Key to Fruitfulness- Dreaming of More in 2015

As we look toward a New Year and reflect on the old, I find myself talking to Father often, asking Him to speak to me, to bring revelation and guidance. I find myself asking Him questions like:

-what did you think Papa about last year and how it went?

-what foundational lessons did you teach me last year that you want to build on in the New Year?

-what is my particular assignment from you for 2015?

I'd encourage you to also be asking Him questions and listening to His voice during this season.

This morning I read a quote in a book I try to read once a year. Its called Strengthen Yourself in the Lord, by Bill Johnson. I'd like to share a quote with you from it today. He writes, “As we agree with the revelation of who He is, the reality of who He is begins to flow into our lives and transform us into His likeness. All fruitfulness in our lives flows from this place of intimacy with the Lord.” (Underlining mine).

I think this is a powerful statement worthy of reflection and application. As we press forward for Greater Fruit and Supernatural Increase of His Kingdom among the unreached, we must remember this so very important truth. All fruitfulness will flow from intimacy with Him.

Our greatest goal as we look to the New Year MUST BE to grow in our revelation and understanding of Who He is, and for that reality to flow into our lives as we become more like Him day by day. All fruitfulness in our lives and ministry will come from that.

So how will we measure that growth in both revelation and the effects of that revelation? How will I measure my growth in understanding His goodness and mercy and love for me? How will I be able to see if a revelation of that is transforming me into a person who is full of goodness, mercy and love?

What proactive steps can I take to grow in revelation of Him and in intimacy with Him? What priorities will I need to have? What boundaries will I set or what will I say "no" to, in order to keep this goal and desire in the forefront of my life?

I want 2015 to be the year of the greatest fruitfulness my life has ever seen. Why not? I also want it to be the happiest, most joyful year, where I thrive in my spirit and soul like never before, where I am the most full and have the most to give away and to overflow to others.

It all comes down to how much Im willing to prioritize and protect my intimacy and love relationship with Him. 

 

What about you? What are you hoping for, dreaming of in 2015? Lets dare to dream with Him for Greater Things, Greater Fruit, More of His Kingdom in Us and flowing to others through us.

Recognizing Glory

As we have pursued God’s promise of a Supernatural Increase among the unreached of South Asia, its been on a journey of learning to recognize His glory, His Presence and what He is doing in and around us.  This morning, I meditated once again on the wonderful Christmas story found in Luke chapter two.  Luke 2:9-12 says “Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them.  They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people.  The Savior- yes, the Messiah, the Lord- has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”

In these few verses we see two different invasions of Heaven to Earth. One very dramatic and hard to miss, and one that could easily have been missed (or misinterpreted) by the average person.  The angels appeared to the shepherds- Wow!  That was glorious and powerful!  It was stunning and dramatic!  Not something you could easily miss.  Yet, even in this dramatic visitation of glory, they could have ignored it and disobeyed.  They could have given in to their fears.  This invasion of Heaven into Earth required faith and action from them.  They needed ears to hear, eyes to see, and a spirit ready to obey- to “Go and See” what God was doing.

The other, the undoubtedly Greater invasion of Heaven to Earth came in a more disguised package.  A baby in a manger, an outcast family who couldn’t even find a simple room in an inn.  No host of shiny angels singing there…just a simple family, in very humble circumstances, even in need.  Verse 7 says “She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.” Interesting isn’t it?  The reason they were there, the reason she laid him in a manger was because of an apparent lack of provision in their lives.  Yet, this was the very thing that God used as a sign to mark His involvement, that He was at work, that this was His incredible miracle.

The manger was the place of much greater glory- the Son of God himself had come to Earth.  The shepherds were given this humble sign to look for in order to recognize God’s Glory, this amazing thing that He was doing.

Heaven invasions, Glory coming to Earth… it comes in different packages.  It’s not always easy to “see” unless we are truly watching and listening, aware of the signs we are given, watchful, and obeying the promptings of God’s Spirit.  My prayer for us this month is that we would recognize His glory, experience His Presence, follow His promptings, having eyes to see the signs of His work on earth and in the people around us. 

What signs would He give you to watch for, to recognize His glory in someone’s life and see what He is doing there?  The signs may be spectacular or easy to miss.  You may get Angelic messengers and visitations. Or they may be unusually simple things, like a baby in a manger. 

Lord, help us to recognize you, to recognize your Glory at work in the lives of those around us as we share your good news this month.

A Serious But Subtle Sin- Giving Glory to Strategies

Over the past few years, God has been re-awakening in us a hunger for His Presence. There is nothing like His glorious Presence to bring life, renewal, growth, power, healing, joy…fruit.  I hope that in the past few years your desire, like mine, for more of His Presence has been growing.

This morning Im once again contemplating the calling on our lives, on our mission to see Supernatural growth and increase.  What hindrances still remain in us, in the way we think, in what we believe, in what we are doing, that are preventing a greater outpouring of God’s Spirit upon us?  What could still be blockages in us, things that prevent the flow of His power, anointing, and favor?  I know it is possible in God, to see exponential increase.  I know it is God’s will for His Kingdom to grow in that kind of way among the unreached of South Asia. 

I think it is important that we continue to ask the Holy Spirit to highlight things in us that need to change.  This morning, and the last few days, I’ve been thinking about the subtle, but serious sin of idolatry.  Im quite sure if you are reading this you are not regularly bowing down to idols.  But what is idolatry really?  It is giving glory to anything other than God.  Giving the praise and worship He deserves to something other than Him.

I’ve been wondering if we sometimes do this.  I’ve been wondering if we may sometimes start out with the right desire- to see His Kingdom grow and see rapidly multiplying churches.  But if somewhere along the way, we start to believe that it is our methods that will work to bring this about.  We start to believe that what we need is to understand more about T4T, or a better use of story telling, or for churches to be more participatory, or more contextual.  We think: if these things would happen, then we would see the growth we long to see.

This is a subtle, but serious lie and perhaps yes, even a sin we can fall into.  Now I'm not saying that these things are bad or that we don’t need them.  But if we start to give glory to the method, instead of to the God who has filled that method, given life to it and used it, then we are in danger of idolatry.  God will not bless or use that method like He could, until He can trust us that if He does, He will get the glory, not the method. 

If God really started to bring His life, favor and anointing upon the particular way you are doing things, would you stand in awe of Him, worship and thank Him? Or would you use that as a way to prove to others that what you’ve been saying works all along really does?  Who gets the glory if you see fruit…supernatural growth? God? You? The method?

These are important questions to seriously ask ourselves. We must examine our hearts.

I wonder if God sometimes actually withholds his anointing on certain “good methods” because He knows that if He uses them, they will become an idol in our lives.  To protect us from this sin and the separation from Him it will cause, in His kindness maybe sometimes He doesn’t bring fruit through them.

We have also been on a journey of learning what it means to honor others and what it means to create a Culture of Honor.  Paul Manwaring says that honor is when we recognize the glory of God within another.  We are able to honor others, because we can see God’s glory upon and in them, even if they are not believers.  They are still made in the image of God, his creation.  So when we honor them, we honor Him.

The same is true regarding methods.  I’ve become very careful about condemning other methodologies that don’t seem to me to be very wise or good.  This used to be quite acceptable and frequent among us.  We would condemn things like mass crusades, or passing out tracks, or TV evangelists…or yes, traditional “elephant” churches.  These days in my heart I feel a great caution about doing this.  Why?  Because my wonderful God has chosen to use those things sometimes, to fill those things with His life, His glory, His power.  I want to honor them, because I honor Him.  I want to honor them, because they (many times, though not all the time) have been carriers of the glory of God.  When I speak with disdain for these things, I am telling God I am bigger than He is, wiser than He is, and I know what methods or vessels He really wants to fill.  How ridiculous of me!  No, God delights in using the foolish things of the world to confound the wise.  Why?  Because He alone is worthy of the glory.

Does this mean that strategy and methods don’t matter?  Does this mean we should just throw out all our efforts to see a change from traditional methods to more organic ones?  No.  It doesn’t. 

What it does mean is that we must commit ourselves deeply, at a heart level to recognizing that when God, in His goodness, begins to work through a method (be it contextualization, storying, T4T, or even a mass crusade) it is Him who deserves the credit and glory for what He has done.  If lives are changed, if His Presence is there and experienced, if any kind of Kingdom Advance happens, He deserves the glory, the praise and the awe He is due.  Lets once again commit ourselves to worship, praise and give glory ONLY to Him.  Lets once again commit ourselves to be people who honor others because they carry something of the glory of God.  Lets rejoice in everything God is doing, and commit to worship Him when He places His favor upon our strategies, or even upon methods or strategies we thought would never work. J

Lord, keep us free of this subtle sin.  Make our hearts devoted to you alone.  And may you enable me to always give only YOU the glory for the great things you do in bringing your Kingdom to this world.

He Waited 14 Years to Hear About The Message of the Cross

God is planting His Kingdom in hearts, it is ripe and waiting for us to reap the waiting harvest! I heard a story today from one of of the church planters I coach regularly.He told of a man who went to a festival and wanted to buy something to help him worship. All around were many gods, idols and images.  He saw a cross there along with the other images. He decided to buy it.  When he brought this home, many friends and relatives around him asked him why he had bought it and not another kind of image. He replied "I don't know. I just wanted to have this."

Two months ago, 14 years after he had purchased the cross, a follower of Jesus visited his home, saw the cross and asked him if he knew the meaning of this symbol. When he heard the message of the cross for the first time, he was so happy to know the God he had been praying to! He invited Jesus to be His Savior and Lord.  Soon he chose to become a disciple of Jesus and fully follow this God He had prayed to, but now KNEW in a personal way. How many more wait to hear the story we have to tell??? God lead us to them and give us boldness to share your amazing good news with those waiting to hear!

The Harvest is truly RIPE. Laborers are few, and the laborers that are in the harvest are sometimes timid or discouraged.

We want MORE! Of what?

More people or more ministries does not automatically equal more fruit or more effectiveness or an increase of the Kingdom.  Lets not ask how can we increase ourselves, but how can we see an increase of His Kingdom?

It is automatic for us as humans to think that pursuing More in God means an increase of what we are already doing.  When we say we want to see more happening, it is our reflex to think of more programs, more schools, more staff, more teams, more money, etc.  We think of having more of what we already have or doing more of what we are already doing.

It is crucial that we shift our mindset away from this kind of thinking.  We need to ask a different question of the Lord and of ourselves if we want to truly see Supernatural Increase of God's Kingdom in our lives, ministries, cities, people groups, and nations. God's math is often very different from ours.  Our math says "work twice as much= twice as big a harvest".  God's math says "work less and rest more= greater fruit and harvest".  Our math says "Run more trainings= more workers." God's math might say "Train different people in a different way= more workers than you can imagine!"

Its really crucial in these days as we are asking Him for MUCH MORE and for Supernatural Increase, that we also ask Him what exactly He wants us to be doing, changing, and especially doing more of.  Sometimes the best thing you can do to increase a harvest from a field is to let it rest a season and not plant there at all.  Sometimes the best you can do is to plant a different crop there.  What is the Master Harvester telling you to do to see the release of Greater Fruit?  What is He telling you to start believing and declaring in faith? What is He telling you to tear down or stop doing?

God INDEED wants to bring much more Kingdom fruitfulness and transformation across the world and in South Asia.  He is very busy and at work doing this!  As we listen carefully and partner with Him, as we are careful to only do what the Father is doing and only say what He is saying, as we listen and obey, we WILL see an amazing Increase of the Kingdom! First in our lives, families, disciples and churches.  It will then overflow and not only touch but transform the communities, cities and nations in which we live.

Lets remember, MORE KINGDOM does not mean MORE effort or MORE of the same. Lets learn God's math and see how He multiplies in ways beyond what we can dream of.

Leading "Want to" meetings vs. "Have to" gatherings In YWAM

Have you ever thought about how weird it is that YWAM is an organization known by outside people as "Youth with a Meeting" and has more meetings, conferences, trainings and LTs than any other organization around? And yet, I have only met one or two people in YWAM who say "I love meetings!"  Most others I hear talking about this say "I hate meetings" I'd much rather be out in the field doing ministry.

So why do we do this?  Are we stuck in our "Have to" gatherings?  What would it take for us to change our behavior as an organization and become a group of people who attend things because they really, really want to, and because they believe God is leading them to be there and a part of that meeting?  (If this isn't an issue for you and you always want to go to every meeting you go to in YWAM, please stop reading now.  You have my admiration and congratulations!) Maybe its just me, but I feel like I'm regularly both leading and attending "have to" meetings.

It may take some pretty radical actions from us a leaders to see our organization change from a Structure of the Law (read; control, have tos, should, I will be mad at you or disappointed with you if you don't), to a Structure of Grace (read; freedom, want tos, pursuing God given desires and I will bless and love you even if you don't do what I think is best).

I'd love to see us experiment with some things related to this, by having "want to" leadership meetings where we tell people, only come if you feel it will help you to come and you really want to be there because you feel God's given you something to contribute and/or learn there.  We'd love to have you, but you are totally free to choose whether you attend or not.  If you ARE coming, I'd love to hear what God's telling you to give at this gathering, and look for ways to include that in what we do.

What if we just cancelled our regular, routine, structural meetings completely and only gathered when we know God is saying to?  And what if when we gathered, we only asked people to come who also felt this from God?

I'm guessing that these kinds of changes would bring about an incredible increase of Anointing, God's Presence, and a Release of the Power of His Spirit in those times.  I'm guessing that we would have a lot more ownership and contributions from people in the meeting and they would flow in their varied gifts so the Body there, be they 3 or 3000 would function more like a body.

I'm curious what would happen if we had the courage to try leading "Want to" meetings.

Anyone want to give it a try with me?

 

Living from Fullness Rather Than from Empty

This morning I'm remembering something that happened to me a few years ago.  We had been on a long trip, traveling as we so often do by the Indian rail system.  Our train had been delayed and we arrived into our own city very late at night.  We finally reached there and got a taxi to go to our home.  It must have been around midnight.  We got into a taxi, bargained for a price and headed home..the final leg of a long journey. A few minutes into the ride the taxi driver stopped at a shuttered store front got out and started banging on the front of it.  “What in the world are you doing?” I asked.  “I need petrol” he said. It wasn’t even a proper petrol pump!  They didn’t have any so we crept along hoping to find a place to get petrol so we could go forward and make it home.  We finally found a station that was open, got a liter or two of petrol and made our way to our destination.

This made me think.  How often am I like that taxi driver?  How often do I do ministry, or “pick up passengers” running on fumes or running on empty?  If you’ve lived in South Asia at all, you know that this is the way taxis, autos and most people function.  They always have a mostly empty tank, and just put in a few liters at a time.  They operate from emptiness rather than fullness.

In these days, I believe God wants us to change our spiritual paradigm.  He wants us to become people who operate from FULLNESS in Christ.  Lets look a moment at a passage from Colossians.

Colossians 2: 6-9  So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, ⁷ rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.⁸ See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces^[a] of this world rather than on Christ.⁹ For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, ¹⁰ and in Christ you have been brought to fullness.

Say that last phrase to yourself today- “in Christ you have been brought to fullness.”  Declare it over your life, over your team, over the people you have been discipling- “In Christ, you have been brought to FULLNESS!”

We as church planters and busy leaders are often tempted to run on empty.  To only go to the "petrol pump" long enough to get the liter we need to make it to the next destination.  This may lead to some fruit, but it won’t lead us to abundant fruit or abundant life!  Take time to go to Him today and receive FULLNESS. You may not feel full, but chose to believe His Promise- In Him you ARE brought to fullness.  This is your inheritance and your destiny from the Father!  Lets live it and lets give it away.  No more emptiness, we live and walk in Fullness because Christ lives in us!

How to say "No" with Honor and Respect

How to say a Powerful “No” with Honor, Respect and Freedom

We are often faced with choices and put in situations where we end up doing things because we are supposed to or attending meetings or functions because we feel we should or are afraid that if we don’t, we will make others unhappy or they might feel bad. 

First, doing things because we are supposed to, should or are fearful of others reactions are not healthy motivations in us.  Nor do they lead to fruitfulness.  They come from a bondage to a religious spirit and to the law, rather than the Spirit of God who brings us freedom and the new covenant of grace.

So how do we say “no” to those things and the pressures others put on us to do or be what they want and expect us to be?

I’ve faced this in my life and in my organization a lot.  Its always been a weight on my shoulders.  My heart deeply desires to honor and respect my friends, colleagues, and organizational family.  I want to serve and bless others and really hate being a cause of others discouragement or pain.  I’d like to suggest some ways we can say “no” with honor, whether it be to our family, or friends, or leaders and colleagues. A way that we can live a lifestyle that is powerful and calls others to be powerful people who release others to live freely in God.

When faced with a request to attend something or participate in something that isn’t on your heart and isn’t your primary focus or calling, you could respond this way.

Thank you so much for all you are doing and the heart you have for this area.  Im really blessed by your life and leadership and passion to see God’s kingdom come here.  Im really excited about the things God is doing in and through my life too.

In regard to your request, would you be willing to release me to choose if I want to come to this or do this without any fear of whether or not you will agree with my decision?  In the spirit of our values, would you be willing to trust me to listen to God for myself, and weigh those things you’ve invited me to join in on, with the priorities God is giving me as I listen to Him about my life? I’d really like to be released by you to say yes or no to this without being afraid I will disappoint you if I don’t do what you want me to, or if God leads me another direction.  What do you think? I’d really like to be the kind of leader who gives people freedom to hear from God and do what He is saying and prioritize what He is asking them to prioritize.  I know you want to be that kind of leader too! 

If we are going to see abundant harvest and supernatural increase, we MUST move closer to being like Jesus and only doing what the Father is doing and only saying what the Father is saying.  We must break free from our bondage to the shoulds and supposed tos and walk in the freedom and lightness of only carrying the yoke He gives us, as He walks beside us making it light.  This action of saying no is the action of a powerful person who sets boundaries and doesn’t allow others to control them with guilt or manipulation.  We can do this with honor, kindness, humility and respect.

Some leaders will respond well to this and be blessed.  Some will react and get angry.  That is okay.  We are not responsible for their reactions, they are.  We are only responsible to be honorable, and faithful to the calling and directions of our Papa.  This is where we will see his blessing, anointing, and will walk with joy, freedom and see the dreams He has put in our hearts come true. And, this is how we will be a great blessing to our organization too!

Naked and vulnerable- with who? Circles of Access & Intimacy in a Leaders life

Circles of Influence, Intimacy and Access.  What does it mean to live an authentic, transparent life as a public figure in ministry?  Who do you share what with?  Is it appropriate for everyone to know the deep challenges you walk through?  Is it somehow false or wrong to “keep secrets” or not reveal the whole truth about a struggle you are facing?

How do we as public ministry figures maintain high integrity, guard against hypocrisy and keep the gap between "the real you" and "the image/projected you" narrow?

Authenticity and transparency are important hallmarks of humble and powerful leaders in the Kingdom.  It is out of the reality of our struggles,valleys and the victories fought and won there, that we speak with authority our life messages to others- whether before a crowd or in a one on one mentoring time.

What has helped me a lot in this area has been understanding the concept of circles of intimacy and access.  The greatest intimacy and access to our heart, thoughts, emotions and truest feelings, the person in the most inner circle of our lives, the core, is our Lord.  Having an authentic, open, real relationship with him, where we feel free to tell him exactly what we think, feel and are experiencing, and to listen to His voice in that place, to cry on his shoulder, and receive his comfort... this is the place of greatest “nakedness” in our lives.  No one should have greater access to our hearts and our deepest “secrets” than Him. We meet with Him in that place of absolute honesty, naked and without shame, in our very worst and very best of times. Only Jesus is worthy of this level of access and only He can provide for us the level of unconditional love and acceptance needed for this kind of “exposure.”

The next circle out includes best friends or a spouse.  This person knows what is happening in our lives and we chose to be real and honest and “emotionally naked” before them, sharing the reality of our life and current struggles with sin, with God, with people, even with ourselves.  This is a place of great privilege, deep intimacy, trust and openness.  Sometimes a counselor walking with us in a crisis, may be given this level of trust as well.  These people have greater access too.  They are the ones who can walk into our office without an appointment, who we take time to communicate with on a daily basis, etc.

The next circle is a place for family or the closest of both mentors and disciples.  Again, we give greater access and information to them and we expect a higher level of communication, reciprocity in relationship, and we are willing to invest highly here. We share deeply who we are and what we are going through as well as giving them the same opportunity to do so with us. 

Family members and those you work with on a regular basis may be included in the circle mentioned above or they may not.  This depends on the relationship, commitment and primarily on the level of trust and reciprocity you experience.  When trust is broken, you may decide to remove someone from the inner circle and they may no longer have the privilege of the same access and intimacy they once were given.

The circles continue outward, with lessening levels of access, intimacy and information until it reaches the circle of the public you speak to in crowds, and finally to the level of strangers or even “enemies” or those who oppose what you stand for and are striving for.  With those in the outer circles, you are still real, honest and authentic, but you are selective in the level of exposure of yourself and more guarded in what you feel is appropriate to share with them.  This is part of what Jesus spoke of when he said to be as wise as serpents and as gentle as doves. 

It is critical in the lives of leaders that we work hard to stay authentic, open and real and to have people in those inner circles of access and intimacy- places where we are able to share our deepest pain and struggles.  And it is critical, yes, essential, that in our walk with God, we reach and maintain a level of intimacy and access with him where we can be absolutely naked and without shame before the God who loves us with a love that no human being can replicate or replace. 

But we do not need to feel guilty, or “false”, when we deny access to information about ourselves, or do not share the details of our lives with those in the outer circles.  It is as unwise to share too much with those people as it is to walk naked through the streets. You are opening yourself to abuse and problems if you strip yourself before them.  Its okay, and it is prudent, to be wise.  It is also necessary to deny free access of your time and energy to those in outer circles.  Though you may love them and care about their needs and issues, if time and energy flows to the outer circles, it will be taken away from those who you need to give to.  Time and energy are limited resources.  Never feel bad about saying “I don’t have time or energy right now, I’ll check my calendar and get back to you” with those who are not in your inner circles.  Even, in crisis situations, we can not let them intrude into our lives in a way that robs those who deserve our time, attention and energy from getting what they need and deserve from us.  When we do so, we will pay a price and the quality of intimacy and relationship with God and those closest to us will suffer. 

I wrote this, particularly to answer a question that came from my son.  "Why, mom, do you sometimes ask me not to share things you’ve said with others? I don’t like keeping secrets."  It’s a fair question.  Its all about access, intimacy and levels of exposure to those we’ve given that privilege to.  My children are in a closer circle than many others.  They pay a price for this in having to be cautious in what they say and share about with others.  They bear a responsibility that comes with high levels of trust being given to them.  My son is only 17.  I need to be careful not to give him more than he can bear.  At the same time, as I share deeply with him, he has a opportunity to grow and learn what many of his peers do not.  He has an opportunity for intimacy with me as his mom, and that is a gift I'm offering him.  How he treats that gift will determine what circle of intimacy and access he will be granted and we will enjoy together.

Often our kids have thanked us for being willing to be open and real with them about our challenges and our struggles.  What they are really thanking us for is trusting them with intimacy.  Its in the most intimate circles of relationship that deep discipleship happens, both in our lives and those we influence.

 

Source of image above: http://sheridanrichards.com/this-theme-of-intimacy/

Be careful, be wise, be vulnerable, pursue intimate and real relationships.  Keep secrets. Share secrets.  Be real.  Be authentic.  Be discerning.

Manage and regulate your energy and time and give it most to those who have earned that place and where you know the investments you make will bring great returns.  You’ll find as you do this your overall circles of influence will widen and many will be touched and changed by who you are and the impact you have.

Short term teams and a Culture of Honor

Short term missions trips.  They've certainly become a popular thing to do.  They can be life changing experiences for sure!  On short term trips, when we are out of our own context, we often have opportunities to do things we struggle to do back home...like preach in the street boldly, share the gospel, love the poor, demonstrate servant hood and generosity.  These experiences done in the context of the high level community a short term team usually has with one another, often brings true life change and transformation. For those who go.  But what about the aftermath of their visit? Are these trips truly a blessing for the hosts?  Or are they something long term people or local hosts feel obligated to do in order to receive ongoing financial support for their work? 

It is vital that we not approach short term missions with an attitude of "What is in it for me?" Dare I ask you that question? "What IS in it for you?"  Are you going on this trip because you want to feel good about yourself, feel like you did something humanitarian and noble in the midst of your materialistic lifestyle?  Is it because when out of your context, you are more bold than at home and you want to go home with a story of some crazy and amazing way God worked through you?  We need to examine our heart motivations prior to short term trips. It is also crucial that we not see ourselves through ethnocentric glasses, or from a perspective of superiority to the local people.  See my friend Jean Johnson's book for more on this http://www.amazon.com/Are-Not-Hero-Missionarys-Dependency/dp/1937756459. Sometimes I wonder what might be different if short term teams took time to consider what a "Culture of Honor" looks like in how they interact with local people, be they the national hosts, or those they desire to reach or touch with Christ's love.

A recent film that is being widely promoted in some circles showed a short term team going into a very important religious site, playing a guitar and singing a song against the advice of the local hosts.  This film depicts this action as bold, courageous, an action of faith and risk and seems to imply that this is what is really needed on missions trips to see God's Kingdom Advance.  Sadly, this action while indeed bold (and many would say unwise and very dishonoring to those of Hindu faith) may not result in positive fruit or impact but may actually create walls and barriers in the hearts of Hindus toward Christians, and consequently affect their openness to the gospel.

What does it mean to live out a Culture of Honor on a short term missions trip?  Let me give you a few of my thoughts for your consideration.

1. First, it means honoring and showing respect for the local people who are hosting you and listening to their advice and input about what is safe and wise to attempt to do.  While there may be things you feel the Holy Spirit is leading you to do, or things you think would be "really awesome and incredible" to do, be very careful not to let your love for crazy adventure cause you to put your local hosts in danger by your unwise actions.  Remember that most local people are in a lower "power position" than you are. (See Sarah Lanier's book for more on this;http://www.amazon.com/Foreign-Familiar-Understanding-Climate-Cultures-ebook/dp/B0040JHQVS/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1412874547&sr=1-2&keywords=Sarah+Lanier) Due to your wealth and education and the fact that you are their guest,  it is difficult for them to tell you a contradictory opinion and especially hard for them to say to you "no, please don't do that." This puts the full responsibility on you to honor them by really seeking for them to share their honest and experienced opinions with you rather than discounting them as foolish and faithless.  Remember that your reckless actions could lead to long term persecution for them as well as long term set backs in a ministry they have worked for years to establish. You are there to serve them, come alongside them, and learn from them. 

If for some reason you really feel the Holy Spirit is leading you to do something they don't seem excited about, pray about it with them and submit it to them.  Then trust the Holy Spirit to confirm that in their hearts and give them the same level of conviction and boldness he has given you.  Let them own the decision and be part of it.  Then, if there is backlash in persecution or spiritual warfare after you leave, they will have the grace and be prepared for it because they too heard from God that this was His leading.  This is living out a Culture of Honor and respect for your local hosts.

2. Second, show sensitivity and honor to the culture and religious sentiments of those you are attempting to reach or impact.  Many devout Hindus, Buddhists and Muslims are very sincere in their efforts to do what is right and to please god.  These cultures highly value respect for religious sites and religious leaders.  Be very careful to honor this and not desecrate their religious sites, causing unnecessary offense.  Singing praise Jesus songs on the top of religious monuments or inner sanctums, does not open the hearts of those from other faiths.  Instead, show respect for their beliefs and efforts to live in accordance with the religious truths they have been taught.  Recognize them as God fearers and start where they are at.  Engage in a dialogue about your faiths and show genuine interest in what they believe and why, rather than condemning it. Ask them key questions rather than tell them why your religion is better than theirs. (See Any 3 book by Mike Shipman for an excellent resource on how to use questions in your evangelism approach. http://www.amazon.com/Any-3-Anyone-Anywhere-Anytime-Muslims-ebook/dp/B00BAZ1HEC/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1412874871&sr=1-1&keywords=Any+3 )

This will lead to open hearts and they will also be more than willing to hear what you have to share and about your amazing journey of life with Jesus.  Honor doesn't trample on other's sentiments and the things they hold dear.  Honor recognizes the good in them and their pursuit of god in the ways they have been taught up until now, and journeys alongside of them.  When they see the genuine connection between God and you, genuine godliness of character and attitudes, the power of God's love flowing through you as you interact with them, and as you boldly share the simple gospel message of His love, you will be amazed at the deep impact you make.

I recently (just last week) listened to the story of a formerly Hindu friend who came from a very devout family.  He now follows Jesus.  He shared the story of how deeply impacted he was by the humility and servant leadership of one of his professors in university who was a Jesus follower. This man shared his story with tears welling up in his eyes.  In his home country, he had never seen a professor treat a student with such love and humility.  This made his heart ripe for the message this man shared.  Honor opened the door to his heart.

Jesus had a lot of negative and pretty biting remarks to make toward the Judaizers and Pharisees (the religious leaders of his own faith and culture).  But to the lost and to those outside his Jewish community, he was kind and respectful. He asked questions and share simple truth.  Lets follow His example when we cross cultural barriers hoping to be a blessing.  Honor your local hosts.  Honor those you came to bless and touch.  Don't do things that are so clearly a trampling of their precious religious sentiments and feelings and then expect them to want to hear your message.  And if by chance God's Spirit truly leads you to do something really unusual and potentially upsetting to the local people, clear it through your hosts first and get their buy in and full blessing.  This kind of honor will lend toward a fruitful and effective trip where you will be welcomed back and will leave with many bridges built rather than burnt. You may even catalyze a movement or a true revival.  The extra blessing will be the impact on your own life of the lessons learned through honoring your hosts and the local people. This will be with you forever.

 

Essential Elements: Integrity & Purpose

Am I a person of integrity with a clear and focused purpose?  What does that mean? Why is it important?  These questions run through my mind today.

I believe these two characteristics are absolutely crucial in the lives of Christian leaders, especially those who feel called them to see supernatural growth, fruit and fast growing movements of Kingdom Disciples.

This month, I'd like us to explore these two things briefly as we pray and intercede for a Supernatural Increase in the Harvest.

Integrity. One encyclopedia describes integrity as "consistency of actions, values, methods, measures, principles, expectations, and morals."*  Integrity can be seen as the opposite of hypocrisy.  In other words, as people of integrity, we do what we say. We can be counted on to be honest with ourselves and others.  Jesus spoke about letting our yes be yes, and our no be no.  Mean what you say.  Put into action what you commit to.  Be faithful.  Be dependable. Be committed to be the person you say you are. 

Lack of integrity causes many problems in our lives.  When the real you and the person you project yourself to be don't match, you feel an inner tension and your conscience bothers you.  That is true unless this has happened so much that you don't notice it anymore.  Others who notice this difference between your words and actions will eventually become sad and disillusioned with your message.

When we preach and teach the Kingdom, at the same time we MUST continue to passionately pursue what it means to live the Kingdom in our thoughts, actions, marriages, teams, and community.  Are we preaching the Kingdom but settling for living something else?  That lacks internal integrity.  Don't settle.  Pursue.  You might not be there yet, but don't allow yourself to become comfortable with any thing short of living out what you are preaching about.  This will lead to high Kingdom impact in the lives of those you mentor, disciple, teach and lead.  What will you multiply in your disciples?  Kingdom lifestyles that reflect who He is as the Prince of Peace, Father of Love, Compassion, Forgiveness, Giver of Life,  who is always at Rest yet always working? Again, let me exhort you.  Don't settle. Pursue integrity in Kingdom living.

Lets also briefly look at clear focus and purpose and why that is important for those who would see Kingdom movements released.  Distractions.  They are constant and continual.  Every day, many times each day, we are faced with decisions about where we will invest our time, energy, and other resources.  In order to see a movement happen, a leader must be single minded in purpose and sure of what it is they are going after.  Clearly defined purpose gives us the freedom to say no to the hundreds of distractions that would pull us away from what we most want to do and most want to see happen in the Kingdom. 

James Chapter One speaks of double minded people having divided loyalties. It says that they are unstable in everything they do.  How focused are you on the End Vision God has placed in your heart?  You can measure your level of focus by how often you say no to things that are not in line with that purpose and goal.  I believe God would ask us as FM church planters, and Christian leaders to rise to a new level of passionate commitment to the purpose for which we are called...to a level of clarity of purpose where we no longer feel guilty saying no to other things that would distract us.  Even when they are good things. And even when others we love and respect may not understand our "no". 

This month as we pray for ourselves, our co-workers, friends and colleagues who are pursuing Kingdom growth and Supernatural increase...focus on these two words.  Integrity and Purpose.  May God lift us to a new place in these areas as we seek His help and transformation.




*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integrity

Connection & Fruitfulness

Fruit.  We talk about it a lot.  God has indeed called us to be incredibly fruitful people!  Multiplication, not addition growth.  The fruit of the Spirit.  Much fruit. More fruit. Yes, we embrace this vision! Fully and wholeheartedly!  And yet, so often, it seems far from our reach, more like a dream than a reality. Do you ever feel like that?

Recently, I’ve been thinking a lot about connectedness.  Love creates connection between people.  There are some people we feel more “connected” to.  Some people we see every day but…we just don’t really “connect” with them well.  Love connects.  Fear disconnects. Love reaches out.  Fear withdraws, attacks or creates distance. Love helps us take risks.  Fear makes us hide our gifts, vulnerabilities and true self.

I’ve read John 15 many, many times. Im sure you have too!  Re-read it once again today and think for a moment about what it says regarding “connection”.  How connected are we to God?  Do we feel safe and loved by Him? At ease and relaxed in His Presence?  At Home? Or do we feel separated somehow by our self condemnation, shame, or even our anger with God for something He didn’t do that we expected?  Connection is vitally important, when we talk about fruitfulness.  Connection with God, connection with one another, within our families, teams, with believers, leaders we are training, and with those we are reaching out to! 

Let’s pray this month that God’s love in us will drive out fear and everything that gets in the way of our deep connection with Him.  Pray that we will “make ourselves at home” in His love in greater ways, resting in His goodness.  May we be so full of His Love that it overflows in ways we never thought possible.  I can see Love overflowing through you to others; bringing healing, comfort, words of prophetic encouragement, patience, gentleness, wholeness, joy….FRUIT…ABUNDANT FRUIT. 

Blessings on you as you increasingly CONNECT with Him and others this month.

Scripture for the Month: “I am the Vine, you are the branches. When you’re joined with me and I with you, the relation intimate and organic, the harvest is sure to be abundant. Separated, you can’t produce a thing. Anyone who separates from me is deadwood, gathered up and thrown on the bonfire. But if you make yourselves at home with me and my words are at home in you, you can be sure that whatever you ask will be listened to and acted upon. This is how my Father shows who he is—when you produce grapes, when you mature as my disciples.

^9-10 “I’ve loved you the way my Father has loved me. Make yourselves at home in my love. If you keep my commands, you’ll remain intimately at home in my love. That’s what I’ve done—kept my Father’s commands and made myself at home in his love.

^11-15 “I’ve told you these things for a purpose: that my joy might be your joy, and your joy wholly mature. This is my command: Love one another the way I loved you. This is the very best way to love.” From John 15:5-15-The Message

Be Strong and Courageous

IF THIS BLOG WAS ENCOURAGING TO YOU- CHECK OUT THE DEVOTIONAL BOOK CALLED "FAITH TO MOVE MOUNTAINS" THAT THIS ARTICLE WAS TAKEN FROM. YOU CAN ORDER AT A VERY LOW COST FROM http://www.kingdomadvance2013.com/Resources.html

Joshua 1:9  “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous.  Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

                In the first chapter of Joshua, the words “Be strong and courageous” are repeated four different times!  God was trying to get a message through to this new leader.  Moses was dead and now it was Joshua’s time to rise up and lead the people.  It was his season.  It was his destiny.  It was what God had prepared him for.  Yet, he was afraid.  He would face many difficulties and many challenges ahead.  There were battles to be fought, rivers to cross, and enemies to push back.  He was going into new territory, taking new land.  Joshua must have needed to hear those words more than just once.

                As church planters working in the frontiers we are much like Joshua.  We are taking new places and peoples for His kingdom.  We are going into new territory and pushing back the forces of darkness.  Sometimes we feel young and inexperienced.  Yet, like Joshua, we are the ones God has chosen for this task.  When he calls us he promises to be with us, to go before us, to fight for us,and to help us in every situation.  He speaks to us today, once again, “Be strong and courageous.  Be strong and courageous.  Be strong and courageous.  Be strong and courageous.” 

                This strength is not just a physical strength.  It is a strength of spirit, a strength of heart.  God spoke to Joshua and he speaks to us, “Don’t give in to fear and doubt.  Be strong in your spirit.  Rise up in faith and the power of God.  Be courageous!”  Courage is the quality of mind or spirit that enables a person to face difficulty, danger, or pain… without fear.  To be courageous means to look at those dangers, fears or difficulties and to say “I refuse to let you control me.  I’m going forward in spite of you!”  This strength and courage comes from the sure knowledge that God is with us.  If God is for us, then who can be against us?  We have no reason to fear. 

                God had promised the Israelites the land long before they entered.  Joshua was taking them in  to take possession.  He went forward based on the command and promise of God.  As we work among unreached peoples, we must remember these two things.  God has promised to give us these people.  It’s already written in the book of Revelation that people from every tribe and nation will worship him.  God has commanded us to go to all nations and peoples with his good news.  We’re here because He sent us. So we will rise up and be strong.  We will face the dangers and difficulties with courage.  We will cross our Jordans and take possession of the people groups he has given us.  For we know our God is with us!

Questions to consider:

1.       How strong do you feel in your spirit today?  Speak to your soul the scripture above.

2.       What are you facing that requires courage?  What difficulty, danger or pain is trying to make you afraid to go forward or to keep working for God?

A Church Planter’s Prayer:

Master, you commanded Joshua to be strong and courageous.  I know you are also speaking this to me.  Please make me strong in my spirit.  Help me to face difficulties with courage, faith and confidence.  I give you my fears and challenges today.  Thank you for being with me and going ahead of me in the battle.  Amen.

IF THIS BLOG WAS ENCOURAGING TO YOU- CHECK OUT THE DEVOTIONAL BOOK CALLED "FAITH TO MOVE MOUNTAINS" THAT THIS BLOG WAS TAKEN FROM. YOU CAN ORDER AT A VERY LOW COST FROM http://www.kingdomadvance2013.com/Resources.html

Spirit filled Strategy for Multiplication

Limp Gloves

What do I need to be a successful church planter and missionary?  I’m called to be an apostle to the unreached in my area.  My heart longs to see them coming to Christ.  I pray and work to see people coming into the Kingdom of God, growing and being discipled.  I dream of seeing not just one small, struggling fellowship started, but of hundreds, even thousands from my people group coming to know and follow Jesus.  It hasn’t happened yet, but I’m doing my best.  I learn all I can.  I attend all the seminars.  I read books.  I pray.  I wonder…what are the keys to seeing my dreams for this people group come about?

 

            I go to one seminar on Leadership, and I learn about management skills.  I come home knowing that I need to clearly write out my vision and lay out my goals and objectives step by step.  I go to another seminar and I learn about team dynamics and team leadership.  Yes, I think, the key is for my team to work better together.  We need to understand each other’s personalities more, and function in our different giftings more smoothly.  I pull out my SOFM notes and books to study.  That’s it, I think, I need to focus more on the FM values.  Maybe I should contextualize our service more, or maybe we should do more with training the local leaders.  I talk to another leader from a nearby organization about these things.  “No, no,” they say, “the real key is prayer and ministering in the Spirit. All those other things are just philosophies of man.  You need more of the Holy Spirit.”

            I feel a bit confused.  I want to see my people group reached, but what does it take?  What do I need to do?  What should I focus on?  How do spiritual things like prayer, work together with strategic things like the principles I learned in my SOFM?

            Many serious and committed church planters experience these kinds of confusing questions.  It is important that we in Frontier Missions remember that strategies, seminars, and the many tools and teachings that are given, are only effective when they are Spirit anointed and Spirit led. Romans 8:14 says, “the sons of God are led by the Spirit of God.”  There is not only a balance between the spiritual and the strategic.  Instead, you can think of strategies and tools as a glove.  Without the hand of the Holy Spirit inside of them, giving life to them, they are limp and ineffective.

            Sometimes I think we spend too much time focusing on the glove or tool, and too little time reminding ourselves as church planters of our need for intimacy with God, fellowship with the Holy Spirit and a growing, alive, walk with Jesus.  If our relationships with God grow distant or dry, no matter how much strategy we know and how many tools we have learned to use, we are still only holding a bunch of empty gloves, which will fail to be effective.

            2 Cor.3:6 says “He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant-not of the letter, but of the Spirit, for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.”  Our competency as ministers, or our ability to produce good fruit and results, is not because of our skills as church planters.  Our competency or our fruitfulness flows out of our relationship with God.

            Does that mean we should throw all our notes from SOFMs and SCPLs and all our books on church planting strategy away?  No way!  What we must do though, is take all the knowledge and skills available to us and use them for God’s glory.  Not becoming proud in our knowledge, but depending deeply on Him and seeking a closer walk with the Lord each day.  Remembering that it is only as His Spirit gives life to our plans and strategies that they will bear the fruit we so much long to see.

Energy Management-A Critical skill for High Capacity Leaders

Energy Management – A Critical skill for High Capacity Leaders

As we develop ourselves in leadership, gain skills and capacity, there are more demands on our time and energy than ever before.  In many leadership trainings we talk about the importance of time management.  We talk about maintaining a calendar/diary so we keep better track of our schedules, we talk about setting priorities and blocking time in your schedule for those things, etc.  We all only have 24 hours a day that God has given us.  We have to learn how to manage our time well and focus on the important things, schedule those things, rather than the urgent or less needful things.  Managing your limited time well, and being in control of your schedule, is an essential ingredient to health as a leader.

It however, is not the only thing we need to learn to manage carefully.  Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz in their book “The Power of Full Engagement” address the key issue of energy management.  Energy is basically our capacity to work.  Our energy is limited.  It can be used up and it needs to be renewed.  The cycles in our lives of spending and renewing energy are something we as leaders need to seriously consider if we are to be all that God has called us to be.

I’d like to recommend Jim and Tony’s book to anyone who can take time to read it.  It includes some huge keys for us as high capacity/high demand leaders.  Let me write a short summary of some of the things I’ve been learning from this book and trying to apply in my life.  I hope it might be a help to you as these things have been to me.

Schwartz describes our energy as having four primary expressions; physical energy, emotional energy, mental energy and spiritual energy.  Each of these is important for us to carefully maintain and be mindful of how we spend and renew that area of energy. 

In order to be our best in the ministry/work we do, we obviously need physical energy.  There are three areas we need to be mindful of related to physical energy.  The first is nutrition.  Leaders who travel a lot can find it very hard to maintain a healthy diet.  YWAM Bases are notorious for serving high carb diets and when you are a leader, lots of oil and lots of meat are served to us. Nutrition, however, is really important to being strong and healthy.  The more responsibility we carry, the more we should be mindful of what we eat and don’t eat.  It’s okay to say no to unhealthy foods, ask for a salad instead of meat, or to bring your own piece of fruit to eat at a meeting instead of the normal chips and biscuits.  Don’t wait until you have high blood pressure or heart problems to start thinking about what you eat and don’t eat.

The second area is exercise.  Again, in our busy schedules with so many demands, it can be easy to not prioritize exercise.  Exercise is really vital for energy renewal.  Taking a 10 minute walk in the middle of the morning after several hours of meetings or ministry can do a great deal to refresh you.  Making time in your life for daily exercise, or a weekly football or cricket game, can make a big difference in your level of energy when you are doing your “ministry work.”  I am finding that short periods of exercise throughout my day greatly helps me maintain a higher level of energy throughout the day.  Stopping after 2 hours of emails, to do 10 minutes of sit ups and push ups, or go for a walk, or a 30 minute run, really changes the way I feel.

The third area of physical energy to watch is our sleep and rest.  I’ve talked to many leaders who don’t sleep well or struggle to sleep.  Getting enough rest and sleep is vital to energy renewal.  God designed us that way.  There are some things that you can do to sleep better.  One is, start to wind down about 2 hours before its time to go to bed.  Do things that relax you.  Don’t work on emails or discuss with your spouse intense topics or ministry problems.  Read a book.  Listen to music.  Write down 5 things you are grateful for in that day.  These kinds of rituals can help you sleep better.  Also, be careful about caffeine late in the day.

In the three areas of nutrition, exercise and sleep, develop habits or rituals that you carefully maintain on a regular basis.  For example, always start going to bed at 9 pm, start your relaxation ritual and be in bed by 10 pm.

Another important area is our emotional energy.  Emotional energy also is limited and needs to be renewed.  As leaders, we love deeply and give of our emotions to many people and situations.  We face conflicts and end up with drained emotions.  Carefully guard your emotional renewal.  Make it a priority to be emotionally renewed.  Everyone is renewed emotionally by different things.  For High D personalities and many others too, exercise is a quick way to emotional renewal.  For some, its taking time to go get a coffee with a friend, or playing with your kids, building a shelf, or calling up a cousin or relative to talk.  Gratitude is a big emotional energy renewal activity.  Taking time to regularly be grateful to God and others, and to express that thankfulness will restore your emotional energy.  I’ve started a habit of thanking God for at least 5 things before I sleep and when I wake up.  I regularly write notes or emails to express appreciation to people. This is good for them and also renews me. Another thing I started doing is to read funny comics or jokes until I laugh out loud every day. Make space in your life for emotional renewal.  As leaders and ministers, we need to be able to empathize with people’s struggles. This means our emotional tank needs to be refilled a lot.  Don’t let yourself think it’s selfish to take time to do things to renew yourself emotionally.  It’s what will help you be a better leader to others who can keep caring for others over the long haul.

Related to emotional energy, let me briefly mention the area of grief and loss.  As leaders we are often faced with crisis situations, and have to be there to help people through serious and traumatic situations.  This can drain a huge amount of emotional energy.  We also experience our own grief when friends leave, parents pass away, someone is tragically killed, or someone you’d been mentoring and raising up falls morally, or decides to move on and leave the work.  Give yourself space and time to grieve and feel the loss, talk and pray with someone about it, rather than just pushing it inside and continuing to do all the work you have on your plate.  If you don’t, those areas of loss and grief add up and one day might just make you feel like you have nothing left inside to give out anymore.  I know I’ve experienced this.

Then there is the area of mental energy.  Mental energy is about our ability to focus. We need to learn to switch between being narrowly and broadly focused.  Many people think the goal is multi-tasking.  A good leader learns to multi-task, we think.  Schwartz says that is not true, that it is more important to focus highly and well on one thing or person at a time.  When we are multi-tasking, we can make people feel less valuable or unimportant.  It is also good to remember that we need intervals of focus.  The average person can not maintain high quality focus for more than 45 minutes.  So, after 45 minutes in a meeting, take a break.  Change gears.  Don’t give in to that temptation to “just keep working and push through it.”  In the end, you will accomplish less.  Your mental energy goes down.  Take a five minute break and stretch, go get a drink, check the news…whatever works for you.  But taking breaks really helps with mental focus, both within the day and within the week.  Sometimes it can be a symbol of pride when we have these meeting marathons that go from early morning till late a night, sometimes weeks on end. Or we think it is the sign of a highly committed leader to say “I haven’t had a day off in a month!” This is not good stewardship of our energy.  Better to meet less and work less, but with more focused energy so we can accomplish more.

The last area is spiritual energy. Spiritual energy is not only about spending time with God and reading your bible.  Spiritual energy is also gained by being engaged with the things you value and growing in areas of character you value.  It also has to do with balancing of values within yourself.  When your behavior matches your values, this creates a lot of spiritual energy.  When your behavior doesn’t match your values, this is a big spiritual energy drain.  For example, if you highly value humility but find yourself acting proud or insecure, your spiritual energy goes down. If you value patience, but find yourself losing your temper, you’ll struggle with guilt and self condemnation a lot.  This is where a lifestyle of daily repentance, realigning ourselves and asking God’s help for what we have done that disappointed him and ourselves, is key.  Then ask for grace to grow and improve in that area and find someone to be accountable to or who can coach you as you develop new habits/rituals in that area of your life. Forgiveness and letting go of offenses is also really important here.  Keep short accounts and deal with issues and conflicts quickly rather than letting them build up.  Also, make sure you are giving time to the area you feel called to by God, and doing things that fit your gifts, rather than just going to meetings or doing things out of duty. This will help you maintain spiritual energy.

Lastly, I want to mention the area of change.  Don’t be stuck in the lie that you can’t change.  We all can change and grow into healthier people with God’s help.  But everything can’t change all at once.  Let me suggest you think about the four areas of energy and chose one or two things you want to improve in this month.  Then develop one new habit in that area.  Maybe its daily exercise.  Start small and be consistent.  Then next month, after that new habit has become easy and natural, work on another area and another new habit to help you change and improve. In a year, you could change in 12 key areas.  That is a lot of change!

I know God desires us to be full of His Spirit, healthy and full of energy every day. This is the abundant life he has provided.  Its not His will for us to be exhausted, tired out, or burnt out leaders.  God is teaching me new things about stewarding the limited energy He has given me well.  He is teaching me to pay attention to how much energy Im giving out, and to make sure Im taking time to renew that energy rather than just continuing to give when there is nothing left to give.  I know this is critical to my ability to continue to run this race with endurance, like it speaks of in Hebrews 12.  Hoping this article helps you to run well too.

*For more information about energy management check out the website http://theenergyproject.com or get a copy of the book “The Power of Full Engagement.”