Leadership Thought: You Don’t Have to Wait until Feb 17^th to Celebrate It: Start Today!

Dear Friends.

I love feel good stories, and the other day I witnessed one while watching a portion of the Kelly Clarkson show. No, I am not a regular day time talk show junkie, but this one caught my attention as I was passing by our television set.

A woman had ordered food for herself and her three children at a fast-food restaurant. As she got to the pickup window, she realized she had left her wallet  home. She profusely apologized  and was ready to move on without her order, but to her surprise the high school cashier  said, “Don’t worry Mam,  I got it.”  

After refusing his offer several times, he handed her the order and told her to receive it and move on as he didn’t want her holding up the line.

The woman was so impressed with the young man’s generosity that she posted the story on Facebook. Someone happened to see it, and recognizing and appreciating this young man’s kindness, she decided to honor him by starting a Go Fund Me page. She knew the young cashier and that he had taken the job to help save to buy a car. 

Within a day the story went viral, and the boy’s mother discovered his kindness.  Her son has never mentioned the event, and when asked about it, he simply told his mother he didn’t think it was a big deal, and that he had done the same thing several times before.

Within a week the Go Fund Me effort had far exceeded the amount need to buy a car; it had raised over $ 40,000.

What made the story so special to me was the fact that when the young man was interviewed, he was so surprised that his random act of kindness had garnered so much attention.

I didn’t know it, but there is actually a Random Kindness Week, and it’s coming up next month. But you don’t have to wait until February 17th to celebrate It; you can start celebrating it today. And if you want to excel at it, why not try and practice it every day?

I would remind you that one of the fruits of the spirit is kindness (Gal.5:22).

And the prophet Micah writes, “He has told you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, love kindness, and to walk humbly with your Lord” (Micah 6:8).

This morning I 'googled' “acts of kindness” and I came up with a list of 35 simple ways to show it: Send a card in the mail to someone you miss,, smile or give a friendly nod at a stranger you see while on a walk or doing errands, if you are in the grocery store and have some extra time, let someone else go in front of you, and yes pay for someone’s order behind you…you get the idea. You act may not seem earth shattering to you, but from a kingdom perspective who knows it’s significance. I know one thing it will do; it will cause God to smile.

As Mahatma Gandhi said, “In a gentle way you can shake the world.”

And don’t forget what another religious teacher has taught us when he wrote the definition of love: “Love is kind” 1 Corinthians 13:4).

Start sowing kindness and don’t ever forget “that hatred and anger are powerless when met with kindness.”

Yours in faith and friendship.

Tom

Leadership Thought:  Leave Your Legacy in People, Not with People:  It Only takes Two Minutes to Start.

Dear Friends, 

I want to leave a legacy when I leave planet earth,  and I hope you do too. As has been said, "you don't build a legacy in a moment, but in a lifetime."

One way I am trying to build a legacy is by reading good books, associating with good people, studying God's Word on a daily basis. and asking God through prayer to fill me with His wisdom. But there is also another helpful tool in building a leadership legacy, and I know some of you have discovered it. It is a daily lesson on leadership called Minute with Maxwell. This brief two- or three-minute leadership lesson presented by John Maxwell, one of the  world's greatest authorities on leadership, is an excellent resource for leadership growth. I start each day by reading and studying the Word-I am presently studying the book of Galatians- and taking some time to come before God in prayer. And then I take a few moments to listen to a short leadership lesson from John Maxwell. I am learning something new each day from these valuable two- and three-minute  life lessons on leadership. I have a long ways to go to become the kind of leader who leaves behind a leadership legacy, but I am on my way and I am trying to improve a little each day, for I know that as Maxwell often says, "Leadership is not developed in a day; it is developed daily."

I would encourage you to click on this three-minute leadership thought below,  and learn how you can develop your life legacy. And no, I don't get anything from encouraging you to click on the link except the joy that comes from knowing you too are on your way to building your own leadership legacy.

If you haven't already begun to put "legs to your legacy," I hope you will start today. Take a listen below and let me know if you have begun your journey so that we might travel together.

"And may you have a good day and a godly one for what lasting value is a good one unless it is a godly one? (The late Dr. Bob Cook)

Yours in faith and friendship,

Tom

LEGACY | John Maxwell Team

Leadership Thought: Can You Give Me a Yahoo This Morning?

Dear Friends,

How enthusiastic a person are you? The answer to this question may very well reveal your success in life.

In coaching I quickly discovered that you could determine a lot about the future success of a player by the enthusiasm he showed in practice, for enthusiasm can be a pretty good predictor of a player’s success.

The famous Cincinnati Red’s Hall of Famer, Pete Rose was once asked, “Which is the first thing to go for a player, his eyes, his legs, or his arm?” Rose responded, “None of these. The first thing to go is enthusiasm, and when this goes that person is through as a baseball player.”

If you are as unenthusiastic about what you do as the young man who took my order the other day at an unnamed restaurant drive through, it won’t be long before you are looking for new employment. I told my wife, I couldn’t tell if he was asleep or just pretending to be. It’s only a matter of time before his boss comes through the drive through, orders fries and a chicken sandwich, and before he  picks them up, he gets out of the car to tell his employee to start looking for a new employment.

When George Whitefield, the famous Scottish preacher of 'yesteryear', was getting the people of Edinburgh out of their beds at 5 o’clock in the morning to hear his preaching, there was a man on his way to the tabernacle who met the famous atheistic philosopher David Hume. The man was surprised to discover that Hume was also on his way to the Tabernacle to hear Whitefield. He turned to Hume and said, “I thought you didn't believe in the gospel.” Hume replied, “I don’t but he does.”

When we are passionate and excited about something, people take interest. They want to know the source of our enthusiasm. There is nothing quite as boring to me -and this is my true confession- as a pastor in the pulpit who lacks enthusiasm communicating what he believes. It is just plain hard for me to listen to such as person.

Enthusiasm comes from two words, “en” which means in, and “theos” which means God. To be in God is to be enthusiastic. To know that He lives and dwells within you, and that He holds your life together, and that He directs your paths and guides your steps-that is a reason to be enthusiastic.

Paul writes to the Roman Church warning them, and us as well: “Never be lazy in your work, but serve the Lord enthusiastically” (Romans 12:11, Living Bible Translation).

Whether in the church, at school, in the office, on the playing field, or even behind the drive through window, we need to be enthusiastic about what we are doing.

As followers of Jesus, we ought to be carriers of contagious enthusiasm. We ought to be so infected that when others come in contact with us, they get infected too. And if they don't then maybe it time to check our spiritual heartbeat and find out why.

Today act like you are enthusiastic, even if you don't feel enthusiastic, for it is easier to act yourself into a new way of feeling,  than to feel your way into a new set of actions.

And when you do, don’t forget to put a smile on our face, and walk with a lilt, for the living Lord Jesus resides in the throne room of your heart.

Yahoo!

Yours enthusiastically,

Tom

Leadership Thought: Are You  Just Cooperating or Collaborating? (Read to the End and You Will See the Amazing Difference").

Dear Friend

Yesterday I was intrigued by a pod cast by leadership expert John Maxwell. On his daily Minute with Maxwell leadership lesson which I look forward to listening to each morning, John  talked about the word collaboration.

He said what makes collaboration different from cooperation is the word "want." When people collaborate, the people are not just there to cooperate, but they “want” to be there to collaborate. Collaboration is the next step up from cooperation; it is cooperation on steroids.

I know the joy of collaboration. Whether collaborating with coaches about a strategy for an upcoming game, or meeting with ministry partners to plan some form of mission outreach, collaboration almost always results in something better and more valuable than any one individual could have planned.

During the summer I became a part of a five-team group of pastors and church laymen from all over the country who were looking to learn more about church consulting. Each month for seven months we have met as a team through Zoom. During our time together we discuss particular strategies with our mentor, Bob Whitesel, a nationally known church consultant, who leads and oversees our meetings. Discussing and sharing ideas and strategies about churches in three different parts of the country is exciting and enriching, and I always come away feeling energized as I share and learn from others.

John Maxwell pointed out in his podcast that there are three things that happen when you collaborate. The first, is that you learn from one another. If you are with a group of people discussing ways to improve a particular situation, and you are not learning something of value, you are with the wrong group of people. Collaboration should always lead to growth and improvement.

The second thing you experience, is creativity. Creativity is a quality that I know I lack, and so being with others who are more creative than I am, challenges me to think more creatively and be more willing to think outside the box.  There is something that happens synergistically when several people get together to dream, imagine and visualize new ways of doing things. In the process one becomes more creative.

And thirdly, Maxwell points out that you learn to value your associates. When you work with them, interact with them, challenge them and are challenged by them, you learn to respect and value them for what they bring to the table.

It is true as John Maxwell writes that “one is always too small a number to achieve greatness.” and that “teamwork makes dreamwork.” And he adds, 

“Working together with other people toward a common goal is one of the most rewarding experiences of life.”( Leadership 101, John Maxwell)

And if you ever doubt the value of collaboration, I suggest you click on the link below where you will discover the compounding impact of collaboration as you watch over 30 of the greatest country singers of all time collaborating to produce one of the most unusual arrangements of all time as together they sing John Denver’s Country Road. Let me know if you agree. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-aBtt3u6KnA

Yours in faith and friendship

Tom

Leadership Thought: Words from a Friend on How He Decides to Cast His Future Votes.

Dear Friends,

I don’t know about you, but I have been barraged by political emails from people who want me to know the truth about our recent election. Quite frankly I don’t have the time to read all the links I am sent. And then the moment I turn on the television, there is someone ready to tell me the truth. It is hard today to discern who is really telling the truth, for one’s political persuasion frequently dictates the narrative.

As a political conservative I confess I am guilty of picking and choosing the truth I want to hear. What I listen to and what I watch generally has often aligned with my political views. The political spokesman championing his/her brand often provided me with my ammunition for my next political battle.

A week ago I shared some thoughts from my daughter who is one of the most politically unbiased people I know. She had no particular political persuasion, and although generally voting  Republican over the years, she had no preconceived bias regarding the candidates. She is a solid believer and above all a truth seeker, and I tremendously respect her commitment to reading and independently researching the positions of both candidates in an effort to be politically informed. She was not a Biden supporter or a Trump devotee; she just wanted to make sure her vote was based on what she had herself learned, and not what others were telling her.

In response to what she wrote, one of the members in our church, e-mailed me expressing his appreciation for her willingness to examine both sides of “the truth” without any preconceived bias toward either candidate.  Her words had challenged him to establish some guidelines for his future decision making. In his e-mail he mentioned 5 things he was committed to doing in an effort to determine his vote in future elections. I present them in outline form, in the same way they were shared with me with only slight editing. My friend writes, I will:

1)  Stay focused on loving and serving our Lord. Constantly asking Him to mold and direct me. Politics and this world are passing away.

2) Embrace the truth. Call out and reject lies. Sources of continual lies cannot be trusted.

3) Increase Bible reading/study, pray for wisdom and discernment, seek godly counsel .

4) Misinformation is epidemic so be suspicious about everything. Fact-check everything. Avoid extreme websites, media and news sources (far right/left...  Fact check and do NOT forward any email unless I check it with authoritative sources. I will do my part to stop the spread of viral misinformation.

5) Pray for our nation.

This is good advice for all of us, irrespective of our party affiliation.

In closing I have one admonition I would leave you in this politically charged environment. I have a Roman Catholic friend who yesterday e-mailed me and shared an incident that took place last week at the mass at which this priest was presiding. Tearfully the priest related that a dozen people got up and walked out of the church, upset and offended when he had offered prayer for President elect Biden.

Brothers and sisters, don’t let your political views destroy your relationships with one another.  Don’t forget that Jesus said, “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12). Yes, it is okay to disagree. It is fitting to debate, but in so doing, make sure you do so in a way that does not sever relationships with others in your familial or spiritual family. 

Yours in faith and friendship,

Tom

Leadership Thought: The Only Way to Be Color Blind is to be Blind.

Dear Friends.

I am not sure who expressed the need for us to be color blind, but he or she was mistaken. The only way one who can be color blind is the one who has lost his/her ability to see- one who is literally blind. No, most of us will never be color blind, but we can be “color indifferent”, or “even color courageous.”

Sonny Johnston grew up in a sheltered environment in rural Oklahoma. When the Korean War broke out his limited perception of the world was about to change quickly. After enlisting in the Army, nineteen-year-old Sonny’s worldview dramatically expanded. Sonny Johnston had never met, let alone lived with, a black man. He found himself in the Korean War randomly partnered in a life-or-death team relationship with an African American soldier. 

Sonny later told W.T. that he never had any reservations about his comrade going into battle. Together they faced the enemy and watched out for each other. From their bunker during the bloody conflict, Specialist Green loaded mortars and Sonny fired them. The two soldiers became friends as trust developed in the heat of battle. The men learned that in adversity, it doesn’t matter what color a man’s skin might be. It only matters if he has your back. 

A lot of our race problems would be quickly solved if we would only have each other’s back.

In today’s racially charged world, I want to be color indifferent, or better yet color courageous. I want to be a healer, even if it means that I may be rejected or misunderstood. I want to be a unifier, a reconciler as God calls each of us as believers to be.

Paul a Jew learned the importance of reconciliation following his conversion.  He became a preacher to the Gentiles, the very people he despised, and whom he had sought to persecute. Paul learned that to be reconciled to God carried with it the responsibility to be reconciled to his brothers, and he not only preached reconciliation he became the champion of it. And God calls us to do the same.

And yet we are a long way from seeing this kind of reconciliation become reality in our racially charged world. As it has been said many times before, Sunday morning at 11:00 am is the most racially segregated time of the week. On this Martin Luther King Day may we take this message to heart.

One of the greatest sermons ever preached on racial, social, political and religious reconciliation, was taught by Paul, who in our contemporary language challenges us with these words in 2 Cor 5:14-20:

Our firm decision is to work from this focused center: One man died for everyone. That puts everyone in the same boat. He included everyone in his death so that everyone could also be included in his life, a resurrection life, a far better life than  people ever lived on their own. Because of this decision we don’t evaluate people by what they have or how they look. We looked at the Messiah that way once and got it all wrong, as you know. We certainly don’t look at him that way anymore. Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life emerges! Look at it! All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins. God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. We’re Christ’s representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God’s work of making things right between them. We’re speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he’s already a friend with you.

If we have been reconciled to God, then we are called to be reconciled with others, no matter their color, creed or conduct. To paraphrase Albert Schweitzer, “Truth never has its special time, its hour is always now”.

Yours in faith and friendship,

Tom

P.S. The story of Sonny Johnson was taken from a daily devotional produced by Clint Hurdle and written by Dave Burchette

Leadership Thought: What's Your Go to Worship Song, and the Song I Sing When Facing My Goliaths.

Dear Friend,

Do you have a go to worship song? You know the kind that when you hear it your spirits are immediately lifted. It doesn’t matter what the challenge you face, your recognize you are an overcomer in Jesus.

I am sure that there would be many different selections. Carrie Underwood singing “How Great Thou Art,” “This is Amazing Grace’ by Phil Wickham, "Great Are Your Lord." by Casting Crowns or "Go Rest High on That Mountain by Vince Gill, and the list goes on and on. 

But for me, the one that always steels my soul and that spiritually energizes me whenever I hear it, is "Raise a Hallelujah" by Jonathan and Melissa Helser. As soon as I listen, I feel like whatever the battle is that I'm facing  it is already won, and I can say with the Apostle Paul, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. "

It is not  only the music, but it is the story behind it. In case you are looking for that lift this morning or any time when you are feeling a little down and need to be encouraged in the Lord,  why not click on the link and  Raise a Hallelujah. I think you will be glad you did.  Raise a Hallelujah

I know I don’t often share a Leadership Thought on the weekends, but the Lord nudged me to share this song with you, and I am hoping that for one or two of you, it may be just what you needed to fight and defeat your Goliaths today.

Yours in faith and friendship,

Tom

God bless

Leadership Thought: Discovering God' Will and Purpose for Your Life.

Dear Friends,

In reading for our Spiritual Leadership class last week, the following quote caught my attention, “We naively think that the more we grow as Christians, the easier it will be to discern the will of God. But the opposite is often the case. God treats the mature leader as a mature adult, leaving more and more to his or her spiritual discernment and giving fewer bits of tangible guidance than in earlier years. The resulting perplexity adds inevitably to a leader’s pressure” (Spiritual Leadership, Oswald Sanders, p 147). Sanders words surprised me as I had always assumed that the more mature you were as a believer, the easier it would be to sense God’s purpose and direction for your life.

The next day I was sitting with a friend who was struggling with this same issue. The person was seeking guidance and direction for her life.

As we talked, we both agreed that it would be a lot easier if God would send an angel down from heaven to drop a note in our lap with explicit directions for the next stage of our life. But as of yet, I have not heard of this happening to anyone. This being the case, then how do you know what your next step might be in helping you discover God’s purpose and direction for your life?

Well prayer would be the first and most obvious place to begin. God does reveal direction for us through the important discipline of prayer. But what do you do in the meantime if your prayer is yet  answered? What if, as Oswald Sanders writes, “God was leaving more and more to (our) spiritual discernment and giving fewer bits of tangible guidance than in earlier years?”

As we talked, I asked my friend what her gifts were- both spiritual and natural and what was her passion, that is, what she would do even if she wasn’t paid for it. I believe that we can often find God’s purpose for our life (that what we were created for) at the intersections of our spiritual gifts and natural talents and our passion.

In addition, I suggested she take the valuable Meyers Briggs Personality Inventory to assist her in discovering more about how she thinks, feels and acts in normal everyday life. This is a very helpful test for anyone to take, and our leadership has just completed a modified version of the Briggs test, and for those of you who wish to take it, you can click on the link https://www.16personalities.com/ 

Spiritual gifts and talents combined with passion seem to me to be a logical place to begin your search  for your purpose in life. After all, it  wouldn’t make sense for God to give you certain gifts and talents and a particular passion and a personality type and then direct you to a vocation where none of these would be of any value.

The Psalmist provides further  insight in the following prayer: "O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long. He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches he humble his way” (Psalm 25:4-5). 

And in closing, I leave you with the words of the late radio pastor Dr. Bob Cook  who used to say, “Have a good day and a godly one, for what lasting value is a good one unless it is a godly one.”

Yours in faith and friendship,

Tom

Leadership Thought: Don’t Be a Contentious Christian Amidst the Political Controversy.

Dear Friends,

If there is anything our country needs in this time of its history, it is unity. I watched a few minutes of the impeachment process yesterday, and I quickly  turned it off. The political partisanship exhibited on both sides of the aisle was as deplorable as the rioting which took place during the  summer and what occurred last week in our Capitol. I wanted to scream out to all the participants,  “People, can’t you  put your differences aside and try to get along with each other."

The apostle Paul was no stranger to those who struggled to get along. To the Corinthians, he wrote, “My dear friends, as a follower of our Lord Jesus Christ, I beg you to get along with each other. Don’t take sides. Always try to agree in what you think” (1 Cor 1:10 Msg. Bible). To the Romans he wrote, “May the God who gives endurance and encouragement, give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 15:5).

No, I am not naïve enough to think Republicans and Democrats will suddenly join hands and get together singing kum by yah, but please can’t we find some common ground in the face of our political differences. And as believing brothers and sisters in Christ, do we have to treat everyone who disagrees with our positions as our enemy? Do families and relationships have to suffer because we have no room in our hearts for those who don’t think like us. Unfortunately, we have allowed our differences to divide and destroy our relationships and fracture our fellowship.

I love the words of the 17th century German theologian Rupertus Meldenius, who said; “In essentials, unity; in nonessentials, liberty;  and in all things, charity.” His words would be a good motto to hang on our bathroom mirrors, so that we might be encouraged to bathe every difference or disagreement in the light of its truth. No, this issue is not just a political problem, it is a people problem and you and I are the ‘people.’

John Wesley ad George Whitefield were good friends in their earlier years, Wesley having begun his outdoor preaching ministry at Whitefield’s encouragement. As time when on the men disagreed, with Whitefield leaning more heavily toward Calvinism than his younger friend’s Arminianism. When Whitefield died, Wesley was asked if he expected to see Dr. Whitefield in heaven. In exaggerated but honest respect, he answered, “No, he’ll be so near the throne of God that men like me will never even get a glimpse of him.” Though miles apart in their theology, they didn’t lose their sense of oneness in Christ.

Unity is the hallmark of Christian love. It was a great concern of our Lord before He went back to heaven. Thus, He prayed for all of His disciples, that we might be “one” just as He (Christ) was one with the Father"  (John 17:22-23).

Maybe that is a little too much to expect from Nancy Pelosi and Mitch McConnell, but I pray it is not too much to expect from you and me. Don’t let your differences divide you from your family and friends. Let the world be amazed as they look through the windows of our  schools, businesses, homes and churches and marvel at what they behold, and in so doing may we hear them say, “See, how they love one another.”

Yours in faith and friendship,

Tom

Leadership Thought: The Day I Cried in Another Man’s Arms-A Lesson in the Value of Tears.

Dear Friends,

A while ago I was talking with a friend who shared a sad story of marital heartbreak through intermittent tears. The person kept apologizing for his emotions, but I assured him that I was very comfortable with his tears and there was no need to feel embarrassed. In fact, mid-way through the conversation, I even teared up. Yes, I confess that there have been many times I have cried when praying for someone who was going through a difficult time. After all, one who still cries while listening to a tearful classic country song, is certainly not exempt from shedding a tear or two in the midst of someone’s heart ache.

But I thought you are supposed to be objective; a professional counselor might say, “How  can you be objective if you allow yourself to be drawn into your client’s emotions?” Now I only have a seminary degree, and I didn’t major in counseling, but to that kind of counseling approach, I say, "hogwash." If you can’t feel the pain of the people you are counseling, I question your counseling efficacy. But that’s a story for another time.

Long ago I filed the following quote from a Navigators’ Daily Devotional: “Stoic insensitivity may be admired by the world, but the child of God should be no stranger to tears of tender compassion. I believe a good servant of God will have a heart that is soft and tender. He/she will often pray that famous prayer, ‘Lord, let my heart be broken by the things that break your heart.’”

I agree with the person who said, “Tears flow freely from the fountain of a love-filled heart.”

When I did a word search, I discovered that tears were no stranger to the pages of the Bible. In fact, I counted 32 verses where they are mentioned in Young’s Analytical Concordance to the Bible. 

Paul shed tears over lost people, and Jeremiah’s book, Lamentations, is a tear stained diary of his efforts to reach lost people. Far from being a sign of weakness, I believe tears can be a sign of strength. The man or woman of God who is seeking to minister to broken hearts will do so with tender tears of compassion.

It was my first year of ministry when I was called to the home of a Roman Catholic family living only a few hundred yards from our church. His son had just been struck by the blade of a power mower that had broken off when it struck a rock. The blade had disengaged, instantly becoming a lethal weapon as it hurdled through the air, striking his two-year-old son in the head. The boy died instantly.

Fresh out of seminary, I confess I was not very well  prepared to handle this kind of experience.  I was not sure what to say when I met the father n his front lawn only  a few minutes after they had taken his son to the hospital morgue. 

I don’t have any recall of what I said, but I do distinctly remember reaching out and grabbing this dad and holding him to myself as tightly as I could as together we silently  tasted the salt in one another’s tears. Weeks later when I was talking with him, he thanked me for the impact I had made on him, a resident in the community, and yet a total stranger to me. It wasn’t my words that impacted him, for I didn’t have much of anything to say. What impacted him, however, were the tears I shed as I held him there on the front lawn of his home.

Sometimes tears can be your greatest sermon. I will never forget that incident which was one of the greatest learning experiences of my life. In the words of country singer Alison Krauss,  “Sometimes you say it best when you say nothing at all.”

Don’t ever apologize for tears. Don’t ever become so hardened that you cannot elicit emotion over someone else’s pain. Just remember the words of Chuck Swindoll who wrote, “Sometimes tears are God’s way of clearing your vision.” And in clearing my vision, God helped me to see His grace made perfect even in the midst of my weakness.

Yours in faith and friendship,

Tom

Leadership Thought: What I Learned in Weight Watchers Was Not What I Expected.

Dear Friends,

Everyone has heard of Weight Watchers, but not everyone had heard of the late Jean Nidetch. She was the woman who said, “If I can do it, anyone can do it,” and so begins the rest of the story. Jean Nidetch was the woman who voiced those words, and she was the one who founded the ever popular and successful Weight Watchers program that has changed thousands of lives.

Even I was a beneficiary of the program. I remember one summer, at least a decade ago, when I joined Weight Watchers, the result of Jean’s coaxing and desire to have someone accompany her in the program. As I recall, I was one of three other men in a class of over 60 women. I don’t remember if I lost much weight, but I sure made a lot of friends. What else is there to do but talk and make friends while you're sitting around waiting to be weighed in?

Jean died in 2015, and during her 91 years on earth, I am sure she changed a lot of lives, not only through the Weight Watchers program, but also through her motivational messages. In her messages, she challenged her hearers to take control of their lives. 

She tells one story of how she did it.  When she was a teenager, she used to cross a park where she saw mothers gossiping while their toddlers sat on their swings with no one to push them. “I’d give them a push,” she said, “and you know what happens when you push a kid on a swing? Pretty soon he’s pumping, doing it himself. That’s what my role in life is-I am there to give people a push.”

Sometimes a positive push is all one needs to turn his or her life around, and there is nothing like encouragement to provide that positive push.

Late in life the prolific writer and preacher F.B. Meyer was asked if he wished he had done anything different in his life. He replied, “Yes, I think I would have preached more on encouragement.” He explained, "So many people have heavy loads to carry, and they very much need Godly encouragement to see them through.”

The pastor Herbert Welch,  was once asked if he had ever heard Phillips Brooks preach? Brooks was a pastor best known for writing “O Little Town of Bethlehem.”  Welch replied that he had. He said, “I don’t remember much of what he said, but I remember when he finished, I was ready to go out and lick the world.”

That’s what encouragement can do. It can provide a positive push. It can encourage, energize and empower someone to go out and “lick the world.”

The Apostle Paul knew the power of encouragement and that's why he wrote to the Thessalonian believers, exhorting them “to encourage one another and build each other up, just as you are already doing” (1 Thess. 5:11.).

Let’s take this exhortation seriously and be on the lookout for someone to “push.” They may not be on a swing, but wherever you find them your push might be the most important thing they need to start them pumping for themselves.

Yours in faith and friendship,

Tom

Leadership Thought: My Daughter’s Perspective on ‘Capitol’ Events and Political Leadership.

Dear Friends,

Last week, like most of the nation, I watched with dismay over the assault on our nation’s democratic process. As the events unfolded on the steps of our capitol, and more information became forthcoming, I found myself reevaluating some of my previous political thinking.

I wanted to hear and learn what other trusted friends of mine were feeling, and so putting my thoughts in the form of an e-mail, I sent them to a number of people I respect who stand on both sides of the political aisle. I did so in hopes of helping me clarify my own perspective, I shared my views and requested a response to an article that I had sent to them, and I was most encouraged by the numerous responses I received.

As a Trump supporter during his years in office, mostly due to his support for “right to live, I found my support now waning in the face of transpiring events.

The many insightful replies I received helped me to clarify and reformulate my own thinking, and one of the best responses came from my very own daughter, Rachel, with whom Jean and I live. She was not a Biden supporter, but simply an open minded, hungry to learn, follower of Christ who has been reading, studying and praying, while all the time agonizing over the events of the last six months.

The following, which she has given me permission to share, are the words she sent me.

Hi Dad,

I have read the article you shared several times.  Rather than pick it apart or debate each piece, I thought I would share some of what I have read over these last couple of days that summarize much of what I think and feel about Trump, his leadership, and the detriment his actions have caused.   My heart is broken for this country.  I am sad to imagine how Christ views the shameful and horrific choices made and celebrated these last four years.  I hope we can reunite after the great division Trump has caused in his term.    Here goes...

Jesus flags? JESUS FLAGS?!?!??? Let’s be clear: Jesus boldly states, “My Kingdom is not of this world” in John 18:36. That’s pretty darn clear. Jesus said it, we believe it, and we cannot —MUST NOT—send a message that contradicts the words of Jesus.

Jesus also clearly calls out hypocrites. So, if anyone marching on the Capital building said ONE SINGLE WORD against the protests from the Black Lives Matter movement... take pause. And repent. Thank God for Grace, but own up to privilege.

Whatever your political party, if you claim Christ as Lord, your allegiance is first and foremost as Kingdom citizens (Philippians 3:20). Lord, help us.

Wednesday, January 6, was the Feast of Epiphany when Christians celebrate how the light of Christ spreads to all nations.  But if the nations were watching yesterday—as people destabilized democracy while carrying flags that read “Make America Godly Again”—would any onlooker want anything to do with this Christ?

The violence wrought by Trump supporters storming the Capitol yesterday is anti-epiphany. It is dark and based in untruth.

While what happened at the Capitol yesterday is tragic, it is not surprising. For more than four years, Trump has shown that he is more than willing to say any lie, ignore any standard of decency, and bring any amount of violence and division to shore up his own power. Through manipulative disinformation, he incited an insurrection and has yet to condemn it unequivocally.

But sadly, in this anti-epiphany, the wise men are not so wise. They willingly comply. So, for me, the worst part of this week’s insurrection is how it represents an utter failure in the American church. Though it saddens me deeply, it must be clearly admitted: Yesterday’s atrocity was in large part brought to us by the white, evangelical church in America.

I have at times tried to dismiss these leaders and events as fringe, as the crazy cranks and bizarre displays we ought to ignore. But I cannot overlook the reality that millions of evangelicals are swayed by those who proclaim untruth and ugliness in the name of Jesus.

The responsibility of yesterday’s violence must be in part laid at the feet of those evangelical leaders who ushered in and applauded Trump’s presidency. It can also sadly be laid at the feet of the white American church more broadly.

The ongoing protest of the election is not about a search for truth; it is an attempt to shape truth to suit the desires of the powerful.  President Trump wasn’t making a legal or a factual argument. His stop the steal “case” has been dismissed over 50 times and several by judges he himself appointed.  He was using his power to put a thumb on the scales. Therefore, the ongoing support of these unproven theories of election fraud by some white conservative Christians does not simply weaken the church’s witness by making it partisan. It weakens our witness by aligning truth with power — a classic error that has always led to ruin.

To be on the side of truth is to be on the side of peace and the flourishing of this country because lies can only be maintained by violence.

The church has always seen a profound truth in these words. As the one beaten and bloody, Jesus reveals what humanity was designed to be. Strength and transformation do not come through the assertion of the will. Strength is the willingness to suffer and to be counted as weak, to be on the side of truth and love.

For the Christian, we are not most human when we toss away our integrity to hold on to power or when we cower in silence. We are most human when we live completely in accord with the truth. For the Christian, this is not a theory about how one might live. The resurrection proves transformative power can come out of weakness — God can snatch victory out of certain defeat. The resurrection, the triumph of the humiliated and seemingly powerless one, frees us to tell the Pilates of the world the truth.

Their desire for something to be true doesn’t make it so. The truth exists outside of them. It belongs to God. This fact frees Christian leaders to tell the truth to their congregations, even if the pews empty. Trump lost the election. That isn’t a partisan statement. It is a true statement that, if repeated loudly and consistently enough, might, even in the last days of this presidency, help portions of the church find itself.”

I am grateful for Rachel’s perspective as one who  is  a non-political partisan  follower of Jesus, and to those who may differ with her, both she and I would champion your right to disagree. For me, I am still evaluating her response and regardless of where I come out, I would never choose to allow my political beliefs to sever a single relationship, something that sadly has happened in too many situations.

For those seeking more information, she includes the following articles which shaped her thinking’

Article #1: Christianity Today: We worship with the Magi, not MAGA

Article #2: Truth Over Power

Yours in faith and friendship,

Tom

Leadership Thought What’s in Your Bag of Spiritual Tools?

Dear Friends,

A member of a church of 400 in regular attendance was asked by a friend how many ministers does your church have? His friend was jolted by the answer. “Four hundred but only two of them get paid.”

One writer expressed it this way. “Some folks may believe the church is a place for solace rather than for service. But the New Testament church teaches every believer is a minister.”

The apostle Peter wrote. “As every man has received a gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1 Peter 4:10).

Peter says each of us has been given a gift to be used to minister to one another. No one has been shortchanged or left out. God has no nobodies in His church.

We are shaped to serve. God formed each of us and uniquely designed us to do certain things. Before He created us, He decided what role He wanted each of us to play on planet earth. He planned exactly how He wanted us to serve Him, and then He shaped us for those tasks. We are the way you are because we were fashioned for a specific ministry.

In Ephesians 2:10, Paul writes, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Our English word poem comes from the Greek word translated workmanship. We are God’s poem; we are His handcrafted work of art. We are not mass produced, or some assembly line product. We are  custom designed, one of a kind, an original masterpiece, and as it has often been said,  “God don’t make no junk.

Not only did God shape you before your birth; He planned every day of your life to support His shaping process.

Not everybody has been to seminary, and few have been officially ordained, but all of us possess a bag of tools that God has given us to be used in fulfilling our vocation as ministers. These tools are called spiritual gifts, and each of you has one or more of these gifts, and they are meant to be “employed, not just enjoyed, shared not shelved.”

If you are not using them, or you never knew you possessed them, than I encourage you to do a spiritual gift study. Look up the following verses: Romans 12:6-8; 1 Peter 4:10; Ephesians 4:11-16;  2 Timothy 1:6-7; 1 Corinthians 12:1-31. Take a moment to google Spiritual Gifts, or check out the many excellent books on the subject. My favorite, and a classic, is  Discover Your Spiritual Gifts by Peter Wagner.

Paul says to the Corinthian church “I  do not want you to be uninformed (ignorant) about spiritual gifts,”( 1 Cor. 12:1), so get busy and learn about them, discover them, and enjoy and employ them, as a faithful steward of God wonderful grace.

And in the words of the late radio pastor, Bob Cook, “Have a good day and a godly one for what lasting value is a good one unless it is a godly one.”

Yours in faith and friendship,

Tom

Leadership Thought: Disturbed Yesterday by Watching a Capitol Offense in Washington.

Dear Friends,

Last night events that took place at our capitol were hard to watch. Regardless of your political persuasion, there is no room for the kind of events that transpired yesterday which produced chaos and interrupted the orderly process of governmental business.

During the last six months we have witnessed vitriol and hatred being expressed by both sides of the political spectrum, and this has done nothing but inflame passions and heighten  tension between our nation's citizens. My hope is that now that the election has been certified, and Joe Biden has been officially elected president, that the political climate will cool down, and those on both sides of the aisle will begin working together to solve our country’s problems.

Last night at our Spiritual Leadership class we discussed how one deals with difficult conversations, the kind of conversations that we are tempted to avoid, or at least put off because they make our stomachs churn at night.

We read the following advice to leaders. “We may be reluctant to grasp the nettle of a difficult situation and deal courageously with it. Or we may procrastinate, hoping that problems will vanish with time. The mediocre leader postpones difficult decisions, conversations, and letters. Delay solves nothing, and usually makes problems worse.” Spiritual Leadership, Oswald Sanders, p 132.

Having shared that, what is the solution to dealing with difficult conversations, the kind we, and our governmental leadership  often need to have? The Scriptures give us a clear guideline in Eph. 4:15 when it tells us, we are “to speak the truth in love” and that we are “to grow up in every way unto Him who is the head, unto Christ.”

Yes, we sometimes have to put our big boy pants on, or I guess it would be skirts if I want to avoid being accused of being sexist, and deal with the tough and uncomfortable issues by speaking the truth in love, gracefully and peacefully. It’s not easy I know, but avoiding the issue only makes the issue grow larger.

John Courson, one of my favorite pastors, writes this in his New Testament Commentary: “We are drawn to a crackling fire in the fireplace on a cold winter night because it provides both light and warmth. And such is the perfect combination of truth and love. Truth without love is like the light of a fire without warmth. Love without truth is like the heat of a fire without light. Truth without love makes people cold in the light. Love without truth makes people stumble in the dark. Thus, we need both.” John Courson, New Testament Commentary, p1251

Here are six S’s: Specific strategies for navigating conflict and doing so by “truthing” in love:

1. Separate the offense from the person

2. See it from both sides.

3. Separate emotion from the mix

4. Suggest a way forward

5. Signal positive intent

6. Secure the relationship going forward

From notes taken from a Podcast by Chris Goede and Perry Holly, Episode 103, If You Don’t Step Up to Conflict, Conflict Will Step Up to You.

No one ever said such conversations would be easy, but leaders never avoid the easy when truth and love are at stake.

Yours in faith and friendship,

Tom

Leadership Thought: What Kind of Book Would Anyone Give to Six Dozen People?

Dear Friends,

I have been reading a wonderful book by the late Chuck Smith, the founder of the Calvary Chapel movement. Why Grace Changes Everything, was a book I pulled off my bookshelf that I didn’t  know I even possessed, but what a wonderful discovery. As I read it, I thought to myself, this is a book that everyone should read. It’s the perfect book to give to both believers and non-believers alike, because we all need to better understand the amazing nature of “Amazing Grace.”

Yesterday in doing a bible study with some men in a U-Turn addiction ministry with which our church is associated, I mentioned to the director of the ministry how much Chuck Smith’s book had meant to me. He surprised me when he commented, “I know it well.  I have read it a number of times, and over the years I have probably given six dozen of the books away.” It was his “go to” give away book, and it is going to be mine as well.

No matter how much we think we understand grace, and no matter how many times we memorize and repeat to ourselves Ephesians 2:8-9 ("It is by grace that you have been saved, through faith-and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-not by works, so that no one can boast"), it is so easy to slip back into a legalistic works mentality which screams, “Look what I am doing for you God. Look how many chapters I read in my bible this morning, or how many minutes I have been praying this week, or how many visits I made to those shuts in or how many…”

Proverbs 30:12 reminds us “There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness.”

Our performance driven mentality wants to stand up and scream, "Look what I have done," when in truth we need to fall on our faces and humbly cry out “O God look what you have done.”

Church Smith writes in his book, “Whenever we try to establish our righteousness by keeping rules,” (or performing good acts) “eventually we are forced to admit we operate on a sliding scale. I will always look morally better to myself than I do to you, and you will always look morally worse to me than you do to yourself. I can look at your life and see all kinds of flaws, but when I look at myself, the few flaws I notice don’t seem so bad” (P. 18).

But no matter the quality and quantity of our good works, they are all nothing more than filthy rags compared to the goodness and ‘righteousness of a holy God. “We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rages” Isaiah 64:6).

No matter how high we climb on the ladder of good works, our ladder will eventually topple and when it does all we can do is look up and acknowledge, the only way I can ever make it to heaven is through your “Amazing Grace” revealed to me in the  good work You did for me upon the cross. And so, with the hymn writer who wrote Rock of Ages, we come to Him singing,  “Nothing in my hands, I bring, simply to the cross I cling.”

Yours in faith and friendship,

Tom

Leadership Thought: What Happens at an Elders' Meeting That Keeps Even Your Wife Awake?

Dear Friends,

“Some wake up to an alarm, some wake up to a calling.” The source of this unknown quote caught my attention when I read it. It got me to thinking about what keeps me going and what makes me excited when I wake up.

It’s not my career, that’s something I do to only earn a living. No what energizes me and what I am passionate about is not my career, but my calling, and there is a tremendous difference between the two.

Last night at church we had our monthly elders' meeting. When it finished around ten, I walked into the bedroom and Jean was still awake. She asked me, “How did the meeting go?” I said, “Great, but why do you ask?” She said, "You seemed so loud, and I wondered  if you were upset.” I said, "No, I was just excited.”  I was excited as we talked about missions, and I guess I was a little more enthusiastic and passionate than I normally might have been.

John Maxwell talks about the difference between a career and a calling. He says some people give themselves to a career. They work hard to advance, to climb the ladder of success and sadly when they get to the top, they are disillusioned to find that the ladder is leaning against the wrong building.

I am now in my 52^nd year of ministry having graduated from seminary in 1968, and you know I am more excited about what I am now doing that at any time in my life. My ministry career has changed as I have pastored in seven different churches, but my job description remains the same-to win people to Jesus and build His kingdom, and that’s what keeps me passionate, and sometimes so excited at an elders' meeting to keep my wife awake. When my alarm clock goes off each morning, it's passion that wakes me up excited about the day.

I feel badly for the person who is stuck in a career and who has nothing to look forward to, but their next week’s paycheck.  You may have heard it said that if you find something you love to do and do it, you won’t have to work another day in your life.

You can retire or quit your job and forget your career, but you can never quit your job and forget your calling. You calling always outlives your career.

What wakes me up early to write a daily Leadership Thought-no they don’t automatically appear on my computer screen each morning-it's passion that derives from a calling.  What keeps me up late at night to attend an elders meeting? Simply put, it is a passion and a purpose to make a difference in people’s lives.

Author Frederick Buechner said that our purpose is at “that place where your deep gladness meets the world’s deep need.” Leadershift, John Maxwell, p. 237.

If you are a believer, you can have both a career and a calling, you can make a living while at the same time, you can change a life, or many lives for that matter. Jesus said, "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand; and it gives light to all the house. in the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven” (Matt 5:16).

So, shine your light, and shine it brightly and you will make a difference in both your career and your calling.

Yours in faith and friendship,

Tom

P.S. You don't need a pill or a drink to produce passion; just Jesus!!!!!!

Leadership Thought: Distilled Knowledge on the Value and Process of Reading.

Dear Friends,

Last week I shared some thoughts about the value of reading derived from a class that is studying Oswald Sanders, Spiritual Leadership, one of the classics on the subject of leadership. I mentioned I wanted to share some additional thoughts on reading from his chapter, “Leadership and Reading,” and I trust that some of the thoughts and insights below will stimulate, encourage and challenge you in your pursuit of spiritual growth.

“A.W. Tozer said, ‘the major cause of the decline in the quality of current Christian literature is not intellectual but spiritual. To enjoy a great religious book requires a degree of consecration to God and detachment from the world that few modern Christians have…One reason why people are unable to understand great Christian classics is that they’re trying to understand without any intention of obeying them’” (P. 123).

“The reader should read to have fellowship with great minds, A man is known by the company he keeps, so also his character is reflected in the books he reads. A leader’s reading is the outward expression of his inner aspirations.” (P. 125).

"Indiscriminate reading serves no one well. Hobbes, the English philosopher, once said ‘If I had read as many books as other people, I would know as little’” (P. 125).

“A leader should neither be content with easy books nor satisfied with reading only in his specialty. Muriel Ormrod counseled, ‘It I better that we should always tackle something a bit beyond us. We should always aim to read something different-not only the writer with whom we agree but those with whom we are ready to do battle. And let us not condemn them out of hand because they do not agree with us; their point of view challenges us to examine the truth and to test their views against Scripture’” (P. 126).

“The leader should immerse himself in books that equip him for higher service and leadership in the kingdom” (P 127).

“Spurgeon counseled his students, ‘Master those books you have. Read them thoroughly. Bathe in them until they saturate you.  Read and reread them, masticate and digest therm. Let them go into your very self. Peruse a god book several times and make notes and analysis of it. A student will find that his mental constitution is more affected by one book thoroughly mastered than by twenty books he has merely skimmed. Little learning and much pride comes from hasty reading. Some men are disabled from thinking by their putting meditation away for the sake of much reading. In reading let your motto be much not many’” (P. 126).

“Canon Yates advised that ‘every good book needs three readings. The first should be rapid and continuous, to give your mind an overview and to associate the book’s material with your previous knowledge. The second reading should be careful and paced. Take notes and think. Then after an interval of time, a third reading should be like the first. Write a brief analysis of the book on the inside back cover. Thus, will the book make a solid imprint on your memory’” (P. 129).

“A book is a channel for the flow of ideas between on mind and another. Share the information with others…Leaders should always cut a channel between reading and speaking and writing, so that others derive benefit, pleasure and inspiration” (P. 129).

I would love to hear any thoughts you have on this subject, as one of the best ways we learn, if from one another.

Yours in faith and friendship,

Tom