Confessions of a Recovering Pharisee

Below are some pictures of Nashville. The bottom one was a sacred area (Baptist Vatican) that I was in.

I had a great time here in Franklin/Nashville area. I will have to take a few days to process everything I heard and learned. The People’s Church is truly impacting their community and the world. While I was with Rick White another pastor called asking for advice and just like he did with me Rick told the pastor to e-mail him in bullet points what is going on in his church and in his life. Rick is an amazing man. He truly has a passion for people. I don’t know if I have ever been around a more personable person than Rick. I am truly grateful for our time together. I can never repay him or The People’s Church but I hope to one day pass on whatever wisdom God has given me to others. This is what cooperation and being missional is about to me.

At lunch I was honored to share a meal with Rick and Ken Davis. You may know Ken from his radio spots called Lighten Up. Ken has known me since I was a baby. He and my dad worked together in YFC/Campus Life years ago. He told funny stories about my dad pulling pranks on him and I had fun making him feel old. Anyway, Ken is a funny guy who has a tremendous ministry. He fills in for Rick at the People’s Church when Rick can’t be there. What a blessed day I had.

I learned about lot about leadership, people skills and just a church that is being the hands and feet of Jesus. I can’t take and copy what is going on in Franklin because our church is in a different type of community. But I will forever be grateful to Rick White and the People’s Church for a great time.

I read an article last September about a pastor named Rick White in Church Executive Magazine last September. As I read the article I knew that I had to talk with Rick. I looked up his church’s website and wrote Rick an email. Rick emailed me back and gave me his cell phone number and told me to call him. We talked for a half hour or more and he encouraged me to continue on the path I was leading.

We have emailed back and forth ever since. Rick was going to be in Charlotte a few months ago but he had to help another pastor who was in the news through some difficult times. One thing I’ve learned already about Rick is he has a heart for God, his family, unbelievers, his church and pastors. He apologized for not being able to get up with me but said he wanted me to fly to Nashville, TN and spend 2 days with him. I told him I could drive but he insisted that I fly and he would take care of the expenses. I really don’t know how I could repay him and The People’s Church. They not only paid for my flight but they rented me a nice vehicle, took me to Outback, and put me up in an unbelievable hotel. I don’t know what to say. I truly don’t deserve this kindness.

When I got to Franklin I pulled into The People’s Church parking lot. I was greeted by a friendly receptionist who directed me to Rick’s office. Rick’s administrative assistant Venita Graves-Cagle is a gracious host. Rick invited me into his office and then immediately into their Worship Planning session. There were about 7-8 staff members who participate in this meeting. Following that meeting I went back to Rick’s office. He has a study off his office and Rick is a huge golf player. Not only that but Rick is Bama fan and a graduate of my alma mater Samford University.

Rick and his Executive Pastor Dick Wells talked with me for an hour or more. That was a very powerful meeting but the lessons I learned I will keep to myself. Following that meeting I went with the staff to the worship center for their prayer time. They pray for each other then break into groups and pray for members of the church who are in need. Rick invited me to pray with a volunteer staff member Diane Cobb. Diane reminds me of my wife Cassandra in she is very perceptive. The prayer she prayed was spine chilling.

Then Rick took me to Outback Steakhouse and I enjoyed hearing His story. I capitalized His because I mean God’s story for The People’s Church. When Rick came to The People’s Church it was 1st Baptist Franklin. It was a growing church but as Rick says most of their growth was transfer growth. There were many denominational big wigs who were members. Rick attended a Willowcreek Conference and was moved by a church that was actually transforming a community. He came home and realized that God wanted him to transition his church. It has been hard. The People’s Church is a member of the SBC but they are not politically active. Rick himself goes on at least 3 mission trips a year. The church has 7 partnerships with countries around the world. When the tsunami hit they immediately sent $100K then took up another $100K a few weeks later. They have sent over 30 groups to New Orleans. They are impacting their community. I wish you could have heard one of the prayer requests that I heard today from Sunday’s service.

Rick made an interesting observation. He said The People’s Church attenders and members have every kind of struggle you can imagine and that is what happens when you are being the hands and feet of Jesus. Some people don’t know how to respond to that. But think about it–in a hospital you will see hurting people. To me that is what a church should be. It should be a place where people can be healed spiritually. This church is truly missional. For this reason I am naming The People’s Church as Pharisee Busters.

I am looking forward to learning a whole lot more on Wednesday and then I fly back home late Wednesday.

Not really, but it sounds punchy. I’m headed to a undisclosed Southern city to spend time with a really cool pastor of a mega-church. I’m not saying who because I’m not sure if he wants me to say. I would hate for people to bombard him with requests for his time.  Plus I may ruin his reputation. As those of you who read here often know I have asked many people for advice and help and have been disappointed more than not. I guess perseverance pays off.

Under my new friends leadership his church has transitioned and is truly impacting a region. I look forward to learning some leadership lessons. I have lots of questions as I always do.  I won’t be live blogging but I will share what I can.  This church is a multi-site congregation that is truly transforming their city. I contacted him last year when I read about what God was doing in his church in a Christian magazine. He asked me if I was the same Kevin Bussey with a blog.  (I guess there has been some redeeming value to my writings.)  He is not a blogger but he does read them.  His church is in my denomination but he has managed to stay out of the rhetoric. He has been very helpful to me over the last year answering some of my questions and encouraging me. I am truly blessed.

I look forward to spending a few days with him and will share what I can.

Last week we had a great discussion about mentoring here. I appreciate all of your comments on the subject. I was blessed to have both Dr. Bob and Cheryl Reccord weigh in on the subject. I appreciate both of them because they have so much wisdom and have walked the walk.

Dr. Reccord’s comment made me think:

And don’t look to one mentor for everything. Find those who have a strength in a certain area you want to strengthen and go to him. For a different strength, or in a different season, pick another. At my point in the journey I still have mentors in my life, but they are not the same I had 5 years ago. And I hope I will for years to come, as I do not ever desire to stop learning, growing and changing. And I am committed to keep mentoring as God opens that door. For mentoring should be like a healthy body of water—water flowing in, and water flowing out. That is where balance is found.

I had the privilege of talking with Dr. Reccord on Friday and he talked about more about having more than one mentor. I realized that I have been blessed to have many mentors and just didn’t realize it at the time. I think the blog world has been a source of mentoring for me. It has been a “peer” mentoring and some more mature mentors too.

When we realized that God was calling us to Charlotte, I knew I needed some help. Marty Duren has been one of the most helpful friends. Marty came to my blog and give me a hard time for listening to REO Speedwagon and Journey. I wanted to see who this guy was so I started reading SBC Outpost. I saw that Marty had transitioned a church so I called and talked with him about his journey. Marty and I are the same age so this would be “peer” mentoring. I am grateful for his heart for helping others.

Blogs connected me with Jason Sampler through my friend Joe Kennedy. My church has been to New Orleans twice and is going again in May to help rebuild Edgewater Baptist. I have connected with missionaries all over the world like Bryan Riley, David Rogers, Kiki Cherry, nomad4god and others.

. I have conversations with Mormons, Atheists and homosexuals. I have learned from Christian Moderates and Liberals. Terry aka Monk in Training has taught me a lot about compassion. Big daddy weave, Brian Kaylor, Howie Luvzus, Texas in Africa are much more moderate than me but they have challenged my thinking in a civil way.

I have friends like Art Rogers, Micah Fries, John Stickley, Jason Kearney, Jeffrey Crawford, Wade Burleson, Dorcas Hawker, David Phillips, Stuart Delony, Bob Cleveland, CB Scott, Bowden Mcelroy and others have prayed for me during some trying times. I also love reading their views. I got to meet most of them in Greensboro last June and I felt like I knew them my whole life. I’ve been able to pray for Alan Cross‘ son Caelan and others too.

I’ve had disagreements with several people and many times they were right. Wes Kenney and Kevin Stilley have challenged me a few times and they were right. I appreciate their perspective. I’ve changed my views on many subjects. This forum has been helpful for me. There are Baptists of all stripes that comment. There are Assembly of God (Ryan Day), Church of God (Phil Hoover), Episcopal, Church of Christ, Presbyterian, homosexuals and Mormons that comment regularly. I value all of the opinions because it makes me think.

Cheryl Reccord said this:

I think this site is a real 21st century venue for mentoring–you are asking tough questions–and everyone who responds is being “as iron sharpens iron.

Proverbs 27:17

As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.

That is what I want this site to be. I want to talk about difficult subjects and disagree with respect. I hope we can learn from one another. I pray that those who aren’t believers will feel free to comment and add to the discussion. I also pray you will come to know my Jesus. Most importantly I pray the believers on here can be as Cheryl said–”Iron sharpening Iron.”

What do you think?

Tomorrow is my last night with our students. We’ve been through a lot together. They have been through more than they deserve. I do feel we have left a legacy for the next person to build upon.

When I was a teacher/coach I was asked to coach the track team. We did pretty well and took a group to the state track meet. Our 4×4 relay team was one of beauty. Ken Irvin who played football in the NFL was our anchor. Frankie Fletcher who played college ball with Ken at the University of Memphis was also on this team. They were fast. But as fast as they were, it was the exchange of the baton that made a successful relay team. If they dropped the baton they lost. If they had a slow exchange they wouldn’t finish first. The good teams found the right time to pass the baton and it would shave time off their run.

Tomorrow I will pass the baton of “element2” to Brad (Soupie) Campbell, Angela , Neil , Whitney, JMO, Betti, Spots, Mike, Jason & Tammy and Greg. We have great teachers like Derek, Ray, Jessie, Devon, Dana, Scott and other helpers. I feel good about this because they have bought in to our vision. E2 stands for engage and entreat. We have built an awsome youth center “the attik” and have brought back some excitement to the student group that hasn’t been there since Justin and Ken W. left.

I’m sad to leave my friends and the students but I feel we are passing the baton at just the right place in the relay that the ministry will grow long after I am gone.