Leadership Thought: A Response to a Concerned Writer Regarding My Leadership Thought.

Dear Friends,

“I have read it, cover to cover, twice, with no effect.  It just doesn’t stick.  So, I’ve read “The Story,” the “Message”, and other versions.  No impact.  So, I get mini doses through your messages, 3-4 small groups, and occasional Daily Bread online reviews.  Hey, I tried!!

This was one reader’s response to yesterday’s Leadership Thought on reading the importance of bible study.

Do those words ring true or sound familiar? Have you ever read the Bible and felt like “it just doesn't stick?”

Maybe it's because you possess the wrong goals. Possibly you have been reading for information and not transformation. Maybe trying to digest all those names, places, and events- the factual content- have taken precedent over reading for the bible’s transformational content-how it will change your life.

For a number of years, I read through the entire bible every year. Sometimes I was successful and sometimes not. But when I didn't achieve my goal, I felt discouraged and defeated.

One day I finally decided to change my approach. In trying to read through the bible every year, I felt like I was reading it  to complete a ‘task’- just reach the finish line.

Several years ago, I decided to change my approach. I narrowed my goal and decided to pick a particular book and study that book until I felt I really knew it. My study became less goal oriented- reading through the bible in a year.

I narrowed my goal from reading through the whole bible to picking a particular book of the bible and reading through it as many times as needed until I could envision those verses in my mind.

I took the four-chapter book of Philippians, and for the next month I read those four chapters every day. I read them using the New International version (NIV) as my basic translation, but I varied my translations using more contemporary ones like the Living Bible, the Message Bible, and the Promise Bible to get different nuances and perspectives.

I used a couple of commentaries: Warren Wiersbe’s excellent one volume commentary on the Bible- With the Bible- and John Courson’s Old and New Testament Life Application Commentaries that emphasized biblical life application.

In reading though those four chapters each day I would ask myself. “What does what I am reading teach me about how I am to walk more closely with God?  

I took notes, and I outlined the key points in each of the four chapters, and then I took take time to memorize that outline.

After one month, I felt like I really knew the book of Philippians. Those verses I had marked in my bible had marked me, and I experienced the satisfaction of achieving both information and inspiration while achieving the ultimate goal of transformation.

For larger books that are more than four chapters, you can break down your study, into four chapters a month until you have finally completed the book

In my file cabinet can be found the notes and outlines of each of the books I have studied, providing me an excellent source for sermon preparation or spiritual enrichment.

In closing, I would point out that there is not only one way to study the bible. The best way is the way that works best for you. But, if you are not getting what you had hoped from your bible study, if “things are not sticking” as my friend responded, then try something new.

And don’t forget, “It is not how many times you have been through the bible, but how many times the bible has been through you.

Comments and suggestions gladly accepted!

Yours in faith and friendship,

Tom

Leadership Thought: Are You a Missionary or in Need of a Missionary?

Dear Friends,

The author Mark Cahill, a traveling evangelist, titled one of his books, The One Thing You Can’t Do in Heaven. He  points out that the one thing you will be unable to do is to share your faith with unbelievers, for there won’t be any there.

The only time you and I have to share our faith in Jesus is on this side of eternity, and I wonder how we are doing. 

It's easy to lose the kind of passion and zeal we once enjoyed when we first came to know Christ. 

Whenever we become aware of this happening, we need to ask God to restore that passion and zeal and to give us a greater desire and intentionality to share our faith.

The great preacher of yesteryear, Charles Spurgeon, asks a penetrating question. “Have you no wish for others to be saved? (If not)”, “then you are not saved yourself.” The One Thing You Can’t Do in Heaven, Mark Cahill, p 55. Now I wouldn’t go as far as Spurgeon to say you are not saved if you never witness,  but I do believe a lack of witnessing can be an indication of a lack of spiritual passion and maturity.

Would that more of us would be like the great missionary David Brainerd, who was  consumed by one ambition and that was to win souls for the Kingdom. He wrote in his diary,  "I cared not where or how I lived or what hardships I endured, so that I could but gain souls for Christ. While I was asleep, I dreamt of such things and when I waked the first thing I thought of was winning souls to Christ.” George Whitefield shared a similar ambition, when he wrote, “If God did not give me souls, I believe I would die.”

Evangelism must never become a special task for special people at special times, but it should be the normal task for all the church- all the time. It is a ministry for God's rank and file. Each one of us needs to be alert for opportunities to witness to others about our love for our Savior.

Peter writes, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with  gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander” (1 Peter 3: 15-16).  

Danny Lehmann, author of Beautiful Feet: Steps to a Lifestyle of Evangelism, writes, “There is a difference between speaking truth in love and loving to speak the truth. Too many who could be followers of Christ are lost because someone bludgeoned them to death with the gospel truth. They may have spoken the truth, but they failed to do it in love, and so the lost remained lost, and the soul became hardened to future witnessing efforts.”  We need to love people into the Kingdom with both our lives as well as our lips, and there is a need for both of these evangelistic approaches.”

Danny told how his friend Ray Comfort, another traveling evangelist, promised to give $1,000 if anyone could ever catch him without a gospel tract on his person. Once an inspiring opportunist grabbed Ray after he got out of a swimming pool- hoping to be an instant winner. Ray smiled as he pulled  a plastic - wrapped tract out of his swim trunks (Beautiful Feet, Danny Lehman, p. 15)

Ray Comfort is always ready to give a reason for the hope he has, and likewise we too should be ready as well. We don't need to pray for opportunities to witness, for they are all around us. We need to pray for boldness to seize and speak a word for Jesus. And yes, don't be caught without a witnessing tool.  So, get out that plastic bag, insert a “4 Spiritual Laws” or whatever witnessing tool you use, and get on with the task of gossiping the gospel.

And remember, you are either a missionary or you are in need of one.

Yours in faith and friendship,

Tom

Leadership Thought: You Don't Have to Live with Regret over the Choices and Decisions You Have Made.

Dear Friends,

"In life we do things. Some we wish we had never done, some we wish we could replay a million times in our heads, but they all make us who we are. And in the end, those experiences shape every detail about us. If we were to reverse any of them, we wouldn't be at the exact place that we are today. So just live. Make mistakes and have wonderful times but never ever second guess who you are, where you have been, and most importantly, where it is that you are going."― "The Last Words,"- Source Unknown

I sent this quote to a friend of mine, and the next day I received the following response.: "I am so touched by this e-mail. I'm going through some cut to the heart experiences (that) I am having  with my slow growth! I say this  this with tears  because the timing is so perfect. I feel God's grace through this e-mail. My heart is so heavy about who I am and how I am doing and how long it's taking for me to be better in my response when frustrated with people.! From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for your Shepherd's heart."

It didn't take much time to copy this quote and send it to this friend. In receiving the person's response, I was  again reminded of how little effort it takes to make a difference in a person's life. I just read a quote, thought of a person who might appreciate it, copied and pasted it, and with one click  sent it through cyber space, and God  used it to encourage its recipient.

Now the only reason I sent it to this person, was because it first spoke to me, and perhaps it will speak to you, just as it also did to a group of men in an addiction ministry we host at our church.

We all have made poor choices, and wrong decisions in our lives, and those choices and decisions can birth a pain of regret that will hound us for the rest of our lives.  

But as I reminded those men at our addiction meeting, God can and will use even our poor choices and wrong decisions to bring us to the place where we are, a place where we now have the chance for recovery, and a new life with Jesus in control of their lives.  

God has a plan and purpose for all of our lives, and He is able to use even the mistakes we make to bring His plan and purpose to fulfillment.

The Apostle Paul writes: "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose" (Romans 8:28). 

Those men at that meeting were present because of the poor choices and decisions they had made in their past. But those decisions and choices had now brought them to the place where they could discover the transforming power of Jesus to break the  chains of  their addiction. 

So, as the unknown writer of the "Last Words"  has said, "Just live. Make mistakes and have wonderful times but never ever second guess who you are, where you have been, and most importantly, where it is that you are going."

Yours in faith and friendship,

Tom

Leadership Thought: Beware of Pride's Blindness-Just Look at Haman.

Dear Friends,

I don’t know who wrote it, but it was good advice, “Beware of digging a pit for the enemy; you may fall into it yourself.” The character Haman in the book of Esther would never have hung on the gallows had he heeded these words of wisdom (see Esther Ch. 7).

Haman was one of the most evil and despicable men who ever walked this planet. This master manipulator was a classic personification of evil. His jealous hatred of a Jew named Mordecai, led him to engineer a plot that would send Mordecai to his death on the gallows. But in an Alfred Hitchcock like twist of fate filled providence, he himself is the one who is hung, leaving Mordecai to enjoy the power, privilege, and prestige that Haman so desperately coveted.

Proverbs reminds us that “The righteousness of the upright will deliver them, but the unfaithful are trapped by evil desires.” What a fitting epitaph for Haman’s headstone.

Haman’s’ pride destroyed him, just as it will destroy everyone who lives to exalt himself at another’s expense. It has been said that, “the proud man has a mirror in which he sees himself. A humble man, a window through which he sees others.” 

Paul writes, “Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another” (Romans 12:10).

I love the  words of Francois Fenelon, a Roman Catholic archbishop who lived in the early 1700’s. He writes, “Humility is the source of true greatness; pride is ever impatient, ready to be offended. He who thinks nothing is due to him, never thinks himself ill-treated.”

If we all followed the wisdom of this wise old cleric, how much better our world would be. 

Have a wonderful day and don’t forget these wise words:  “an enemy is a costly thing, a luxury that is too expensive to maintain.” With the Word, Warren Wiersbe, p. 276.

Yours in faith and friendship,
Tom

Leadership Thought. The Man Who Died on the 4^th of July Because He Was a Fireworks Kind of Guy.

Dear Friend

Leadership expert John Maxwell has recently been sharing in his daily podcast “Minute with Maxwell,”  the things he learned from his dad.

His dad was 98 and still going strong when he died.

The information below is an edited version of what John shared about the lessons his dad taught him about enthusiasm.

John tells how his dad wasn’t into music very much. “He was kind of tone deaf, and he didn’t sing very well. But I remember the day when he was college president, and we were in chapel, and we sang the doxology. It is just one verse: “Praise God, from whom all blessings flow…,” and my father loved the way it  sounded, and so he said, ‘That sounds so good, let’s sing the second verse.’ “Well, there’s no second verse, so my dad, not to be deterred,  said, ‘Well then, let’s sing the first verse again,’ “and I think we sang the doxology at least five times to satisfy my dad’s enthusiasm for that hymn.”

When his dad moved to an extended care unit in a nursing home, his dad wanted to be the first one to move in. And I said, “Dad, why do you want to be the first one in,” and he said, “So I can meet all of the new people when they come because I know they’re going to be fearful and concerned about their living conditions, and I want to shake their hands at the door and tell them that it is going to be a fine place to live.”

John did the memorial message for his dad, and he talked about his enthusiasm, and he read a message his dad had written at 85, titled  “Celebrating the Senior Years by Melvin Maxwell.

“And what did he say about how you should celebrate life?

1. “Stay alive. Don’t quit dreaming. Find new ideas and set new goals.

  (Remember he is 85).”

2. “Don’t give over to defeat and discouragement. Things are not as bad as you think.”

3. “Never think you’re too old. Moses was eighty and he led 3 ½ million people out of captivity.”

4. “Never think you’ve lost your usefulness. Your years have given you both wisdom and experience to share with others.”

5. “Never think that you’re not needed or important. Everyone you meet needs a smile and some loving words.”

6. Never stop trying. Persistence always wins. Your candle may be burned down, but it’s not out. Don’t complain because you’re gray and bald for a lot of people never live that long.

7. “Keep a spirit of praise, constantly thanking God for His goodness and remember your attitude is more important than your aptitude, for your attitude determines your spiritual altitude.”

8. “Remember God is with you each day, and you’re near the winning line. Just hang on!”

9. “Try to live a memorial that will live on and on: Love and speak kind words, be thoughtful and generous.”

John concludes, “That was my dad. That’s who he was. My father lived his life with enthusiasm. He was a ball of fire. That’s why he fittingly died on the 4^th of July, ”because he was a fireworks kind of guy.

May the tribe of Melvin Maxwell increase, and may the lessons he taught his son be lived out and passed on by us to others.

Yours in faith,

Tom

P.S. “There seems to be a chilling fear of holy enthusiasm among the people of God. We try to tell how happy we are - but we remain so well- controlled that there are very few waves of glory experienced in our midst.” A. W. Tozer.

Leadership Thought: Watch Out for That "Energy Vampire."

Dear Friends,

I find it difficult and challenging to be around negative people, the kind of people who writer Jon Gordon calls EV's (Energy Vampires). They are negative people who sap your energy and steal your enthusiasm. They generally are good at fomenting discontent, and seldom have anything positive to say about anyone or anything. No one like to be around these "Debby Downers" or "The Sky Is Falling" kind of people.

Throughout my career as a teacher, coach and pastor, I have done my best to create conditions where people are encouraged, uplifted, and where a positive spirit characterizes the environment. I don't tolerate negativity. 

Maybe that is why one of the first verses I memorized as a new believer was Paul's  admonition: "Don't let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit all who listen.” Ephesians 4:29 

Author and speaker, John Gordon relates how one coach sought to eliminate a negative environment from his locker room. The coach had an artist draw a huge picture of an energy vampire on the wall of their team meeting room. Any time a player was being an EV, they put the player’s picture on the wall. No one wanted  his picture on that wall. In essence, the coach was telling the team that he will not allow negativity to sabotage their team or their team's goals .

That is one way to quell negativity.

Now this method might work in the locker room, but I am not sure it is a strategy I would advocate for a church or a business.

When I was growing up, I had a teacher who would remind her class to  always ask three questions when sharing information with others: "Is what you are about to say, kind, true and helpful?"

Our conversations would be a lot more encouraging, uplifting, and beneficial if we followed my teacher's advice.

Solomon says, "Kind words are like a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones"  (Pro. 16:24).

Solomon reminds us, "A person's words can be life-giving water: words of true wisdom are as refreshing as a bubbling brook" (Proverbs 18:4),

Mother Teresa was fond of saying, "Kind words are short and easy to speak but their echoes are endless." 

How grateful I am for the kind and positive words that have been spoken into my life by parents, teachers, coaches and good friends, words that have been the wind beneath my wings and not the anchor in my boat.

Today, would you ask God to reveal to you if you have been guilty of ever being an "Energy Vampire," and if so, would you ask Him to help you sweeten your speech. 

Why not begin your day by praying that the Lord would lead you to someone today who needs a life-giving positive push. Just a thought!

Yours in faith and friendship,

Tom 

Leadership Thought: Discerning God's Will for Your Life.

Dear Friends,

In the book Spiritual Leadership  by Oswald Sanders there is a quote that caught my attention. Sanders writes, “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." (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.

A few days after reading this Sander's' comments, 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 who would 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, how then does one know what your next step is in discovering  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. The Psalmist  prays, "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 the humble his way” (Psalm 25:4-5). 

But what If God's answer is not immediate or not clear? What if, as Oswald Sanders writes, "God is leaving more and more to (our) spiritual discernment and giving fewer bits of tangible guidance than we are hoping for?"

As my friend and I continued talking, I asked her 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 which we were created for) at the intersection of our spiritual gifts and our natural talents and our passion and personality. 

I suggested to my friend that she might want to take the Meyers Briggs personality test, a helpful tool in revealing how one thinks, feels and acts in normal everyday life. If you are interested in taking a modified version of this test, just click on www.16personalities.com/ 

Knowing your spiritual gifts and talents combined with understanding your passion and your personality traits seem to be a logical place to help one better understand how God has equipped us to serve Him.  God has created you for a purpose in life. and it wouldn’t seem logical  for God to give us certain gifts and talents and a particular passion and personality and then direct us to a vocation where none of these would be of any value.

However, having said all this, I remind you that God can override any of the above qualities and characteristics and place and use us in ways that seem contrary to our gifts, talents, personalities and passions. 

Jeremiah was shy and uncomfortable speaking, but he became a mighty spokesman and spiritual leader for God, and Gideon was a simple farmer who acknowledged his significant leadership inadequacies, and yet he rallied an army to defeat the Midianites and became one of Israel's greatest judges. 

Yes, I encourage you to check out your spiritual gifts, natural talents, passion and personality but be careful to remember, "For as the heaven is higher than the earth, so My ways are higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts (Is. 55:9 NLB).

The bottom line is that availability is always the greatest ability one can ever possess, and regardless of our spiritual and natural limitations, God can and will use us to accomplish His plans and purposes if only we choose to make ourselves available. So, let's get rid of any of our excuses for not serving Him and make ourselves available to be used in whatever way He chooses.

Yours in faith and friendship,

Tom

Leadership Thought: How Can I Be Sure That I Am Going to Heaven?

Dear Friend,

How can I know when I leave planet earth that I am bound for heaven? I find a lot of people don’t know the answer to this question. But the bible has a clear answer. It tells us in 1 John 5:13 that  “These things I have written to you that you might know you have eternal life." Yes, you can know you are going to heaven but the question is how? 

Back in 1962 I discovered the answer when I learned that it was not through my efforts to be good enough  (some people today think this is the gateway to heaven), but sadly they are wrong, for the Bible says no one, no matter how good he or she  may be is good enough to inherit eternal life.

It was in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin at a Fellowship of Christian Athlete’s Conference that I learned the answer to this question, and my life forever changed.

I had a simple formula for arriving at my heavenly home. I figured if my good works outweighed my bad works, I was in. As a result, I always lived my life wondering how I was doing on the eternal life scale. 

Had I done enough good things to outweigh the bad things I had done? Had I gone to church enough, prayed enough, helped people enough? It was all about me and my accomplishments, and I thought that if I could just keep myself  on the right side of the 'good works ledger' I'd be in. However, I always lived in fear that I had never done enough. Little did I know that my good works had nothing to do with my entrance into heaven. Even if I were living in the 99th  'good works percentile'  that would not be good enough to open heaven's door.

You see I didn’t know how high the good works standard really was to gain eternal life. The bible makes it clear that heaven's standard was perfection, for, it states, “You must be perfect, even as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48). Since I had never met anyone who is perfect, I knew there must be another way.

I still remember when I heard those words, “It is by grace that you are saved, through faith, it is not because of your works, but it is a gift of God that no one could boast (See Ephesians 2;8-9).

It is not through by my works that I am saved, for no matter how high or wide the pile of my good might be, they would  never be enough to open the doorway to heaven.  I learned that it was not through my good works that I was saved, but only through the good work of Christ who died for me upon the cross. It was His death that open the door to heaven.

You may have heard those words, "You must be born again” to enter into heaven. 

When Nicodemus  came to Jesus, he thought he had already purchased his ticket to heaven by virtue of his religious prominence, for he was one of the Jewish spiritual good guys. But Jesus had a surprise for him. He said, "Nick, you must be born again”. You need a new birth, not one that is physical, but one that is spiritual for this is the only way you will get into heaven. It is only by trusting in me and me alone that you will find your way to heaven.

God demonstrated his love for us while we were still sinners. He went to the Cross and hung and died for our sins. "He bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness (and) by His wounds you have been healed" (1 Peter 2:24).

In the words of that wonderful old hymn Rock of Ages, we can confess that, "Nothing in my hands I bring, simply to the cross I cling."

It is on the cross that Jesus died to take away your sins and my sins, and in so doing he provides us the way to heaven and eternal life. Jesus took the rap for my sins, and his righteousness became mine, and so now when God looks at me, he sees me as perfect and complete, just like his perfect son. I am justified-. 'just as if I had never sinned.' 

So, if you are striving to find your way to heaven, stop trying and start trusting in the only one who can assure you of life eternal. The moment you start relying on anything but Christ alone for your salvation, you are doomed to spend eternity apart from him. Good works can’t save you, no matter how good they might be.

So, if you have never received Jesus as your Lord and Savior, I hope you will do so today. If you do, not only will it be the greatest decision you will ever make, but you will know with certainty that you are headed to heaven.

Yours in faith and friendship,

Tom

P.S. If you are not sure about anything that I have said, let me encourage you to take the Roman Road journey, a road that many unbelievers have traveled to find eternal life. It is called the Roman road because all of the verses come from the book of Romans. Romans 3:10;  Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23; Romans 5:8;  Romans 10:9-11; and Romans 10:13.

If you have any questions or would like to know more about my personal experience and how it changed my life, I hope you will let me know, and I will be glad to respond.

Leadership Thought:  A Time is Coming When Christians May No Longer Be Welcome in Some Restaurants.

Dear Friends,

“A Virginia. Restaurant has found itself at the center of controversy after refusing service to a conservative Christian organization over the group's opposition to abortion rights and same sex marriage.”

“On November 31st, Richmond restaurant, Metzger Bar and. Butchery cancelled the reservation for a private event from the Family Foundation, as first reported by Virginia Business. The following day, Metzger posted about his decision on Instagram, citing the organization's view. On abortion and LBGTQ rights as its reason for refusing them service.”

“ ‘In eight years of service, we have very rarely refused service to anyone who wished to dine with us,’ reads the Instagram post.  Recently they refused service to a group that has booked an event with us after the owners of  Metzer Bar and Butchery found out it was a group of donors to a political organization that seeks to deprive women and LGBTQ plus persons of their basic human rights in Virginia.”

“The restaurant then wrote that management has refused service in the past to anybody who has made staff feel uncomfortable or safe, saying this was the driving force behind the decision .” (CBS News article taken from internet, Dec 2022 

The culture war has reached the point where now Christians are “making people feel uncomfortable and unsafe” and where those who hold to the biblical truths will no longer be able to eat in some establishments because of religious discrimination.

Just as one day blacks were unable to drink at water fountains, Christians may no longer be welcome to eat at certain restaurants.

Our Christian values are under siege, attacked by those championing philosophies and ideologies that run counter to our Christian. Because one  champions the life of the unborn, or opposes same sex marriage, or disagrees with the agenda of LGBTQ groups you may no longer be welcome to sit down and have a meal in certain restaurants.

Today, more than ever, the church needs men and women of bold faith and grace filled action who will step up, stand up, and not be shut up.

It’s time for believers to speak up and say, “Enough is enough.”

When the authorities found Peter and the other apostles teaching about Christ in the temple courts, they had them arrested and brought before the Sanhedrin. They were ordered to cease teaching about Jesus. “You have filled Jerusalem with your teaching.” Peter and the other apostles replied, “We must obey God rather than men.” Acts 5:29

Billy Graham once said courage is contagious. “When a brave man takes a stand, the spines of others are often stiffened. “The Right to Lead, John Maxwell, p. 23.

I close with an example of the kind of courage that all of us should pray to possess.

A 19th century circuit riding preacher named Peter Cartwright was preparing to deliver a sermon on Sunday when he was warned that President Andrew Jackson was in attendance and was asked to keep his remarks inoffensive. During the message, he included the statement: “I have been told that Andrew Jackson is in this congregation. And I have been asked to guard my remarks. What I must say is that Andrew Jackson will go to hell if he doesn't repent of his sin.”

After the sermon, Jackson strode up to Cartwright. “Sir,” the President said, “If I had a regiment of men like you, I could whip the world,”

I think that this is the kind of boldness that has often been lacking in both the church and in our individual lives. Too often we are paralyzed by the fear of the consequences of boldly proclaiming the name of Jesus, whether it might be in a public school, our home, school, or in the marketplace.

We need to pray that we would be more like the apostles, filled with the holy boldness, and the courage to proclaim Christ wherever and whatever the cost may be.

It is true that courage can be defined by a three-letter word and the word is YES.

May there be more “Yeses” in our vocabulary.

Yours and ministry,

Tom

Leadership Though: As the Deer Pants for Streams of Water so My Soul Pants for You, O God - A Picture Worth a Thousand Words.

Dear Friends,

A few months ago, I walked downstairs to let the dog out, and at the bottom of the stairs I discovered an envelope my daughter had left for me. I opened it up to discover  a thoughtful and encouraging note. 

The letter was from a friend in our church, it read, "I was so sorry to hear you and Jean are ill.  Praying for you both.  We recently received a card, and I was struck by the beautiful drawing of a deer on the front.  After reading the message, I noticed your name on the back.  It seems as if I’m living right in the middle of Psalm 42 most days, so your artwork really struck a chord with me.  The card almost seemed to follow me around the house until I sat down to write this email.  It’s quite amazing how the Lord so creatively works His Word into our lives.  Praising Him for all He’s done through the ministry of you and Jean.  Looking forward to seeing you both again soon."

Underneath the card she received were the words of the Psalmist  "As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God." Psalm 42:1

And then there were these words. Tom Crenshaw, Student artist, Westminster Academy.

I wish I could say the drawing was done by me. I wrote back and told her that the student artist was not me, but my son, Tommy who drew it in art class in 1998 when we were living in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. I loved it so much that I had it copied on some card stock, and I have often used it as a note card when writing notes to friends.

As I look at the picture, I am reminded that we, like that deer, need water if we are to survive physically. We can survive only a few days without it before we perish. And spiritually speaking those who seek to live life apart from the One who renews us with rivers of living water will find themselves dying of spiritual thirst. Those who seek him and long to understand him will find never ending life.

Feeling separated from God, this psalmist wouldn't rest until he restored his relationship with God, because he knew that his life depended on it.

I hope this picture will be an ever present reminder of your need and my mine to drink deeply from the well of life, Jesus wants to meet with us, and He has been waiting by the well for us to come and drink deeply of His love, I hope all of us will join him today and discover the refreshment that every human heart desires. Drink deeply my friends.

Yours in faith and friendship,

Tom

Leadership Thought: How to Save More to Give More and Still Have More Left to Tithe.

Dear Friend,

This isn’t one of those slick 'insta mercials' where someone promises you something too good to be true.

It’s a personal testimony from a pastor who a number of years ago  discovered how to save 20 to 40 percent of his income while recovering as much as an hour a week of discretionary time.

Here's how I did it yesterday. I walked into the grocery store and purchased some mangos, my favorite fruit, for $.45 each. I then picked up a pint of ice cream that rivals Ben and Jerry's for under $3.00, 6 cinnamon raisin bagels for $1.99, a huge chocolate bar-much bigger than Hersey's, and I might add much better, for $1.39,  a pint of raspberries for $1.89, chicken broth for $1.45, a pound and a half of thick slab peppercorn bacon for $5.99, and spaghetti meat sauce, one of my favorites, for just $1.39.

I do confess to splurging a bit as I also spent $ 4.69 for some beef jerky dog treats that looked good enough to eat myself. I am sure my little canine friend, 'Maggie,' was thinking, "These are the best treats I have ever tasted."

Having made my purchases, I then proudly walked out to my car carrying a giant blue shopping bag stuffed with food and emblazoned with the word "Aldi's” on it. 

Yes, I am a member of 'Aldi's Army,' comprised of a growing number of people who have become tired of grocery "sticker shock." 

I shop at Aldi's, which for the last five years in a row, has been voted the least expensive store in the country to buy groceries. I not only save as much as 40% off my weekly grocery bill, but I probably save an hour a week of discretionary time not having to traverse long aisles lined with shelves stocked with multiple brands of items I will never purchase. 

No time wasted on having to do comparison shopping-I select the best of one brand- and I am on my way. All this makes shopping a breeze-a lot cheaper, easier and quicker that any grocery shopper could imagine. 

Oh, it does cost me a quarter to use an Aldi' shopping cart, but I have the opportunity to get a refund when I return my cart, or better yet, I can pay it forward, and make a new friend when I smile and freely offer my cart to a surprised and thankful oncoming shopper. 

Now I feel sorry for those receiving this Leadership Thought who don't yet have an Aldi's in your area, but I hope it won't be long before you see that big Aldi's sign in your neighborhood, and you can save like I do.

Yes, I write this a bit tongue and cheek, but I do so with the hope that you might give Aldi's a try. I promise that you will find top quality items-as good as any of the well-known store brands, yet at remarkable savings.

Aldi's may not be a shopping experience for everybody, but for me it is one of the best hours of my week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"You might be thinking: "Not much spiritual in your message today."  But that is not true. If you want to be a better steward and money manager as I encouraged you to be in yesterday's message on giving, shopping at Aldi's is your solution. 

If you have been struggling with the thought of tithing, shopping at Aldi's is an easy way to save enough to have enough to give at least 10% of your weekly income to your church or favorite charity, while still having as much as 30% left over to spend on this year's Christmas shopping.

Now for those of you who are biblical exegetes, I don't suggest this is what Jesus meant spiritually when He said. "We are to be as wise as serpents and as innocent as doves," but it's still plenty true practically.😊

Yours in faith and friendship,

Tom

P.S. Let me know if, or when you shop at Aldi's,  and how you found your experience. Trust me, I receive no "royalties," from your shopping, but I do enjoy the satisfaction that comes from knowing I helped you save money that hopefully will be used to bless God's kingdom.

Leadership Thought: 8 Words to Change Your Life and Those Around You.

Dear Friends,

It arrived in the mail, a beautiful handmade card of encouragement addressed to Jean from one of the members of our church.

It was not the first time my wife opened such a card, for card making for this member is a regular occurrence. She loves making personal cards of encouragement that always seem to come at just the right time and always bringing just the right message.

Thoughtfulness is a wonderful gift that always blesses and touches lives.

Mother Teresa writes, "Thoughtfulness is the beginning of great sanctity. If you learn this art of being thoughtful, you will become more and more Christlike, for his heart was meek, and he always thought of others. Our vocation, to be beautiful, must be full of thoughts for others.”

The gift of thoughtfulness doesn’t have to be big or costly. Jesus said, "Whoever, in the name of a disciple gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones, truly, I tell you, that person will certainly not lose His reward ( Matthew 10: 42).

In the Book of Hebrews, we are told that the "Lord is not forgetful to reward our works of righteousness" (Heb.6:10).

The key to thoughtfulness is intentionality. A thoughtful person is always on the hunt to lift someone up, to add value to their life, and to bless and encourage them.

So today why not spend some time thinking about how you could bless another with your thoughtfulness. Perhaps a phone call reminding someone that they are loved, and not forgotten, or delivering an unexpected meal to one you know who may be too tired to cook, or becoming the babysitter, who shows up, so that a husband and wife can have a much-needed night out. 

If you are intentional about being thoughtful, God will reveal the perfect gift to offer.

Just 8 words could make a difference in your life and in the life of someone else: "Forget yourself and think of those around you.”

Yours in faith and friendship,

Tom 

P.S. "Thoughtful people don't just help when they are asked to. They will try their hardest to do something nice for someone who might not be expecting it." "17 Characteristics of a Thoughtful Person," taken from the internet.

Leadership Thought: Who Says the Destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah Was Unfair?

Dear Friends,

Last night at our small group meeting we studied Genesis 19, the story of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah. The story is a hard message to preach because it is a hard message to hear. 

Why would a loving God wipe out everyone in two cities except for Lot and his family? We declare “that isn't fair.”  We surmise, “There must have been a few more families in those two cities worth saving.”  “I thought God was loving and merciful, and I don’t understand how He could have done such a thing.” 

The answer is that God is loving and merciful, but He is also just and fair.

The fact is that it was only because of God’s mercy that Lot’s family was spared for they, like all the rest or those inhabitants, deserved destruction.  

God says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion (Romans 9:15),

These words declare in the plainest language that God has the right to give or withhold His mercy according to His sovereign will.

Pastor and teacher Alistair Begg writes “As the prerogative of life and death is vested in the monarch, so the Judge of all the earth has a right to spare or condemn the guilty, as may seem best in His sight. Men by their sins have forfeited all claim upon God; they deserve to perish for their sins-and if they all do so, they have no ground for complaint. If the Lord steps in to save any, He may do so if the ends of justice are not thwarted, but if He judges it best to leave the condemned to suffer the righteous sentence none may call Him to account” "The Humbling Doctrine of Election,"  Alistair Begg, November 25, from the internet)

The fact is we all deserve to die. Paul writes, “There is none that is righteous, not even one” (Romans 3:10).

Salvation has never been the result of our works or of our deeds (Eph. 2:-8-9 , Romans 3:19-28). Our salvation is all the result of his sovereign mercy.

It was only God’s grace and mercy that saved Lot and his daughters (Lot’s wife looked back and was turned to a pillar of salt) and it is only His mercy that saves us today.

Begg concludes “If we are (among) the saved we have no room for boasting, for (His) sovereignty most effectively excludes it.

If you are saved like Lot, rejoice, but remember it only because of His grace and mercy, and not because of your goodness and merit.

Yours in faith and friendship,

Tom

Leadership Thought: The Best Booster Club You Could Ever Join.

Dear Friends,

One of my favorite words is affirmation. It has been called the second cousin to encouragement.

When I think of the word affirm, I think of making something firm, for that is what affirmation does. It firms up and strengthens sagging spirits.

I love to be on the lookout for someone doing something positive and then come alongside them and give them an affirmation ‘boost.’

The painter Benjamin West was just trying to be a good babysitter for his little sister, Sally. While his mother was out, Benjamin found some bottles of colored ink and proceeded to paint Sally’s portrait. But by the time Mrs. West returned, inkblots stained the table, chairs, and floor.

Benjamin’s mother surveyed the mess without saying a word until she saw the picture. Picking it up, she exclaimed, “Why, It’s Sally!” and she bent down and kissed her young son.

West was always fond of pointing out that it was his mother’s kiss that made him a painter, and a famous one at that.

Proverbs 25:1, says “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.”

West’s mother’s words were ‘fitly spoken’ and unleashed Benjamin’s prodigious talent and painting.

Not only do children need affirmation, but everyone needs it.

Both young and old need to hear those powerful words that can strengthen our spirits.

So let me suggest that you always keep your eyes open wide in search of someone to firm up, support and sustain.

Those words, “you did a great job,” “I appreciate your kindness,”  “I love your smile,” “I’m amazed at your energy” might be the words that can make a difference in one’s day and maybe even one’s life.

Even though it happened in 1972, I still remember the words a respected pastor spoke to me over the phone: “Tom, you would be a perfect fit for the position,” and those affirming words forever changed me and my ministry.

So, if are not already a charter member of the “Affirmation Booster Club,” join today. You’ll make someone glad you did.

Yours in faith and friendship,

Tom

Leadership Thought: You Can't Have Enough Good Friends Living in Your Home.

Dear Friends,

Tucked away in the Apostle Paul’s closing remarks to Timothy is a verse that is easy to miss. Paul writes, “When you come, bring the cloak that I left with Carpus at Troas, and my scrolls, especially the parchments (2 Timothy 4:13). Scholars suggest that the parchments may have been part of the Old Testament. In any event, this got me to thinking about the importance of good books and what friends they have been to me over the years of my ministry.

Some of my friends have been sitting on my shelves for over 50 years, but like the Word, there some things that never grow old.

There has always been a battle brewing in the Crenshaw household over the number of friends I have brought home. I remember as we were leaving Fort Lauderdale to retire 14 years ago, I found an old cardboard box Jean had dumped in the corner of my office with a note that said, “Sort out the most important 100 books and put them in the box and give the rest away.” Those words struck terror in my heart. Get rid of my friends. Send them packing. “No, no, no, I can’t do it,” I cried.

The retirement part didn’t work out any better than her efforts to ditch my friends. Most all of them traveled north with me and found residence on a new set of shelves that take up most of my office.

Only a lover of books can understand and appreciate how difficult it is to give your books away. Maybe I am just  selfish for I know my library takes up considerable space in my office, and in my apartment, but you can’t just walk away from your friends.

Years ago, I copied down a quote that has stayed with me to this day. It was Mark Twain who said, “The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who cannot read at all.” 

Abraham Lincoln said, "My best friend is a person who will give me a book," and Thomas Jefferson said, "I cannot live without books. "Leaders are readers." They are always searching for new ideas and looking to discover new information.

One of the best sharing questions I know is, “What books have had the greatest impact on your life and why? When I think about this question, I find myself hard pressed to limit my answers for there have been so many books that I  am not sure where to begin or where to stop.

I acknowledge that if there is any wisdom that comes from my mouth, it has probably come from someone I have read, and while I may not remember his or her name, their wisdom has permeated my mind and left its imprint on my thinking.

Books are wonderful friends, and you can't have too many.  But if you could choose but one friend, let that friend be the Bible, for contained within it is all the wisdom, truth, and knowledge one needs to possess to live in victory today, tomorrow and for all eternity. The Bible is your greatest friend and your dearest companion!

Yours in faith and friendship,

Tom