5 Things Millennial Pastors Despise about Church Administration

August 6, 2011 2 Comments

For the past 3 years, I have witnessed over 300 young pastors and church leaders, youth ministers and theology students walk across the stage to earn their diplomas at Campbellsville University.  They range in age from 22-32.  They are known as the Millennials (born between 1980-2000).  In many ways, they are changing the Christian church culture faster than any generation before them. 

As I have witnessed them, taught them and interacted with them, testing their views on the Bible, Christianity, and especially church leadership, I have found there are a few things they can’t stand.  In particular, there are 5 things they truly despise and they all revolve around church administration.

5 Things Millennial Pastors Despise in Church Administration

Adidos Mr. Robert's

1.  Robert’s Rules of Order and the dreaded church business meeting.  Many Millennial pastors and church leaders talk of church business meetings as the biggest waste of time, energy and effort in all of Christendom.  They don’t like the format and especially the lack of biblical and spiritual insight shown in following parliamentarian procedures.  Now to date, they’ve not offered much in the way of decision-making alternatives, but you can be assured they are never happy listening to a moderator entertaining a motion, calling for the first ballot or stopping the discussion to look something up in the constitution and by-laws. 

2.  Sitting on hordes of cash in church bank accounts.  The Millennial pastor is confronted daily with the need for social justice and the plight of the oppressed.  Their hearts ache for orphans, widows, the poor and neglected.  So when churches choose to stockpile hundreds of thousands of dollars in CDs and mutual funds, their heads explode.  Most Millennials despise significant debt AND significant surplus.  They believe if God has given them resources, they should be spent on kingdom purposes, not to pad accounts.

3.  Multi-million dollar facilities being used twice per week.  Let’s say you have a church in a major city or even in a rural town square that cost over 1 million dollars to build.  The Millennial pastor wants that building to be used 7-days a week.  Monday through Friday, morning, noon and night, people coming and going.  They want the building to be open to community groups, outside organizations, business luncheons, Christian schools and daycare.  This means higher utility bills and maintenance cost, but the Millennial pastor can not stomach having a huge facility and only turning it ”on” Wednesday night and Sunday morning. 

4.  Leadership boards of any kind, especially elder boards, deacon boards and trustee boards.  This dynamic is interesting because in the non-profit world and in secular business, a leadership board is quite natural and viewed as a necessary leadership structure promoting accountability and integrity. But younger Millennial pastors and church leaders are very anxious about the word “board.”  They prefer terminology like a body, team, or community.  In their minds, people get abused by “boards,” especially pastors and their families so they usually steer clear of them.

5.  Finally, Millennial pastors despise institutionalism for the sake of the institution.  When Millennials get a hint that the church has become overly institutional, meaning leaders on the various boards and committees are working only to support and propagate the institution to the neglect of the community, the lost, the prostitute, the addict or any collection of outcast, they become viciously irate.  They want nothing to do with country club Christianity or members-only gatherings.  They want to know they are serving and growing God’s kingdom, not a singular institution that happens to have the name Church on the sign.

Things are never going to be the same again in Church Admin.  Who knows, that might be the best thing for us all.

Filed under Leadership, Ministry, Teaching

My Hopes for the Upcoming School Year

August 2, 2011 Leave a comment

I will start my fourth year at Campbellsville University in a couple weeks.  Three falls, 3 springs, and 3 summer semesters have come and gone.  In many ways, I feel like I’ve been here for years.  But at other times, I still feel like a rookie, green behind the ears. 

At the beginning of each year, I try to select a Bible passage as my theme passage and set ministry goals for the semester ahead.  The theme passage hasn’t come just yet, but here are 5 things I am hoping and praying God does in and through me this 2011-12 school year.    

1.  Deeper, stronger mentor relationships with the young men I personally disciple.  There are a couple guys who I meet with on a very regular basis talking about life, ministry, relationships, school and their devotion to the Lord.  I am really hoping these relationships grow and expand.   Both men are facing school, relationship, and ministry challenges.  I am praying God allows me to walk alongside of them and coach them well during this pivotal time.

2.  Greater growth in my own servant-leadership.  I am hoping God continues to refine me as a second-tier leader in the School of Theology and as an emerging leader on the entire campus.  I have much to learn about humility, grace, patience and waiting on the Lord’s timing.  But as these past 3 years have progressed, God has brought more and more opportunity for leadership and influence my way.  To those who are given much, much will be expected. (Luke 12.48)

3.  More Jesus-centered, Gospel-focused moments in my basic Christianity course.  I am hoping God opens more hearts in my Religion in Life course than ever before.  I am only teaching 1 face-to-face RNL course this semester and I truly want God to use this one class to be transformational for all 35 students.  I am changing my approach and experimenting with new methods to better reach Millennials with the Gospel.

4.  Consistent church ministry involvement.   Last year I served in one local church pretty much the whole term, which I loved.  From August 2010 to July 2011, I preached every Sunday in Louisville at Bethany BC.  I don’t exactly know what God has in store for me this school year, but staying active and vibrant in local church ministry is a must.  Preaching the Word every Sunday and serving the needs of a local community gave me more passion and insight as I was teaching my Christian ministry students.  Be doers of the Word, not merely hearers. (James 1.22)

5.  Begin each day on my knees.  As some of you know, Bethany BC gave me a prayer bench as a thank you for being their interim pastor.  It now sits in my office, right next to my desk.  I am asking God to bring me to my knees every day before I turn on my computer, answer an email, or grab my books to head to class.  Spending my first few minutes every day before the Lord in prayer should change everything in 2011-12.

Filed under Leadership, Life, Ministry, Teaching

KY Traveler

August 1, 2011 Leave a comment

Over the weekend, in just about 24 hours time, I traveled through 10 KY counties.  I live in Taylor county, but we won’t count that one.

On my way to Richmond, I went through Marion (1), Mercer (2), Boyle (3), Garrard (4) and ended in Madison (5).  Then on Sunday as I was driving to Monticello, I went through Adair (6), Russell (7), Pulaski (8), Wayne (9).  And as I came back home, I decided to take the  country roads home through Clinton (10).

I like cruising the backroads.  I like using a paper map, not a GPS system.  Navigating out in this great state of ours is fun to me.

Filed under Ministry, Travel

I Hate Bank of America

July 26, 2011 4 Comments

Crank of America, The Worst Bank in the World

I hate Bank of America.  Let me be as clear as I can possibly be.  I utterly, with all of my heart, mind and soul, with every fiber of my being, hate Bank of America.

I was a checking and savings account customer in TX.  You know the story.  First job, first direct deposit, first time you actually have money to manage.  I selected BOA because they were on every corner and had ATM’s everywhere.  But very quickly I learned their evil ways.

Once I was making a check DEPOSIT and I was scammed.  The church I served cut me a check every two weeks and so I drove up to the drive-thru and proceeded to deposit my meager salary.  For this deposit, they charged me $2.50.  I had no other transactions, no withdraw.  I didn’t even request any cash from the deposit.  All I wanted was to put my money into their bank and I was charged a fee.  I was so upset, I went right in and asked the bank manager what was going on.  His answer, “Someone has to pay for these tellers.”

Over a period of 5 years, I was charged with all kinds of handling fees, processing fees, ATM fees, and of course, depositing fees.  I should have banked elsewhere, but I stayed out of stupidity.  So when we left TX, I left CRANK of AMERICA.

Fast forward to the present.  A couple years back, my mortgage company sold my home loan to BOA loans.  The Death Star drew me back in.  I was a Crank customer again, without even agreeing to it.  So I’ve sent my mortgage payment every month back to the Bank of America scum in Dallas, TX hating every dime I had to give them.

Until today.  We are refinancing our home with our local bank, Citizen’s Bank & Trust.  Not only am I leaving Crank, but my loan will be housed, serviced and monitored here locally by a local bank that I trust.  I can call my loan officer any day and he can pull up my account without any trouble.

Crank of America is this your official notice that I am permanently withdrawing your hooks out of me for good.  Please, please, leave me alone.

Filed under Family, Life

Maple Trail Ministry Consultants Turns 3

July 24, 2011 Leave a comment

The following post is from our Maple Trail site thanking all the churches and parachurch organizations that have allowed me or one of my team members to come and serve over the past three years.  All in all, it is overwhelming to think God has used this little firm so graciously to be a blessing to so many.
__________________________________

This week marks the 3rd anniversary of Maple Trail Ministry Consultants being in existence. In those three years, we have been honored to serve numerous churches, local associations, and Christian parachurch organizations.

We would like to thank each of the following partners in our Ephesians 4:12 vision to “equip the saints for the work of ministry.” These past 3 years have been the thrill of a lifetime.

Thank you for trusting us with your people.
Sincerely, The Maple Trail Team

Local Churches

  • Bethany BC, Louisville
  • Crestwood BC, Frankfort
  • Campbellsville BC, Campbellsville
  • Columbia BC, Columbia (4 consultations)
  • Living Grace Church, Campbellsville (3 consultations)
  • Anchor BC, Richmond
  • Pioneer BC, Harrodsburg
  • Salem BC, Campbellsville
  • Good Hope BC, Campbellsville
  • Mt. Gilboa BC, Campbellsville
  • First Baptist Church Monticello
  • Hope Community Church, Lawrenceburg
  • Calvary BC, Corbin
  • St. Mark United Methodist, Columbia
  • Parkway BC, Bardstown
  • Bethlehem BC, Cunningham
  • Main Street BC, Alexandria

Local Associations

  • Taylor County Bapt. Association
  • Central (Mercer & Boyle Co.) Bapt. Association
  • Blackford/Breckenridge Bapt Association

Conferences & Events

  • Campbellsville Univ. Louisville Contagious Churches Conference
  • Campbellsville Univ. Pastors & Church Leaders Conference
  • CU Think Again Workshop for church leaders
  • CU Worship Arts Conference
  • KBC Pastors & Deacons Retreat
  • KBC Super Saturday (9 events)
  • KBC Youth Pastors Retreat
  • KBC Imagine Children’s & Preschool Ministry Conference

Filed under Leadership, Ministry, Preaching, Teaching

Re-envisioning the Church Ministry Resume

July 20, 2011 Leave a comment

If you have ever served on a church search committee or personnel team, you have looked through church ministry resumes.  Page after page of white space with tons of words and bullet points. I know I have waded through a couple hundred or so in my day.   Blah, blah, blah.

Ministry Resumes: Bold & bulleted

Seeking pastors and church leaders get their ministry resume templates from two places.  Most use a standard Word document template designed for entry-level positions at a business office.  These are basic, simple and lack anything exciting. 

Others will use a seminary provided template that may even be more boring than the Word doc.  Both types really do not meet the questions being asked by those looking to fill positions in their churches.  They are stock formats with basic information attempting to put all prospective candidates on an even playing field.

Recently I have been experimenting with my church ministry resume (disclaimer: I am not leaving CU just to be perfectly clear) and I started noticing how boring it looked.  I recognize we live in a highly visual world.  We lean heavily on icons, logos, facebook profiles, and websites to communicate what is happening our the world. 

My thought then is, “Why don’t we start incorporating these visual elements in our church ministry resumes?”  If we live in a visual culture dominated by visual media and advertising, shouldn’t our resumes, which are essentially an advertisement for ourselves, not also be visually-stimulating.

So here are my suggestions on how to visually-enhance your ministry resume.

1.  Include a good picture of yourself.  Not the cheesy seminary yearbook or church directory photo in the standard preacher tie and suit.  Try something that appeals to who you really are:  family man, athlete, book nerd, etc.  Make sure the photo incorporates personality and vitality, not boring, staunch seriousness.  If you’ve changed your Facebook profile in the past 6 months try using that one.  It speaks to who you really are.

2.  Include the logos of the schools you’ve attended.  Show your school pride by labeling them with their icon or insignia.  Color-code your school information in the school’s team colors.  It will definitely add some pop to your Education section which is usually a snore. 

3.  Include church or business logos of places you’ve previously worked.  If the company or church is branded with a good logo, why not use it.  Most often the logo speaks more to the vision and direction of the church/business, more than your job title and bulleted accomplishments.  A savvy logo is eye-catching and speaks volumes about the kind of places you’ve been associated with.

4.  In your references, add their Facebook profile pic next to their contact information.  When these search committee members call your references, wouldn’t it be nice to have a name with a face.  It might make the conversation more friendlyand cordial to know what the person looks like.

I have added these visual enhancements to my church ministry resume as an example.  Take a look and let me know what you think.  Garrison Ministry Resume 2011

Filed under Leadership, Ministry

CU Theology Spotlight

July 13, 2011 Leave a comment

I am so proud to be a small part of the Campbellsville University School of Theology as both a faculty member and as a ’99 alumnus.

The following video tries to capture who we are as a school and what we hope to produce – World Changers for Christ.  Blending solid theological education with practical ministry leadership is our trademark style.   

Listen closely for a smooth talking narrator.

Filed under Ministry, Teaching

Fabio’s Fabulous Rescue

July 12, 2011 Leave a comment

Filed under Family, Life

Fluffy’s Treetop Emergency

July 12, 2011 Leave a comment

Filed under Family, Life

Boy Conference Camp Out Video

July 12, 2011 Leave a comment

You got to watch until the end.  Ethan gets a line drive to the face.  Complete with sound effects and crying.

Filed under Family, Life

An Extra Special Gift to Say Goodbye

July 10, 2011 Leave a comment

This morning was my final day as the interim pastor of Bethany Baptist Church in Louisville, KY.  I have served this fine church for about 10 months.  Bethany has been a wonderful church to love and be loved by.  As an extension of their love, they presented me with a gift this morning to say thank you.  Something I have been looking for for over 10 years.

They gave me this prayer bench. 

My Beloved Prayer Bench from Bethany BC

Back when we were in seminary in Fort Worth, our chapel had prayer benches down at the front of the auditorium.  I loved seeing students down there praying after a sermon and using the prayer benches to call out to God.  Even between classes, I would sometimes sneak into the chapel and spend some time talking with God on one of those benches.

Then later I was talking with one of my professors and saw they had a very old prayer bench in their office.  This particular bench had been taken from an old Catholic church and the kneeler was all worn out.  I desperately wanted a bench that had been used by other brothers and sisters in Christ, who were laboring in prayer. 

So for years, Jennifer and I went to antique stores, church sales, yard sales, and searched online for a prayer bench.  But never found one.  I asked an antique dealer one time if he ever got any prayer benches in.  His answer was “yeah, we get them. But we sell them the second we put them on the floor.”  In many ways, I had kinda given up hope.

But then today, as the interim search committee was pulling out something to present, my heart began to break.  They unveiled this brand new prayer bench built specifically for me.  I was overwhelmed to tears.  The kneeler is maroon to support Campbellsville University.  It has a cross on each side, a little slot to put a Bible or journal, and a placard on top reminding me of Bethany. 

I can’t say thank you enough to the people of Bethany for this gift.  They only way I can repay you for this gracious gift is to put it to good use.  And every time I kneel before the Lord, I will remember you always in my prayers (Phil. 1:3).  Thank you.  Thank you.  Thank you.  I love it with all my heart.  This means more than you will ever know.

Filed under Leadership, Life, Ministry, Preaching

Sweet Home Al Obama

July 5, 2011 Leave a comment

We were watching Despicable Me today and the song “Sweet Home Alabama” was playing in one of the opening scenes.  This is one of Isaac’s favorite movies, so he started singing along.  But instead of singing the correct lyrics to Alabama’s state song, he sang “sweet home Al Obama.” 

Al Obama, a mash-up of former vice president Al Gore and our current President Barack Obama.  Al Obama…I think the Democratic party could use this in 2012.  It has a nice ring to it.  And the theme song is already set.

Filed under Life

A Dream that is Real

July 1, 2011 1 Comment

I had a very weird dream last night.  I dreamt that I was visiting an old friend in the hospital who was having a same-day surgery.  Apparently we had known each other for some time.  I arrived after the surgery was over and then helped him get back to his home.  At his house, he told me that he didn’t believe in the Gospel, Christ or the Bible anymore.  That he had become an agnostic over the past couple years.  He and his wife had divorced after 10 years of marriage and that tragedy sent him into a tailspin.

Then he told me that he was still a pastor of a local church.  He had been serving as a pastor of a conservative Baptist church preaching every Sunday and leading the congregation.  But when he went through the divorce, he resigned from the previous church and was jobless for a time period.  After about a year, he found another job.  Now he was pastor of another church, but with very different theological convictions.  He was now a pastor of a far-reaching liberal church who was fine with the divorce and actually okay with his non-belief in the Bible and Jesus.

So after we got him situated from the surgery, we went to his church for an evening “worship” service.  I sat there and observed what he said and how he taught…as an unbelieving pastor.  He talked a lot about personal independence and finding your strength in your own ability and skills.  He preached about how each person is responsible for their own progress and movement forward in life.  It was kinda health & wealth, prosperity teaching mixed with motivational speaking.  No mention of God.  No mention of Jesus.  No mention of God’s work in their lives.  And the people in the church loved it.  They even said “Amen” to his points and challenges. 

At the end of the dream, he and I had a talk about his new life.  He told me that people in his new church really didn’t care much about the Bible and Jesus, they just want a sermon which lifts them up and encourage them in their daily lives.  And that you didn’t have to have faith in Christ to teach those things.  He said as long as he visits his people, challenges them and loves them, they were satisfied with him as their pastor.

I immediately questioned his motivation about still being a pastor after leaving his faith behind.  And his response, being a pastor is a pretty good job.  It’s the only thing I’m trained in.  Why do my personal beliefs have to change my profession?

Then the dream ended…….thank goodness.

The problem with this dream is that is not really a dream.  It is based in some reality.  Tufts University put out a study back in 2010 that said there are a small percentage of unbelieving, atheistic pastors preaching in pulpits across America.  I first heard about the scandal on the Albert Mohler radio program and read about it on his blog.  The reporting of the study made it all the way up to World News on ABC.

Could there be pastors who don’t believe and still choose to serve as pastors?  Yes.  Why?  The pay and security of a church position.  It might be that their educational training only fits ministry and nothing else.  It could be they like the place of influence and power they possess over an organization.  It could be that they have chosen to live a lie in order to retire a couple of years down the road.  Who knows?

All I know is that my dream, which was based in reality, was very scary.

Filed under Ministry, Preaching

Love Expressed through Speed of Response

June 20, 2011 Leave a comment

I’ve learned yet another interesting dynamic in the wild world of Millennials and iGens.  This new dynamic concerns the way love is communicated in relationship.  It appears Millennials, and the younger generation becoming known as iGens, determine how much they are loved, or unloved for that matter, by the speed of response to their text messages.  The amount of time between receipt of message and sent response is a determiner of love and value in a personal relationship.

Sound confusing.  I understand.  But let’s walk out how this works in practicality. 

Let’s pretend you are a parent, teacher, coach, pastor, minister or mentor of a Millennial.   They send you a text message about something going on in their life and they want your input on the situation.  As you receive and read the message, you have to make a determination on whether or not the message is worth replying to at that moment. 

If you think the message needs immediate attention and is valuable enough to spend your time, thought and energy replying to, you fire a response back within minutes.  In the mind of the Millennial, this is true love.

But let’s say you decide the message isn’t worth responding to or not so urgent to get your attention right away, so you put off replying until the next day or possibly not at all.  In the mind of the Millennial, you don’t love them.

For the Millennial, love and value in relationships are expressed through the speed of communication response.  The more you love them, the faster you will respond to their messages.  If the relationship is healthy and vibrant, you will respond within minutes.  However if the relationship is strained or not as important as other things, you will choose to wait hours, days or not respond at all.

I guess I need to start texting.  Nah, not yet.

Filed under Life, Ministry

Sound Advice from a Ministry Veteran

June 13, 2011 Leave a comment

Dr. Tom Bolton

Yesterday, I had the privilege of speaking at the ordination of now Rev. Sunkeun “Sunny” Bang, a member of Bethany Baptist Church in Louisville, where I am interim pastor. 

The charge to the candidate was brought by Dr. Tom Bolton, professor of church music at Southern Baptist Theo. Seminary and former dean of the School of Church Music and minister of music at Bethany. 

Dr. Bolton has been in church ministry for over 40 years serving in Arkansas and Kentucky.  He shared 12 words of advice that are huge for anyone going into or already serving in local church ministry. 

1.  Customize your ministry.  Every church and every leader are unique.  Buying into the latest trends or packaged fads will not work because that is not your unique gifting, its someone elses.

2.  Work with your people to be creative.  Creativity fuels worship.  Your people must be challenged to sacrifice their time, talent and creativity to the Lord. 

3.  Strive for excellence.  Excellence in the ministry is not competitive, comparative, pragmatic, or sporadic.  Jesus is worthy of your excellent effort every time.  Failure while striving for excellence is fine; failure while striving for mediocrity is unacceptable. 

4.  Stay humble.  There is no such thing as a self-made man.  God made the man and God continues to make the man.  Self has very little to do with it.

5.  Stay planted where God plants you until God transplants you.  Grass always looks greener elsewhere, but remember God planted you to tend His chosen field, not another.  If he needs you elsewhere, He will move you in His timing.

6.  Don’t be a people-pleaser, be a God-pleaser.  In the end, people are not your judge, only God.

7.  Longterm ministry is a balance.  Time with God, family, your people, lost friends, and in rest and refreshment must all be kept in a proper balance.  Anytime there is an inbalance, ministry will suffer.

8.  Be a life-long student.  Ministry methods and people are always changing.  Continual learning and reading are the only ways to understand those changes and shifts.

9.  Ministry requires changes in the leader as well.  The leader is not removed from constant change.  If your methods and practices are the same as they were when you began, then you haven’t kept fresh and engaged.  You must change with the times. 

10.  Involve others in your ministry.  Share. Replicate. Put yourself out of business, but know you never will.

11.  Be patient.  Waiting is not idle passivity.  Consider a waiter at a restaurant.  The food is not yet ready, but they are persistent in whatever they can serve at the time.

12.  Stay smiling.  Don’t let ministry change who you are.  Stay positive knowing you are doing the work of God which should bring you pleasure and joy.

Filed under Leadership, Ministry

Cell Phones in the Shower

June 13, 2011 1 Comment

Do you text in the shower?

Several weeks ago I was talking with a few youth pastors when I learned something new about American teenagers.  As you all know, teens are addicted to their cell phones.  They can’t leave home without them and seem to be on them almost 24 hours a day. 

Apparently this addiction has taken another step forward.  One youth pastor shared with me that his students are now sealing their cell phone in a Ziploc bag so they can text message in the shower.  They can’t wait the 10 minutes to takes to have a shower, so they have created a way to stay connected to their device even in the bathtub. 

Of course, I’ve seen my students texting in class with the phone tucked away in their jeans pocket or backpack.  Like you, I’ve seen them driving through town while tapping out a message in traffic.  But by far, this shower thing is absolutely over-the-top.

The conversation left me scratching my head and wondering about future generations.  But then I started to ask myself, “Am I any different?”  What addictive patterns are present in my life?  Whether it comes to drinking coffee or checking my email or watching TV, are their addictive behaviors in my life that I need to deal with?

What about you?  Are there addictive behaviors that you need to examine?  Are you addicted to your cell phone or laptop?  Are you addicted to caffeine or nicotine?  Are you addicted to a certain TV show or video game?  Are you addicted to something more serious such as alcohol, prescription drugs, pornography, gambling, shopping, or food? 

Living a life for Christ means putting him first above all things, including your behaviors and wants.  He must be our singular treasure, our first and primary love.  All other things must be placed in complete submission to him.  He wants you to live a life focused on him and his kingdom, not to the addictive things of this world which are fleeting.

It might be time to leave the _____________ (you fill in the blank) behind.  In other words, leave the phone on the sink.

Filed under Life, Ministry

Tribute to My Pastors

June 8, 2011 3 Comments

Six men have served as the pastors and under-shepherds in my life over the past 24 years as a believer in Christ.  Four of them have served as my pastor in the local church.  Two of them were not my  pastors officially, but played a major role in my spiritual growth acting as spiritual mentors and encouragers in my personal life.

I would like to pay tribute to these fine brothers and servants of Christ Jesus.

Dr. Ron Williams - My first pastor

1.  Dr. Ron Williams – Bro. Ron led me to Christ in VBS in 1987.  He baptized me and was my first pastor until I was 16 years old.  Bro. Ron and his wife Elaine and their sons Ronnie, Jameson, and Matt, were very influential in my life.  Bro. Ron was an innovative Bible teacher and a beloved shepherd.  He loved the New Testament and it showed up everywhere in his teaching and preaching.  He eventually earned his Ph.D. in NT and has taught at Gardner-Webb University for many years.

Bro. Mo

2.  Bro. Morgan Owen – Bro. Mo was my youth pastor.  He served my home church throughout my high school years.  He discipled me in small groups and personally in his home.  He and his wife Carrol lived close to my house and Morgan would come over and play football with us in the front yard.  More than anything he showed me how to be “in-love” with Jesus.  His passionate commitment to Christ came through in everything he did.  He is now serving as campus minister at Univ. Tenn. in Martin.

Dr. Taylor & I in Holy Land

3.  Dr. Ted Taylor – Once I got to college, another pastor took over in my spiritual development.  I didn’t attend Dr. Taylor’s church, I attended his classes.  He was my professor, advisor, life coach, and mentor.  He has remains those things today.  No single man has been more influential in my life than Dr. Taylor.  He is my father-in-the-faith.  Now he is my colleague with his office being just three doors down.  We talk nearly everyday.

Charlie in Naples, Italy

4.  Rev. Charlie Worthy – Once in seminary, another man of God became my unofficial pastor.  Again this was not a pastor of the church I attended or served at, but a man who became one of my closest friends and advisors.  Charlie and I worked together at PPC and went to school together at SWBTS.  He and his wife Shannon really took Jennifer and I under their wing, showing us how to be married and eventually how to be Christian parents. Charlie married us in 2002. Charlie and I spent a lot of time together in ministry and at his home over dinner.  He and his family serve in Naples, Italy.

Pastor Bob in white

5.  Pastor Robert Franklin – When I left seminary, I started my first “full-time” ministry position as the associate pastor of Main Street Church under Pastor Robert Franklin. For the first year, Pastor Bob and I shared an office. For the next 4 years, we prayed together every week on our knees before the Lord.  He trained me in all things pastoral: funerals, elders, deacons, confrontation, leadership, vision, faithful stewardship, and out-of-the-box thinking.  He encouraged me and called me out all the time, like a real pastor should.  He will forever be my boss/pastor/friend/brother.  He just celebrated 10 years as pastor of Main Street.

Skip & I at CU Homecoming 09

6.  Dr. Skip Alexander – After Main Street, we moved to Campbellsville.  We joined Campbellsville Bapt Church to be “members” for the first time in a long time.  It was the first church we had chosen in over 10 years; all the others had chosen us.  Pastor Skip was our pastor.  He truly became a friend to me.  We talked about ministry often.  We worked on several projects together in the church and in the community.  He understood how relationships were the currency of this community.  I learned a lot from him.  He left last month to serve as senior pastor of Northside Church in Indianapolis, IN.

I am thankful to God for these men and their role in my spiritual journey.  I pray I give to others as these men have given to me.

Filed under Family, Life, Ministry

Unearthing Rocks in My Front Yard

May 31, 2011 Leave a comment

The Spot That Will Not Go Away

I have this spot in my front yard that has bothered me ever since we bought our home 3 years ago.  It is a little spot right by the driveway, just down from the porch, that will not grow grass.  It is full of mud and rocks year-round. 

From what I can gather, that is either a pile of rocks leftover from when the driveway was gravel or possibly some rocks leftover from when the foundation was laid back in the 70′s.

Each spring I rake and shovel out several loads of rocks.  I desperately want grass to grow there.  I have planted seed and nothing works.  The rocks just keep rising up season after season.  I am in a constant, revolving cycle.  Remove the rocks.  Wait for grass.  Nothing happens.  Remove more rocks.  Wait for grass…

As I was removing another 3 shovels of rocks this morning, I was impressed that this is much like the Christian heart.  Rocks of hardness and sin are removed season after season, but more rocks come to the surface.  When the soil is wet and loose, rocks rise up. 

In my own life, there are rocks so deep that it will take another season of life to unearth them.  And even if I get those removed, by God’s grace, more rocks will appear in the coming season.

At one level it is kind of defeating and disappointing.  Will the soil ever be fertile enough to grow grass and be pleasing to the eye?  But on the other hand, it is encouraging to know God isn’t finished with me yet.  There are still places in my heart that are hardened toward Him.  The Spirit continually unearths these rocks for God’s greater glory in my life.

I wonder what rocks will show up in the next season of my life.  Pride.  Arrogance.  Unyielded spirit.  Discontentment.  I am glad the Lord has a big shovel and lots of patience.

Filed under Life

5 Assumptions of Evolution

May 27, 2011 5 Comments

Time and time again, I am confronted with postmodern students who want to elevate an argument against the Bible using the theory of evolution.  I get this every semester, even by students who claim to be Christians (which is very worrisome to say the least).

While I don’t mind the debate (actually, I kinda enjoy it), I always wonder why an evolutionist is so happy and proud of being an evolutionist.  It is one of the most defeated, sad, nihilistic theories that exists.  The theory makes humanity worthless.  Just raw materials and biological functions.  No dignity or value as living persons.  If I were an evolutionist, I would be so depressed to know my contribution to the world was utterly pointless.  Who wants to live that way?

In order to be a full evolutionist, you have to embrace 5 basic assumptions.  You can’t pick and choose which ones you like or dislike.  You have to embrace all 5 or you’re not in the club.  And trust me, if you don’t want to go all in, they don’t want you.  It’s either all or nothing.  No in-between. 

Here are the 5 assumptions.

1.  Everything in the universe is random.  There is no pattern or design to anything.  Everything is a series of random happenstance.  That includes you.  Aren’t you proud of yourself?  Random chance created you.  Random chance will kill you. 

2. Your soul is a biological phenomenon, not a spiritual reality.  Your feelings, emotions, wants, desires, aspirations and longings are purely biological.  Just a series of chemical releases in the brain and rampant hormones on the loose.  What you feel is not rooted in your spirit or inner self.  According to the evolutionist, you are merely matter, nothing more, nothing less.

3.  Your value as a person is purely molecular, nothing more.  You’re not special.  You’re not unique.  You don’t have extraordinary potential or significant worth.  You are molecules living in space bumping into one another.  Apparently your mother lied, God didn’t break the mold when He made you.  For the evolutionist, there is no God.  There is no mold.  There is nothing whatsoever special about you.

4.  The universe is very, very old.  This assumption has to be true in order to have enough time for all the randomization and chance to produce the world and universe we have today.  Since the world is so old, no chance that your life is going to make much of a difference in the larger scheme of things.  If the universe is 80, 90, 100+ billions of years old, your meager 80 years of life isn’t going to matter one iota.

5.  More mutations will occur as time continues.  Finally, since humanity is formed from mutations in single cell molecular life up through apes then to humans, we should be expecting some new lifeforms to show up any time now.  Meaning in 10 million years, when super-advanced human lifeforms rule the earth, they will look back on us as stupid Cro-magnon neanderthals.   Even more reason to feel special.

To all the Evolutionists out there, I feel pity for you because your outlook on life really stinks.

Filed under Teaching

Corporate, I Mean Church Mergers

May 20, 2011 1 Comment

Are Church Mergers on the Rise?

As a subscriber to the Wall Street Journal, I read about corporate mergers all the time.  Google always seems to be buying some little company for millions.  But more and more I am hearing about another type of organizational merger: church mergers.

It seems that a new trend is shaping American Evangelicalism, especially in smaller churches.  We are starting to hear of many churches merging togethe into one.   Two, three, sometimes four, smaller churches coming together to form one, but immediately larger, singular church.  I’ve talked to folks in rural settings and others in metro locations, both considering how a possible merger might be the ticket to long-term survival for all parties involved.

The reality is many smaller churches are in serious trouble.  The church culture is moving further and further away from the small family-run church with limited staff, services, and ministries.  Churches under the 75 attendee benchmark are particularly at risk.  At this attendance level, the church can barely support a pastor and the facility upkeep. 

It seems one survival method is merging with another small church within the same basic location.  This allows for multiple staff, more people, more finances, and more momentum to reach others.  It breathes new life and vision into a church plateaued or declining.  

I highly support church mergers, especially if closing shop is the other option.  The Gospel calls us into the family of God, brothers and sisters in Christ, united in faith.  When churches come together and become one, it reflects how the Gospel brings Christians together in love and unity. 

But navigating a church merger is quite difficult.  It is basically like to two middle-aged adults with long former lives getting married.  Everything must be sorted through and compressed.  There is a tremendous give and take.  Leadership must be disassembled and rejoined.  And there is a significant loss of autonomy on the part of both churches.

Despite the difficulty, I think church mergers will be on the rise in the next couple years.  When desperate times call for desperate measures, churches merger might be the best option on the table.

Filed under Leadership, Ministry

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