By Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

My phone rang yesterday afternoon. It was one of our city council members in El Segundo, California, where I recently accepted a lead pastor position. His kind words of welcome and thanks for my recent note touched my heart. He also offered to go to lunch or coffee soon and get better acquainted.

He was responding to a note I had sent to him, and all of our elected officials, the week before. The note said, in part, “I wanted to introduce myself and let you know I am looking forward to getting to know you in the coming months and years. One of the things that are very important to me is developing a good working relationship with each of the community leaders, including you.

“Part of what I want to accomplish is to build this great relationship with our congregation and the community. As I begin to work on this, I have asked the members of our church to invest in you and the entire council. To start do this on our part, I have asked the congregation to pray for you, our city leaders and our city. In order to make that happen, we have given them a set of prayer targets (on the inside flap of the enclosed church program). We adapted these prayer targets from the city website and newsletter.

“It is my hope that we can get together soon and have coffee or lunch, my treat! Melodee, my wife, and I have yet to move into the community. Until then, be assured of my support.”

With the note, I also included a copy of that week’s worship program, and drew attention to the flap which had this information in it:

Praying for Our Community … Praying for Our City Leaders

“I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for kings and all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity.” (1 Timothy 2:1–2, NLT)

This week we ask you to pray for the leaders of the city of El Segundo. Please pray for wisdom as they lead, understanding as they work and compassion as they serve the city. Please pray for the following leaders.” And then we posted the names and positions of all city elected leaders. We let our congregation know that our prayer points are adapted directly from the city’s web page.

One of the tenants of our vision and mission is this: “A community will not care about the church until the church cares for it’s community.”

Could your community use a dose of tangible care from your church? We believe ours could.

As we walked the streets of our community this weekend giving away small bags of Valentine’s candy, my heart almost broke as I thought about all the people near our worship facility.

Who are they? What’s their story? Do they know Christ? What aches and pains do they carry?

“Hi, we’re your neighbor and wanted to give you this bag of Valentine’s candy and say, ‘Happy Valentine’s Day!’” The reactions were positive and several remarked how no one had ever done this before that they could remember.

Just a few candies and a flier for the upcoming month’s small group and worship schedule; No hard sell. We just wanted to let the people around us know that we were their neighbors and that we cared.

“No one has ever done this before,” keeps ringing in my heart and head. How can we live near people and not “see” them, get to know them and connect with them?

“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:39, NKJV)

By Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

Over the course of the past 2 years I have been thinking about the alarming statistics concerning the American Church. My friend, Len Sweet, says that 75% of the churches in America are dying, 23% of them are plateaued (often taking those from dying churches) and the remaining 2% are growing due to conversion growth. (Personal conversation) Even the simplest of anecdotal evidence shows the vast majority of churches in America are in trouble.

With that in mind, I have been focused on the paradigm we Church leaders use for commitment of Christ and His Church in the USA and find it flawed. In fact, when we talk about “commitment,” we often use softer words like “attendance.” However, in the real word “commitment” has some harsh realities. Take housing as one example …

• Owners pay for everything – and take the responsibility for everything. In return, all of the benefits belong to them. Their hard work and total investment often pays off over the long term with great rewards.

• Renters pay for some things – and take the responsibility for only their things.  In contrast, a renter has a short-term commitment (a monthly or annual lease) and gains the benefits of the home / apartment / room for a short period of time, without the long-term appreciation of the property and the financial pay-off it might bring. They also enjoy none of the maintenance and financial responsibility beyond the negotiated rental agreement.

• Freeloaders pay for nothing – and take no responsibility for anything. All too often someone, often children or friends, take advantage of us through an unforeseen tragedy or the misguided goodness of our hearts. Once in, these parasites consume our resources returning nothing of value. In fact, it is these sponges that often seem to think we exist to clean their clothes, feed their stomachs and put up with their messes – again, without ever lifting a hand to help with their own untidiness.

The applications of such a thought pattern are many … and are reinforced by the King Himself who said,

“If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” (Luke 9:23, NKJV)

Paul reinforces this line of thought by saying …

“For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.” (2 Thessalonians 3:10, NKJV)

Perhaps 2012 is a time to call our people to ownership of the Kingdom of God and to stop renting or worse, freeloading … should membership or leadership be filled with renters or freeloaders?

That’s my thought. I’d love to hear yours. Take a moment and give me your feedback in the comment section.

By Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

As they did renovation on the old building not far from my house recently, I noticed that the frontage of the building was, in reality a façade! While it appeared to be a very large structure, it was, in reality a much smaller building, hiding behind a false front … like many Christians I fear.

Have you ever read these verses … I mean, ever REALLY read them?

“So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” (Matthew 5:23-24, ESV)

The façade of faith simply ignores verses like this. I mean, does Jesus really expect us to do this? I have become convinced that he does.

My friend Dave Ferguson has challenged us this year to lead ourselves every day. As I have taken time to review my life each morning, using the REMS tool he wrote about at the beginning of the month, I have come to realize that I simply need to do an accounting of my relationships each day.

Is there anyone who “has something against you?” is one of the questions I ask myself often. As I ask and answer this question honestly, and take the steps to reconcile relationships, I painfully rip off the façade of faith. What a liberating feeling it is to live in genuine faith!

So, let me ask you: Is there anyone who “has something against you” right now? How are you going to take care of it? How will you “be reconciled to your brother” before you go back to worship next weekend?

By Dr. Matthew Lee Smith

As the Christmas season came to a close, I can remember how the focus for many was on themselves. They were interested in what THEY were going to get, what parties THEY were going to and what things THEY were going to be doing.

In contrast to this was Christmas morning as we bundled out of the car to head for the restaurant for breakfast … a Christmas tradition in our family. As we stepped onto the sidewalk a homeless man with a shopping cart and a little dog asked if we could spare any change. Since I don’t carry any, I politely told him I had nothing on me.

Sitting at the booth, my wife Melodee ordered him a “to go” breakfast, and when it arrived, she immediately took it to him. The jumbo coffee and hot breakfast were gratefully received. When she came back to the table I sat there in awe of my wife who was more interested in being of service to this one man in a difficult situation than she was about how well we were served our traditional Christmas breakfast – her breakfast was cold.

This year, we can all remember that there are two motivations in life – one selfish, the other selfless. Do we see the needs all around us? Do we love our neighbor as we love ourselves? As we ate our breakfast Christmas morning, I was sure that one person did, and she was sitting right across from me.

And that brought a question to my mind as I sat there: Will I be more interested in my service of others or how others serve me in 2012? What about you?

By Dave Ferguson

We welcome our good friend Dave Ferguson back to Eagles in Leadership today. We know this article could change your 2012 in ways only God can imagine. With that in mind, we submit this great idea to you for your consideration:

My good friend Bob Bouwer was having lunch with the campus pastor of COMMUNITY a couple weeks ago when he said, “Everyday at the top of my journal I write these three letters:  E (emotional), P (physical) and S (spiritual) and then give myself a 1-10 rating.” He went on to explain how this daily routine of rigorous self-evaluation helps keep him in a healthy place.

As I heard Bob talk I was inspired to do the same; but to use a tool that is a regular part of our coaching of leaders at COMMUNITY and explained on page 120 of Exponential:  How You and Your Friends Can Start a Missional Church Movement.  We refer to this tool as “checking your RPM’S.”  This tool is based on Luke 2:52 that says, “Jesus grew in wisdom (mental) and stature (physical), and in favor with God (spiritual) and men (relational).”  So for the last week on a daily bais I have put at the top of my journal these four letters: R (relational), P (physicial), M (mental) and S (spiritual) and given myself a 1-10 rating.

I am already convinced that using this tool on a daily basis, rather than just during coaching sessions may be one of the most powerful self-leadership tools around.  I would strongly encourage you to try it for yourself.  Let me briefly explain each of these and give you a few questions to ask in your own daily self-evaluation.

RELATIONAL:  Our relational world typically includes the people with whom we interact on a regular basis: our immediate family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, and small group members. Here are some questions you can ask yourself.

• How are my relationships at home?
• What about my marriage, dating, or family life is going well? What’s not going so well? What would I like to change?
• Who do I consider my closest friend? How is God using that relationship to grow me?
• What are my relationships at work like?
• Which of my relationships give my energy and life? Which are the most challenging or draining?

PHYSICAL:  Our physical well-being is often the most overlooked aspect of a leaders life. Yet diet, exercise, sleep, and rest are all vital to our ability to lead effectively. If we are serious about developing as a whole person, we have to take seriously our physical well-being.  Here are some good questions to ask:

• Am I getting enough rest?
• How is my current energy level?
• What am I doing to maintain good health when it comes to exercise and eating habits?
• Is there anything about my physical health that I’d like to change?

MENTAL:  Another often-overlooked aspect is the development of our minds. In order for us to stay sharp and be a lifelong learners, we need to be challenged. Here are some questions we can ask to see if we are developing mentally:

• What have I been learning lately?
• How am I applying what I are learning?
• What magazines, books, or websites do I read or access?
• What thoughts have been dominating my mind? Are they drawing me closer to God? Are they pulling me away from him?

SPIRITUAL:   It is also imperative that we discover and act on whatever it is that helps us grow deeper in our relationship with Jesus. Here are some questions we can ask to see how we are developing spiritually:

• How would I describe my relationship with Christ right now?
• What does it look like when I am feeling closely connected to God?
• Which spiritual disciplines seem to help me draw closer to Jesus? Prayer? Journaling? Worship? Solitude?
• Who is holding me accountable to practicing these disciplines?
• What has God been saying to me lately through his Word? The Holy Spirit? Other Christ followers? Prayer?

The longer I am in leadership the more I am convinced that the most important leadership we can offer is self-leadership.  Use this tool everyday and lead yourself!

This article was first published on December 15, 2011 at daveferguson.org and is used by permission.

Visit most any urban church in America and you will often find a small group of people rattling around in a large facility. The “glory days” for the church have passed them by and things are currently being held together by the barest of means.

If you look and listen carefully, you will find many signs of the impending death of that local church. But, like many other topics in life, no one speaks of the elephant in the room. What are we avoiding?

#1 – Infrequent adult baptisms

Adult baptisms indicate conversions … life is happening on a missional level. When there have been few to none of these in the recent past, death is lurking at the door!

#2 – Reluctance to participate

Whatever the reason for the attitude, when people disengage from the ministry to and mission of the church, forward momentum ceases.

#3 – A desire to decide

Coupled with the reluctance to participate, an urban church often has to deal with people who would rather tell others how to live and do church. Such hypocrisy taints the spirit of the body and people flee such manipulation, thus shrinking the resources and size of the congregation even more.

#4 – Acceptance of entropy

With less, the church services and facilities deteriorate. Since the Gospel is “go and serve,” the urban church now stands as a statue to a by-gone era in the midst of a teeming metropolis of lost people.

#5 – A hostility towards innovation

Arthritis sets in to the small group left and any new movement causes an eruption of the inflammation that plagues God’s people. Stakeholders nix any new idea for fear what remains will be lost.

While no one seems to speak of these things, they are crushing the urban church. Innovation and a fresh wind of the Spirit are needed to restore the vision and mission of Jesus Christ in the local, urban church. Eagles In Leadership exists to help you live and thrive in the changing setting of your urban center. If you would like to learn more, feel free to contact us at admin[@]eaglesinleadership.org.

It seems every time Eagles In Leadership is asked to come and help an urban church, one of the key issues strangling the life out of that faith community is their church governing structure. Notably, you will find the current version of their constitution dating from the 1940s or 1950s – usually the post-WWII years when church planting was in a growth surge.

This is understandably so; polity is usually cultural and often tied to the origins of the congregation – we reproduce what we know. However, as someone wisely pointed out, “This isn’t the ‘50s anymore!”

How can you tell if your governing structure needs a retool?

• Everybody wants to be in charge! (This is often known as congregational rule.) The problem is, you can’t find this structure in the New Testament and urban ministry isn’t about being in charge – it’s about touching lives with the hope and healing of Jesus Christ. It’s about deployment not government!

• The Pastor is an employee! Since a post-WWII structure made everyone the boss, they have to have someone to boss! That “someone” becomes the pastor(s). In an urban church, where the lead pastor is often a community leader, organizer and influencer, such a model simply stifles the progress of the Gospel. Look in the New Testament and seek after words that catch this idea: “And Paul and Barnabas told the community leaders, ‘We will check with our congregation and reply to you after the next quarterly business meeting, after the congregation discusses the matter and come to a majority vote.’” Obviously, you won’t find it! Urban ministry is about making decisions on the fly – understanding that the pastor(s) – like the people – are already authorized for ministry and don’t need a majority vote to do it!  Pastors are leaders of sheep, not employees of companies!

• The people are to be served! Part of the constitution (and the ethos) of the shrinking urban church is the fundamental idea that those people will never grow up; that they will always need a baby-sitter, i.e., the pastor. Essential to the WWII-era constitution is the idea that, “We deserve and expect the pastor to serve us!” Read: Marry, bury, visit, coddle, placate and care for us in any way we so deem. (If you’ve ever been to a business meeting in a “congregationally ruled” church, you totally understand.) Urban churches need to become armies of men, women, teens and children who transform their neighborhoods with the Gospel of Jesus Christ, just as you see happening in the book of Acts! A nursery can’t do this. Only a trained, equipped army of willing workers can! A church’s people are the workers of the ministry, not the babies of the nursery!

• The community exists for the growth of the church! Often we have the wrong target in the urban center: We believe the whole purpose for our existence is to grow the church! So, when someone visits, we begin sizing him or her up for a much-needed infusion of help in our children’s program, our music ministry or committee because the constitution demands we have these! Yet, urban ministry is all about bringing the love and leadership of Jesus to the broken all around us – out in the community – in an effort to see them changed through the work of the Spirit so that they might help others who need such similar rescuing!

• Whatever else you do as a new person, don’t change anything here! Part of every struggling urban church is the non-negotiable truth that the constitution and the culture it birthed and built should never be changed. It is almost as holy as the Bible itself. When someone suggests that we no longer need 4 business meetings a year, three or four bullies will pull down Heaven and Hell to stop such change! Any change is to be stopped at any cost. This creates a real problem because every new member brings change and affects the very DNA of the church! One of the reasons urban churches die is because new people often want to accomplish something for Christ, but realize change and growth isn’t possible in this WWII-era church! Church ministry isn’t about the procedures of the past; it’s about the people in the present!

Urban churches need a structure that addresses where they are now! If we can be of help to you in structuring your church for the 21^st century, please, let us know!

You can email us at transformed [at] eaglesinleadership.org

Photo Credit: medicaltipsinfo.blogspot.com

You probably know the feeling – life was supposed to turn out differently, but it didn’t. You thought God would rescue you, but he hasn’t. You know the dire hopelessness as God has stopped speaking and no one seems to be able to tell you how long the situation will continue. Friends and family without Christ scoff at the idea that there is a God who cares when they talk with you about your situation and they revile God’s name constantly in your presence.

Asaph understood what you feel. After the Temple of Solomon has been destroyed he penned this prayer in Psalm 74 to appeal to God. He was desperate as well. His prayer is a great example to all of us when all seems lost.

When all seems lost, in prayer appeal to …

• God’s reputation (the enemy scoffs at God’s name) v. 18
• God’s people (the psalmist calls them “your dove” and “your poor”) v. 19
• God’s covenant (“have regard for your covenant”) v. 20
• God’s poor (called “downtrodden” and “poor and needy”) v. 21
• God’s cause (“Arise, O God, defend your cause”) v. 22
• God’s enemies (“Don’t forget the clamor of your foes, the uproar of those who rise against you”) v. 23

Perhaps you need a little help to “flesh out” how you would pray this prayer. Let me give you a real-life example to consider:

Dear Lord, you know we have been unemployed for a long time and finances are gone. All seems lost, and even our friends say, “Our prayers don’t seem to be working.” Your reputation is at stake. Remember us, your children by faith. Have regard for the covenant with Jesus. You have said You would “never leave us or forsake us” (Hebrews 13:5). We are nearly at the end of ourselves, without resources and in need. Arise, Lord, defend your cause in our lives. Don’t allow your enemies to laugh at You and claim your inability or non-existence. Rescue us quickly Lord, In Jesus’ name, Amen.

If all seems lost, cry out to Jesus for his help and don’t stop trusting. In reality, he is moving the pieces of life around and soon he will rescue you! And if he doesn’t, your reward in eternity will be great!

That’s my take, and I would love to hear yours. Please feel free to comment below.

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6:25–34, ESV)

I sometimes wonder if we really believe Jesus. I mean come on, isn’t it a bit hypocritical of me when I trust God for my eternal destiny through the substitutionary death of Jesus, but cant trust Jesus with my financial situation today?

Think about it with me for a moment, which is of more value – money or my eternal life? Of course, for many, the theological answer to this question is “my eternal life.” Yet, if we are honest, the operational answer for many of us is, “my financial life.”

Over the past weeks Melodee and I have watched as people who truly seek the kingdom of God first have sowed fresh vitality into our lives through generous gifts. While God is preparing our next full-time ministry, finances have exhausted themselves. Our prayer partners have not only prayed; they have showered us with their sacrifices to meet our financial shortfall.

In the past 16 months since our last fulltime ministry, we have learned what it means to focus Biblically on money. We use the following 5 principles, whether we have much or little.

M – Make Jesus master of our finances.

Since everything we have belongs to God, following the leadership of Jesus when it comes to the resources he has given us only makes sense. When we have had need, he has supplied through the Body of Christ. When others have had need, he had supplied their needs through our excess.

O – Only spend the money we have.

While many find this confusing, the Bible is clear that we are to “owe no one anything.” (Romans 13:8) Therefore, if we don’t have it, we don’t spend it.

N – Never use credit cards unless we have the money to pay for it now. (There are perks to using credit cards correctly.)

This is an important corollary to the previous point. We use our credit cards for the perks. However, we don’t use them if we don’t have the money to pay for the items when we buy them.

E – Exude generosity.

A woman in a dollar store this past month asked if we would buy her a bag of chips and a soda. She was hungry. She even handed us all of her money – about nine cents – which we refused. Such a small gesture could have been met with resistance, since we were about out of money ourselves. However, this kindness was met by an unexpected check in the mailbox when we returned home!

Y – Yield to the prompting of the Holy Spirit to give.

When a friend’s financial situation grew dark last year, God simply told us to give him $500 to help. We did without consideration, because we knew it was the Holy Spirit prompting us.

These simple principles have helped us in our financial troubles. While money is not what matters most in our lives, it is clear that God desires us to trust him with our financial resources.

We would love to hear from you about your financial journey with Christ in the center. Please take a few minutes and comment below!

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For daily insights into the Christian life, leadership and the Bible, you can follow Dr. Smith on Twitter and on Facebook.

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Host a Reaching Your Community In Your Generation Seminar!

The world around us changes approximately every 18 months! Such change brings great challenges to our mission. Eagles In Leadership has designed a weekend to help you energize your congregation or organization to fulfill the Great Commission in your community. You can bring this weekend to your church or organization!

The weekend revolves around four key messages:

• Help! My Community Is Changing!
• What’s Your Dream for Your Church? (And How Do You Reach It?)
• Healthy Churches Grow!
• Reaching Your Community In Your Generation! (It’s All About the Mission!)

You can learn more here.

Artwork Credit: smallbiztrends.com

“And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” ” (Matthew 28:18–20, ESV)

Have you ever wondered what on earth you are here for? Often such a thought comes when we are “in between” things. If you are unemployed, or moving to a new place or city, or looking for the right church family you may experience this kind of question.

Jesus was clear that EVERYONE is responsible for one key task – to reach our world in our generation. This means we are to make disciples where we are! How does this look, practically?

My Mission

Jesus is clear – I am an “army of one” to reach the people around me in my lifetime. If I am married, we are a team. If I have a family we are a bigger team. However I slice it, my mission is to reach my world in my generation.

My Jerusalem

But,  the world is huge – where do I start? In my community – my Jerusalem! We start where we are. When we have won everyone around us, we move on!

My Neighborhood

Who am I supposed to start with? I start with my neighborhood! That is where God planted me. That is where God wants me to start!

My Neighbors

Who do I speak with? My neighbors! For me, that is Steve, Kevin, Jean Claude, Marcy, etc. God put me in proximity to these people so that I can demonstrate the love and leadership of Jesus through intentional acts of kindness. In essence, we do life together in my neighborhood! That’s the springboard for my mission – to introduce them to Jesus!

My Responsibility

The bottom line is this: God placed me in my neighborhood to touch the lives of the people who live here with the sacrificial love of Jesus. To do less would be to walk in rebellion to the command of Jesus of making disciples. I can use any and all the excuses I can think of, but, when I stand before Jesus they will all wash away and all that will be left is the solid reality of what I have done and why.

It’s your mission, your Jerusalem, your neighborhood, your neighbors, and your responsibility. Will you follow Jesus and love them to him?

That’s how I see it. I would love to hear from you and hear how you have taken responsibility for your world in your generation! Add a comment below, please!

<<<>>>

For daily insights into the Christian life, leadership and the Bible, you can follow Dr. Smith on Twitter and on Facebook.

<<<>>>

Host a Reaching Your Community In Your Generation Seminar!

The world around us changes approximately every 18 months! Such change brings great challenges to our mission. Eagles In Leadership has designed a weekend to help you energize your congregation or organization to fulfill the Great Commission in your community. You can bring this weekend to your church or organization!

The weekend revolves around four key messages:

• Help! My Community Is Changing!
• What’s Your Dream for Your Church? (And How Do You Reach It?)
• Healthy Churches Grow!
• Reaching Your Community In Your Generation! (It’s All About the Mission!)

You can learn more here.

Artwork Credit: relationship-economy.com

The process of transition from a sick church to a healthy church is not an easy process! And when it begins, at least 5 things are true:

In Times of Transition

1)      Things do not stay the same

While we all like the security of stability, changes happen when we reorient our faith community to the health regimen of the New Testament.

2)      People are not what they seemed

As we evaluate everything based on spiritual health, the people around us who have been pretending feel exposed and often demonstrate their immaturity in graphic ways.

3)      The Church is no longer about me

Growing up is what health is all about in the local church and the core of spiritual growth is becoming “others-centered” and setting aside our own personal agenda.

4)      God can no longer be distant

In a sick church, God needs not be close, or even present, if we are to read Jesus’ words in Revelation 2-3 accurately. All that changes when we seek the health and life of Jesus in our midst!

5)      Life’s purpose is no longer a theory

Singing a few songs and giving a few bucks in the offering was all right when I just had to say I believed. Now, I need to discover why I am alive and present and what my part in God’s bigger plan is … and that takes some honest soul searching and practical changing.

In other words, when things begin to change from sick to healthy in our church, change reveals a lot about what we thought was true, but was just a façade. We need to be prepared for that.

Those are my thoughts. I would love to hear yours! Please comment below.

Artwork Credit: southsidenazarene.ca

Yesterday we spoke of four common attitudes in the sick church. However, we also said that healthy churches grow, according to the New Testament:

“And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.”

“Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” (Ephesians 4:11–16, ESV)

In other words, healthy churches grow because the people who make up those churches are growing. What does this look like, practically?

Healthy churches exhibit certain attitudes

• The people are Humble

Healthy people serve others and the community they live in. In other words, they refuse to be the center of their universe. Paul says that they do the “work of the ministry.” In a healthy, growing church, you will always see a large percentage of the people serving. (In a sick church about 10% of the people serve the remaining 90%.)

• The people are Evangelistic

When someone begins to understand the amazing gift of grace that Jesus has given them, they have to tell their friends about it. Those words of God’s love are received well because the healthy Christ-follower is already serving their neighbors and friend, coworkers and fellow students – the people they are sharing Christ with. (Again, in a sick church, evangelism is either the pastor’s job or for those with the gift of evangelism.)

• The people are Adaptable

Things change. The healthy church moves on because the mission is more important than the method. People’s lives are more important than the traditions and tools of the past. In their adaptation, the baptistery finds use often. People are reached for Christ on a regular basis. This opens new avenues for the demonstration of the love and leadership of Jesus.

• The people are Loving

People care in the healthy church. They are not superficial or just friendly with one another. When someone new comes along, they welcome and genuinely are interested in them. They connect. When a need arises, they simply meet it, or involve their small group to take care of it. They don’t need to get the pastoral staff involved because they ARE the church!

• The people are Transparent

Beyond the superficiality of a quick “Hello” as we pass by, these people grow deep together, doing life together through small groups, in mission and in community outreach. They spend enough time together to see past the veneer and look into the real heart of one another. Foibles and failures show up, are dealt with and loved through in the healthy church.

• The people are Helpful

You will seldom hear of a project or need that wasn’t met in the healthy church. Why? Because healthy people serve and give – generosity is their signature trademark. Whether it is a comment heard on the patio on the weekend or a need shared in small group, God’s people rise to the occasion and care for it quickly because they are family, and that’s what family does.

• The people are Yielded

Agendas don’t find their way to the community of faith in a healthy church unless it is the agenda of Jesus. These people understand that just like Jesus, they are not here to be served, but to serve and give their lives as ransom for others. (See Matthew 20.20-28) This affords them the lifestyle of putting others first on a consistent and powerful basis.

This is the church of health, and it grows! Healthy churches grow because every member is a minister.

Those are my thoughts. I would love to hear yours! Please comment below.

According to the New Testament, when a church is healthy is grows.

“And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.”

“Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.” (Ephesians 4:11–16, ESV)

So, when a church doesn’t grow, it may be sick. Consider the church that resides in a metropolis of several hundred thousand. All around it are people dying without Jesus and, as we are told all the time, the average church in America is under 100.

Having consulted in churches for decades, I have noted 4 key attitudes in a church that hasn’t grown in years …

Sick churches exhibit certain attitudes

• The people are Selfish

This is the church that refuses to change anything so that others may be attracted. While I agree that the message and the Bible should NEVER change, the methods can and should when they are no longer effective. (A great place to change is to imitate the actions of Jesus while he was on earth.)

• The people are Ingrown

We are told that after just a few years of knowing Christ, the average American Christ-follower knows less that 7 unsaved friends. This withdrawal and abandonment of the community is the reason for a lack of growth. (Again, consider Jesus who was so often “out and about” the communities of the Galilee.)

• The people are Critical

The redundant refrain from people outside the church is, “Why are Christians so judgmental?” Perhaps we have forgotten Jesus’ striking pronouncement: “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. ” (John 3:17, ESV)

• The people are Kill-joys

So many churches believe that “joy” is a synonym for “sin.” Yet the fruit of the Spirit start with “love, JOY,” etc. (Galatians 5). The church that is sick doesn’t like little kids running in the worship facility; complains when the facility is dirty because of use, and laments the “good old days” when children “knew their place” and “didn’t speak until spoken to.” They would rather have the order of the tomb than the raucous noise of the crowd.

There is a better way, and we will discuss it tomorrow.

Those are my thoughts. I would love to hear yours! Please comment below.

Artwork credit: sundayschoolleader.com

As a leader, you know what its like to want to see God move in a powerful way through your community. Many times we ask the wrong questions and fail to work with God towards his dream for our church.

So, what is Jesus’ dream for your church? We know what it is, because he told us before his return to Heaven. Here’s what he said …

Jesus came and told his disciples,

“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.

“I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone in the authority of [my] name to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.

“Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations; baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.

“And be sure of this: I am with you always,

even to the end of the age.”[1]

In other words,

• Jesus’ dream is to bring every person in our world into a personal, intimate, surrendered relationship with Himself.

• That means, Jesus’ dream for your church is to bring every person in your world into a personal, intimate, surrendered relationship with Himself.

Are you working with Jesus on his dream? Or, are you working on your dream and asking Jesus to work with you?

That’s my thought for the day. I would love to hear yours! Please comment below.

Photo Credit: lagrange.edu

Recently I have considering the question: “What drew 100s and 1000s of people to Jesus type of holiness?” It’s a question from Alan and Deb Hirsch’s book, Untamed! As I continue to think about the question, I have come to the following list of “evidences that  a person really cares for you.” This is what I believe drew so many people to Jesus. Here’s my list:

• The other person thinks of you when you are not in contact.
• The other person empathizes with you when you’re in pain.
• The other person comforts you when you’re miserable.
• The other person supports you when you’re in need.
• The other person confronts you when you’re in error.
• The other person defends you when you are attacked.

That’s my list. I would love to hear yours!

Artwork Credit: facebook.com

Within the heart of most of the leaders of your church is a dream they long to see God fulfill in their midst. In reality, those dreams can fall into one of three categories.

3 Types of Dreams …

• Selfish dreams – I want something to happen in my church for my own benefit, to please and thrill me.

• Worldly dreams – I want something to happen in my church to make me look good in the eyes of the people around me.

• Spiritual dreams – I want something that will please and glorify God through my life.

As a leader of leaders, it is your responsibility to draw the spiritual dreams out of your people and help them “dream the dream of the Lord” for your ministry. When that happens, dangerous things begin to brew!

All people dream, but not equally.  Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their mind wake in the day to find that it was vanity.

But the dreamers of the day are dangerous people, for they may act their dream with open eyes to make it possible.

T. E. Lawrence (1888-1935)

Explorer and writer

That’s my take. I’d love to hear yours! Take a moment and comment below.

Artwork Credit: insights-poweroflove.blogspot.com

Many churches today suffer from a leadership need – whether that is at the ministry level or at the board level. Often the question is, “How do you develop church leadership talent.” I like to develop church leaders using many different ways, levels and methods throughout the month. Perhaps some of these will be helpful to you …

• Creating a ‘pathway to leadership’ for the local church that shows someone the steps and processes for spiritual leadership growth from conversion through our highest level of leadership. Once these steps are in place, we create and implement the various elements necessary to make this path available for all of our potential future leadership.
• Leadership E-letter – I encourage all leaders and potential leaders to sign up for my weekly leadership e-letter. This brings Biblical truths to the present day situations.
• Roadmap to Discipleship – Throughout the years we have planned and trained, as well as trained others to teach separate, 4-hour trainings for membership, basic discipleship principles, basic ministry leadership principles, principles of being missional (being ‘on mission’ to personally accomplish the Great Commission) and basic worship principles. These are scheduled and advertized throughout the year.
• Discipleship mentoring – One of the most foundational steps of the ‘pathway to leadership’ involves getting people into a discipleship mentoring relationship soon after they have come to faith in Christ. This involves getting all current leaders trained to disciple new Christians as well as discipling new Christians to disciple future Christians.
• Small Group leadership – Creating an environment of training inside the small groups of our church is one of the greatest ways to identify the future leaders of the church. Providing them with a clear training plan and a mentored approach to servant leadership makes this possible.
• Outreach events – Bringing new, potential leaders into the planning and work of our outreach events throughout the year develops them. These events bring out the mission of Jesus and fan the energy and creativity of all of our leadership.
• Monthly Training – Leaders need regular feeding. They give and give and give. Each year I like to do a thematic training on a specific aspect of leadership; i.e., Teamwork, Servanthood, etc. Meeting once a month each month for ten of twelve months, we make each of these meetings a time of training, planning, sharing, prayer and praise. As we let one another know what is happening, we can praise God for his increase and pray for more of the same. We are also able to pray for those situations that still need resolution and salvation.
• ‘Come-along’ mentoring – Throughout the year, as leaders do ministry and life, they should take along a future / potential leader so they can learn ‘along the way’ as Jesus taught his disciples. Some of these times include conferences, ministry times, daily events day trips, etc.

These are some of the ways in which I develop church leaders, current and future. What are some of the ways you develop your church’s leadership talent? I’d love to hear. Take a moment and leave a comment below please.

Photo Credit: danlew.com

In difficult times, many “Christians” display less than the fruit of the Spirit, especially the fruit of joy. Strain can do awful things to the child of God when they are living their daily lives at a distance from God.

However, when we are in close relationship with the Lord, the fruit of the Spirit flows through our soul. Time alone with God allows him to express and explain his care for us. Job discusses why we can have joy in the midst of tough times …

““Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects; Therefore do not despise the chastening of the Almighty. For He bruises, but He binds up; He wounds, but His hands make whole. He shall deliver you in six troubles, Yes, in seven no evil shall touch you. In famine He shall redeem you from death, And in war from the power of the sword. You shall be hidden from the scourge of the tongue, And you shall not be afraid of destruction when it comes. You shall laugh at destruction and famine, And you shall not be afraid of the beasts of the earth. ” (Job 5:17–22, NKJV)

We can be happy in distressful times …

• Because God corrects us.

God loves us. In the midst of daily life God is an active participant in our lives. God longs for our lives to bring glory to him, to fulfill his purposes. Those purposes include living a life of joy (John 15.11).  As God corrects us, he longs for our lives to be lived in a pathway that will bring this about.

God’s activities include wounding our hearts and bodies and sometimes shattering our plans and dreams. While this may seem harsh, God knows our stubbornness. (As do we, if we are honest.) In many of those times God uses stronger methods to get our attention. Note that though God intervenes in painful ways to return us to his life of love, he also remains with us until our hearts and souls are healed with happiness.

We can also be happy in distressful times …

• Because God delivers us.

While things may look bleak at the moment, you can trust that God will deliver you! In fact, despite your situation, Job reminds us that God has your situation covered. He speaks of how God’s presence and power brings joy and happiness in many different difficulties: famine, war, the “scourge of the tongue,” and in destruction.

While these are usually times of great negative emotions, Job tells us that we will “not be afraid” and even “laugh” when these seasons come!

Because of God’s unending love, he not only works in our daily life – which we know by his correction – but God also rescues us in the midst of difficult times. Job not only knew this intellectually, he trusted God in the midst of his situation, waiting for God’s rescue, which eventually came.

Just as Job knew God would rescue him, you can be sure God will rescue you!

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For daily insights into the passage we are reading together each day, you can follow Dr. Smith on Twitter and on Facebook.

You can obtain more help from the FREE Bible reading schedule on our resource page. In His Image is a daily devotional that also follows our reading schedule and expresses the Biblical truth: “God Created You to Love You.” You can find this resource on the side bar of our website.

Join Dr. Smith in Bell Gardens, CA This Month!

Photo Credit: itswonderfulgood.blogspot.com

For so many, fulltime employment seems to be an elusive dream. Unemployment rates are high, and the gap between jobs can be paralyzing for many. I know because it has been 15 months since I’ve had a fulltime position.

When time drags on and you have done everything you can possibly think of to find that position, it is natural to ask God, “Where are you? What have I done? When will you answer my prayers?”

The only hope for the child of God in these dark times is an intimate, vibrant walk with God. In those quiet times of listening to the Spirit of God, reading his word and praying for direction, we discover the same seven reasons to hope in God that Job knew.

“As for me, I would seek God, and to God would I commit my cause, who does great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number: he gives rain on the earth and sends waters on the fields; he sets on high those who are lowly, and those who mourn are lifted to safety. He frustrates the devices of the crafty, so that their hands achieve no success. He catches the wise in their own craftiness, and the schemes of the wily are brought to a quick end. They meet with darkness in the daytime and grope at noonday as in the night. But he saves the needy from the sword of their mouth and from the hand of the mighty. So the poor have hope, and injustice shuts her mouth.” (Job 5:8–16, ESV)

1. God does great things – whenever my heart begins to question God’s ability to help me, I return to this truth.
2. God gives rain to the earth – abundance is God’s heart and this passage reminds me that God is always preparing for the season of harvest – including mine.
3. God raises the lowly – perhaps one of the more encouraging aspects of God’s character is that he promotes those who are low, in his time and for his purposes.
4. God lifts those who mourn – repeatedly we discover from God’s Word that God is touched by the cry of his children. This promise encourages me because God knows our hearts and hears our cries for help.
5. God frustrates the crafty – some people are out to get us, and God knows who they are. If you are a victim of such treatment, God knows what’s happening and will put an end to their devices.
6. God catches the wily – again, if you are suffering from the schemes of people who are purposely injuring you or your career, God has amazing ways to expose them and dispose of them.
7. God saves the needy from the mighty – note the phrase, “from the sword of their mouth.” In times of great distress, there seems to be no end to the number of comments and people who would like to condemn us, to make some snide remark or pass judgment. God saves us from these – whether we listen to them or they are intimated.

Over the past 15 months there have been many times when I’ve felt down. Each time I return to one of these great truths.

God cares and God is working on my behalf because he loves his children. The same is true for you.

Trust God and stay close to him. He is working on your behalf and will answer soon!

For daily insights into the passage we are reading together each day, you can follow Dr. Smith on Twitter and on Facebook.

You can obtain more help from the FREE Bible reading schedule on our resource page. In His Image is a daily devotional that also follows our reading schedule and expresses the Biblical truth: “God Created You to Love You.” You can find this resource on the side bar of our website.

Join Dr. Smith in Bell Gardens, CA This Month!