Saturday, October 28, 2017
Tuesday, October 24, 2017
Monday, October 23, 2017
Youth Ministry Can Get Tough
Common Issue Faced by Youth Leaders
I recently conducted interviews with 3 seasoned Youth leaders in two countries - The Bahamas and The United States. By far,
the most common issue faced by all three Youth leaders is that of Team
Motivation or a lack thereof. In the next few paragraphs I will attempt to
provide encouragement for ministry leaders on the subject of Team Motivation
and setting some boundaries to prevent burnout and loss of integrity. Life in
ministry can get difficult at times. It gets even more difficult when we do not
have the right support system in place. Ministry was not designed to be a one
man show. Take a page out of Pastor Moses’ book. He got to a place of
frustration where the next thing to do besides blame God was to quit the job:
11 So
Moses said to the Lord, “Why have You been so hard on Your servant?
And why have I not found favor in Your sight, that You have laid the burden of
all this people on me? 12 Was it I who conceived
all this people? Was it I who brought them forth, that You should say to me,
‘Carry them in your bosom as a nurse carries a nursing infant, to the land
which You swore to their fathers’?13 Where am I to
get meat to give to all this people? For they weep before me, saying,
‘Give us meat that we may eat!’ 14 I alone am not
able to carry all this people, because it is too burdensome for me.15 So
if You are going to deal thus with me, please kill me at once, if I have found
favor in Your sight, and do not let me see my wretchedness.” (Numbers 11:11-15)
It does not have to get this way for any ministry leader. God in
his wisdom provided Pastor Moses with a solution:
16 The Lord therefore
said to Moses, “Gather for Me seventy men from the elders of
Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and their officers
and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with
you. 17 Then I will come down and speak with you
there, and I will take of the Spirit who is upon you, and will put Him upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so
that you will not bear it all
alone”. (Numbers 11:16-17)
God provided Pastor Moses with a team. We need people to be
successful at ministry. In fact, “People are the Plan” (Robbins, 526). If we
are to be successful at building a team, consider these seven competencies a
leader should have:
Sunday, October 22, 2017
Living By Principles or Facts - 1 Corinthians 7
Life Application
Bible Studies
The Way Ministries.
Topic: Principle
or Fact Series
Text: 1 Corinthians
Principle:
“A fundamental truth or proposition
that serves as the foundation for a belief system or a chain
of reasoning” (Google)
Fact: “Something that is true or can be
proved with evidence”
Do I live my life on Facts or Principles? How does living a Principled life influence kingdom living? How did the Apostle Paul address the Corinthian church in light of the facts?
Facts or Principles: The Principles of Being Single (Dr.
Myles Monroe)
o
Principles have been in existence long before we
were born
o
Principles are interesting – The are unmoved
(remain in place), never change, silent. Principles are there before you make a
decision and remain in place after you’ve made that decision
o
Stick to the Principles (God’s Principles) – You
will give yourself to anyone when the Facts look right [Principles thrown out
the window]
o God
encourages us to keep His Principles (We keep on experimenting with the
Principles) Deuteronomy 12:28
Be careful to obey all
these words that I command you, that it may go well with you
and with your children after you forever, when you do what is good and right in
the sight of the Lord your God.
- If you know how to read a principle you won't get lost. Everyone should bow to the principles of God in your life
- Principles don't change or shift
- Anywhere on this planet, God's Principles don't change. They apply at all times everywhere.
- God's principles are universal - no consideration for cultures or place. God's answers are the same for all people everywhere
- God's words supersede culture
o
A Fact is the present state of things (I bought
a bright red shirt. This has to be my all time favorite shirt. I wash the shirt
with some of the other all-time favorite things. The shirt gets washed out; my
other all-time favorite things are messed up). Facts change!
o
The Facts will make you nervous
Ø
Don’t devalue yourself because of facts
Ø
Don’t reduce your value to satisfy an immediate
need
o
If you live by Principles then Facts cannot
control you (remember, the Facts are temporary)
Ø
Whatever we are facing right now is temporary
(another door will open – wait [actively?])
Ø
The Fact is that “It is raining” – The sun will
shine again!
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