Honestly, we are all consumers at some level. Think about this definition:

One that consumes, especially one that acquires goods or services for direct use or ownership rather than for resale or use in production and manufacturing.

Although that’s very technical, it’s a perfect picture of our culture. As a consumer, everything becomes about me and what I can get over how I can help others. So, here are some thoughts about how you know if you are a consumer.

• You always expect to receive something instead of give something.
• You just can’t find the right church – you’ve actually tried all in town and none “work” for you.
• You’re never satisfied by your income and always think others make to much.
• You feel like you need every new electronic device that comes out, even though you will never use it.

Instead of continuing to beat myself up with some of these, I will stop there.

Are you a consumer?

The life Christ calls you to is one of giving. It’s not wrong to have things, but as I have heard it said, “It’s wrong for your things to have you.” Consider this as you go throughout the day, “For God so loved the world, that He GAVE….(John 3:16, NIV)”

At the same time, my responsibility within the organization is increasing – rapidly. People are making decisions at all levels. Some I do not even know about. Some I may not even agree with. Others I may be able to make better and with greater insight. Yet, I am ultimately responsible for those decisions. I am responsible for the team that makes up Faith Promise and the decisions they are making. My responsibility is increasing.

The solution: develop the best team. Then, as decisions decrease and responsibility increases, there are 40 people making great decisions instead of one person making all of the decisions.

As your organization grows, you should be making less decisions and your responsibility should be increasing. Hire well, develop your team, and release them in to ministry. Then, your ministry will be better and able to accomplish more than ever before!

So, I made an “I would never…” list. Here you go:

• I would never…hire against evaluation tools or the counsel of those I trust. So often I have second guessed the tools or those around me, and that has NEVER worked out. Have a process for evaluating and hiring staff and commit to stick to it!

• I would never…build a church building solely based on an architects opinion. I have nothing against architects, but not all architects understand the complexities of a church. Hallways, stairwells, restrooms, parking lots, etc that are built to code will haunt you in the future. Enlist someone who has led a growing church or built growing churches before you build that designed building.

• I would never…completely trust the references. Unless you know the reference personally, feel sure that you may not be getting the whole truth. In ministry where so many people dislike each other privately but everyone says that each other is great publicly, references are almost worthless.

• I would never…ask for everyone’s opinion in regard to websites, advertising, logos, sermon graphics, etc. In these things (and many others), you will get as many opinions as people you ask. Enlist a small, diverse group for feedback and then make a decision. You save a lot of time and have less frustrated people.

• I would never…say “no” for a potential staff hire or volunteer. Several of our latest staff hires would have been people that I dismissed as “there’s no way that God could really do this.” AND. HE. DID. Every day volunteers and critical staff are missed because no one asked them. Give them the chance to say no and if they do, don’t quit asking when God prompts.

• I would never…work somewhere that I did not want to live the vision or serve the Senior Pastor. If the vision does not keep you up at night or get you out of bed in the morning, leave. And, if you cannot be a servant to the Senior Pastor (or other staff), it’s probably not the place for you.

So, you get the point. Now, what would you add to my “I would never…” list?

Don’t say, ‘I’m not a good listener.’ Just tell the truth and say, ‘I don’t value what you have to say.’

Ouch!

So often I have the tendency to tell people that I am not a good listener. Like others at times, I like to update my imperfections and sins by giving them a better name.

Instead of not valuing what people have to say at times, I should:

• Remember that another persons feedback can make a good idea a great idea.
• Remember that just listening adds value to others – people love to be heard.
• Remember that a team is compelled by a great vision and strengthened by listening.

What about you? Do you struggle to listen to others at times?

So, this year one of my goals is to attempt to put myself in the other persons shoes.

Before I jump to the perception of the other persons wrong motives, I’m trying to pretend like I am them.

We all know that is impossible. No one can truly live in another persons shoes. But we can try. We can teach ourselves to think the best about another person and to view things from a different perspective.

You should try it.

In this debate, most people turn to 1 Chronicles 21 and the story of David taking a census of the people when God told him not to do it. But, why do we neglect all of the places where numbers where recorded as a good or neutral thing. Think about a few:

• The book of Numbers or any other census God commanded in Scripture.
• Was Jesus wrong to have counted the 5,000 & 4,000 (plus women and children) when he miraculously fed people? (Did Jesus really have to count or did He just “know”?) Was He solely focused on the number, or did the number mean something about impact?
• Was Peter wrong to have counted in Acts 1:15 (120 people were present in a meeting) and in 2:41 when 3,000 were saved? Was he solely focused on how great of a speaker he was and the response he could illicit?
• [Insert your own count passage here]

Of course they were not wrong. Numbers have a purpose but they are not the purpose. They CAN BE an expression of good or bad things in the ministry and they can be focused on with impure motives.

Instead of focusing on some people who may have numbers as their “god”, could we focus on how to increase the impact of the church in the culture to reach more people?

Remember, Jesus and Peter counted (or likely knew the count).

• 2004-2005 – Student worship & staff office building
• 2006 – One year of peace
• 2007 – Parking Lot Expansion & Balcony Addition
• 2008 – Lobby renovation, Preschool Modulars & Purchased 35 acres
• 2009 – Office Renovations & Entrance Expansion (see some PDF’s here: FPC – Roadway Improvements 10-07-09 & Faith Promise One Way Entrance – for the nerds that like to see this stuff)

Confession: I love building projects. They are challenging and time consuming but give some amazing feelings of accomplishment. If your church plans on building something, let me know if I can help. Or, at least make sure that you find an architect that builds to church standards, not to code standards (the two are very different).

As we were boarding, my stomach began to rumble. As the wheels lifted up off the ground and the seat belt sign was turned off, I began to feel sick. I ran to the tiny porta-potty in the sky that they call restrooms on planes and began to puke my guts out. This is not a joke: I had blue stuff from the plane toilet on my jeans. I puked for about an hour when Kim began throwing up. It was horrible – we both puked in between handing our terrified 18-month old back and forth to each other.

Okay, so why do I share this? Steve and Beth were on that flight and watched this all happening. They were leaving in a few days for Africa as missionaries. But as they watched us, they felt compelled to help. Steve stayed with me (I was in a wheel chair) in the baggage claim area while Beth took Kim to get a rental car. They stayed with us until he had loaded the luggage in the car and they had sent us on our way to the hospital.

We have told this story to people over and over. We were so thankful that they would have done this for us. They didn’t know us. They didn’t have to stop. They could have gotten sick and missed their departure from the states.  BUT, they followed the leading of Christ.

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and there are people like Steve and Beth all over the story of your life. Have you stopped and told them that you are thankful for them?

Do not let the sun go down on your anger. Ephesians 4:26b

Confession: I’m not sure where you land, but I have the tendency to be quick to anger and quick to forgive. I’m sure the Bible says to be slow to anger, but I haven’t mastered that yet! Anyway, every time I look at the book it brings the question to my mind: “Who do I need to ask to forgive me before the sun goes down?” Honestly, some days that list is long and other days that list is short. Some days I want to respond and other days I don’t – I just don’t want to humble myself and deal with it.

I love what The Message says:

Don’t go to bed angry. Don’t give the Devil that kind of foothold in your life. Ephesians 4:26b

It’s bigger than just not wanting to forgive or ask someone to forgive me. Unforgiveness from others or towards others gives Satan a foothold into my life.

The sun is about to set and you will be going to bed soon. Are you angry with someone or is someone angry with you? There’s still time to take care of it – TODAY.

Two years ago, I lost a week of vacation. After a heart to heart from Kim, she let me know that this would not happen again (in the nicest way!). So, each year I schedule all of my vacation days for the next year at one time. We sit down, look at our year and lay the days out. It’s amazing how when I schedule my days, I actually take them! In September, I took an “in-town” vacation and literally just stayed at the house. It was awesome!

No matter what you do, you need to take your vacation time – for yourself and your family. So, how many days do you have left to take? Get on it (and schedule next years while you are at it).