Leadership Thought: Two Lumber Thieves Find God-A Remarkable Story of Forgiveness.

Dear Friends,

In Winning God’s Way, Loren Cunningham, the founder of YWAM (the Christian ministry “Youth with a Mission”) shares a powerful story of how God can use forgiveness to bring a person to faith in Christ.  In Paris, just prior to World War II, there lived a Frenchman of Italian extraction named Enrico. He was in the construction business. Not long after he had come to know Christ as his personal Savior, he was out late one-night walking near his lumber yard. Just then, he saw two shadowy figures jump out of a truck and make their way into his lumberyard. He paused and prayed. “Lord, what should I do?” A plan came to his mind. He walked over to the two men, who by now were already loading some of his lumber onto their truck. Quietly, he started helping them load the lumber.

After a few minutes, he asked them, “‘What are you going to use the lumber for?”

They told him,  and he pointed to a different pile of lumber. “That stuff over there will be better for your purposes,” he explained.

When the truck was filled, one man said to Enrico, “You are a good thief!”

“Oh, but I am not a thief,” he replied.

“Yes, you are! You’ve been helping us out here in the middle of the night. You knew what we were doing.”

“Yes, I knew what you were doing, but I am not a thief,” he said. “You see, I’m not a thief because this is my lumberyard, and this is my lumber.”

The men became very frightened. The Christian replied, “Don’t be afraid. I saw what you were doing, and I decided not to call the police. Evidently you just don’t know how to live right yet, so I am going to teach you. You can have the lumber, but first I want you to hear what I have to say.”

He had a captive audience. The men listened to him, a relationship was formed and within three days both men were converted. One became a pastor and the other a church elder. A load of lumber was a cheap price to pay for two souls, especially when you consider that Jesus taught us that one soul is worth more than the whole world.

It wasn’t just the gift of lumber that led those two men to Christ. It was his act of forgiveness extended to them when they were caught in the act of stealing. They knew Enrico could have them arrested and they knew that instead, this man was forgiving them, even before they repented. It was like Jesus on the cross-extending forgiveness to us before we repented.

Psalm 32:1-5 reminds us that God not only forgives our sin, but He restores our soul. He takes away the guilt of our sin just as the old Gospel hymn writer expresses,

                             “O precious is the flow

                              That makes me white as snow.

                               No other fount I know,

                               Nothing but the blood of Jesus.”

There is not only power in the blood to forgive sin but there is power to remove it,  and as the late great saint Corrie Ten Boom used to say, “to bury it in the deepest part of the ocean where God puts up His sign that says, ‘No fishing.’” And once removed a new creation is fashioned out of the  one, and while the old man has passed away, the new man is born for eternity. (Paraphrase of  2 Corinthians 5:17).

Make today a great day.

Yours in faith and friendship,

Tom

Leadership Thought: 5 Momentous Occasions in the Spiritual Life of a Pastor.

Dear Friends,

There have been five momentous occasions in my spiritual life. First when in 1962 I knelt before my cot while attending a Fellowship of Christian Athletes’ Conference in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin and yielded my life to Jesus asking Him to be my Lord and Savior.

The second occasion was  when in the early 80's I was introduced to the classic book Disciple by Juan Carlos Ortiz who later would make three visits to churches I pastored and whose friendship and teaching greatly impacted my understanding of spiritual leadership.

The third took place in a corn field  at a Creation Festival in central Pa., where noted author and speaker, Tony Campolo, challenged me to a more radical form of discipleship. His message so impacted my life that I later invited him to make several visits to the church I was serving in Red Bank, N.J.

The fourth occasion took place while I was on a personal retreat  at a spiritual retreat center in Oil City, Pa., where I happened to eavesdrop on a men’s retreat that was also occupying the facility for the weekend.  I was there by myself to spend some personal time with the Lord, and I knew nothing about the men’s retreat that would also be sharing the facility.

Although I didn’t know the speaker at the time, I was immediately drawn to him as I listened as he shared Christ’s love with the men at the retreat. Only later did I discover the speaker was the late Chuck Smith, the founder of the Calvary Chapel Church movement. I would later spend 13 years of my ministry serving two Calvary Chapel Churches.

And the last occasion of spiritual significance took place just this past Saturday as Jean and I joined with thousands of others to watch and listen to the live stream event in Washington called “The Return.” “The Return” was a weekend event calling people from all over the country to meet together to repent and pray for the healing of our nation. Thousands of people from all over our land gathered at the foot of the Washington Monument to hear speakers share their hopes for peace and unity while praying for a  nation whose fabric has been ripped apart by political, social, and racial unrest. Well known speakers like James Dobson (Focus on the Family), Ben Carson (Secretary of Health), Franklin Graham (son of the late Billy Graham and founder of Samaritan’s Purse), and Messianic Rabbi Jonathan Cahn, author of the bestselling book, the Harbinger, were just a few of the many leaders, who participated in the event

No political correctness, no innocuous religion platitudes, no partisan politics, but simply prayer and the proclamation of the  Word of God  calling God’s people to return to the principles and practices that have made our nation great.

Over and over again, speakers reminded the gathering of the biblical promise proclaimed in a  2 Chronicles 7:14  “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”

It was a moving experience for Jean and I, and at one point I was so overcome with emotion that I just broke down and began to weep uncontrollably. It was during a message by the keynote speaker, Jonathan Cahn, who along with other church leaders, had planned and coordinated the event.

If you were unable to listen in, I would encourage you to google Harvest.org to view any or all of the weekend events. I would particularly encourage you to listen to Jonathan Cahn’s presentation which begins one hour and fifty-nine minutes into the Saturday morning event.

As believers, we can play a significant role in the healing of our nation. Let's all commit to fasting and falling on our knees as we pray that God would heal our land. Let us pray  that through God's power we would put aside all hatred or rancor we may hold for those with whom we disagree, and pray for the healing of our land during these contentious times.

Yours in faith and friendship,

Tom

Leadership Thought: Some Flowers on the Side of the Road and a Few Words at the House of Chong.

Dear Friends,

It doesn’t take much to make people happy. Yesterday I challenged you to keep an eye out for ways to encourage others, and I took my own message to heart. Let me share how, and hopefully my comments won’t be taken as self-serving. I only want to point out the fact that little things can mean a lot.

Yesterday on my walk up to the church from the auto repair shop where I left my car, I encountered some wildflowers growing on the side of the road. I don’t know what they were-looked like Morning Glories- but they caught my attention. Immediately, I thought what a beautiful bouquet they would make, so I stopped and picked a few blossoms. I had a special member of our church family in mind to become  the bouquet beneficiary, but I thought I would first have a little fun with her.

After stealing a few zinnias from our campus and arranging them in a plastic cup with my newly picked wildflowers, I called the recipient on the phone and told her she needed to come to the gym right away as we had a serious problem that needed immediate attention. Arriving in a state of major panic, I led her into the bathroom and pointed to the little red  light on the paper dispenser, and I told her it was out. “That’s it,” she remarked. “Yes, that’s it my friend,” and we looked at each other and laughed. “You are mean,” she jestfully commented, and I replied,  “Yes I can be, but not today” as I handed her my fresh picked bouquet of stolen flowers crunched together in a vase made from a plastic drinking cup.  Her smile was remarkable-  almost as wide  as mine, for as I mentioned yesterday, gift giving often blesses the giver  more than the receiver. Yes, little things can mean a lot.

On my way home I decided to stop at one of my favorite Chinese restaurants, the House of Chong, to see one of my favorite waiters. We on staff have gotten to know him through numerous visits, and our previous encounters have resulted in a unique kind of friendship. I ordered my go to-Moo Shu Chicken- and within minutes Lee had brought me my Hot and Sour soup, crispy fried noodles and a pitcher of steaming hot tea. The restaurant has been in Middletown for 30 years, and Lee told me he has been a waiter there for 16 of them. And when Lee brought out my entree I said, “Lee this is the best Hot and Sour soup I have ever had, and you serve the best fried noodles anywhere in town, and you know what, Lee, you are one the best waiters I have ever known.” You would have thought he had just hit the lotto jackpot. He was beaming from ear to ear. Now I was serious. The food at the House of Chong is excellent, and the service is first class, and Lee is a wonderful guy who probably doesn’t laugh much or receive the affirmation he deserves, but yesterday I believe my words, as insignificant as they might seem, brought just a little sunshine to a hardworking waiter who probably doesn’t receive a lot of encouragement.

All of this is to say that it doesn’t take much to bring a little joy to others. A few flowers stuck in a plastic cup, and a few words spoken to a waiter in a nearly empty restaurant.

Paul writes “Encourage one another and build one another up” (1 Thess 5:11)…. “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works…….encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near” ( Heb 10:24-25).

Yes, little things can and do mean a lot and as Mother Teresa used to say, “ Kind words are short and easy to speak but their echoes are endless.”

Have a wonderful weekend, and don't forget to tell Lee when you see him that I helped make him famous in the hearts of some of the readers of Leadership Thoughts.

Yours in faith and friendship,

Tom

Leadership Thought: Please Carry This in Your Briefcase or Backpack.

Dear Friends

A little boy said to his dad, “Let’s play darts.” The dad said “Fine, but how do you play?” The little boy replied,  “I will throw the darts, and you say wonderful.” 

I love that little story for it’s a good reminder that all of us, young or old, love and need encouragement. It has been said that encouragement is oxygen to the soul, and it’s hard to live very long without it.

Encouragement after failure can be one of the most important gifts you can ever give someone. I believe that a word of encouragement after failure is worth more than an hour of praise following triumph.

Someone wrote this challenge. Be somebody who makes everybody feel like a somebody. I want to be that kind of ‘somebody’ and I know you do.

I want to be around the kind of people who lift me up and provide hope for me when I am down, discouraged and defeated. I want to hang with the kind of people who are dealers of hope.

Today I want to challenge you to be on the lookout for someone who needs encouragement. Maybe it will take only a minute or two- a phone call, an e-mail, a handwritten letter, or better yet a personal visit (with mask of course). I assure you that such an act will result in a twofold blessing, as encouragement always blesses both the giver and receiver. 

Paul exhorts us in 1 Corinthians 13:11 to be encouragers. "Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you."

Do you want love and peace to dwell with you throughout your day today? If you do, be a lookout detector, and once you discover the source of need shower them with encouragement.

You will be glad you did.

Have a triumphant Thursday.

Tom 

P.S. Encouragement is a wonderful word to carry in your vocabulary briefcase, or backpack of course, if you are a millennial, as a reminder that today you can make a significant difference in another person’s life.

Leadership Thought: What the Post-Pandemic Church May Look Like.

Dear Friends.

The church has changed more in the last year than at any time in the past 100 years, and it will continue to change according to those who study church trends. The Covid 19 pandemic has radically transformed the way we do church, and some of the change that has been wrought within the church may be more than just temporary interruptions; they may become permanent in nature. In reading and listening to those who make a study of the church, there are some changes that many of them agree on, and this morning I would like to share some of them.

Church change will happen faster than ever before. Our world is in a time of rapid change, and because of this people are more open to change than ever before. If the church has been considering making major changes in its ministry, including staffing or facilities, now is the time to do it as there will be less resistance to change than ever before.

“The core of the church will grow stronger and the fringe of the church will become looser,” was a statement I heard expressed on a recent pod cast. In plain terms, there will be a winnowing of the church. Some who have been attendees will not be coming back. It has been suggested that one third of the church will return, one third is still evaluating their return and one third may never return.

The church will simplify. There will be a concentration on doing a few things well rather than offering a lot of varied programs and services.

There will be a greater focus on training the laity to do ministry and the result will be more trained laymen filling key leadership roles in the church. This certainly is a good thing for it is in keeping with the equipping mandate given the church in Eph. 4:11-12.

There will be an increase in bi vocational pastors who will split their time between secular work and church responsibilities.

There will be a major shift in staff alignments as some pastors will be leaving the ministry as a result of what has been called “decision and opinion fatigue.” This is a stretching time for pastors and with many of them being taken out of their comfort zones,  some may choose to explore other vocations.

There will be less of an emphasis on academic degrees and more emphasis placed on online certification. This has already been happening and seminaries are presently being forced to change their traditional ways of doing education. Those looking for pastors will be more interested in past certification and personal experience than in a seminary degree.

Younger pastors will be leading churches, simply because many of them will have the technical experience to function more comfortably in our fast-changing digital world.

There will be a greater emphasis  on the development of small groups within the church which will meet for study, training and mutual support and which will often align themselves around a particular mission or para church ministry.

There will be a more churches closing or being adopted by larger and healthier churches. The concept of “fostering churches” will become a reality, and stronger churches will support smaller churches by training and equipping its leaders.

There will be fewer senior or lead pastors heading up churches as many of them will choose to lead smaller or “micro churches” of 30-40 people. The church “will grow horizontally” as different small groups or micro churches are formed, and it will “shrink vertically” as larger churches see diminishing number of attenders.

Denominations will continue to decline, something that has been happening for many years, but with the pandemic, the decline will be accentuated.

Big attractional church events and major productions will diminish in significance unless churches are able to plan them to maximize opportunities for relationship building, something that today’s younger attenders are seeking.

The church will find new ways to educate, train and nurture those families who choose to  insulate themselves from normal church activities by doing “church at home.”

There will be an emphasis on training church members to do ministry in their respective neighborhoods. Small groups may coalesce around ministries specific to their neighborhoods. For more information see The Art of Neighboring-Building Relationships by Jay Pathak and Dave Runyon.

Some larger churches with significant size facilities may be forced to rent out parts of their building to both church and or non-church  programs. Some churches will experience shrinking income with diminishing memberships, as government stimulus support is eliminated.

The church will discover new and innovative ways to reach out and better serve their communities.

All of the above are not givens and the post pandemic church may turn out to be a lot more similar to the church as we know than some of the changes church experts are portending. Only God know what the church will look like, but one thing we know is that it is Christ who has built the church foundation and His promise is that “the gates of hell shall never prevail against.” Whatever form or shape the church takes, it’s  goal will always remain the same as the goal of its Master-“to go into the world and make disciples, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit and teaching them to observe everything I have commanded,…..’remembering,” I am with you always to the end of the world.”

For more information on the thoughts above you might with to check out Thom Ranier’s The Post Quarantine Church or Growing the Post-Pandemic Church by Bob Whitesel.

Yours in faith and friendship,

Tom

Leadership Thought:  A Lesson I Learned in Protesting Police Authority.

Dear Friend,

I was recently involved in  protesting the actions by the police. No, I was not participating in a peaceful protest gone south. There were no rubber bullets or tear gas, or police bullying tactics. I was simply sitting quietly in front of my computer while involved in a zoom call with the judge of the Red Bank Municipal Court preparing to fight a traffic ticket I received.

In June I was stopped by a policeman who pulled me over while on my way to visit a church member who was in Red Bank’s Riverview Hospital. He nabbed me for doing 36 in a 25mph zone as well as failure to pull over in a timely manner. In his words he felt I was trying to avoid apprehension.  I told him I didn’t know I was speeding (there were no signs of a change from a 35 mph zone to a 25 mph speed limit), and I had no reason to believe his blinking lights were for me as I had no idea I was speeding or that I was the subject of his pursuit. This policeman was in no mood to accept my explanation, and he handed me a ticket for speeding and trying to avoid apprehension by failing to pull over when signaled to do so.

As you can imagine, I was none too happy about the episode, and so at a friend and church member’s suggestion who happened to be a policeman, I decided  to fight the charges. I hadn’t had a ticket in years, and I didn’t want my insurance rates to be impacted by this incident.

The prosecutor threw out the speeding ticket, but he told me “I will dismiss one of the charges, but I can’t dismiss both of them even if I wanted to. So, the end of my five-minute zoom traffic court appearance cost me two points and a $114 dollar fine for court costs and a conviction for failing to pull over even though I was never aware that I was directed to do so.

But in spite of my displeasure, I wasn’t ready to do any looting or burn down any building or cry out for police defunding, for I recognized they have a job to perform.

I don’t wish to make light of police brutality, or racism, or any of the internal changes that may need to take place within law enforcement. I know there are good policeman and bad policeman, just as there are good lawyers and doctors and bad ones, but let’s not get caught up in irrational decisions  because some policemen have not always acted in honorable or prudent ways. To me it is illogical to talk about defunding the very police who are sworn to protect us. Instead let’s do what we can to correct the areas within law enforcement  that need improvement, and encourage the kind of changes that all of us would like to see, but let’s stop the hue and cry for police defunding.

I just heard a similar response from a school principal in Minneapolis who was televised as she spoke on behalf of over 50 other school principals who had lined two city blocks to protest the city council’s decision to defund the police. This despite the substantial uptick in crime, the continued looting and burning of buildings, including the police department headquarters, and the blatant lawlessness that was being evidenced throughout the city.

Proverbs 28:2 reminds us that “When a country is rebellious, it has many rulers, but a ruler with discernment and knowledge maintains order.” Yes, unrighteousness in a nation produces political instability and wisdom promotes social order and long rule.

In the book of Romans, Paul reminds us that we are to “be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore, whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval” (Romans 13:1-3).

No, I was not happy with the policeman who stopped me for what he viewed as two separate traffic violations, and I was not satisfied by the judge’s refusal to drop only one of the two charges against me, but I fully understand the role they both played as my governing authorities, and even though I disagreed, I had no right to take things into my own hands and defy their decisions.

I close my thoughts with the comments of Oswald Chambers who writes “Self-chosen authority is an impertinence. Jesus said that the ones in this world exercise authority, but that in his kingdom it is not so; no one exercises authority over another because in his kingdom the king is servant of all. If a saint tries to exercise authority, it is a proof that he is not rightly related to Jesus Christ.” Enough said!!!!!

Yours in faith and friendship,

Tom

Leadership Thought: Watch Out for Those Cracks in Your Character.

Dear Friends,

“Real success does not compromise personal integrity. If you are not a success by God’s standards, you have not achieved true success.” Those words were taken from my Life Application Bible and written in reference to Proverbs 11:3,5 where we read, “The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity. The righteousness of the blameless makes a straight way for them, but the wicked are brought down by their own wickedness.”

All of this made me think about a story I read that took place in 1958 in a small community in northeastern Pennsylvania. A small red brick building was built that was to be a combination building, housing both the police and the fire departments, as well as the community town hall. The town was proud of that building; it was the result of great sacrificial  giving and much careful planning. When the building was completed, they held a ribbon cutting ceremony, and most of the town was present. It was the biggest event of the year for that small community.

However, within two months, they began to notice some ominous cracks on the side of the red brick building. Sometime later, it was noticed that the windows wouldn’t close correctly. Eventually, the floor shifted and left some ugly gaps in the corners of the building. The roof began to leak, and within a few more months, the building had to be evacuated, much to the embarrassment of the builder and the disgust of the taxpayers.

A firm did an analysis shortly thereafter and found that the blasts from a nearby mining area were slowly but effectively destroying the building. Unseen down beneath the building, there were small shifts and changes taking place that caused the whole foundation to crack. You couldn’t feel it or even see it from the surface, but quietly and down deep there was a weakening of the structure. A city official finally had to write across the door of that building, ‘Condemned. Not fit for public use.’ Ultimately the building was demolished.

A lack of integrity in little things will grow like those cracks left by those blasts from the nearby mining area. And little by little, the cracks will grow until that lack of integrity will ultimately bring down the foundation of our character. It may not be noticeable on the outside. Only we may be aware of those little cracks in our character that we chose to ignore, but sooner or later, when the building falls, our lack of integrity will be revealed for the whole world to see.

Abraham Lincoln was one of the greatest examples of integrity who ever lived. He wrote, “I desire so to conduct the affairs of this administration that if at the end, when I come to lay down the reins of power, I have lost every other friend on earth, I shall at least have one friend left, and that friend shall be down inside of me.”

Good words for us to remember in an era where persons of integrity seem harder to find than a two-dollar bill. I challenge you today to ask yourself if there are little cracks in your life that need some attention. Are there any little cervices that are forming in the foundation of your moral character which, if left untreated, will destroy your reputation? Is there something that you need to return that you didn’t pay for? Is there something you borrowed that you didn’t return? Is there work you didn’t do but which you were paid for? Yes, I know these may seem like little issues, but don’t forget the story. No one may ever know those little cracks that are forming in your character, but they are there. They may be unexposed to the outside world, but they are known to you. Do something about them and do it today. You will be glad you did. Who knows, you might even avoid the collapse of your character.

Yes, it is true as stated above: “The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity” (Proverbs 11:3,5), and in the words of Scripture, “great will be their fall.”

Have a great day, and always remember that “the only thing that walks back from the tomb with the mourners and refuses to be buried is the character of a man. What a man is survives him. It can never be buried.” 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, John Maxwell, p 62.

Yours in faith and friendship,

Tom

Leadership Thought: My Go to Christian Song When I Need Encouragement.

Dear Friends,

Ask a person what his or her favorite Christian music is, and you will get a wide assortment of answers. We all have our favorites, Of course  a simple song like "I Love You Lord" would be on a lot of lists as would "How Great Thou Art" by Carrie Underwood. These two would certainly be included on mine. It would hard for me to leave off "I Can Only Imagine" by Mercy Me, or “Our God Reigns,” or classic country favorites like “Go Rest High on the Mountain” by Vince Gill and Patty Lovelace, or “Three Wooden Crosses” by Randy Travis. It would be a challenge for me to  pick just one favorite, but if I had to pick just one, I think it would be "Raise a Hallelujah" by Jonathan and Melissa Helser. It is my go-to song when the storm winds blow, and I feel like everything around me is shouting out the words hopeless.

I raise a hallelujah, in the presence of my enemies

I raise a hallelujah, louder than the unbelief

I raise a hallelujah, my weapon is a melody

I raise a hallelujah, Heaven comes to fight for me

I'm gonna sing, in the middle of the storm

Louder and louder, you're gonna hear my praises roar

Up from the ashes, hope will arise

Death is defeated, the King is alive

Last night a deacon and I made a visit on one of the members of our church who was going through a difficult time. I asked her if she had heard the song, and her eyes began to tear up as she commenced to express how much that song had meant to her during this the time of her pain and suffering.

I raise a hallelujah, with everything inside of me

I raise a hallelujah, I will watch the darkness flee

I raise a hallelujah, in the middle of the mystery

I raise a hallelujah, fear you lost your hold on me

Powerful words to sing or just listen to when your world seems to be caving in around you. If you need a little encouragement today or any day, this song is the place to go. Take a moment to click on the link below and listen and let God lift up your eyes and  "watch the darkness flee."

Yours in faith and friendship,

Tom

Raise a Hallelujah (Live) [Lyric Video] | Bethel Music - YouTube

Leadership Thought: For Teachers and Anyone Else Looking for a Way to Survive These Pandemic Times.

 Dear Friends,

 One of the things I most missed while being away on vacation from our New Monmouth Church team was laughter. We have a lot of fun together as a team, and I think it's because we are always on the lookout for things that will make us laugh. We call these occasions “times of whimsey.” How laborious would be ministry or any other form of service without having some fun with the people with whom you serve. If there is anything  that we need today as we all go through these depressing pandemic times, it is more occasions for laughter.

I still have the quotes on laughter that I kept while I was chaplain and athletic director at Calvary Christian Academy in Fort Lauderdale. They came from a monthly booklet called, “The Master Teacher,” and the quotes were taken from an article titled “Ten Things You Can Do Daily to Be a Better Professional.” The part that caught my attention were these words. “Do your part to create a sense of joy and fun. People work better in a fun-loving atmosphere. Students want to learn when the teacher makes class work and learning enjoyable and a rewarding experience. And colleagues want to work with people who take teaching and learning seriously, but who don’t take themselves too seriously. Smile laugh with people and be willing to poke fun at yourself occasionally. Seek out and enjoy the humor that abounds in every classroom and school, and you’ll endear yourself to others.” (The Master Teacher, Vol. 34, Number 16)

As a coach and former teacher with four children who are all teachers, I hope these words resonate with them as much as they did with me. Laughter, levity, humor, joy are qualities that are not only needed in the classroom, but they are vital ingredients in any line of work, especially in the ministry. One man said, “I won’t send a missionary to the field who doesn’t have a sense of humor.” I suspect he learned that if a missionary didn’t have the ability to laugh, he or she couldn’t survive in the challenging and sometimes lonely environment of the mission field.

Long ago I read On Being a Servant of God by Warren Wiersbe and in one of the chapters he writes about laughter. Let me share a few of the lines that I have underlined from this chapter. “God cannot be solemn, or he would not have blessed man with incalculable laughter” (p 43). “If you want to know what people are really like, find out what makes them angry, what makes them weep, and what makes them laugh…Laughter is a lubricant that helps people work together"( 54). Learn to laugh at yourself. But humor is taboo whenever we are handling what is holy. Don’t be a clerical jester…The ability to laugh at the right time and for the right reason is a gift from God that will make you (better) than piles of pills and tons or therapy,”( p 55).

It is true that “A merry heart is still good medicine” (Proverbs 17:12). God wants us to have fun, and to develop a sense of humor, and if we don’t have one, let me suggest you find someone who does.

And don’t forget as C. S Lewis reminds us, “Joy is the business of heaven.”

Yours in faith and friendship,

Tom

Leadership Thought: The Day I Stood with Others Under the Flag at the Leonardo 9/11 Memorial.

Dear Friend,

I know it is Saturday, and I normally only do a Leadership Though on M-F, but I had to share with you a powerful event I experienced on 9/11. On Thursday Jean and I attended a 9/11 Ceremony at Leonardo, a location that looks some 30 miles across the water to what was Ground Zero. Our Middletown area lost more people, 37, in the World Trade Center bombing than any other community in the country. One of our own church members  Mike Reuter, a Middletown policeman, was in charge of the event, and he led a group of 30 Middletown policeman on a four-mile run from the Middletown Train Station to the Memorial Park in Leonardo. He was pushing his two boys ahead of him in a stroller. Our pastor Jared Nicastro led us in prayer, and our Middletown mayor paid tribute to the police and firemen who so faithfully serve our community. With a huge flag attached to a fire truck ladder flying high above our heads, the ceremony was a beautiful and unifying experience that Jean and I were thrilled to experience. As we  stood there, I thought to myself,  "I wish all of America could come together today in the same way we did after 9/11.

When I returned home, I received the following e-mail with a video of the day President George Bush threw out the first pitch at Yankee Stadium following the disaster. It is worth seeing again, if only as a reminder, of what it feels like when our nation is united in mind and spirt.

May our prayer be, "Lord, help me be a part of the solution and not the problem. Help me reach out to everyone I meet in love, and regardless of their color, political party, economic status, or any other issue that has the potential to divide us, may I see each of them as a person to love and as a person for whom Christ died.

Yours in faith and friendship,

Tom

http://www.youtube.com/embed/bxR1tZ08FcI?rel=0

Leadership Thought: How the Pandemic is Changing the Church and Its Pastors.

Dear Friends,

This Pandemic season is bringing a lot of change with it, and such change can be unsettling. Someone once said the only one that likes changing is a wet baby. That person was probably right. Change is not always a popular experience, and it can produce a lot of damage if it is not done wisely, carefully, and lovingly.

Today we face a culture that is fast changing, and that change has not been lost on those of us in the church. Outdoor services, masks, social distancing, and online zooming for meetings and small groups are a new phenomenon for all of us who are so used to the traditional way of doing church. This change has been hard for church members, but it has been especially  hard for pastors. Many of them are stressed by these changes-increased workloads, inability to be with their people in time of need,  endless hours of video taping services, and  incessant chatter about masks or no masks- are taking their toll on them. Just yesterday I read an article, “6 Reasons Why Pastors Are Quitting Their Churches ” during the pandemic, and they are doing so in  large numbers because the changes have been just too much for many of them to handle.

Change is never trivial no matter how small that change may be. I remember the first time I ditched my robe while pastoring one Sunday morning a number of years ago in a church I served, and you can’t imagine the uproar from some of those in the pews.  “What is Tom doing walking around the pulpit teaching without wearing a robe?” It was as if I had ascended the pulpit in my birthday suit.  I can write and laugh about it today, but I can tell you I wasn’t quite prepared for the reaction I received. That experience was a stark reminder to me of the ‘tumult’ that  change can produce, no matter how small that change may be.

When people allow their own personal preferences to usurp the church’s efforts to reach people for Christ, the church is in danger of becoming irrelevant. When change happens in the church that I don’t like, I have to remind myself that the church is not here to serve me and my preferences or traditions. It is here to reach the world, and if that change can help in accomplishing that goal, I better be championing it no matter how I personally feel about it.

In the book, Gaining by Losing, J D. Greear,  shares a story of how one of his members dealt with change. She had a great appreciation for hand bell music, and she became upset when she  discovered the church was about to sell their hand bell set so they could purchase some newer music equipment, specifically some new guitars. “This lady, who loved worship, was more of the organ, bells, and horns persuasion than the drums, guitars, and rhythm one.”

Confronting the pastor, she shared something that he didn’t know. Those hand bells, which had been stored away in the closet for years, were the result of a gift her mother had given to the church shortly before she died.

In speaking with the woman, Greear writes “After a couple of long, awkward seconds, I said to her, “Well, don’t you think your mom in heaven would be glad to see us using instruments that would help us reach this next generation-including her grand kids and their friends?”

“She thought about that for a second, and then said, ‘Well, yes . . . I suppose my mom would be happy with that.’”

 “She requested that we not sell the hand bells but donate them to another church, which we gladly did. Yet she did not resist seeing them go, and she did not leave our church when we shifted our worship to a more contemporary one. Today over 2,000 college students attend our church each weekend.”

Greear concludes the story with these words: “Because of the selflessness of this woman and many others, our church is reaching a whole new generation (Gaining by Losing, J. D. Greear, p. 90).

It is true that as Robert Schuller once wrote, “every end is a new beginning.” And those of us who protest change may miss the joy of seeing what God is ready to do with “new beginnings.”

See you Sunday!

Yours in faith and friendship,

Tom

 

Leadership Thought: Why Being  Called Meek is a Compliment.

 Dear Friends.

There is a time when if someone were to call me meek, I would have been insulted. To me, meekness was synonymous with weakness. A person who was meek was a person who had no backbone, who was timid, spiritless, subdued and weak. But I now know that this is not the case for biblically the word for meekness means something completely different than most of us understand it. Didn’t Jesus affirm meekness when he said “Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth?

To be called meek is not an insult, but a wonderful compliment. Meekness is a Greek word which refers "strength under control." It is harnessed energy. It describes the victorious horse in the race. What makes the horse a winner is his total obedience to the jockey’s wishes. The horse had not used his self-will, but instead had been obedient and submissive to the will of the jockey. He didn’t have to submit. Instead he could have exercised his power in any way he chose. However, he chose to exercise it by being submissive.

The poet Carl Sandberg described Abraham Lincoln as a man of “velvet steel.” He was a man of strength, but a man whose strength was under control. No one could ever accuse Moses of being weak and timid, yet God identified him as the meekest man on the face of the earth (Numbers 12:3).

Jesus was the most courageous man to ever walk among men, and yet He said of Himself, “I am meek and lowly in heart.” Both Moses and Jesus faced difficult and dangerous situations, but they triumphed through them because they exercised power that was under control.

“There is nothing wrong with losing my temper,”  a lady once told the evangelist, Billy Sunday. “I blow up, and then it is all over with.” “So does a shotgun,” the evangelist replied, “but look at the damage that is left behind.

“A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger (Proverbs 15:1). What do we often do when a harsh word is spoken to us? We usually shout louder. Arguments generally continue when each person fails to exercise meekness, or strength under control. They last because both people involved keep yelling. If only one person would exercise meekness, or “strength under control.”  by closing his/her mouth and ceasing to yell, the other person will  usually run out of steam like a car running out of gas.

Let us pray today for a special measure of meekness as we relate to others, for as Timothy writes, “And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him, he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to knowledge of the truth” (2 Timothy 2:24-25).

Yours in faith,

Tom

P.S. “Meekness may be the most counter-cultural act any Christian can do in our angry, polarized world.” Rich Hansen, a former pastoral associate and presently a ministry life coach

Leadership Thought: How a Janitor Determined a President (Humility).

Dear Friends,

Some years ago, St. Paul School of Theology in Kansas City was seeking a new president. Over one hundred candidates applied for the position. The search committee narrowed the list to five eminently qualified persons. Then somebody came  up with a brilliant idea: let’s send a person to the institution where each of the finalists is currently employed, and then interview the janitor at each place, asking him what he thinks of the man seeking to be our next president. This was done and a janitor gave such a glowing appraisal of William Mac Elvaney that he was selected President of St. Paul’s School of Theology.(Story taken off the internet from esermonsw.com).

Somebody on that search committee understood in a flash of genius, that those who live close to Christ become so secure in their love that they no longer relate to other people according to rank or power, or money, or prestige. They treat janitors and governors with equal dignity. They regard everybody as a VIP. Children seem to do this intuitively; adult Christians often have to relearn it.  

Proverbs reminds us that “rich and poor have this in common. The Lord is maker of them all” (Proverbs 22:2). There is no room for distinctions in the family of God. There should be no pecking orders, but instead we must see people though God’s eye-equal in value.

In Management by Proverbs, the author Michal Zingarelli writes, “The cornerstone of managing people in humility is to recognize that those under us at work  stand next to us, where it really matters, before the Creator (P. 62).

Jesus embraced humility and so should we. When teaching his disciples, a lesson on servanthood and how the first must be last; He provides us with a wonderful object lesson on humility. He takes a little child in his arms, and He says to the disciples, “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me not only welcomes me, but the one who sent me” (Mark 9:37). Jesus was teaching through example that the first principle of greatness is to treat everyone equally. Most people think if you want to get ahead in the world’s eyes, you don’t do so by spending your time with little children. They can’t do much to advance your status or career.  I don’t think Jesus is  speaking just chronologically, but He is speaking to anyone who is ‘the less” in  this world’s eyes.

In every church I have pastored, I have always asked the janitor to be a part of our staff meetings. I do this because I know that it is the janitor who is best able to see whether the church is living out this important principle of equality.

Paul told the Christians in Rome, “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but rather think of yourself with sober judgement (Romans 12:3) Every leader must keep in mind Paul’s words to the church at Philippi, “in humility consider others better than yourself” (Philippians 2:3). That is the challenge I leave for all of us today. May God help each of us to achieve it.

Yours in faith and friendship,

Tom

Leadership Thought: A Labor Day Thought: “Be Careful How You Build.”

 Dear Friends,

 Happy Labor Day. I often sign my letters with a biblical verse, and the most common verse I use is Colossians 3:17. For me it is a reminder of the importance of striving to always do my very best at whatever I am asked to do. Whatever I do, I want it to have value. Whatever I produce, I would like to think that I could present it to Jesus without embarrassment.

Paul writes in Colossians 3:17, “Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”  What kind of work will you leave behind when you exit planet earth? What will people say about its quality?  Will people remember you as one who always gave your best? Will you be one who is known because you go out of your way to serve others? Will they say of you, he/she was a person who could always be counted on to be on time, to honor commitment’s, to give his/her best?

In 1 Corinthians Paul reminds us that we have a choice when it comes to how we will build our lives. We can build using wood, hay and stubble, or we can use gold, silver and precious stones as we build on the foundation which has been laid in Jesus Christ. Jesus has laid the foundation of our life, and He is an expert builder. He warns each of us to be “ careful how we build…for our work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light” (1 Corinthians 3:13).

Maybe the following story will serve as a reminder to each of us of the importance of the life we are constructing as we daily labor for the Lord. An elderly carpenter was ready to retire. He told his employer of his plans to leave the house building business and live a more leisurely life with his wife and extended family. He would miss the paycheck, but he needed to retire.  The contractor was sorry to see his good worker go and asked if he could build just one more house as a personal favor to him. The carpenter said yes, but in time it was easy to see that his heart was not in his work. He resorted to shoddy workmanship and used inferior materials. It was an unfortunate way to end his career.

The carpenter finished his work and the construction owner came to inspect the house. Before inspecting it, however,  he had a surprise for his retiring carpenter. He handed him the front door key, and said to him, “This is your house;” it is my final gift to you.”

And so, it is with us We are daily building our lives and what we create is what we are left to live with. 

The results of our efforts become a clear revelation of who we are. When we do not give our very best, we create a picture for others that says he/she is a shoddy workman. I don’t want that said about me, and neither do you.

Our life today is the result of all our past choices. Our life tomorrow will be the result of  the choices we make today. Let’s make sure that the choices we make are the best choices, and the materials we use are of the best quality, so that when our work is revealed people will say, “Wow, what a masterpiece!”

Enjoy this Labor Day, and never forget to “be careful how you build.”

Yours in faith and friendship,

Tom

 P.S. “A man’s work is a portrait of himself.”

Leadership Thought: The Grass Isn't Always Greener on the Other Side of the Street.

Dear Friend,

We have heard that “the grass is always greener on the other side of the street,” and that is often true. But as someone once remarked, "so also is the water bill.” You and I have an awful habit of comparing ourselves and what we have with those who have more.  As a result, we often miss the best God has for us because we fail to appreciate the blessings we already have.

The apostle lived what most of us would consider a stressful life, but yet he found the prescription for his stress. At the close of his message to the Philippian Church, he writes I have learned the secret of contentment” (Philippians 4:12). No matter what my circumstances, whether I live under a bridge or in a penthouse, whether I am rich or poor I have learned to be content.

Unfortunately, in today’s world when we are bombarded by ads of every variety that are always promising comfort and convenience, happiness and contentment, we are tempted to think we will also find that happiness in some product or some service. But these things seldom bring happiness or contentment. Just ask some of the lottery winners whose newfound wealth has brought them nothing but misery and discontentment. 

We are too much like the guy described in the following bit of doggerel:

“As a rule, mans a fool

When it cool, he wants it hot.

And when it’s hot, he wants it cool.

Always wanting what is not.”

Happiness comes from within and not without. If there is a vacuum within your heart, Satan will steal in and convince you that happiness is found in a credit card. However, like cotton candy, our purchases may bring temporary pleasure, but soon after the purchase we want something newer and bigger, which almost always means more money. As someone said, “greed has a growling stomach.”

Paul tells us in Philippians 4:10, “My God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”.

Christ will meet all of our needs, but never all our greed. God wants the best for us, but often we miss that best because we fail to recognize the blessings we already possess.

An ancient Persian legend tells of a wealthy man by the name of Al Haffed, who owned a large farm. One evening a visitor related to him tales of fabulous amounts of diamonds that could be found in other parts of the world, and of the great riches they could bring him. The vision of all this wealth made him feel poor by comparison. So instead of caring for his own prosperous farm, he sold it and went out to find these treasures. But the search proved to be fruitless. Finally, penniless and in despair, he committed suicide by jumping into the sea.

Meanwhile, the man who had purchased his farm noticed one day the glint of an unusual stone in a shallow stream on the property. He reached into the water and, to his amazement, he pulled out a huge diamond. Later when working in his garden, he uncovered many more valuable gems. Poor Al Haffed had spent his life traveling to distant lands seeking jewels, when on the farm he had left behind were all the precious stones his heart could have ever desired.

Security can never be found in a safe deposit box. Jesus has taught us that a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions (Luke 12:15), and He advised his disciples “to lay up treasures for themselves in heaven rather than on earth” (Mt. 6:19f).

Let us never forget that contentment never comes from the accumulation of things, but from the assurance that “God will never leave us or forsake us”, and that’s a promise we can count on.

Yours in faith,

Pastor Tom

Leadership Thought: Something We and Our Political Leaders Need to Hear.

Dear Family,

What do you do when people say unkind things about you? When your motives are questioned, or your integrity is challenged, how do you respond? If we are honest, most all of us would admit that we us don’t like to be criticized and often our response is motivated by anger, and I don’t mean the righteous kind.

Let me suggest a good response to the above concern regarding our response to criticism as told by the late pastor Robert Schuller. Schuller tells a story that illustrates how we might want to handle those who criticize us or impugn our character. It’s good advice; however, let me warn you it is not always so easy to put into practice.

Schuller tells of a judge who was campaigning for reelection. He had a reputation for integrity. He was a distinguished and honorable gentleman of no small charity. His opponent was conducting a vicious mud smearing, unfair campaign against him. Somebody approached the judge and asked, “Do you know what your opponent is saying about you? Do you know he is criticizing you? How are you going to handle it? What are you going to do about it?” The judge looked at his counselors and his campaign committee and calmly replied, “Well, when I was a boy, I had a dog. And every time the moon was full, that hound dog would howl and bark at the bright face of the moon. We never did sleep very well those nights. He would bark and howl at the moon all night.” 

“That’s beside the point,” the campaign manager impatiently responded. “You’ve told us a nice story about your dog, what are you going to do, about your critic?” The judge explained, “I just answered you! When the dog barked at the moon, the moon kept right on shining! And I’ll ignore the criticism, as the moon ignored the dog. I’ll just keep right on shining! Quietly, calmly, beautifully.” Integrity, Ted Engstrom, p. 13.

By our response to criticism, we have the opportunity to become a bright and shining star in the midst of this world’s darkness. Sometimes it is best to remain silent when criticized. Jesus remained silent in the face of the accusations made against him by the chief priests and other Jewish leaders who were demanding answer to their charges. (Matthew 27:12-14).

Yes, there are times when the wisest things we can do is to remain silent in the face of criticism and false accusations. Just keep your mouth closed and listen. Don’t speak or try to be defensive. Don’t point the finger of blame in some other direction. Just remain quiet in the face of the one who would criticize you, and in so doing you may become that bright and shining star that this dark world so desperately needs to see.

Let’s remember the wise words of Henry Ironside, a well-known preacher of this last century, who said on facing criticism, “If what they are saying about you is true, mend your ways. If it isn’t true, forget it, and go on and serve the Lord. Good advice for all of us to follow, especially those candidates running for president.

Yours in faith and friendship,

Tom