Confessions of a Recovering Pharisee

Years ago Youth Specialties had a Edge TV video about a family that had an obvious problem in their house but they were all ignoring it. The parents and the two teenage children where wearing clothes pins on their noses. You could see the tension between the family but they were ignoring it. You could hear an elephant in the next room and hear the son shoveling the “dung” but the family ignored it. It must have stunk. If the family had just removed the “elephant” then they could move on.

Last night Soupie, Angela and I decided to attempt to get rid of the elephant in the room of our church, well at least the student ministry. We asked the students to tell what was going on and why they were discouraged about church. It was tense and difficult. One young man came up to me at the end and expressed how much he likes Soupie, Angela and me and that he hopes we didn’t take anything personally. I told him if I was worried about my feelings I wouldn’t have allowed that meeting. Sometimes you have to go thru “dung” to get clean. I’m not perfect and God has broke me of everything, spiritually and financially. This has been the hardest 2 years of my life. We are running low on $ because our church voted to cut our salary. One minister already left because they cut him even more.

Henry Blackaby says that God doesn’t want Spiritual leaders who are committed to him. He wants Spiritual leaders who are submitted to Him. I picture a child being spanked for discipline. My dad always stopped when I went limp and was broken. That is where I am after these last 2 years. That is where God wants me to be!

I am a student of leadership. I read every book I can about it. The question that is often brought up are leaders born or made? I think it is some of both. At least when it comes to Spiritual Leadership. We can read books and go to conferences and learn how to become a leader. But Spiritual Leadership only comes to a person who is close to God and He chooses to bless. Henry and Richard Blackaby said, “It is one thing to call God your friend. It is quite another for God to call you his friend.” How do we get to the point where Jesus calls us his friend. By spending time with Him in prayer and Bible Study. There are dangers to becoming a Spiritual Leader. God will shape you to become what He wants. We have to give up our desires and follow his. My prayer is that I become a friend of God.

I always had great vision growing up. I had 20/15 vision. But a few years ago my eyes began to weaken. The Dr. said it was age. O well. But as they turned the optical lenses around I could begin to see clearer. Vision is important! I lets directs us to where we need to go. Vision is important in all organizations too. If you don’t know where you are going, how do you know if your winning? Churches that don’t have vision will die. How do you know if your winning if you don’t have a goal. It is time that churches began to get their “eyes” in focus. We have made church everything but something that glorifies God. I have sat in worship services before and thought, “did Jesus die for this?” God forbid that we just do church instead of “being a church.” My life goal is to “be the church” “the hands and feet of Jesus.”

Proverbs 29:18