in a country where the population is over 99% non-Christian.  He never compares Christianity to that national faith, nor does he debate the ideology of the other faith’s founder to that of Jesus.  He only talks about Jesus and his teachings.  His ministry is very successful, reaching over 9 million people monthly through various media avenues.  That success is influenced by the fact that he keeps his ministry focused on Jesus only.

         Focus on the simplicity of the good news about Jesus as much as is possible in every facet of your ministry.  If some divisive topic rears its head, go to scripture for guidance and rely on the Holy Spirit to deal with those topics as only he can by moving in the hearts and minds of those involved.  Remember:  KISS.

    Sincerely,

    A Small Church Pastor