Our associates at Lifetime Guarantee Ministries are making this MP 3 audio seminar available for free download in March. “Explore the Scriptures and find out who you really are. What you uncover is that you are a new creation in Christ. Then learn how to live like the new person you have already become in Him! The Bible teaches that you are a Holy and righteous saint of God who longs to serve and please Him. Knowing the fullness of the Good News and your identity in Christ are the first vital steps toward bringing your behavior in-line with who you are.” by Dr. Bill and Anabel Gillham. Download here: http://lifetimeministries.myshopify.com/pages/free-mp3-download

By Pastor Jesse Andrus

It’s taken me a while to learn to rest in the Lord, but I think I’m there. Don’t get me wrong. I work hard. In fact, I work ten hours a day filling vending machines. Plus I have a window-washing business. But the congregation I pastor, the Christian Praise Church in southeast Washington, D.C., is the work that allows me to rest on a bed of spiritual faith. The Holy Ghost allows me to rest. Faith in the completed work of Jesus Christ allows me to rest.

I first got an inkling of this when I was working as a custodian in a maximum-security correction facility. My job was to clean up the mess hall. I was wiping windowsills when I came across a little card that quoted Matthew 11:28 saying, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

That was the drawing verse, the verse that made me stop and rethink my life. It was the verse that got me thinking a different way. I always thought I needed to exert myself beyond myself to achieve. I had to strive harder, work longer hours, and get better results than anyone else. Funny, but even after that verse led me deeper into the Word, even after I answered God’s call to magnify His name, I still hadn’t absorbed the lesson. In the beginning, I preached with a heavy hand. I was adamant. I was unyielding.

Because I’m animated by nature, I banged home my points through insistence rather than understanding. As the pressures of pasturing got to me, I focused on force rather than compassion. My yoke wasn’t easy and my burden wasn’t light. Well, when the membership started dwindling and few elders voiced concern, I had to look at myself. Was I condemning rather than loving? Was I coming on too strong? Was I expressing the Word of God through the Holy Spirit or my own ego?

We love to worship Jesus because Jesus is about change. He changes us. I prayed for that change, and glory to God that change came about. The change came out of the Lord’s divinity and my humanity. I had to admit I was messing up. I had to be honest about my life. I had to expose my frailty. It was either that or become defensive and even more arrogant. But building myself up would mean tearing God down. I needed to do the opposite: I needed to build up God. I needed to get up and let Him work on me. I needed to change.

In part, change came by enrolling in a beautiful study at Grace Ministries in Manassas, VA. This formal course in grace gave me the insight to see that the contrast is between force and yielding. Force is law. Force is effort. Force is striving. But grace is yielding. Grace is allowing. Grace is embracing the gift of a love that comes free with faith. We don’t earn it. We don’t achieve it. We simply and gratefully receive it. And once we receive it, love is in action.

The activation of love is linked to resting in the Lord. He’s already done it. We just have to live it. The more we depend on Him, the less we worry about the world. The world will do whatever it does. I can’t change the world. I can’t even change anyone’s heart. Only God can. I see stress as something we impose upon ourselves; stress is when we let the world get to us. But if we let Him, if we trust Him, if we believe His Word, God relieves that stress.

The change is that I no longer worry. With all my responsibilities as a family man, a church man, and a working man, I’ve learned to stay out of the results because the results belong to God. I don’t get anxiety attacks. I don’t wake up in a panic. I sleep like a baby. I rest knowing that I’m a vessel for His use. My hands are His hands. My eyes are His eyes. He is in me. His work is my work. And His yoke is easy, His burden is light.

http://www.undergrace.org/#!march-2016/xhso2

Grace Ministries Manassas VA

The Priority of My Life and Ministry

By Gordon E. Johnson

I have been asked by my students, Why do you always end your letters and devotionals with the phrase: “Yours in the Message of the Cross”? The question is most valid. Allow me to give you the background to this, my priority of life and ministry.

First of all, it is a biblical term in itself: “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (I Cor. 1:18 NKJV). A little later Paul says: “But we preach, (announce) Christ crucified, to the Jews, a stumbling block, and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God” (vv.22,23). Later he adds: “for I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2). This is how Paul would deal with the open carnality of those in Corinth.

Continue reading five more facets of the priority of the Cross of Christ.
Professor Johnson taught at Rio Grande Bible Institute in Edinburg, Texas

Dynamic Churches International has rolled out a new edition of their web site. It features plenty of strategic, field-tested, free resources.  There are three ways for disciplers to use these materials: good, better & best.

Good: Use the distinctive one-to-one Bible studies to multiply disciples (2 Tim. 2:2).

Better: Use the one-to-one discipleship lessons in the context of a reproducing “Life Group”. See the Explosive Growth Overview.

Best: Leverage the value of one-to-one and cell group ministry by implementing a full “Spontaneous Discipleship” approach. See a blog post about it.

Do you prefer an online recorded demonstration? Check out the audio room under the “Training”menu. DynamicChurhes.org

Thank you, DCI!

From WordSearch:

Lift your study of God’s Word to a new level with this free download of the HCSB Study Bible for your PC or Mac. It contains over 15,000 study notes to help you better understand every Bible passage. Plus you’ll find 290 word studies, 59 colorful Bible maps and much more. You’ll also receive a free digital copy of the Illustrated Life of Jesus, a powerful narrative paired with beautiful photography showing significant artifacts and places Jesus lived and taught.

Just click the “Add to Cart” button, follow the prompts, and you’ll be using your new WORDsearch HCSB Study Bible and Illustrated Life of Jesus within minutes. You will need to create an account to checkout, but you will not be charged. You can add additional Bibles, books and study tools any time you like from this website. Many books are free.

You can also access your books from your mobile device with our free apps for Apple iOS and Android. https://www.wordsearchbible.com/youversion2?g=9097

October is designated Pastor’s Appreciation Month, so are offering a special:  From Pastors to Pastors:  Testimonies of Revitalized Ministries, edited by Dr. Charles R. Solomon.  For the month of October, we are discounting the book to $9.95, shipping included.  You can order it by calling the office toll free at 1-888-66GRACE or by our website:  www.GraceFellowshipInternational.com

This would be an ideal opportunity to encourage your pastor.  By request, the book could be autographed and personalized by Dr. Solomon; simply give us your pastor’s name and address and we will gladly send him the book on your behalf.

by Stacy Long

American Family Association

October, 2015 (reposted)

A pastor is the most noticed person in a congregation, but likely the most lonely. A pastor’s struggles may not be known unless he suffers an obvious moral or spiritual failure. Then, all too often, the bad fruit will be addressed while the root is ignored. The secret cancer that surfaces in burnout or depression, marriage problems, or grievous sin is small but deadly. In a conversation with AFA Journal, three pastors, each in ministry to other pastors, concurred on one point: Pastors are often far too alone – in relationships, in accountability, and in spiritual battles.

Cues for a cure
Michael Lewis, director of pastoral care at the North American Mission Board, noted that relational alienation is typically first apparent in a pastor’s marriage. But before problems arise there or in relation to the church body, the dearth starts with the minister’s personal walk with God.

“Pastors strive to fulfill the Great Commission, but sometimes neglect the Great Commandment, and that begins with love for the Lord,” Lewis said.

He described a scheme of five concentric circles for a minister’s relationships. The starting point is loving the Lord, followed by loving the spouse, children, church, and community, in that order.

When pastors experience relational disconnect, they tend to exert more effort into outward relationships where deficits and results are most tangible. Particularly, this is true of the two outermost circles of serving the church and witnessing to the community, leading to prioritizing ministry above the wife and family while the pastor is left feeling overworked and spiritually exhausted.

“If we miss the inner circle of loving the Lord, the outer circles are not effective,” Lewis concluded.

Another relational connection crucial for a minister is one of accountability before peers. John Neihof, president of Wesley Biblical Seminary (wbs.edu) in Jackson, Mississippi, explained to AFAJ the vital need for a pastor to have accountability, whether before a superior in the denominational hierarchy, with another member of the church staff, or in discipleship from an external source.

“A minister desperately needs someone who asks hard questions,” Neihof said. “Questions about thought life and entertainment and lust, the whole range of common temptations for every human. Leaders have to be intentional about building this structure, inviting somebody into their lives to ask the hard questions.”

Transparency is not easy for a minister, especially before those he leads. Yet, without someone who can be safely trusted, a pastor is left alone to face the pressures of ministry, personal conflicts, and temptations of society.

Read the rest of this article at http://www.afajournal.org/

by Daniel Henderson

[re-posted]

When it comes to church leaders, the rare negative exceptions tend to make the most sensational news. Rarely do the faithful, godly pastors receive the recognition they deserve; recognition that would help us all keep a balanced and grateful perspective on the landscape of pastoral ministry.

The headlines are all-too-frequently sprinkled with reports of high-profile pastors who have been unfaithful to their marriage vows. Stories of financial scandal surface occasionally. One might begin to think that all pastors are immoral, dishonest, or otherwise unworthy of our trust.

The ratings-addicted media always milks these situations for all they are worth. Sadly, the credibility of the Christian message, the integrity of pastoral ministry, and the name of Christ is soiled in connection with the news of spiritual leaders behaving badly.

Tough Times for Ministry Leaders

Apart from the sizzling headlines of the exceptional scandal, we know that those in pastoral ministry face tough times overall. According to Focus on the Family, 1,500 U.S. pastors leave the ministry every month because of church conflict, family problems, marriage challenges and, in some cases, moral failure.

A recent New York Times article reported that members of the clergy now suffer from obesity, hypertension, and depression at rates higher than most Americans.[i] Studies also indicated that, in the last decade, their use of antidepressants has risen, while their life expectancy has fallen. Many would change jobs if they could.

The Good News

Yet, there is good news amidst the scandals and risks. As a matter of perspective, there are roughly 320,000 churches in the United States.[ii] Many of these are small churches, served by a bi-vocational pastor, or no pastor at all. Some larger churches employ a team of pastors. Estimates tell us there are 600,000 clergy in the United States.

It is good to remember that for every high-profile negative news story there are hundreds of thousands of pastors who are walking in integrity, loving their spouses, caring for their families, sacrificing for their congregations, preaching the Word, and faithfully fulfilling their calling.

Of the estimated 1,500 pastors who leave ministry every month, there are hundreds of thousands who endure and even thrive. There are multiplied thousands every year who enter ministry for the first time and also return to ministry after a break from the grind.

Our Role of Positive Support

More importantly, we can all make a positive difference by supporting and encouraging our pastoral leaders. This is great news – and something every believer can embrace because we know how vital it is and how much is at stake. We can each do something to help stem the fallout and failure among church leaders.

Of course, October is Clergy Appreciation Month and provides a great opportunity to do the right thing. In reality, our leaders are worthy of appreciation 12 months out of the year. First Thessalonians 5:12-13 tells us, “…honor those who are your leaders in the Lord’s work. They work hard among you and warn you against all that is wrong. Think highly of them and give them your wholehearted love because of their work” (NLT). Hebrews 13:7 also says, “Remember your leaders who first taught you the word of God. Think of all the good that has come from their lives…” (NLT).

Here are five key ideas to implement in October and all year round:

Pray for Your Leaders – The Apostle Paul often asked for prayer (2 Corinthians 1:8-11; also Ephesians 6:18&19; Colossians 4:2-4; 1 Thessalonians 5:25; 2 Thessalonians 3:1). Charles Spurgeon said, “I know of no greater encouragement than that my people would pray for me.” Our prayers are a gift that God uses to provide power and protection for our church leaders. Prayer also keeps our attitudes aligned with the heart of God. It is hard to be a prayer warrior and critic at the same time.

Give Practical Encouragement – The squeaky wheels in the church tend to get the “grease” of attention and energy from leaders. One negative letter can easily outweigh the impact of five positive ones. Take time to let your leaders know, via notes, e-mails, and phone calls, of your deep appreciation for their life and ministry. Be specific. Encourage others to do the same.

Provide Tangible Blessings – Most pastors live on a limited budget. Special tokens of kindness that provide memorable experiences are always appreciated. A gift certificate for a nice meal, an overnight get- away, a visit to the bookstore, or a mini-vacation is always a blessing beyond words.

Protect Their Reputation – Proverbs 22:1 says, “A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches; Loving favor rather than silver and gold.” A pastor’s reputation is valuable beyond calculation. One of the great gifts you can give your pastors is to counteract the typical gossips and critics found in every church. Whenever there is some juicy tidbit of “news” circulating in the church, you can either add water or gasoline to the fire. Become known as one who supports and protects your pastor and his family.

Don’t Forget Their Families – The spouse and children are the unsung heroes of pastoral ministry. Often they are forgotten. Consider all of the above expressions of support, and apply these ideas in thoughtful and specific ways to each family member.

Fueling Their Joy and Endurance

When our leaders don’t stay in the fight, it makes it hard for us to win our imperative spiritual war. Discouraged pastors cannot serve to their full potential. Each of us can offer great encouragement to help them thrive and endure. Hebrews 13:17 challenges us to follow and support our spiritual leaders because they watch out for our souls, as those who must give account to God. Then the passage adds, “Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you.”

Let’s fuel the joy of our leaders. It is profitable for them, their families, our churches, and our Christ-honoring mission in this world.

Copyright © 2015 Daniel Henderson. All rights reserved.

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