Tag: source

  • Letter #58 (The Body’s Head)

    Dear Small Church Congregation,

         Our brain directs the functioning of our physical body.  Without a properly operating brain, the body will cease to function as it should.  Our five physical senses are centered in our head and send signals to the brain so we can experience the world around us.  Hence our head can be considered the source of all the other functions our body performs.  It is the source of directions that are sent to the rest of the body.  Without the head, which contains the brain, the body ceases to function.

         The spiritual body of Christ has a head, too, that contains a “spiritual brain.”  That head is Jesus Christ.  That spiritual brain, if you will, is the will of God, the direction toward which God desires Christ’s Body to go.  If the Body of Christ is separated from Jesus and His direction (God’s will), it ceases to function, just as the physical body ceases to operate if the head is severed from it.

         If Jesus is building His church (the Body), one might ask how is it possible for the Body of Christ (the church) to be separated from its head?  Allow me to give an illustration of how I have seen this occur in the spiritual realm as demonstrated in the physical realm.

         If an individual ingests a sufficient amount of alcoholic beverages, the function of the body is altered because the brain housed in the head reacts to the chemical elements found in the alcoholic beverage.  Alcohol is naturally found in the body, but only in very minute amounts in the digestive system.  Ingested alcohol becomes a contaminant to the body and alters its operation.     

         Should that happen, the senses are dulled, the hand-eye motor coordination slows, speech can be slurred, memory becomes “fuzzy,” and inhibitions about proper behavior can stop controlling emotional and rational responses to surrounding circumstances.  The alcohol affects the brain and the senses housed in the head, whether mental, emotional, or physical, resulting in a breakdown of the operation of the body.

         The same kind of thing happens spiritually when the body ingests spiritual contaminants.  Jesus, as the head of the Church, delivers His desires for how His body is to operate through scripture, prayer, anointed messages from his servants, and any other method He chooses to communicate with His Body.  When Satan is able to disrupt the flow of Christ’s communication with His Church, when he is able to interject spiritually unhealthy contaminants into that flow, the head ceases to have its intended effect on the functioning of the Body of Christ. 

         Doubt, fear, stress, persecution, personal preferences, men’s traditions, unbiblical denominational demands, carnal lusts, pride, anger, jealousy, gluttony, greed, cruelty—and any number of other physical, emotional, mental or spiritual obstacles—all act as contaminants that cause Jesus’s Church to reach a point of malfunction.  The devil will use anything he can to keep Christ’s will from being performed within His Body.

         In order for the physical body to stop the detrimental effects of alcohol, the consumption of the alcohol has to be stopped.  Sometimes that comes through a choice made by the consumer.  At other times, incarceration caused by improper behavior occurs, and the access to alcohol is stopped for some period of time.  The bottom line is the body must stop having the alcohol introduced so the bad effects can cease.

         In order for the spiritual Body of Christ to stop the detrimental effects of spiritual contaminants, those contaminants must be dealt with, too.  In order to deal with something the devil is using to hinder the Body, whether it involves the overall Church or one specific congregation, the people involved must be willing to admit that the hindrance exists.  They must be willing to examine their lives, their spiritual status in the Body, their functioning, and then choose to take the steps necessary in order to overcome the obstacles that are interfering with how the body is operating.

         The motivational speaker Zig Ziglar often said that the first step in overcoming a problem is to admit a problem exists and then identify the problem.  When the members of a congregation, or individual disciples of Christ, for that matter, are willing to admit there is a problem that is causing them to stray from the will of Christ, then the problem must be identified.  It must be named.  Only after being named can the obstacle be overcome.  Only after overcoming the obstacle can the Head of the Body, Jesus, regain proper spiritual nerve signals to His Body.

         We’ll look at how to overcome the obstacles, the contaminants that obstruct God’s will, in the next letter.  Before that letter, allow me to encourage you to take a long, serious look at whether or not your life is reflecting the will of God for your life.  Ask yourself if there is anything that could interfere with how you function as one of Jesus’s disciples.  Ask the Holy Spirit to point out to you anything that the devil is using to interrupt the flow of Christ’s will into your life.  If there is something revealed to you, name it.  Identify it.  Then ask God to help you reconnect to the Head of the Body.

    Sincerely,

    A Small Church Pastor

  • Letter #27–Remember Your Source

    Dear Small Church Pastor,

         I need to call and check on that new couple who visited last weekend.  There’s a board meeting tonight at 7pm.  Someone from the thrift store called and wanted to know if we can do the bicycles for kids again.  The HVAC company is coming at 9:30 this morning.  Family will be visiting sometime tomorrow.  And tomorrow night is Bible Study and I haven’t finished the lesson.  The elders need guidance on making out the framework for the new by-laws.  The kids have practices every day during the school break.  Someone posted a vicious remark about our youth program last night.

         AAAHHHHGGGG!!!!!!

         Ever want to just scream about how complicated, demanding and simply exhausting life as a pastor can be?  Well, you’re in good company.  We’ve all had that over-worked, over-extended, over-scheduled, over-everything feeling.  A pastor’s life is much more than preaching, teaching and visiting the sick.  And sometimes that “much more stuff” falls right in your lap.

         What do you do when that happens?  I encourage you to remember your source. 

         Your source is not people, although God does use people to help with all the multi-tasking.  Your source is not denominational groups, although they can provide training and encouragement.  Your source is not your education, private study or your degrees hanging on the wall.

         Your source is God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.  This is your source.  This is your source for your calling and anointing.  This is your source for needed wisdom.  This is your source for inspiration.  This is your source for provision and protection and promises.  God is your source.

        Satan tries to get you to think you’re in this on your own and that you will fail. He will try to get you to think you don’t know enough or don’t have enough or can’t do enough to get your job done effectively.  And he is correct.  You don’t know enough by yourself.  You don’t have enough by yourself.  You can’t do enough by yourself. 

         But Satan does not have the last say in what your life will accomplish, nor does he have the last say in who you are.  He definitely does not have the last word in declaring who your source is.  Only God can have that last word.  And God says He is your source.

         Remember that God created you and called you and anointed you while you were still in your mother’s womb.  Remember that Jesus left the glories of heaven to come to this earth and sacrifice His life so you can be forgiven.  Remember that the Holy Spirit dwells in you and is your Comforter and Guide.  Remember that you have been empowered to spread the good news about Jesus.  Remember that Jesus has already defeated the forces of evil.  Remember that your King is coming again to receive you to Himself so that where He is, you may be also.  Remember that!

         Do you need wisdom?  Ask your source for it.  Do you need calmness in your spirit?  Ask your source for it.  Do you need help in a relationship?  Ask your source for the help.  Do you need healing in your body, mind, emotions or spirit?  Ask your source for His healing touch.  Do you need a new zeal for God?  Ask your source to renew you.

         Close your eyes, count to ten and remember your source.

         Take a deep breath and remember your source!

         REMEMBER YOUR SOURCE!  (I’m aware this is shouting, but maybe I need to shout to get your attention today.)

    Sincerely,

    A Small Church Pastor

  • Letter #5–Relationships

    Dear Small Church Pastor,

                Build supportive relationships with other small church pastors.  You’ve already read my suggestions to involve other people in your ministry.  You need the help of your congregation as you minister to them and with them.  You simply cannot do everything alone.

                There is another source of help available for you, if you will make contact with that group and build meaningful relationships with the people in it.  That group is made up of all those other small church pastors in your area.  Those folks can help you, and you can help them.

                When you begin to reach out to other pastors, avoid the temptation to center your conversations on the bad stuff you encounter.  Satan would like nothing more than for you to tear each other down by constantly dragging up past or present hurts and disappointments.  Do not avoid problems, just don’t only rehearse and nurse them.  Use your time together to talk about how to reverse them.

                Ask questions to gain knowledge and insights the other pastors have.  Talk about successes and future plans together.  Listen to what’s in their hearts and share what’s in yours.  You can help each other.  You can encourage each other, pray for each other and remind each other that each one of you is not working in the kingdom of God alone.  You are on a great and powerful team, and good team members work together to win the game.  You are in the most important “game” of all time—the contest between the kingdom of light/good and the kingdom of darkness/evil.

                Getting together with other pastors is an action you are going to have to intentionally make.  You must intentionally choose to associate with other pastors for mutual support.  If your fellowship/denomination has regular opportunities to gather for support, take advantage of them.  (If not, create some.)  Go to the trainings, conferences, meetings and luncheons every chance you get.  I understand you can’t attend every meeting available, but you can stop making excuses for not attending and go to some of them. 

                One last thought before I close—I used to be like Moses and thought I had to deal with everything by myself, because I was the pastor.  A fellow minister stepped up as my “Jethro” and helped me to realize that not seeking help, advice and encouragement from others was a bad decision on my part.  I’m glad I listened to him.  I chose to set aside my pride and self-sufficient attitude and get help with what I was facing.  I sometimes forget his advice, but when I follow it, I am a better pastor.

                There is help out there for small church pastors.  Part of that help lies in other small church pastors.  Build supportive relationships with other small church pastors.

    Sincerely,

    A Small Church Pastor