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The words “I’m sorry” are always hard to say, but perhaps words harder to say are “I forgive you.” Whether we are five years old or fifty years old, it’s always hard to say “I forgive you” especially when that same person has hurt us, cost us money, or wasted our time.

In this article we’re looking at a forgiveness story. A slave has ran away from his master, he became a Christian, then was sent back to his master, saying “I’m sorry” and hoping the slave owner says “I forgive you.”

The letter we know as “Philemon” was written to a man named Philemon who was a wealthy member of the Colossian church which met in his house (Philemon 2). Paul calls Philemon a “beloved brother” and “fellow worker” (Philemon 1).Philemon was likely a prominent member of the church of Colossae (Philemon 1, 2; cf. Col 4:2) and likely had been saved under Paul’s ministry several years earlier in Ephesus (Philemon 19).

APPLAUSE

Paul begins his letter commending Philemon this way, “because I hear of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints” (Philemon 5).

            The effects of Philemon’s faith in Jesus and love for all the saints is explained in the following verses, “and I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective through the knowledge of every good thing which is in you for Christ’s sake. For I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.” (Philemon 6–7) The “fellowship” (v. 6) here means much more than just enjoying someone else’s company. It refers to the mutual sharing of all of life because of the mutual bond and faith they have in Christ. The word “effective” (v. 6) here describes Paul’s desire for Philemon’s actions to send a powerful message to others about forgiveness.

You might have noticed that Paul gives Philemon a reputation to live up too. I don’t think he’s buttering him up or trying to manipulate him. But I do believe he’s reminding Philemon of the godly character that Philemon has.

APPEAL

In the middle of this letter Paul makes his request based on two situations.

The Earthly Problem

Paul’s request involves a person named “Onesimus.” Paul writes, “I appeal to you for my child Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my imprisonment” (Philemon 10). Onesimus was a common name for slaves that meant, “useful.”

            Onesimus was not a believer when he ran away from Philemon, but Onesimus apparently had met Paul while Paul was in house arrest in Rome and Onesimus became a Christian. The trip from Colossae to Rome would have been a 1,000 mile trip by land and water. Many slaves would flee to Rome when they ran away from their masters because the city of Rome had 1,000,000 people living there and was an easy place to get lost among all the people.[1] The problem was that Onesimus had broken the Roman law (running away) and Onesimus had probably also defrauded his master (stealing).

            Paul knew this had to be dealt with so he sent Onesimus back to Philemon. Onesimus was traveling to Colossae with Tychicus, who was returning to Colossae with the letter to the Colossians (Colossians 4:7-9). But, there had been a change in Onesimus, “who formerly was useless to you, but now is useful both to you and to me.” (Philemon 11). Onesimus is described by Paul as a “child”[2] in the faith to Paul (v. 10) and a “brother” (v. 16).

            Paul does a play on words here in Greek that comes through in English as well. Onesimus in Greek means “useful.” In the past Onesimus “was useless.” In other words, Useful was useless. It’s like calling a woman Grace who always holds grudges or a man Earnest that never tells truth. In the past Onesimus had forsaken his name, but Paul says Onesimus “now is useful.”Useful was formerly useless, but now Useful is useful.   Onesimus had been worthless until God got a hold of him and radically transformed him by God’s grace.

            This is what Paul wants Philemon to consider. “I have sent him [Onesimus] back to you in person, that is, sending my very heart, whom I wished to keep with me, so that on your behalf he might minister to me in my imprisonment for the gospel; but without your consent I did not want to do anything, so that your goodness would not be, in effect, by compulsion but of your own free will” (Philemon 12–14).Paul wants Onesimus for ministry, but only wants to do it if Philemon allows.

            From Paul we learn that we value relationships more than requests. In this context Paul values his relationship with Philemon more than his request of Philemon. Effectually, “This is a request that I have, but I don’t want my request to effect our friendship.” As Christians we need to value our relationships more than requests.

The Heavenly Provision

Paul writes, “For perhaps he was for this reason separated from you for a while, that you would have him back forever, no longer as a slave, but more than a slave, a beloved brother, especially to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord” (Philemon 15–16).

            Here we see God’s plan. The word “Perhaps” indicates Paul believes God has had a part in all of this. Paul knows wrong occurred as Onesimus was a runaway slave, now God is using it for good. As one commentator stated on this passage, “God’s sovereign grace works in all human affairs.”[3] Paul suggests there has been a deeper significance and purpose of Onesimus’s running away.

            The great reformer John Calvin wrote, “If we are angry on account of offences committed by men, our minds ought to be soothed, when we perceive that those things which were done through malice have been turned to a different end by the purpose of God.”[4] I think that’s what Paul’s telling Philemon, Your experience was bad, but maybe God is using it for good.

            From Paul we learn that we value heavenly providence more than luck. Someone asked one of the members of our church if she believed in luck as a Christian woman. What a great question! As Christians we don’t necessarily believe in earthly luck, but we do believe in divine providence.

            With God there are no accidents and I think we can say there is no luck. Imagine the conversation occurring between Paul and Onesimus the first time they met in Rome:

Onesimus: “I’m from Colossae.”

Paul: “Wow, I’ve never been there, but when I was in Ephesus I met a guy from Colossae. Perhaps you know him.”

Onesimus: “Maybe I do. What’s the guy’s name?”

Paul: “His name is Philemon. Do you know him?”

Onesimus: “Yes, I do, in fact.”

Paul: “How do you know him?”

Onesimus: “I used to be his slave.”

Paul: “Wow, you must have earned your freedom or he let you go?”

Onesimus: “No, I am here because I ran away from him and I am here hiding from him.”

Paul: “Well, let me ask if you know someone else I’ve met. He’s not from Colossae. He’s from Judea, and his name is Jesus. . .”

            In one of my favorite books pastor Warren Wiersbe writes, “If you are yielded to Christ, your life is not a series of accidents; it is a series of appointments.”[5] God is in everything we do. When we run, He allows us to run because He knows where He wants us to end up. I believe that’s Paul’s message to Philemon here: Philemon, what are the odds that your runaway slave ends up in the house that I’m in, and that I got to share the Gospel w/him and that I am able to send him back to you. Philemon, God is in this. Because of this we need to allow the unique way that God orchestrates things to influence what He might want us to do.

ACCOUNT

But what about the cost of this? Philemon might be wondering: I have been hurt, shamed, and been stolen from. Paul addresses that next.

Here we read about Paul’s offer. “But if he [Onesimus] has wronged you [Philemon] in any way or owes you anything, charge that to my account;” (Philemon 18).When Onesimus left, he likely stole money or goods (or both) in order to travel 1,000 miles to Rome. Philemon had a right to be upset his slave left, especially if Onesimus stole from Philemon.

            Paul proposes a solution, “charge that to my account”(v. 18).He essentially says, “charge that to me” or “I will stand in his place” or “Put what he owes on my account.”

            Paul then signs his pledge, “I, Paul, am writing this with my own hand, I will repay it (not to mention to you that you owe to me even your own self as well)” (Philemon 19). It takes more than love to solve a problem and here Paul says he’ll help pay it with money.

            It was common in the first century to have an “amanuensis” who would write a letter while someone dictated it to someone else. Yet here Paul wants to emphasize his promise so he grabs the pen and writes himself.

            Paul then describes his hope “Yes, brother, let me benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ. Having confidence in your obedience, I write to you, since I know that you will do even more than what I say” (Philemon 20–21). Paul wants to have Onesimus welcomed back gracefully, to have Onesimus minister to others in a significant way, and to have Onesimus be forgiven.

            From this we learn from Paul that we value reconciliation more than money. Money almost always complicates situations. Money creates conflict in families, churches, business, schools, and many other areas of life. Yet Paul values reconciliation between these two people more than money. And that’s an important lesson for us to apply as well. We need to value reconciliation with others more than the money that might have caused problems.

So what happened as a result of this letter sent in AD 63? In AD 110 we possibly learn about what happened.

CONCLUSION[6]

In AD 110 Ignatius of Antioch—previous Christian bishop of Antioch and personal associate of the apostle John—was a prisoner being taken to Rome. He was transported by ten Roman soldiers to be fed to the lions because he refused to renounce his faith in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord and God and King. Ignatius and the Roman soldiers stopped in Smyrna for a short period of rest which gave Ignatius an opportunity to have visitors. Three prominent Christian leaders came to visit Ignatius from three different cities. These three men were Polybius who was the bishop of Tralles, Damas who was the bishop of Magnesia, and a guy named Onesimus who was the bishop of Ephesus.  

We don’t know from Scripture what the result was from this letter that Paul sent to Philemon, but a period of time later, just 100 miles away from Philemon’s home in Colossae a man named Onesimus shows up as bishop in the nearby church in Ephesus.  Many scholars believe this Onesimus is the same man Paul wrote about in his letter to Philemon. Apparently Onesimus was forgiven by his slave owner, became a prominent spiritual leader in Ephesus, and with this we conclude that an old friend gave Onesimus a fresh start.

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[1] M. Reasoner, “Rome and Roman Christianity” (pp. 850-855) in Dictionary of Paul and His Letters (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 1993),p. 851.

[2] περὶ τοῦ ἐμοῦ τέκνου / “for my child” is a term of endearment which Paul has used elsewhere to refer to Timothy (1 Tim 1:2; 2 Tim 1:2) and to refer to Titus (Tit 1:4). AT Robertson says this is a “tender and affectionate” reference to Onesimus (A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament [Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1933]).

[3] Larson, Knute Larson, I & II Thessalonians, I & II Timothy, Titus, Philemon, vol. 9, Holman New Testament Commentary (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000) p. 407.

[4] John Calvin, Commentaries on the Epistles to Timothy, Titus, and Philemon (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010) p. 356.

[5] Warren Wiersbe, The Bumps Are What You Climb On (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2016),48.

[6] This conclusion is adapted from Charles Swindoll, Swindoll’s Living Insights: Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, vol. 9 (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale, 2017), pp. 199, 202.

Conflict is a part of every ministry. It’s common to think certain sizes of churches or specific denominations might have more or less conflict. The reality is not whether or not you have conflict in ministry, what is important is how you navigate the conflict in your ministry.

            Paul, Barnabas, and Titus left their brief meeting with Peter, James, and the other leaders in Jerusalem (Acts 15:30) and returned 300 miles north to Antioch. In Galatians 2:11-21 Peter comes to Antioch, sins publicly in front of others, so Paul reproves Peter.

            In this article I would like to show you the context of what’s occurring (Galatians 2:12-13), highlight parts of the correction Paul gives to Peter (Galatians 2:14b-21), then look at the way that Paul confronts Peter (Galatians 2:11, 14a) and see what we can learn about how to handle conflict in our churches and ministries.

CONTEXT

The problem is described in Galatians 2:12, “For prior to the coming of certain men from James, he [Peter] used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to withdraw and hold himself aloof, fearing the party of the circumcision.”[1] Peter had been enjoying meals with Gentile believers, but when James and other prominent Jewish leaders arrived from Jerusalem, Peter withdrew himself from the Gentiles and only ate with the Jews.

            Why was this a problem? We learn about that in Galatians 2:13, “The rest of the Jews joined him [Peter] in hypocrisy, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy.” Peter was not just sinning by showing favor to race, but Peter was also leading others into sin.

CORRECTION

Now that we have the context, let’s look at the correction that Paul gives to Peter. Paul gives a speech that states all Christians are equal in Christ for two reasons.

            First, we are saved through faith, not through works, “nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified” (Galatians 2:16). Second, we are saved through Christ, not through the Law. “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me” (Galatians 2:20).

            These three statements show there was no biblical reason to treat someone different because of race (like Peter was doing). Paul makes it clear in his letter to the Galatians that Peter has sinned.

CONFRONTATION

I want to share with you four tips to follow whenyou need to confront others and correct behavior based on how Paul handled the situation described in Galatians 2:11, 14a.

1. Get the Facts

Notice Paul says, “But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel” (Galatians 2:14a). Paul saw with his own eyes what occurred and he knew from first-hand experience.

            When confronting someone we need to get the facts straight and make sure we have the right information. In this case, Paul saw it. (Paul probably also knew about Peter’s tendency to say one thing in passion, but that Peter didn’t always follow through on what he said in practice.)

            In our lives we might not always see something that is done wrong, but we often hear about it. So the first step is to verify. And you verify in an informal and non-threatening way. Don’t approach someone saying, “I heard that. . . .” Instead what you say is, “I wanted to talk to you because someone told me something, and what they said doesn’t sound like you. So I wanted to share with you what I heard and see what you have to say. . .”

2. Know the Truth

To confront someone you have to know what Godly behavior should look like. How should that person have acted? What would the appropriate thing to say have been?

            The proper behavior in this context is described as “the truth of the gospel” (Galatians 2:14) which is the same phrase used in Galatians 2:5 when Paul said he didn’t yield to those False Brethren who snuck into his meeting with Peter about the need for Titus to be circumcised. The doctrine Paul has laid out in Galatians 2:14-21 states that we all are sinners, we have been saved through faith, and we have been saved because of Christ. Thus, there is no reason to act differently around people of different races.

3. Act Quickly

When Paul “saw that they weren’t straightforward about the truth of the gospel” (Galatians 2:14a) it says “I [Paul] said to Cephas [Peter] in the presence of all” (Galatians 2:14b). Paul acted quickly. He didn’t wait. He didn’t procrastinate. There’s no gap between the sin and correction. He knew that the behavior he saw did not match the Bible’s teaching on that situation.

            However, there are two times you don’t want to act quickly. Don’t act when emotional (whether angry or sad). You’ve got to be levelheaded. You must be cool, calm, and collected, because the other person isn’t always going to be. So you have to be centered and at peace. Be Confident and firm, but loving and gracious. Don’t act without prayer. Pray before, during, and after the confrontation. Pray and look up Scripture. Pray and ask God for help.

4. Talk Directly

The most important principle for handling conflict and confrontation is this one: Do it face-to-face. Don’t text, don’t email, don’t call, don’t fax. Again, don’t text about conflict! Remember, don’t text when in conflict! As a pastor I have counseled many people engaged in conflict with family members through harsh exchanges of text messages. I can honestly say that when we replace a face with a screen in conflict, the results are bad.

            Here it says that Paul, “opposed him [Peter] to his face” (Galatians 2:11). This was a direct confrontation. Paul did not talk about Peter behind his back. He didn’t put it on Facebook. He didn’t send him a text. Paul approached Peter and talked to him directly. 

CONCLUSION

Don’t you wish we knew what Peter’s response was? We don’t know what he did. But most commentaries on this passage state that he likely admitted he was wrong and brought the two groups together (based on the book of Acts and what he wrote in 1 & 2 Peter later). I pray and hope that you too can get past conflict just like Peter and Paul, by using Paul’s example as a model for your ministry.

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[1] Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

Start a Bible study . . . they said. It will be easy . . . they said. Anyone can do it . . . they said. Well, facilitating a small group discussion as part of a Bible study is not as easy as one thinks. For four years I served as a small groups pastor at a church and it was always a challenge to help our small group facilitators—new and veterans—to feel equipped to lead a small group discussion. In this article I will give you twenty-five tips that will help you become a better small group facilitator.

PREPARE WELL

Don’t just show up and wing it. Pray, read the passage several times, and write out your answers to the questions. A great small group discussion doesn’t just happen. It takes preparation and hard work. Write out your notes by hand or type them up if that’s easier for you to read. But have them printed out so you don’t have to be using your phone or tablet in the meeting.

READ THE QUESTIONS ALOUD BEFORE THE MEETING

Just because you can read a word and know what it means doesn’t mean you can properly pronounce it verbally during the small group. Be sure to read the questions aloud before the group meets.

TURN YOUR PHONE OFF

Your focus needs to be on your group and guiding their discussion, so turn the phone off so you can concentrate. Furthermore, encourage others to turn theirs off too.

UTILIZE AN ASSISTANT OR COFACILITATOR

Try to find someone willing to be your “backup” to facilitate the group if you can’t be there. This assistant can also help you to facilitate healthy conversations in the group. Sometimes people make statements or ask questions and it can be hard to discern what exactly they are saying or asking. A good assistant will be assertive to step in and say, “I think what you are asking is actually _____” or “I think what she is trying to say is ____.”

ALWAYS HAVE A BIBLE WITHIN REACH

Your small group discussions should always interact with the Bible. Be sure to have a paper Bible (not digital on a phone or iPad) within reach while you facilitate your small group.

KEEP A GOOD STUDY BIBLE NEARBY

When you come to a difficult passage or someone has a question that you can’t answer, pull out a study Bible. The NIV Study Bible and NASB Study Bible are great resources to use (both have the same study notes). I use the Ryrie Study Bible (NASB), but the ESV Study Bible and MacArthur Study Bible are great too.

AFFIRM WHAT PEOPLE SAY

Let people know what they say makes sense and is a good contribution by thanking them for sharing. Statements like, “I like how you phrased that” or “Thank you for sharing” go a long way to encourage people to share their thoughts and answer the questions you ask the group.

TALK LESS THAN 25 PERCENT OF THE TIME

Your job is to facilitate a discussion, not to preach or teach. Make sure that you talk less than 25 percent of the time in your group. Your goal is to get other people to discuss the passage of Scripture or topic.

READ THE NOTES IN THE BACK OF YOUR DISCUSSION GUIDE

Most Bible study guides will have some “leader notes” in the back of the guide to help the facilitator know what to expect during the discussion each week and how to prepare for the discussion. Be sure to read those notes during your preparation time for your small group.

WATCH THE LEADER COACHING VIDEOS

If your group is using a DVD study, often there are some coaching videos on the DVDs (or available online). In your preparation time for your small group be sure to watch those videos because they will help you be ready to facilitate a discussion.

ASK FOR ADVICE FROM YOUR CHURCH OR PASTOR

Your church staff should be equipping you and encouraging you. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it.

PUT THE CHAIRS AND COUCHES IN A CIRCLE

Nothing says “let’s talk” like a bunch of people in a circle looking at each other. A circle fosters a discussion environment. If your group watches a DVD as part of your study, you will want to start out with your group chairs facing the TV. Then after the DVD is finished, have a few people move their chairs so that you can all sit in a circle facing each other.

ENCOURAGE THE GROUP TO WORK THROUGH THE LESSON BEFORE COMING TO MEETING

Your group will have a better discussion if they take time to work through the lesson before coming to their group meeting. Encourage them to read the passage a few times, answer the questions in the study guide, and bring their own questions to the group.

DELEGATE YOUR BUSY WEEKS OR SEASONS

If you know that you are going to be busy for a particular week or season, ask your assistant or someone else in your group if he or she might like to facilitate the discussion for you. This is one of the reasons you must always have an assistant in your group!

SILENCE IS OKAY

In a new group or at the beginning of your meeting there probably will be some silence. Sometimes it just takes a couple of people to start talking and then the rest of the group will start to contribute. If there is silence, that’s okay.

DON’T ANSWER YOUR OWN QUESTIONS

If you read a question and no one answers, then read the question again. If still no one answers, then ask if the question makes sense or is confusing. If needed, slightly alter the question so people understand it, or just skip the question. But as the facilitator, do not answer your own questions unless someone else has already shared any answer. If you as the facilitator ask a question, then jump in and answer it before others talk, it discourages the group for sharing their thoughts. You only want to share your answer to a question after others have already had a chance to share.

BEGIN AND END ON TIME

Success in a small group requires consistent start and end times. Make a plan for your group and keep the discussion going. There might be times that your group needs to deviate from the curriculum to focus on a need someone has. If that’s the case then put the material aside and focus on the person. But be sure that the group ends on time.

REVIEW A COVENANT OR AGREEMENT YEARLY

Most churches have a small group “covenant” or “commitment” or “agreement” form. This agreement guides the group and helps ensure a healthy atmosphere for discussion and spiritual growth. Be sure to review it yearly and give it to the new people that join your group. Doing this will prevent problems and headaches for you in the future.

ENSURE EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THE PURPOSE OF THE GROUP FROM DAY ONE

Each small group has a slightly different flavor, but the purpose should always be the same: learn God’s Word, connect new people to church, enjoy fellowship with each other, and serve others. So make sure that everyone understands that this is why your group exists.

INVOLVE EVERYONE

Everyone should participate in your discussion. When people attend church on Sunday they passively sit and listen to a sermon. When they attend your small group during the week they need to actively participate in a discussion.

APPLICATION IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN COMPLETION

Take your time working through the curriculum for your group. If you need two or three weeks to cover one lesson that’s okay as long as people are staying on topic and are applying the material to their lives.

SOAK YOUR GROUP MEMBERS AND CURRICULUM IN PRAYER

Pray for the members of your group everyday. And pray that the curriculum you will be using will speak to your group, and help them transform their lives so that they look more like Christ.

HOLD THE SNACKS

Nothing is more distracting (and irritating) than someone getting up to grab a snack, dropping some of the floor, munching, and talking with a mouthful during the small group discussion time. If your group has snacks try to limit those snacks to only before the group begins or after the discussion has ended.

DIVIDE AND CONQUER

When it is time for your group to discuss more personal and sensitive issues, divide up your group. You will need to divide if you have ten or more people in your group. Pair up the men with men and women with women, or young folks together, or just pair people based on where they are sitting.

VISIT OTHER GROUPS TO SEE HOW OTHER FACILITATORS FACILITE

Different facilitators have different styles and methods of facilitating their groups. Visit a couple other groups to see what you can learn from others and how you can improve the way you facilitate your group.

REMIND THE GROUP THAT IT IS OKAY TO DISAGREE

Sometimes Christians think they have to agree with everyone in their small group. Part of the growth that people experience in a small group is enjoying fellowship with people that believe and act differently than they do. Learning to love those people and get along with them is a sign of spiritual maturity. From time to time, remind your group that it is okay to disagree.

When I was an associate pastor I preached every four months. The benefit of only preaching every four months was that I had four months of material to use for that sermon. I had four months of principles to share, stories to tell, fresh ideas to bring to our congregation, and four months to study a passage or topic for the message.

            But now that I serve as a senior pastor the experience is different. Instead of four months of preparation I get about four days! (I work on my sermons Monday through Thursday and I try to take Fridays and Saturdays off to spend with my family.) In my experience as a senior pastor that preaches fifty sermons a year I’ve come to rely on some great tools to help me in my weekly sermon preparation, and I believe they can help you too.

A STUDY BIBLE

The best resource you need to have if you preach each week is a good study Bible. The study Bible I’ve used for years is the NASB Ryrie Study Bible. I prefer this study Bible because of the succinct doctrinal summaries, outlines of each book of the Bible, as well as the brief footnotes on each page of Scripture. In my opinion, the ESV Study Bible is the most comprehensive and best resource if you are looking for a study Bible. But I prefer my Ryrie Study Bible because I was privileged to have lunch with Charles Ryrie in 2015 and his notes reflect the theology of the Seminary I attended.

            There are two primary benefits you will find from utilizing a study Bible as you prepare to preach each week. First, it provides a solid foundation to begin your study. In a study Bible you won’t get bogged down with exegesis or textual criticism. Instead, it will orient you to the issues of the text that are important for an everyday layperson, not a scholar or a pastor. Years ago I was trying to describe how we arrive at the dates we often list for Old Testament events such as the fall of Jerusalem (586 BC) or return from exile (536 BC). I couldn’t find a clear answer when I looked through several of my commentaries and Bible dictionaries. But I found the best description of Old Testament dating from the NLT Study Bible. It described “Regnal Year” dating and “Ascension Year” dating in a simple way that no one else had covered.  A second benefit of a study Bible is that whether you find yourself at home, out for coffee, or on an airplane, if you have a study Bible and a pad of paper you can make the most of your time no matter where you find yourself.

A BIBLE DICTIONARY

The second essential tool you need for weekly sermon preparation is a good Bible dictionary. There are lots of these available from different Christian publishers. I use Unger’s Bible Dictionary. A good Bible dictionary will provide you an article on subjects in the Bible that will help you a little dig deeper than a study Bible. For example, this week I was preparing a message on Zacharias from Luke 1. I was curious for extra material about Zacharias in Scripture. I learned that there are 29 different men in the Bible named Zachariah (the Hebrew name) and that my NASB translation refers to him as “Zacharias” following the Greek form of the Hebrew name. This provided me with good expositional material for my sermon.

A THOROUGH EXEGETICAL COMMENTARY

Just as a Study Bible can help you make a lot of progress in your study toward a prepared sermon, an good exegetical commentary can get you almost to the end of your preparation. When I preached through Galatians I used the Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Baker, 2013)by Douglas Moo, when I preached through Malachi I used Malachi Then and Now: An Expository Commentary Based on Detailed Exegetical Analysis (Lexham Press, 2016) by Allen Ross, when I preached advent sermons in Luke I used the Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (Baker, 1994) by Darrel Bock. An exegetical commentary will cover textual criticism notes that are relevant to your passage, incorporate relevant Hebrew or Greek grammar, help you discern your exegetical idea and homiletical idea for the message, and point out any significant doctrines relevant to the passage. Exegetical commentaries can be very technical, so if you have not attended Seminary I do not recommend an exegetical commentary.

A MONTHLY CHRISTIAN PERIODICAL

When you preach to the same people each week they expect you to stay updated on the state of Christianity both locally and internationally. You need to be in touch not just with your people you are speaking to, but with Christians and issues around the world. Because of this, you need to regularly read a Christian periodical. I have my church purchase me a subscription to Christianity Today. It provides relevant news articles related to the Christian church in America and also summarizes some of the significant things occurring in the Christian church around the world. You’d be surprised how many great sermon illustrations or current statistics I utilize in my sermons from simply reading one Christian periodical a month. For you, perhaps your Christian periodical might be your denominational magazine (Light and Life for Free Methodists, Christian Standard for restoration movement churches, Lutheran Witness, Presbyterians Today, etc.)

A SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY

I hope that teaching Christian doctrine is a regular part of your weekly sermons. A book that covers systematic theology will help you dig deep when needed. Whether you are Calvinist or Wesleyan, get a resource that will help you expand on the theological topics that are briefly touched on in a passage, but require a more in depth examination. As Jesus closes the upper room discourse (John 13-17) Jesus prays to God the Father about his disciples, “I do not ask on behalf of these alone, but for those also who believe in Me through their word; that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me” (John 17:29-21, NASB). These verses describe the perichoresis of the Father and the Son and how that relationship between the Trinity should be a model for the people of the church too. A good systematic theology book will help you succinctly teach that vital (and complex) doctrine to your church.

A THESAURUS

When you preach to the same people each week you must bring fresh words and phrases to them. If you are not careful you will find yourself falling back into your same “go to” words, phrases, or quotes. A thesaurus will expand your vocabulary and help you find just the right word when needed. When I was preaching about how Jesus told his disciples to “go into the world” in John 17, I wanted a more vivid word to describe our “going into the world” and “being sent out.” A quick look at my thesaurus led me to the synonym “infiltrate” which was a great word that was clear and direct.

There are two thesaurus you should consider. I primarily use Merriam-Wester’s Thesaurus, but I keep a copy of Roget’s International Thesaurus at home. Each works differently. With Merriam-Webster you go to it with a word and it gives you different words to consider. With Roget’s you go to it with an idea and it gives you words to consider.

WHAT’S NOT ON MY LIST

As we wrap up our time together in this article you might be saying, “But what about. . . ?” Here are a few things I intentionally left off the list and why.

            Sermon Illustration Books. Preacher, you have lived a life full of experiences and you don’t need a book of illustrations. Furthermore, your people don’t want to hear you tell them the same story they’ve heard from their previous two pastors as well as Chuck Swindoll on the radio. Find your own illustrations. Get fresh material for your people. Don’t rely on others that have been retelling the same stories for a century.

            Logos, Accordance, or Other Bible Software. While these can be helpful, they get expensive quickly. You will pay more for those books to have them digitally than you would if you bought them in print. (If you don’t believe me, then check out Daniel Wallace’s Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics for sale on Amazon compared to Logos.) If you need to parse a Hebrew or Greek word, or want to quickly reference BDAG, then Bible software like Logos might be helpful. Otherwise invest your hard earned money in a print library.

            Someone Else’s Sermon Outline or Manuscript. Preacher, I pray you don’t copy a sermon from Rick Warren, use an outline from Warren Wiersbe, or preach from a manuscript from David Jeremiah. God has placed you in a church with His people and you should dig into God’s Word, allow His Spirit to speak to you, and bring a message that is relevant to your people.

            I preach fifty times a year at our church. While it is difficult and puts a lot of pressure on me, I know God has placed me where He wants me. These are essential tools I keep on my desk at all times to help me feed our church each week. I pray you will find them helpful too.

On my first day of high school I was six feet tall. When I went to my physical education class the teacher, Mr. Koepp, approached me and introduced himself as the freshman basketball coach. He asked if I had ever played basketball and told me to try out for the team.

            Mr. Koepp took attendance, explained the course expectations, then let us play basketball until the class was over. I grabbed a basketball and played with the other kids, but I was absolutely terrible. While I was taller than everyone else, I lacked many basic skills required for the game.

            Mr. Koepp never asked me about playing basketball again. He had a picture of what he wanted in a basketball player. A boy that was tall was only one piece of the picture. He also wanted someone who could dribble, shoot, and play defense.

            In the Great Commission, Jesus commands us to make disciples. The New Testament then paints a picture of what a disciple of Jesus Christ looks like. And as pastors we must, like Mr. Koepp, know what he picture looks like. Jesus and His apostles describe four qualities of a true disciple.

THEY EMBRACE GOD’S WORD

The book of Acts reveals the earliest events of the church. The first Christians “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching” (Acts 2:42, ESV). Several years later, while the church in Corinth had many problems, Paul praised them for studying what he gave them. “I commend you because you remember me in everything and maintain the traditions even as I delivered them to you” (1 Cor. 11:2, ESV).

            Embracing God’s word means applying what a disciple learns to his or her life. Peter gave us an example of applying what he learned. In 2 Peter he acknowledges Paul’s letters (2 Peter 3:15–17) and how we are supposed to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18, ESV). Peter and others had been reading Paul’s letters, interpreting their meanings, and applying them to their lives.

THEY EMBODY GOD’S KINGDOM

In addition to embracing God’s word, disciples embody God’s kingdom on earth. The dictionary defines embody as “to make concrete and perceptible” or to “give a tangible or visible form to an idea or quality.” Christ’s disciples are tangible expressions of Christ on earth.

            Paul tells us that “we are citizens of Heaven” (Philippians 3:20, NLT) and we “must live as citizens of Heaven, conducting yourselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ” (Philippians 1:27, NLT). We are supposed to look different than the rest of the world.

            There are many ways we should look different. We don’t participate in the evil things that unbelievers do (1 Thessalonians 4:3–7). We should be attractive based on our deeds, not our looks (1 Timothy 2:9–15). We don’t allow our bodies to be used for lustful sin (Romans 6:13).

THEY ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER

A best-selling self-help book of the 1980s started with three words: “Life is difficult.” But the Christian life is even more difficult, so it requires us to encourage one another.

            You can’t encourage fellow believers if you are absent from them. We are told to participate in community together in Hebrews 10:24–25, “Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another” (ESV). By meeting together we are able to “encourage one another and build one another up” (1 Thessalonians 5:11, ESV). And that only happens when we see one another in fellowship.

            We also need to be there for people who need someone. Widows (Acts 6:1–7; 1 Timothy 5:3), orphans (James 1:27), and the poor (Galatians 2:10; Romans 12:13) all need us. Christians sometimes resist the fact that we need other people involved in our lives. We want to be independent. But in the life of a disciple, dependence on others is essential.

THEY EVANGELIZE OTHERS

            The New Testament says some people have the “gift” of evangelism and this tempts us to leave it for others gifted in that area. But every disciple is called to evangelize others.

A disciple of Jesus Christ shares the gospel regularly. Peter tells us to always be “prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Peter 3:15, ESV).

While we might not travel thousands of miles to preach the gospel like Paul or write a letter to many people while exiled on an island like John, we must be ready to share the gospel in every situation.

            This “picture” of a disciple is what I discerned from study the New Testament. I encourage you to pray and study the New Testament to discern what the picture looks like for you and your church.

            With that I said, I have not always been a good disciple. For a period of my life I engaged in deep study of Scripture while not encouraging others who needed it. At another time I was so focused on being a good Christian that I neglected to tell others about Jesus. But the New Testament paints a complete picture of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus. Like Mr. Koepp, my PE teacher, our Lord wants people playing for His team who are well-rounded. Disciples should pursue all of these qualities: embracing His word, embodying His kingdom, encouraging one another, and evangelizing others. I pray you and me can pastor churches that develop God’s “picture” of a disciple.

We all have people in our lives that don’t know Christ. And these people often—even if they don’t admit it—have questions about God and life.

            I’m sure some of the people in your life have asked some of these questions:

• Does God exist?
• How do you know he is real?
• Why is there suffering and evil in the world if God is in control?
• If God created the world why do so many people believe in evolution?

You probably have heard those questions from time to time. Maybe privately while you were having coffee or a meal with that person. Or maybe they took the opportunity to lob those questions to you in front of a captive audience to try to embarrass you.

            And these questions are important because we want these people to know God and Jesus Christ. We want them to love God and follow him like we do. When we get to heaven these are the people that we hope are there when we get there and that we spend eternity with in heaven. And that’s why for us as believers, we need to be ready and prepared to talk with them and discuss their questions.

            In the book of John there’s a passage I like to call “Q & A Time with John the Baptist.” In this passage John the Baptist has two groups approach him and ask him questions, and we get to see the variety of answers he gives them. And as we go through this passage together I think you will notice that there are similarities between what John the Baptist was doing and what we do to engage the unchurched in our culture today.

THE QUESTIONS PEOPLE ASK

John’s Context

            There were priests and Levites that ask, “John, who are you?” These “priests” and “Levites” from Jerusalem were the guards at the temple that served as temple police. They also provided music for the temple services. They ask, “John, who are you?”  

This is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent to him priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” And he confessed and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” They asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” And he said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” Then they said to him, “Who are you, so that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?” He said, “I am A VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, ‘MAKE STRAIGHT THE WAY OF THE LORD,’ as Isaiah the prophet said.” (John 1:19-23)

            There were also Pharisees that ask, “John, what are you doing?”The Pharisees were a group of religious leaders that lived during Jesus’s time who took a strong study of the Law and made additional interpretations of it. They essentially ask, “John, what are you doing?

Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. They asked him, and said to him, “Why then are you baptizing, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” John answered them saying, “I baptize in water, but among you stands One whom you do not know. It is He who comes after me, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” These things took place in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing. (John 1:24–28)

Our Context

You and I have more in common with John the Baptist than you think. While John was pointing to Christ and he had groups of people approach him asking questions, we too have groups of people coming to us asking questions about us and our God.

            First, there are atheists that say There is nothing!” An atheist is someone that believes there is no god. He or she says, “There is nothing and I know there is nothing.” They often say “I only need science and reason, I don’t need a God or higher power. There’s no such thing as coincidence or Karma.” While their war cry is “There is nothing” the questions they often ask us are not usually questions, but are declarations: “How can you prove God exists?” “Faith is for weak people, why are you weak and need faith?” Why would you submit to a god?” Atheists often are on a mission to disprove religion and Christianity.

            Second, there are agnostics that ask, “Is there something?”             An agnostic is someone that believes there might be something. He or she says, “There is something but I don’t know what it is and I don’t think there is a way to know what it is.” For the agnostic there’s no way of knowing if there is a God or who he is.

            Third, there are apathetics that ponder, “Do I care?” These people don’t want to talk about God. They don’t really have questions except, “Why does God matter?” They don’t really care. These are some of the hardest people to talk to because you don’t have much to work with. You can’t get any traction. I remember once giving a gospel of John booklet to a friend who I regularly played golf with. I told him I thought he might like to read it and learn about Christianity. A month later I asked him if he had read it and he simply said, “no.” Then didn’t say anything else.

THE ANSWERS WE GIVE

So with a thorough examination of the people asking questions in John’s context and what three groups of people we often interact with in our context, let’s look at how we should answer people’s questions that we interact with.

Our Answers Should Be Correct

This is important because the church is becoming less and less biblically literate. We must encourage our church people to read their Bible every day, join a Bible study during the week, listen to podcasts of sermons or radio broadcasts of Bible teaching, and read good Christian books.

            If an atheist, agnostic, or apathetic person comes to us we should know enough about the Bible and God to be able to talk to them and have a conversation with them. And when Atheists, agnostics, or apathetics come to us, they want an experienced Christian that knows his or her Bible.

Our Answers Should Be Appropriate

If someone loses a child she needs love and encouragement, not a theological lesson about the age of accountability. If someone’s spouse has asked for a divorce he doesn’t need to hear a verse from Proverbs that says you reap what you sow. He needs to hear a verse about God’s longsuffering unconditional lovingkindness to his people.

            Our answers need to be short and direct (not long). They need to be reflective of what the Bible says (not just based on our personal experiences). They need to be simple (not filled with Christian jargon or words they don’t understand). Our answers should be appropriate to the person and his or her needs.

Our Answers Should Be Gentle

We need to be conversational, not confrontational. We need to be humble, not prideful. Because it is possible to win the argument but lose the person. If we are prideful, arrogant, rude, interrupt someone, and yell, but we “win” the argument we can actually lose the person.

            When they ask questions we can’t answer, instead trying to make something up, we should be able to graciously say, “That’s a good question, I’m not sure what the answer is.”

            Part of the way we give gentle answers is to describe ourselves as Christians that have faith seeking understanding. In other words, we don’t reason our way into a belief about God. But instead, it is through our faith in Christ that we learn and grow and seek a deeper understanding of God. 

CONCLUSION

People are asking questions. And we have answers that we can share with them. And when we share those answers we are like John the Baptist. We are not Elijah, we are not a prophet, and we definitely are not the Messiah. But we are a voice like John the Baptist that shares how we believe in Jesus Christ and that we know him. And as God’s voice we share with people answers to their questions that are correct, appropriate, and gentle. 

Everyone wants to be part of a friendly church. But what if there was a way you could be a welcoming church before anyone ever talks to your guests that visit your church? Here are three ways to graciously welcome guests before anyone ever talks to them.

PRINT A BULLETIN FOR THEM

 I’m a millennial but call me old fashioned for saying you should print a bulletin. Things are much easier to read on paper rather than a phone. And the bulletin printed on paper is larger than a phone as well.

            To graciously welcome your guests be sure to print a bulletin for them. Make sure the text is large enough that it can easily be read (at least 12-point font) and use a basic straightforward legible font (Times New Roman, Arial, etc.).

            List your church’s contact information, what people can expect when they visit your church, as well as your church’s mission statement and core values. This is your first chance to welcome people to your church and tell them about your church. Don’t miss this opportunity!

            At our church we print our bulletin on an 8.5×11 sheet of paper and fold it in half. The front cover of the bulletin changes each week based on the season of year of special occasion of the Sunday (Easter, Veteran’s Day, Lent, etc.). A half-sized sermon outline is printed and inserted into our bulletin each week too.           

MAINTAIN YOUR CHURCH BUILDING

Just as a bulletin helps the visitor navigate the church service, a well-maintained facility helps the visitor navigate the church building. Are the rooms well lit so that people can see where they are walking? Is the auditorium where the service is held bright enough that people can find a place to sit both before and when the service begins?

            To graciously welcome your visitors make sure the church building is clean. Is there trash in the parking lot or in the grass of the church? Did you check to make sure no neighborhood dogs have pooped in your grass in front of the church? Are the carpets cleaned? Do the bathrooms smell clean? (As a former janitor I learned that bathrooms shouldn’t just look clean, but they should smell clean too.)

            And one more thing. No one likes to ask for directions. So make sure your restrooms, nursery, kids program, and other vital areas are clearly labeled so people don’t have to ask where they are. Use big print in block letters (no fancy cursive or pretty letters) so people can easily read them from a distance.

DIRECT THEM THROUGH THE SERVICE

If you notice a few new people at church don’t be afraid to describe the order of service at the beginning of the service. As you move through the different elements of the service you might also tell them what is occurring and what will happen next. Say things like, “Welcome, Lakeview Missionary Church, at this point in our worship service we are going to ________.” Or, “Now that we have worshipped God together with music, at this point in our service we are going to ______________.” Or, “I’d like to invite Carolyn to come to the stage and read Scripture for us as we normally do before the sermon.”

            Simple ques like those give your guests signs of where the service is going and helps them know what to expect next. You can also direct people through the church service by printing the order of service in your bulletin if you prefer. That’s a little more work each week, but is helpful for guests to know what to expect as they experience your worship service.

I hope you can see that being a friendly church that welcomes visitors involves more than just talking with people. If you are intentional you can kindly welcome guests with your bulletins, church facility, and direction through the church service.

As church leaders we often we say we want to reach people with the gospel where they are, but then we tell them they can meet God at 11am on Sundays. Instead, we need to take God to them.

            A consistent online ministry is one way to “take God to people on a weekly basis. But amongst board meetings, community ministerial groups, denominational conferences, sermon preparation, and hospital visits, how do you find time to maintain an online ministry presence? As a solo pastor with no paid support staff, I have three ways that I have created and maintained an online ministry.

WEEKLY EMAIL UPDATE

Never underestimate the power of your written words to feed and nourish people’s souls. Why? Because when people read what you have written they often are inviting you into their most private moments. They read while in bed before going to sleep, they read when they are alone at lunch with a little free time, they might read your words during their devotion times in the morning.

            When people show up to church on a Sunday they have their best on display. They are dressed nicely, they have a smile on, and they want to look good for others. A wall naturally goes up when people attend church in person.

            But when people read your words at home, in their pajamas, with no makeup on, after a fight with a spouse, or a failed attempt at being a good parent, people have a guard that is down. They are willing to accept what you are saying and allow it to speak to them in a way that does not occur at an in person church service.

                        In our church I send a weekly email update to our church with an encouraging article written by me (usually 400-600 words), a list of our announcements from church on Sunday, and a list of the prayer requests.

            You might ask, “How in the world do I find time to write?” Here’s the thing. You already do a lot of writing. If you preach each Sunday you are writing every week. Almost all the articles I send to my church each week first appeared as parts of my sermon. One year after I preach a sermon I pull out my manuscript and I look for a part of that sermon that I can put into an article. I look for a good story, a significant quote, or a joke, then I tie that to the Scripture and place it in the article. Because most of my articles are taken from my sermon manuscript, most of the work is already done for me.

            I am often surprised not just that people read my articles, but also that they remember what I have written. But a weekly update with an article is one of three tools for an online ministry.

PODCAST

I hope you have someone posting your sermons as a podcast. With one upload to a podcast distributor (we use Anchor.fm) your podcast gets syndicated to as many as seven different platforms. Right now our church podcast is distributed to Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, Google Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Spotify, and Stitcher.

            While people might go to your website to listen to your sermon, they are more likely to listen if it is automatically distributed to one of these services. And if you preach on a topic that someone happens to search in those different platforms (“How do we know Jesus was God?” or “Steps to Peace with God”) they might find your sermon and listen.

            An additional benefit of podcast is that people can listen while doing other things. While driving in the car, cleaning the house, or even working at their desk. A podcast allows them to listen to your sermon online when they might not have time to sit and read an article or watch a video.

YOUTUBE

For more than a decade YouTube has been the second largest search engine in the world. Second, of course, to Google.

            While it is helpful to read an article, or listen to a podcast, video has a powerful visual element that helps you connect with your audience. When they can see your smile, hand gestures, and movements around a pulpit, it helps them connect with you and better understand your message.

            Our church posts a video of the sermon each week on our YouTube channel. Sometimes we have half as many people watch the sermon on YouTube as people that sit in the pew!

            One cool thing about YouTube is the way it’s algorithms work. When someone watches your video, then when you post a new video next week, the YouTube algorithms likely will suggest your new video for the person to watch.

            Taking advantage of the search engine reach of YouTube along with the increased capacity to convey information in visual form is something you can’t miss. And it’s simple to do. An iPhone on a tripod with a wireless microphone receiver works just fine for us.

YOUR TURN

To maintain an online ministry you need to give people something to read (an emailed article), something to listen to (podcast), and something to watch (YouTube). If a solo pastor such as myself can start and maintain these three items, I’m confident you can too!

Judah was strong, mighty, and blessed by God. But the people began to wander from God and sin. They worshipped false gods, sacrificed their children to those gods, married pagan Gentiles, and participated in prostitution. As a result God allowed king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon to conquer the city of Jerusalem in 586 BC. The temple, gates of the city, and walls were burnt down. The nation known as God’s chosen people (Exod 19:3-6), the one he had led, guided, and been with for centuries had been conquered and taken away from God’s city, country, and promised land.

Fast forward 140 years and we meet Nehemiah. While the temple had been rebuilt by Zerubbabel, the city walls were still burnt to the ground and the gates were still destroyed. So Nehemiah gets permission from the king of Persia to travel to Jerusalem to rebuild the walls and gates of the city. He arrives in Jerusalem with the materials he needs.

Nehemiah surveys the city for three days then he decides to share his mission with the people of Jerusalem (Neh 2:1). Nehemiah had not told anyone about his plans for the city. Not even the priests, nobles, or officials of the city knew why he was there (Neh 2:12-16).

Nehemiah says to them: “You see the bad situation we are in, that Jerusalem is desolate and its gates burned by fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem so that we will no longer be a reproach. . . Let us arise and build” (Neh 2:17-18, NASB).[1]

And as you may know, they did rebuild the gates and walls of the city in only 52 days (Neh 6:15).

THREE OBSERVATIONS OF NEHEMIAH’S PROCESS

1. He took initiative.

Nehemiah was heartbroken when he heard how poor the situation was in Jerusalem (Neh 1:1-4). So he took initiative to fix the problem. He asked the king if he could go to Jerusalem. He asked the king for the materials he needed to rebuild the walls and gates. He asked the king to provide protection for the travel. He went to the city. He showed the people living there what was possible. He told them how God had been so gracious to him in the presence of the king. Then he led them in rebuilding the wall.

2. He said “let’s.”

Nehemiah knew he could not rebuild the wall alone. He was going to rebuild the wall with the people. He knew that city transformation had to be done together. He invited them to join him saying “let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem so that we will no longer be a reproach. . . Let us arise and build” (Neh 2:17-18, emphasis mine). Nehemiah would work alongside them the entire time with his time and with his money. This was a cooperative effort.

3. He prayed.

Nehemiah was fervent in prayer for his mission. He prayed when hearing the news about the desperate situation in Jerusalem (Neh 1:3-4), when sharing his desire with the King of Persia (Neh 2:4), during the work in Jerusalem (Neh 4:9), and when the work was done (Neh 9:5-38).

TWO ESSENTIALS FOR YOUR MISSION

There are lots of great resources that can help you create a mission statement for your church or ministry. The Effective Church Group has two digital resources that can help you: “Developing your Church’s Mission”[2] and “Discovering Your Church’s Mission.”[3] While these are two great comprehensive resources, there are two essentials you need to have part of your mission that most people forget to include.

1. You Need to Make Your Mission Statement Short.

Nehemiah’s inspiring mission statement was short: “let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem so that we will no longer be a reproach” (Neh 3:17b). You too, need to keep your mission statement short so that the people you lead can memorize it and apply it. If you ask someone what your mission statement is and if can’t remember it, then it’s probably too long.

Here’s a great example of a short and memorable mission statement: “Our MISSION: Reaching Seekers and Building Believers.”[4]

2. You Need to Make Your Mission Statement Exciting

Show how you want to change lives and transform others in Jesus’s name. Nehemiah shared a mission that grabbed the excitement the people had for their city. And he worded it in a way that they believed they could do it

Because the people were motivated to end the disgrace they found themselves in, this mission was exciting for them. The people wanted the city back to the way it had been in years past.

YOUR TURN

I hope you can take some time to reflect on your mission statement that you have now. Is it something that excites your people? Is it short enough that they can memorize it and share it with others? Do you remember what the mission statement is for your church or ministry?

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[1] Unless otherwise noted all Scripture taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

[2] https://effectivechurch.net/store/developing-your-churchs-mission/

[3] https://effectivechurch.net/store/discovering-your-churchs-mission/

[4] Moses Lake Presbyterian: A Community Basin Church, https://www.moseslakepres.org/ Accessed February 22, 2022

Many people say Abraham Lincoln was the greatest leader the United States of America has ever had. There are four distinct leadership lessons Abraham Lincoln shows that can be directly applied to my own work in Christian ministry and leadership. The first of the four is about the necessity of reading the Bible and using it as a guide.

Keep a Bible Nearby and Read It Often

One of the three books which Mr. Lincoln often read and memorized sections of during his youth was the Bible.[1]

Later on as Lincoln became President many people witnessed that he always kept a Bible on his desk and read it often.[2] In fact, as the Civil War began and caused increased stress and tribulations he often read it more and focused on specific stories that would encourage him and help with the situations he was in. ³ In Lincoln’s Philadelphia Speech at Independence Hall in 1861 he showed what a solid biblical foundation does for a leader when he needs to stand up on an issue. Lincoln made a speech about how the “weights [of slavery] should be lifted from the shoulders of all men, and that all should have an equal chance.”[3] In the speech Lincoln also explained that the only way there would be bloodshed and war was if it was forced upon the government. Then Lincoln boldly declared his commitment, “I have said nothing but what I am willing to live by, and, in the pleasure of Almighty God, die by.”[4] One of the important things for Christian leaders is to have conviction for what they are doing that is founded in biblical principles.

Additionally, a careful reading of Lincoln’s speeches reveals that he used Bible based scripture imagery and literal quoting on a regular basis when appropriate such as “let us judge not, that we be not judged” and “the Almighty has His own purposes. Woe unto the world because of offenses; for it must needs be that offenses come, but woe to that man by whom the offense cometh.”[5]

As a Christian leader I too must read the Bible often and memorize chunks of it. To lead people in an authentic way I must know what God’s word says and use it to guide others that way. Knowing God’s verses and stories allows me to pull those out when I need them as I interact with people who are going through difficult circumstances and or I myself am going through difficult circumstances. And perhaps the greatest way to be a well formed Christian leader is allowing God’s word to marinate in my life in a way that molds and forms me into a great leader.

As a pastor I bring my Bible to the church with me each day and then take it home with me in the evenings. The Bible sits on my desk while I work throughout the day, I take it on my pastor care visits, and when I sleep at night I keep it on my nightstand near me.

As Lincoln was witnessed to always keep a Bible on his desk and to read it often, it is a leadership example that if it helped to end slavery and gave him the strength to stand up against it, then I too should do the same. Perhaps some of Lincoln’s relationship to the Bible helped him develop another leadership quality worth noting which will be discussed next: his ability to stand firm.

Stand Firm

Lincoln stood firm on many issues while president against opposition from others both within his own Presidential Cabinet and outsiders too.[6]

No greater quote can illustrate his ability to stand firm on an issue than this quote he made in 1939: “Broken by it, I, too may be; bow to it I never will. The probability that we may fall in the struggle ought not deter us from the support of a cause we believe to be just; it shall not deter me.”[7] Historians disagree about whether Lincoln’s quote is about banking or slavery. Early historians (including the pastor who read this quote at his funeral) believe Lincoln was talking about slavery, while historians as of late claim Lincoln was speaking on the topic of banking. A careful study of Lincoln will reveal that as a member of the Whig Party early in his political career (which was at the time he made this speech) meant he was in strong favor of a US bank and it is well known his stance on slavery. Whichever topic he was discussing does not matter because his steadfast commitment to both issues was the same. The only difference was the strength of opinion and belief of the American people when sought to change each issue as he rose in his political career.

Another example of Lincoln standing firm came in the context of Mr. Lincoln standing up for his wife, Mary Lincoln, when others accused her of inviting unworthy guests to the White House. Mr. Lincoln calmly responded to the criticizer that he and his wife will invite whom they please to have as company in their home and that they do not need any outside help in selecting their guests to entertain.[8]

One more great example of Lincoln standing firm was when he talked about the necessity of all men being equal when he commented, “there is no need of bloodshed and war. . . . there will be no bloodshed unless it be forced upon the government. The government will not use force unless force is used against it.”[9] But, Lincoln makes it very clear that he is the one in charge and that there will be use of force if the Confederate States decide to start a war and have a war. There are many more instances where Lincoln stood firm on issues. The most common issue which Lincoln stood firm on for many years was the topic of slavery. Lincoln believed that if it was not abolished, it should at least not be allowed to spread.

In my life there are instances where I need to stand firm, and this probably is an area where I need to have more confidence. When instances come up and situations arise that I have a strong feeling on, I need to take a position and stand firm on what I believe in. But this is sometimes difficult because I am at times scared to anger others. Learning about this quality Lincoln had helps me to realize that some topics are so important that it is okay to anger others when it leads to standing firm for what is right.

Self-Led Growth

Lincoln was a self-grower: meaning he worked hard to grow personally and professionally so that he could read, write, speak well, and lead.

In this way, he pushed himself to do what was needed to be done and he grew along the way.

The level of Lincoln’s accomplishment is amazing when considering his limited formal schooling. Several sources show that Lincoln probably only had as much as a year of formal schooling. One biographer comments on his ability to learn and grow: “He developed a confidence that he could dig into books for what he wanted, and would so repeatedly in the years ahead. And that confidence in his powers of understanding what was written on the page seems to have encouraged a broader self-confidence, in his judgment and his critical powers-let us call it a moral self-confidence.”[10]

Later when the Civil War started Lincoln himself admitted he knew nothing about military strategy, tactics, or how to win a war. Concurrent with his past history of digging into books to find the answer he needed, Lincoln began studying war tactics, maps of the South, and actively working with his military generals to the point that he was a well versed military man by the end of the Civil War.

In the context of Christian Ministry and Leadership I too must have self-led growth. Eighteen months of education in Christian Ministry and Leadership is not going to teach me all the things I must know to effectively serve and lead others. To be as great of a leader as Lincoln was, I will need to practice self-led growth by regularly reading books, attending conferences, and spending time with others who will stretch me to grow and develop.

As we will see next, Lincoln’s self-led growth will be the most important aspect that allows him to actively lead.

Actively Lead

Perhaps one of the Lincoln’s greatest assets was during the Civil War when Lincoln actively led.

Early in his presidency he said he never wanted to dabble in the military, but when the Confederates (in the South) decided they wanted to start a war in order to separate themselves from the Union (in the North), Lincoln had to lead the war.[11] He had to allow his military officers to lead but he also monitored them, which is how he was able to know when to fire them and when to promote them. Because Lincoln had to actively lead both in and out of the Civil War he was quoted saying, “As commander-in-chief of the army and navy, in time of war, I suppose I have a right to take any measure which may best subdue the enemy.”[12] And that is what Lincoln did during the military. He made trips to visit his troops, he regularly communicated with his military generals, he nervously anticipated war reports as they came in over the telegraph machine, and he fired and promoted generals based on their performance and willingness to carry out his orders. Lincoln’s habit of actively leading helped him know when he had a military general who needed to be fired and when he needed to promote someone else. Because he was actively engaged in the war studying strategy and reviewing reports on a daily basis he was better equipped to lead his nation. He so closely monitored what was going on, he knew what results to expect in the war.

The greatest description of how Lincoln actively led while President and during the Civil War is described in “Lincoln’s Personal Motives and Capacities for Reconciliation:”[13]

• Self-control and Forgiveness: His emotional balance in difficult situations was attributable to “acute self-awareness and an enormous capacity to dispel anxiety in constructive ways.”[14]
• Empathy and Cognitive Complexity: His ability to show empathy helped his political efforts and ability to forgive others.[15]
• Optimism About Others’ Potential to Change: His own ability for intellectual growth helped him be optimistic for positive change in others.[16]
• Intellectual Formation and Reconciliation Policy: His habit of reading history and biography reinforced his tendency for precedent.[17]

With these qualities, Lincoln was successful in actively leading. His self-control and forgiveness was necessary during difficult times working with military generals who would not follow orders. His empathy and cognitive complexity helped him to create a proper so called “punishment” for the Confederates (South) after the Civil War ended because he said they would not necessarily be punished, but the result of the Union (North) ending the war over the Confederates would be that they would no longer be able to have slavery.

Lincoln’s optimism for others to change is probably best shown in his original plan that showed the war ending in 90 days. One of the saddest parts of Lincoln’s assassination only one week after the end of the Civil War was that many of his reformation and reconstruction ideas and policies were not implemented. In his mind he already had many great ideas to put our nation back together after the Civil War which were not carried out to their fullest capacities. Actively leading is something I do well. I am good at casting vision and actively plotting us to get there and making progress along the way. Due to the demand to be highly organized and administratively savvy at my current job, it has helped me to develop this quality of learning to actively lead (some would call this “project management”) which I am grateful to have learned about.

Conclusion

When studying the life of a great man and leader such as Abraham Lincoln, there are many things that can be learned about leadership.

These four aspects of keeping a Bible nearby and reading it often, standing firm, self-led growth, and actively leading are great principles that can and should be applied to the life of a Christian leader such as myself.

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[1] Ronald D. Rietveld, “Was Abraham Lincoln a Christian?” Bibliotheca Sacra (January 1960): 59. 

[2] David Grubin, Abraham and Mary Lincoln: A House Divided, DVD (American Experience and PBS, 2005). 

[3] Abraham Lincoln, “Philadelphia Speech” (speech, Independence Hall, 1861). 

[4] Ibid.

[5] Ibid.

[6] The concept of Lincoln developing a Presidential Cabinet of men who often strongly opposed him on many issues is a topic so amazing that Doris Kearns Goodwin wrote a book about this topic titled, Team of Rivals: The Practical Genius of Abraham Lincoln (Simon & Schuster, 2005). In the book she specifically describes how Lincoln mastered the art of leading other men so well that he was able to assemble a Presidential Cabinet of men who mostly opposed many of his beliefs, but how in the end Lincoln was able to masterfully employ them to help keep the Union together and end slavery.

[7] William Lee Miller, Lincoln’s Virtues: An Ethical Biography (New York, NY: Vintage Books, 2002), 144.

[8] Grubin, Abraham and Mary Lincoln.

[9] Abraham Lincoln, “Philadelphia Speech” (speech, Independence Hall, 1861).

[10] Miller, Lincoln’s Virtues: An Ethical Biography, 53.

[11] Grubin, Abraham and Mary Lincoln.

[12] Thomas E. Schneider, “Lincoln and Leadership,” Perspectives on Political Science (Spring 2007), 71.

[13] Daniel Lieberfeld, “Lincoln, Mandela, and Qualities of Reconciliation-oriented Leadership,” Peace and Conflict 15 (2009): 34-44.

[14] Goodwin, Team of Rivals, 607.

[15] Lieberfeld, “Lincoln, Mandela, and Qualities of Reconciliation-oriented Leadership,” Peace and Conflict 15 (2009): 38.

[16] Ibid., 40-41.

[17] Ibid., 42.

The poor character of church leaders is killing our churches.  While in seminary I worked as a caddie at a private golf club for three years. That job provided lots of time to talk with my coworkers. Time after time they shared stories of disappointment and disgust about the church and Christians.

            They talked about TV pastors getting rich from the pennies of poor elderly women. They talked about local pastors caught having affairs with women in the church. They talked about so-called internet pastors who fancied themselves as “apologists” that could disprove evolution when the pastor had no training or knowledge of basic science.

            The poor character of the church leaders they knew about repulsed them from ever wanting to visit a church or become a Christian. We can talk about marketing tactics all we want, but until we fix the character issues within our church, no marketing efforts will work. Thankfully, the Bible gives us plenty of examples of how to be Christian leaders of good character. Some are examples to follow. Some are examples to avoid. Let’s look at one of those from the Old Testament.

Character in Genesis
Judah was outraged when he heard Tamar, the widow of his deceased son, had become pregnant because of prostitution. He demanded, “Bring her out, and let her be burned!” (Gen. 38:24, NLT).[1] What a shame to their family name! What an embarrassment for her! But this story exposes Judah’s poor character and his poor decisions, not Tamar’s.

            Judah’s firstborn son was Er who married Tamar, but Er died. So Judah had his second-born son, Onan, marry Tamar, as was customary to continue the family name and keep their land secure. But Onan died too (Gen. 38:3-10). Judah’s only living son was too young to marry Tamar, so Judah told Tamar to go live with her parents and remain a widow until his youngest son, Shelah, could marry Tamar. Although “Judah didn’t really intend to do this because he was afraid Shelah would also die, like his two brothers” (Gen. 38:11).

            When Shelah was old enough to marry, Tamar realized no arrangements had been made for them to wed (Gen. 38:14). So Tamar devised a plan. She put on a veil to disguise herself, sat beside the road, and waited for Judah. Judah thought that Tamar was a prostitute and told her he would pay her with a goat from his flock if she had sex with him (Gen. 38:14-17).

            Tamar was smart. She asked Judah to leave his identification seal, cord, and his walking stick as a guarantee that he would bring the goat (Gen. 38:18). After their night together when Judah sent the goat to the woman he thought was a prostitute, she was gone (Gen. 38:20). 

            Three months later Judah heard that Tamar had “acted like a prostitute” and had become pregnant. In response Judah demanded, “Bring her out, and let her be burned!” (Gen. 38:24). But before anyone could kill Tamar she sent the seal, cord, and walking stick to Judah saying, “The man who owns these things made me pregnant. Look closely. Whose seal and cord and walking stick are these?” (Gen. 38:25).

            Judah recognized his items and admitted, “She is more righteous than I am, because I didn’t arrange for her to marry my son Shelah” (Gen. 38:26[1] ). Judah’s poor character caused him A Godly character[2]  would have eliminated a lot of pain, shame, and heartache for Judah[3] .

Judah’s Failure

There were three significant failures of Judah’s character. First, Judah never intended to do what he said he would do. His two older sons had died. He told his daughter-in-law, Tamar, that when his youngest son was old enough for marriage, he would allow them to get married. However, the text in parenthesis provides an insight into what Judah was truly thinking, “But Judah didn’t really intend to do this because he was afraid Shelah would also die, like his two brothers” (Gen. 38:11b).

            Second, Judah didn’t maintain sexual purity. He had gone to the city of Timnah to supervise the shearing of his sheep (Gen. 38:12). While on that business trip he must have had time to spare and decided to pay for sex (Gen. 38:15-16). Without knowing it he paid for sex from his daughter-in-law!

            Third, In addition to deceit, Judah did not follow Israel’s customs to protect property ownership and family lineage. When a married man died his brother was supposed to marry the widow and have children through her (Deut. 25:5-10). Judah was scared to do this because he thought his youngest son would die like his other two sons had died..

Defining Character

In a postmodern culture sometimes we are confused about what “character” is. Lets define it. The Dictionary of Bible Themes defines character, “The moral and mental features that define a person, whether good or evil. The term also means moral strength, which Scripture regards as something to be highly valued.”[2] The Concise Oxford English Dictionary defines character as “the mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual.”[3]

            As you can see from those two definitions, character is the reputation someone has based on her actions. As Christians we want to cultivate a righteous[4]  character. Righteous character is good and ethical character that shows our love for people, as well as our love for God. One way we cultivate this type of character is by doing what we say we will do.—one that shows our love for people—as well as our love for God.[5]  We cultivate that good ethical character by doing what we say we will do. Judah failed to do this .[6] 

A Contrast in Character: Joseph

Joseph was the half-brother of Judah. As a teenager he didn’t always exhibit the best judgment. In one situation he gave a bad report to his father about his brothers pasturing a flock (Gen. 37:2). He told his brothers about a dream in which they bowed down before him (Gen. 37:5-8). (This meant Joseph would reign over his brothers.) And he also told his brothers and father about another dream he had in which the sun, moon, and stars were all bowing down before him (Gen. 37:9-11). One person told me Joseph in his younger years was “a little bit haughty,” and I agree.

            But as Joseph grew older his character got better. His brothers, in their hate for Joseph, sold him to some Ishmaelite travelers, who eventually sold him as a slave to Potiphar in Egypt.

            Joseph grew into a smart and handsome man. Joseph “succeeded in everything he did” while serving Potiphar (Gen. 39:2). Everything that Joseph did prospered (Gen. 39:3). Joseph soon found favor in Potiphar’s mind (Gen. 39:4) and he put Joseph in charge of everything that Potiphar owned. Joseph was so competent that Potiphar only decided what he was going to eat because Joseph took care of everything else (Gen. 39:6).

            When Potiphar’s wife expressed her desire to have sex with Joseph (Gen. 39:7) he refused and tried to avoid her (Gen. 39:8-10). When Potiphar’s wife was alone with Joseph she grabbed him and demanded he have sex with her. But Joseph ran away from her (Gen. 39:12)! Potiphar’s wife lied and said that Joseph had tried to rape her, so Joseph was placed in jail (Gen. 39:13-20).

            While in jail soon Joseph proved himself a faithful servant and good manager in jail, just as he had been under Potiphar. Soon the chief jailer put Joseph in charge of all the prisoners (Gen. 39:21-23). Later Joseph was released from jail and given responsibility by the Pharaoh of Egypt.

            In Pharaoh’s service, Pharaoh put Joseph in charge of his court and all the people of Egypt took orders from him (Gen. 41:40). Joseph gathered food during the seven years of good crops in Egypt (Gen. 41:47-49). And when the crops stopped producing food and the people were hungry, they all came to Joseph because he had stored the extra food from the seven good years of harvests. When famine came, people from all over the earth came to Joseph and he sold food to them (Gen. 41:56-57).

            During the severe famine Joseph’s brothers, which had sold him into slavery 13 years earlier, came to him asking him for food. Joseph told them to bring their families to live in Egypt so that Joseph could provide for them (Gen. 49:9-11). Which he did until his father died. DECISIONS THAT CAUSED JUDAH SHAME

Judah never intended to do what he said he would do. His two older sons had died. He told his daughter-in-law, Tamar, that when his youngest son was old enough for marriage, he would allow them to get married. However, the text in parenthesis provides an insight into what Judah was truly thinking, “But Judah didn’t really intend to do this because he was afraid Shelah would also die, like his two brothers” (Gen. 38:11b).

            Judah didn’t maintain sexual purity. He had gone to the city of Timnah to supervise the shearing of his sheep (Gen. 38:12). While on that business trip he must have had time to spare and decided to pay for sex (Gen. 38:15-16). Without knowing it he paid for sex from his daughter-in-law!

            In addition to deceit, Judah did not follow Israel’s customs to protect property ownership and family lineage. When a married man died his brother was supposed to marry the widow and have children through her (Deut. 25:5-10). Judah was scared to do this because he thought his youngest son would die like his other two sons had died.

DECISIONS THAT DEVELOP A BETTER CHARACTER

We need to do what we say we will do. Judah could have avoided a lot of embarrassment and shame if he would have simply done what he told Tamar he was going to do. Or if he would have been honest and told her he had no intention of marrying Shelah to her, she could have found another person to marry (see Ruth 4 for an example). But he did not. He said one thing knowing he intended to do something different. For us to be people of good character, we need to do what we say we will do.

            We need to maintain sexual purity for a godly character. Sexual purity (especially among men) is an area most of us need to guard. In their book, Every Man’s Battle: Winning the War on Sexual Temptation One Victory at a Time, the authors say, “Sexual sins are the termites in the walls and foundations of today’s marriages.” Sexual sin might be found in novels, movies, magazines, our thoughts, or how our eyes wander to places they shouldn’t. Sexual sin is difficult for everyone: men, women, marrieds, singles, young, and elderly. We must clasp Scripture to help us fight sexual sin and maintain a godly character.[7]  We can memorize these verses to help us with sexual sin in our lives: Job 31:1; 1 Cor. 6:18-20; and 1 Thess. 4:3-7.[8] 

            We need to follow God’s commands for our character[9] . As Christians in a non-Christian world people should look at us and see that something is different. Paul told the believers in Philippi that even though they lived in the city of Philippi (which was part of the Roman Empire) they were “citizens of heaven” (Phil. 1:27; 3:20). Regardless of where we physically find ourselves, living as citizens of heaven should make us look different. Pastor and author Chuck Swindoll writes, “Professors, as well as pastors, corporate leaders, and those who engage in sales, need character.[10] [CS11] ” People should see a difference in us when they look at our lives and our character.[12] 

DECISIONS DETERMINE OUR CHARACTER

Character counts. It effects our lives in more ways than we realize.[13]  If we want to develop our character we should keep Warren Wiersbe’s words close at heart, “Life is built on character, but character is built on decisions. The decisions you make, small and great, do to your life what the sculptors chisel does to the block of marble.” A good character can save us from pain, embarrassment, heartache, and shame. We saw this in Judah’s story above. Good character is built on daily decisions[14] .

Cultivating Good Character for Christian Leaders

How can we cultivate a good character for our lives?

            First, we need to do what we say we will do. Judah said one thing but planned to do something different. Judah could have avoided a lot of embarrassment and shame if he would have simply done what he told Tamar he was going to do. Or if he would have been honest and told her he had no intention of marrying Shelah to her, she could have found another person to marry (see Ruth 4 for an example). But he did not. He said one thing knowing he intended to do something different. But Joseph said he would help his brothers and he did help them multiple times (even when he didn’t have to, and when know one would blame him for not helping them). For us to be people of good character, we need to do what we say we will do.

            Second, we need to stay away from sin. Sin can be blatant gossip about others, uncontrollable anger, drunkenness, or envy of others. Judah sought sex with a prostitute while traveling. Joseph fled the sexual advances of his boss’ wife. There are several things we can do to stay away from sin. The place to start is to not put ourselves in front of temptations. If we struggle with eating a healthy diet we shouldn’t go to the grocery store while hungry. Or a better idea is to only shop at a health food store. Doing everything possible to remove temptations is the best way to start. Another way we can stay away from sin is to pick specific verses of Scripture to memorize that will help us stay away from sin. When we feel tempted we should quote that verse in memory to help us combat the temptation. Another way we can stay away from sin is to surround ourselves with healthy people that are good influences in our lives.

            Third, we need to look different. Judah was “one of the guys.” He had a business and enjoyed the luxuries of travels. Joseph stood out among everyone he was around. Potiphar, the jail warden, and Pharaoh all recognized that something was different about Joseph. As Christians in a non-Christian world people should look at us and see that something is different. Paul told the believers in Philippi that even though they lived in the city of Philippi (which was part of the Roman Empire) they were “citizens of heaven” (Phil. 1:27; 3:20). To live as a citizen of heaven while on earth means we should pray unceasingly, participate in a faith community, and provide for our family and church. Regardless of where we physically find ourselves, living as citizens of heaven should make us look different.

            Character counts for church leaders. It effects our lives in more ways than we realize.[15]  We saw this in Judah’s story above. Hopefully we can cultivate a good character and be like Joseph.

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[1] Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers. All rights reserved.

[2] Martin H. Manser, Dictionary of Bible Themes: The Accessible and Comprehensive Tool for Topical Studies, (London: Martin Manser, 2009).

[3] Catherine Soanes and Angus Stevenson, eds., Concise Oxford English Dictionary (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004).

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You did a wonderful job retelling the story in a concise and easy to follow way, well done!

What is “godly” character?

It might be nice to contrast Judah with someone else in the Bible who had good character (even if it wasn’t consistent). Maybe Abraham agreeing to sacrifice Isaac and following through up until the last minute when God told him to stop. What did this obedience produce in him? And how does growing our good character and obedience to God relate? You can add something like this further down in the article where you’re talking about decisions that develop better character.

Christian jargon – please expand in laymens terms, or in a fresh way?

Great!

Excellent!

There may be other things too. Like surrounding ourselves with healthy people that are good influences, not putting ourselves in front of temptations (perhaps Judah could have brought a friend/servant along to keep him accountable or not have such idle time on his hands, or avoided the main entrance where all the prostitutes hang out.

Your first and third points under this section are more general, and this one is very specific. Consider generalizing this section to be how we need to not be sinning to create godly character. You can still keep the content about Judah’s specific sexual sin, but can round out the section to cover more than just that, so it resonate with more readers.

What are these commands?

I’m not sure this quite flows. Why only professors, leaders, and sales people? Shouldn’t everyone? And “character” is not what we need, but specifically “good character”. 🙂

 [CS11]I deleted it. 😊

Totally agree!

I wonder if there is a way to make this more practical for our readers. How are they to develop character?

I’m not sure the “daily decisions” angle is that clear. It seems like earlier you argue that building good character is all about follow-through and doing what you say you will do. This isn’t usually a daily act that begins and ends in 24-hrs, but something that may resurface days, weeks, or months later. When Romans 5:4 says “We also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;  perseverance, character; and character, hope.” So is good character built on perseverance? And how does this relate to your description of following-through and it’s link to perseverance?

I wonder if there is a way to make this more practical for our readers. How are they to develop character?

“Our church is not for sale to the highest bidder” my senior pastor once told me. We were talking about budgeting methods and why our church used a unified budget.

He then told me a story about how he was serving in another church which had a choir. Someone in the church desperately wanted the choir to wear formal choir robes. However, my senior pastor wanted a comfortable and contemporary feel to the church and didn’t want to spend several thousand dollars on choir robes. He also wanted the choir to be able to sit with their family after the music worship time had ended (something a robe prevented), because they would have to change clothes.

When he told the woman who wanted the choir to wear robes that the church did not have money in the budget for that item she purchased the choir robes on her own initiative. She donated them to the church, then expected the church to give her a tax deduction for her “donation.”

My senior pastor, with a smile, then told me about how the Presbyterian Church a few miles away received a bunch of new choir robes. And his church choir continued to wear normal clothes. To that he told me, “We have a unified budget and our church is not for sale to the highest bidder.”

Having a culture of designated giving creates many problems for church leaders. An occasional missional fund or building campaign fund is okay. But I’ve heard of some churches having as many as 27 different designated fund accounts.[1]

Thom Reiner lists five reasons designated funds can be dangerous.

1. They circumvent the will and plan of the church.
2. They create division among the church members and leaders.
3. They create an environment where advocates of a particular ministry solicit designated funds.
4. They often come with stipulations which cannot always be followed.
5. They often hurt the budget giving of the church.[2]

In my past role as an associate pastor and now a senior pastor I believe there are six benefits for a church using a unified budget to fund ministries and priorities through the church’s regular giving.

1. It encourages people to tithe.

Any pastor knows that it is difficult to talk about giving. When you allow designated funds to be a part of your church or you allow lots of fundraisers to occur to support ministries, it discourages people to tithe to the church. Instead people learn to give to whatever they want to support within the church.

But when you promote a unified budget that means you fund ministries from people’s tithes, which encourages people to tithe. People that regularly give to the church get to see what their support makes happen and that’s encouraging to them.

2. It encourages people to trust the church and leadership.

Our culture resists following leaders. People don’t want to be told what to do and they definitely don’t want to allow other people to determine how their money is spent.

Discouraging designated giving in a church and using a unified budget helps people practice Hebrews 13:17, “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with grief, for this would be unprofitable for you.”[3]

Leading a church that has a unified budget gives them a chance to practice this verse.

3. It keeps everyone moving in the same direction.

Designated funds create a church where everyone decides what the priorities of the church should be. Paul battled this and addressed it in one of his letters written to the believers in Corinth, “Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, ‘I am of Paul,’ and ‘I of Apollos,’ and ‘I of Cephas,’ and ‘I of Christ’” (1 Cor 1:12).

In our churches today we could have people insisting they be in a “camp” and donate their money there. Examples could be: I’m with the group that believes in having Sunday School. I’m in the group that believes in having small groups. I’m in the group that believes in having discipleship groups.

How about we say, “I’m in the group that loves this church and trusts our leaders to know the best path for us to take. I’ll faithfully tithe each week and follow the direction my leaders believe our church should take.”

4. It prevents the loudest ministry leaders from getting the most support.

In an environment where people raise their own support through fundraising or designated giving, the most outgoing, charismatic, and loudest ministry leaders will get the most support. That’s a problem because they might lead a ministry that is least important to the church leadership. Or even worse, sometimes the loudest person is the most spiritually immature.

A unified budget puts the focus on ministries that the church leaders believe are important and aligns with the mission of the church.

5. It is less work over the year.

A unified budget requires less work from the church staff throughout the year.

There are less announcements to give at church because of less fundraising events. The weekly giving is easier to reconcile and process because there are no (or very few) designated donations. The church facilities are used less because you don’t have to use them for fundraising. The church members do not have to work at fundraising to support their ministries and can instead focus on doing ministry.

With a unified budget the church board works hard to plan a budget that aligns with the church’s mission and priorities. Then the church staff and volunteers simply execute that mission with the money allocated to them.

6. It is easier to write in pencil.

Everyone knows that budgets must be written in pencil. Change happens and requires us to revisit the budget we worked so hard on to prepare for the year. When the church activities are on one unified budget, it is easier to make adjustments because everything is in one place. A unified budget provides a snapshot of everything, therefore it is easier to adjust.

Unify the Budget and Unify the Church

I have heard of a few churches that use designated giving effectively. But most often, a unified budget is the simplest and most effective budgeting method for churches. Is your church for sale to the highest bidder?

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[1] Robert Dial Jr., “Transitioning to a Unified Budget – A Story,” September 14, 2016, https://www.robertddial.com/transitioning-to-a-unified-budget-a-story/#comment-2750. Accessed June 17, 2021.

[2] Thom Rainer, “Five Dangers of Church Designated Funds,” Church Answers, February 19, 2018, https://churchanswers.com/blog/five-dangers-church-designated-funds/. Accessed June 17, 2021.

[3] Unless otherwise noted all Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE, © Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1975, 1977, 1995. Used by permission.

My wife was excited to begin volunteering at a local homeless gospel mission near our home. With a bachelor’s degree in Human Development and a master’s degree in Social Work she was eager to use some of her skills to counsel, encourage, and support clients of the gospel mission. However, after my wife had explained her professional experience and ideal area for volunteering to the volunteer coordinator, she was placed in the waiting room of the gospel mission where she was supposed to “hang out” with clients and talk to them. Every time she showed up she was expected to randomly walk up to clients who were waiting to receive services and talk to them.

Do you think my wife volunteered for a long time? Of course not! She left two weeks after she realized this gospel mission was not using her skills or experience in a way to help clients.

Most of the time people are willing to jump in and help a good cause even if the work is something that is uninteresting to them. However, if you want to have volunteers stay and serve for a long period of time you have to put them in areas they are passionate and skilled.

Passions: What Volunteers Want to Do

You can find volunteers passion either by the ministries in which the volunteers serve or the task which the volunteers do.

My guess is that your church has many ministries that potential volunteers are passionate about.

For example, as an associate pastor I oversaw many ministry areas. I was in charge of small group ministries, greeters, communion servers, men’s ministry, money count after Sunday services, facility maintenance, women’s ministries, and janitorial services for our buildings. There were plenty of areas for service based on someone’s area of passion.

In addition to individual ministries which volunteers might be passionate about, you also can find tasks that volunteers are passionate about. For example, some volunteers might be introverted and love to work quietly at a desk. For these people they are happy to work folding bulletins, organizing the church food pantry, collating teaching materials,  organizing clothes for a clothing ministry, etc. Other volunteers might be extroverted and only want to do ministry that has interaction with people. These volunteers want to answer the phone, serve as greeters on Sundays, make care visits to the hospital, and follow up with prayer requests by telephone. In this manner you can match volunteers with tasks they are passionate about.

Research shows that volunteers who serve in roles that match their passion for serving derive more satisfaction and enjoyment from their service. They also are more likely to continue serving.[1]

Skills: What Volunteers Are Good at Doing

In addition to placing volunteers where they are passionate, you also need to discover what they are good at.

There are two ways to discover this. One is the use of formal assessments. There are assessments available such as Maximizing Your Effectiveness by Aubrey Malphurs, Now, Discover Your Strengths, by Marcus Buckingham and Donald Clifton, and Strengths Finder 2.0 by Tom Rath.

Sometimes assessments can be a barrier to getting volunteers involved in ministry.  Several articles in nonprofit management and leadership journals reveal nonprofit organizations have more success by limiting the assessments of their volunteers in the initial offer to volunteer.

For example, parks and recreation organizations along with forestry and wildlife organizations have found that their volunteers are most successful when they simply allow the volunteers to go out and work instead of stopping the volunteers to complete assessments, do trainings, etc.

Don’t let assessments get in the way of your volunteers doing work. Sometimes you don’t need to assess the strengths and passion of your volunteers. Sometimes you just need volunteers to do a task which the volunteers already know how to do.

A second way to assess volunteer strengths is to talk about it. In addition to formal assessments to discover what volunteers are passionate about and good at, you can also talk with volunteers to discover what they are good at.

Help volunteers identify where they might excel. When volunteers come to you they might not know what volunteer job they want to do. Furthermore, the volunteers might not even know what they are good at. Your job as the leader of volunteers is to help those volunteers discover what they are good at.

If possible, finds ways to match volunteers skills with their passions.

Don’t Go Too Far

Like most things in life, too much of a good thing can be bad. This idea of matching volunteers’ passions and skills can cause problems if it is too strict.

Someone has to take out the trash. Someone has to type numbers into an excel spreadsheet. Someone has to unclog the toilet during services on Sundays. Someone has to fold flyers and letters for the mail.

You will not be able to match the passions and skills of every volunteer perfectly. But, your job as the leader of volunteers is to do your best to discover the passions and strengths of your volunteers and to place volunteers in the positions that best matches those passions and strengths.

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[1] See Clary, E. Gil, Mark Snyder, Robert Ridge, John Copeland, Arthur Stukas, Julie Haugen, and Peter Miene. “Understanding and Assessing the Motivations of Volunteers: A Functional Approach.” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 74, no. 6 (1998): 1516-1530.

Alan came to our office each week to volunteer. I usually brought the work to him at his desk and provided instructions when he arrived. But I was busy and had already left work on his desk for him to start doing when he arrived.

            I did not know a coworker left some donor forms on Alan’s desk. She had spent an entire day carefully sorting the names and information of donor forms into a special order so that the forms could be processed into the computer. When Alan arrived and saw a stack of 200 pieces of paper on his desk (donor forms), he did what he was always instructed to do with paper placed on his desk: separate the pieces of paper that had printing on one side from the pieces of paper that had printing on both sides.

            An hour later I walked over to Alan’s desk to check on him and I noticed that he was sorting out donor forms. Alan had undone a day of work that one of our staff had done. Ouch! All of this headache could have been avoided if I had taken time to walk over to Alan’s desk and provide him clear instructions when he arrived.

            In this article I share with you seven simple steps you can follow to provide clear instructions when leading volunteers at your church.

#1. Prepare for the Volunteer

To communicate clearly with volunteers there is specific information you need to know before the volunteer arrives at your church to help.

Know what needs to be done.

What should be done first? How many things need to get done? If the volunteer finishes early, what do you want her to do next?

Know how it needs to be done.

Is there a specific process that the volunteer needs to follow? What does she do first? What does she do last? Does it matter how the task is done? Where do you want the work placed when completed? Are there any necessary safety procedures she needs to follow?

Know when it needs to be done

Provide a deadline.People like a challenge and want to accomplish something (especially when volunteering their time). Tell the volunteer when you expect the work completed.

Know who can and cannot do the work

Knowing who can and cannot do the work that you have for volunteers is difficult.

            For example, Alan (not his real name) would come to our office twice a week to help with work. He had an intellectual disability that limited the work he could do. Alan was capable of doing most of the work I needed him to do, but there were some times when he was not able to do the work. I found that I could do a “test run” with Alan. If there was a new project I was going to give to him that I wasn’t sure if he could complete, I would provide him a small sample of the work to see how it turned out.

#2. Describe What Must Be Done

Share with the volunteers what needs to be done, how it needs to be performed, and when it needs to be finished. You are conveying all of the information from step one. Tell the volunteer this information several times. You might tell her at the beginning when she arrives, as you do the work to show her, and while she does the work while you watch.

#3. Explain What Why It Must Be Done

Tell the volunteers this:

Reasons this is important.

Why does this project matter? What difference will it make? What does it provide to people in need? How did it help to serve people the last time volunteers did this work?

What will happen once it is done.

When the volunteers complete the project what happens next? Where does the finished project go? How does that finished project help your church?

What will happen if it is not completed.

This is perhaps the strongest motivator for volunteers. Share with them what will happen if the work doesn’t get done. Who will not be served? What services will not occur as a result of this volunteer work not getting done?

Connect this work to the big picture and vision of your church.

How does this small task play a role in the big picture of the entire organization? Show volunteers why this apparently menial task is vitally important to your ministry.

#4. Do a Sample.

It is not enough to simply tell volunteers how to do the work; you must show them how to do it. Here’s a simple process I have followed when instructing volunteers about how to do a task. First, go through each step slowly. Second, explain what I’m doing and why I’m doing it. Third, if the volunteer doesn’t understand, I slow down even more.

            Research shows that we five senses of learning: taste (1 percent of learning is received this way), touch (1.5 percent), smell (3.5 percent), hearing (11 percent), sight (83 percent).[1] Because we learn primarily by sight you must show volunteers what to do.

            It is better to spend extra time up front ensuring the volunteer knows how to do the work than to spend time coming back to redo the work.

#5. Watch a Sample

You are not simply watching. You are instructing, coaching, and encouraging.

            Watch more than just one. Almost anyone can get something right the first time. Watch the volunteer do the task a couple of times to ensure that the volunteer is doing the work correctly and that she doesn’t have any questions.

            Let the other volunteers who will be doing the same work watch as well. One of the best ways to instruct in a group setting is to use someone as an example, a peer that the volunteers can follow and emulate.

            Let the volunteer know that you are watching to make sure you explained everything and that you did not forget something. This is important. Most people will feel nervous to know that you are watching them. Let the volunteers know that you want to make sure that you did everything correctly.

#6. Provide Feedback

Praise the volunteer for good work done.

Find something! Anything!You might have to look hard, but find something positive to say to the volunteer. Even if the volunteer is doing the work wrong but she has a smile on her face, you can compliment her on her good attitude.

            Provide praise quickly. The legendary coach of the UCLA basketball team, John Wooden said, “One of the greatest motivating tools we have is a pat on the back. It doesn’t have to be a physical pat – it could be a smile, a nod. Everyone likes to be complimented in one way or another.”[2] Share praise and encouragement as soon as the task is done.

Accept responsibility if something was done wrong.

You are responsible for the success of your volunteers. If something went wrong it was your fault. You need to convey this when communicating with volunteers. Don’t say “You misunderstood me.” Say “I am sorry. I did not explain correctly.”

#7. Answer Questions

Some volunteers require extra communication. Yes, they will regularly interrupt your busy work day to ask simple questions or talk through a problem for which they already have a solution.

            But remember that they are here to help you. Give them a little extra time for guidance and they will give that time back to you by taking care of tasks you don’t have to do.

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[1] Donald Regeir, “Audiovisual Support for Your Teaching” in The Christian Educator’s Handbook on Teaching, edited by Kenneth Gangel and Howard Hendricks (Victor Books, 1988), 196.

[2] John Wooden, “The Quintessential Coach,” Toastmaster, Oct 2010, p. 23

I’ve been through some unique experiences in ministry. In the first church I was part of, our founding pastor of seven years announced he was resigning to become a missionary to Germany. The church had no official membership and was not ready for the founding pastor to leave. The next church I served at was recovering from a horrific death. Just before I arrived the senior pastor had been murdered inside his office at the church. At my current church, the founding pastor of nine years abruptly left one year earlier than planned. (One day I received a text message saying he was moving up the timeline that had been in place for almost two years).

Those experiences have taught me how to navigate crisis, change, and uncertainty within a church. In their book, Ministering to the Mourning, Warren and David Wiersbe write, “It’s a fundamental law of life that a crisis will bring out either the very best in people or the very worst, depending on their character.”[1] When a crisis happens, you can’t change the staff you have at your church. You’ve got who you’ve got. But, there are four things you can do to help the staff and volunteers thrive through the crisis. I call these four keys that unlock an effective staff as you navigate crisis. Let’s look at the first key, which focuses on the staff’s family.

Family Care Must Come First

Staff members cannot focus on ministry if they are concerned about their family. And by family, it’s not just a spouse and kids that need to be the first priority. It can be parents, grandparents, or grandchildren that staff worry about above the needs of the church. 

Family is a gift

In Psalms, we read that “Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from him” (Pss 127:3).[2] There is a natural protective desire we all have. We see that protective desire in Noah’s life who “in holy fear built an ark to save his family” (Hebrews 11:7). We know that children (and family) are a heritage that God has given us.

You might object, “Now is a crisis time. We need our staff and volunteers now more than ever! Especially our elders/pastors. We need them to focus on the church!” Yes, during a crisis, you need your staff and volunteers more than you ever have in the past. But, if those deeply needed staff are worried about their family, they can never focus on the ministry of the church.

Family needs trump church needs

Give staff time off to check on their families. This might be an afternoon to do a few things for their family. Or a day or two to check on parents in a nearby state.

Perhaps the staff member can still work, but those normal hours need to be from home. Or, because of kids, the staff member needs to work early in the morning, late at night, or midday while the kids are napping. Perhaps finances are an issue. Get the staff member a gift card to Wal-Mart or a grocery store so he or she can get the basic family items that are needed. Small gestures like that make a big difference.

Family is more important for good staff

Why such an emphasis on caring for family? When you selected your pastors/elders for ministry in your church, you selected them with the qualifications of 1 Timothy 3:4-5, “He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full respect. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?)”[3]

If you selected a pastor (or any other staff) correctly, then he will take care of his family before taking care of the church. So, let him care for his family. Once he knows his family is safe, then he can care for the church and staff. And that starts with the mission of the church.

Focus on Your Mission, Not Your Methods

Crisis is when you blow the dust off your church’s mission statement. Remember when you spent days at a retreat with your staff to craft that mission? If not you, then someone before you dripped sweat and tears on that mission statement to create it. Crisis is when you need that mission most because you must focus on what is most important for the church.

What is a mission statement?

Mission statements are “declarations of action”[4] They describe what you are supposed to be doing and should be the marching orders for your church.

What’s the mission of the church?

Bill Tenny-Brittian reminds churches in his consulting that their mission statement is to “make disciples of Jesus Christ.”[5] You already know the mission of the church, but here’s a reminder.

Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. (Matthew 28:19-20)[6]

Those two verses are the essence of every church’s mission.

Why focus on mission?

Why all this focus on mission of the church and ministry philosophy? “It’s a crisis” you say, “We need to do something!” In Aubrey Malphurs’s book, Advanced Strategic Planning, he outlines nine ways a mission affects the church. A mission:

• dictates the ministry’s direction
• defines the ministry’s function
• focuses the ministry’s future
• provides guidelines for decision making
• inspires ministry unity
• shapes the strategy
• enhances ministry effectiveness
• ensures an enduring organization
• facilitates evaluation[7]

As you can see, your mission affects every aspect of your staff and your ministry. With a crisis pulling everyone in different directions, focusing on a mission statement brings everyone back together.

How to implement the mission

The hot topic among churches now is how to do virtual church. Whether by choice or by force, all churches have faced the issue. YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Vimeo, etc. are among the many options.

With those options come dissension about which one is the best method. During a crisis, don’t worry about methods, focus on mission. If you think Facebook Live is better than YouTube, then go with it. If your pastor doesn’t want to use Instagram and has never heard of it, then don’t push the method, focus on the technology he will use and use it to accomplish your mission.

During a crisis, anything that helps you deliver your mission is your friend, not your foe. Your mission brings people together and having a close-knit staff/volunteers is the third key you need during a crisis.

Fasten Yourselves Together

During chaotic times you must stick close together. As a staff, this is the time to come together, not distance apart. The most difficult part of the COVID-19 crisis is that it forces everyone to isolate. We cannot meet in the same room, shake hands, pat each other on the back for a job well done, or hug in loving fellowship. If you are not careful, that forced distance can easily creep into relationships.

The Bible’s team

Remember that you are on the same team. God wants us to be unified, but God knows we naturally drift apart through conflict. That’s why he gave so many reminders for us to stick together.

God tells us to have unity.  

• I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. (1 Cor 1:10)
• Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. (Rom 14:19)
• How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity! (Pss 133:1)

God tells us we have the same Spirit:

• Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. (Eph 4:3)
• Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in the one Spirit, striving together as one for the faith of the gospel. (Phil 1:27)

God tells us we are supposed to have one mind together:

• Then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. (Phil 2:2)
• Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble. (1 Peter 3:8)

As Christians, we should be unified because we have the same Spirit and are supposed to have one mind. During a crisis, we must remember that we are on the same team.

Stay close with virtual video meetings

Knowing we need to fasten ourselves as the Christian community is more difficult than doing it. Here are practical tips that can help you.

Require video conferencing together — emphasis on the “video” part. There’s a special dynamic that occurs when you can see each other’s faces and interact. Extensive email and text messages over time cause strife in relationships. It’s easier to be rude in a text message or email because you don’t have to say what you are thinking to a person’s face. It’s also easy for people to misinterpret what is said or to read into what is said when that wasn’t meant.

I had to call my senior pastor once to clarify what was said and meant. The senior pastor, youth pastor, and I were on text messages. The senior pastor misinterpreted what the youth pastor and I were saying and responded, “Well, since you guys have a no-growth mindset, I’m going to go start a different church somewhere else.” Whoa! Hold on boss! Neither of us had indicated we had a no-growth mindset. He was misinterpreting what we were saying about how many services to add to our Easter weekend. All of that because of two text messages.

There is something special about being together that you can’t substitute. The author of Hebrews tells us, “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:24-25). Get together even if each person is at home.

Keep your meetings professional even when everyone meets from an informal location such as their home. Remind people to dress professionally, style hair, put on makeup, brush teeth, etc. Lovingly inform them it’s still a professional meeting. (One person told me of a recent video call among a boss and his employees in which one woman was making her bed, another was putting on makeup, and another wore her bathrobe.)

During times of crisis, you need to meet, even if it has to be a virtual video meeting. Use Zoom, Google Hangout, Facetime, or any other app (remember, it’s not the method it is the mission). Don’t hesitate to pay for an app or software that will help you all meet. If you were meeting at your church, there would have been money spent on lights, for a table to sit at, chairs to sit in, custodial workers to clean the room, snacks, drinks, and climate control to keep the room at a comfortable temperature. With those normal expenses to meet together in a room, it’s not a big deal to spend $25 a month on a virtual video conferencing software. It’ll be worth it.

Virtual video conferences won’t prevent conflict among your staff and volunteers. You’ll need another key to unlock that area.

Forgive and Give Grace

Do you remember doing group projects in school? The teacher would put four or five students together in a group, and you all had to work together on a project and received a group grade. There was always one person that didn’t show up for group meetings or do the work you gave him, but he still received the same grade as everyone else.

Doing ministry in a crisis is like that group project. There will be staff that don’t show up to your virtual meetings and aren’t committed to the mission, but they are part of your staff and seen as part of the church.

In normal, everyday ministry, staff must give grace and forgiveness to each other. Times of crisis require your grace muscles to be exercised like never before.

Bible Verses required for doing ministry

There are two verses I have read repeatedly that have helped me give grace to other staff members. They helped me forgive past failures of staff and the hurtful things they have said or done.

• Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. (Ephesians 4:2)
• Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (Ephesians 4:32)

For several years I wrote those two verses on the pages of my staff meeting journal. When faced with a struggle I had with another staff member, I would glance down and read those verses quietly to myself. Sometimes I would highlight them when I needed to apply them. And after highlighting them sometimes, I would underline them with a pen, further trying to get myself to apply them.

Grace

One of my favorite passages that explains grace was written by Paul to Titus,

But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. (Titus 3:4-7)

Paul tells Titus that people are saved not because of any righteous things they have done. Instead, they are saved because of God’s grace.

It is easy to slip into the mindset of “we’re doing ministry, and if you want to work here, you need to do a good job.” While there might be certain expectations that staff must uphold, remember that if our salvation is not based on the things we have done, perhaps our participation on a church staff shouldn’t be either.

I appreciate Warren Wiersbe’s description of grace, “God in His mercy doesn’t give us what we do deserve but in His grace gives us what we don’t deserve”[8] In a crisis you have to give the people you work with what they don’t deserve: grace. They might have wronged you or fumbled a project, but grace is needed during a crisis. 

Forgiveness

Forgiveness isn’t easy, but it’s necessary. Church staff need to learn to forgive each other. And during a crisis, the need for forgiveness increases because everyone is under more pressure and is more stressed. Mistakes get amplified, words can carry more meaning, and we can take things personally that we normally wouldn’t let affect us. In his book, The Making of a Disciple, Keith Phillips writes, “Forgiving others is a hallmark of the Christian faith.”[9] As the hallmark of our faith, church staff need to model and practice forgiveness for others. We are professional forgivers!

Grace is risky

“But Christopher, you don’t know who I work with!” Here’s the important thing about grace: you give it when it’s not deserved. In Seminary, I was taught that grace is “God’s unmerited favor.” Catch that important word in the middle—unmerited—it’s not something that another person deserves. And because of that, Max Lucado says that “grace is risky.”[10] People might abuse grace, but that’s okay because it is still something you give regardless if someone deserves it or not. If you’ve done ministry for any length of time, you learn that grace is required.

Doing Church in Crisis

I’ve been in a few churches navigating crisis and conflict. The churches survived and thrived because we knew that a crisis required change. These four keys unlock an effective staff in crisis: family must be a priority, focus on mission, not methods, fasten the staff together, also forgive and give grace. Those four keys will unlock your church from the damage that a crisis can cause and open the door to strengthen your staff, volunteers, and church during these difficult times.

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[1] Warren and David Wiersbe, Ministering to the Mourning (Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2006), 145.

[2] All Bible translations are the NIV (2011) with italics added by author.

[3] We also see the other end of this qualification later in Paul’s letter to Timothy, “Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (1 Timothy 5:8).

[4] Gary Collins, Christian Coaching, 2^nd ed.(Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress, 2009), 173.

[5] Bill Tenny-Brittian, “Why Most Church Mission Statements Aren’t Effective” on The Effective Church Group. https://effectivechurch.com/why-most-church-mission-statements-arent-effective/ Accessed April 9, 20202

[6] Also see Mark 16:15; Luke 24:45-49; and Acts 1:8.

[7] Aubrey Malphurs, Advanced Strategic Planning, 3^rd ed. (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 2013), 106-109.

[8] Warren Wiersbe, The Delights and Disciplines of Bible Study (Colorado Springs, CO: David C. Cook, 2018), 191.

[9] Keith Phillips, The Making of a Disciple (Old Tappan, NJ: Revell, 1981),  63.

[10] Max Lucado, In the Grip of Grace (Dallas, TX: Word Publishing, 1996), 81.