Thom S. Rainer's Blog, page 369

Friday is for Freebies: Embracing Obscurity & the HCSB Study Bible

The first item in this week's giveaway is Embracing Obscurity, a new book from an anonymous author. To live and die unnoticed would seem a grave injustice to many. It's all too easy to think we're somebody if our portfolio is strong, there are a few letters after our name, or we're well-known at work, church, or school. As pride creeps in, we are tempted to want more: more recognition, more admiration, more influence, more, more, more. Few have ever given thought to wanting less. When we stop imitating the world and instead choose to embrace obscurity, real life -- chock full of significance, purpose, and renewed passion -- begins.

The second is the black, genuine leather version of the HCSB Study Bible. This Bible has a retail price of $79.99 and features 15,000 study notes, 290 Hebrew and Greek word studies, 66 highly detailed book introductions, 62 maps, 27 topical articles, 20 charts, and 18 illustrations, all focusing on the most important topics and questions in Bible study.

To be eligible to win, answer the following question:

What is your favorite television show of all time?

The deadline to enter is midnight CDT this Saturday. We will draw one winner from the entries on Monday morning.

Notable Voices (November 1, 2012)

Brothers, We Are Still Not Superstars: We Are Servants -- Danny Akin

Dr. Danny Akin has a heart for pastors. His post is a good reminder to us that we are called to be servants, not superstars.

Why Basing Your Next Ministry Decision on Precedent Might Lead You to the Wrong Choice -- Eric McKiddie

Many of us like to rely on past decisions to make current ones. Sometimes, that might not be the best idea.

6 Changes in 6 Years of Blogging -- Trevin Wax

Trevin reflects on his six years of blogging and provides six trends he's noticed over that time. I've only been blogging for close to two years and have noticed several of these same changes as well. It's interesting to ponder what the next six years may hold.

9 Things You Should Know about Halloween and Reformation Day -- Joe Carter

With the celebration of both Reformation Day and Halloween yesterday, Joe carter provides nine quick facts about the holidays.

10 Leadership Principles I Learned from Moving -- Ben Reed

It seems that if you actively look for them, you can find life lessons in almost any task. Here, Ben shares a few lessons he learned from moving and how they relate to leadership.

7 Ways to Gain and Keep Trust as a Leader -- Ron Edmondson

Trust is one of the most important aspects of leadership. But it's not something that is automatic. Neither is it always lasting. Ron shares seven quick tips to both gain and keep the trust you need to be an effective leader.

Fourteen Really Bad Predictions

It is an understatement to say that none of us knows the details of the future. But that doesn’t stop many pundits from making “expert” predictions. I recently researched some really bad predictions of past years. Here are 14 of them for now.

“I cannot conceive of any vital disaster happening to this vessel. Modern ship building has gone beyond that.” (Edward J. Smith, captain of the RMS Titanic, 1912) “The actual building of roads devoted to cars is not for the near future, in spite of many rumors to that effect.” (Harpers Weekly, 1902) “With your voice, nobody is going to let you broadcast.” (CBS news producer and “60 Minutes” creator Don Hewitt to Barbara Walters, 1958) “There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home.” (Ken Olson, co-founder of Digital Equipment Corporation, 1977) “Nothing of importance happened today.” (King George III, to his diary, July 4, 1776) “There is no chance that the iPhone is going to get any significant market share. No chance.” (Steve Ballimore, CEO of Microsoft, 1997) “The Macintosh uses an experimental pointing device called a ‘mouse.’ There is no evidence that people want to use those things.” (John C. Dvorak, technology writer for the San Francisco Examiner, 1984) “Printed books will never be the equivalent of handwritten codices, especially since printed books are often deficient in spelling and appearance.” (Johannes Trithemius, German abbot and scholar, 1492) “If Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony is not by some means abridged, it will soon fall into disuse.” (Philip Hale, music critic (1854-1934), date unknown) “The worst is likely behind us.” (Henry Paulson, U. S. Treasury Secretary, on what would soon be called “the Great Recession,” 2008) “Few drugs will be swallowed or taken into the stomach unless needed for the direct treatment of the organ itself. Drugs needed by the lungs, for example will be applied directly to those organs through the skin and the flesh.” (Ladies Home Journal, 1900) “We expect within two or three years to have virtual parity with the NFL.” (Donald Trump, on the short-lived U. S. Football League. Trump owned the New Jersey Generals, 1983) “Tomorrow’s belle of the ball may spray her hair with a substance that attracts butterflies, and then release her own butterflies from a plastic bag so that they can hover around her head during the evening.” (Henry Still, Man: The Next 30 Years, 1968) “What could be more palpably absurd than the prospect held out of locomotives traveling twice as fast as stagecoaches?” (The Quarterly Review, 1825)

Leaders can learn at least three lessons from these bad predictions. First, don’t keep your head buried in the sand (Yes there is a digital revolution that impacts all of us.). Second, be willing to make some bold assumptions even if you’re not always right. Third, keep a humble spirit. You will be wrong sometimes.

On a personal note, I really like number 13. I’m not sure why. I guess I have a weird sense of humor.

Millennials, Politics, and an Open Letter

When the post-election discussion in 2008 began to unfold, much of the voting analyses met expectations. But one group had received only modest attention going into the election. While it was generally conceded that young adults were largely in favor of President Obama, there was uncertainty if this group would actually turn out on election day.

Keep in mind that in 2008 the oldest Millennial was twenty-eight years old; and the youngest was only eight years old. Only about one-half of this generation was actually eligible to vote. But the response of this generation that did vote was astounding.

The Millennials voted for Barack Obama by an overwhelming 66 to 32 percent margin. Most exit polls showed that this generation strongly favored gay marriage. Similar polls revealed that the young adults opposed the war in Iraq; some of the polls indicated that this number was as high as eight out of ten.

This young generation was also clear on their expectations of the federal government. They wanted more centralized power in the government, and they thought Obama would more likely deliver on that expectation. Different exit polls generally demonstrated that eight out of ten wanted a stronger governmental role in our lives.

For example, on the issue of universal health care, Millennials by a 71 percent to 29 percent margin thought the federal government should guarantee health-care coverage for all Americans.

At least in 2008 the Millennials proved to be a generation motivated by a strong centralized federal government. Most every study of the Millennials indicates that the same desire is still alive and well today, including the one for The Millennials, a book I coauthored with my son, Jess.

What has prompted this generation to see government as the solution to many of the social problems, as well as the answer to some of their own personal needs? Over the past four years the United States experienced the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. Unemployment is still high, and most other economic indicators are dismal as well.

It is not unusual to see people look to the government for solutions when few alternatives seem available. What will be interesting to monitor is the attitude of the Millennials toward government as the economy continues to improve and as they become older. Will they shift from their current strong government leanings? Or have they been so marked by the severity of the recession and the failure of other institutions that this generation will remain a big-government generation?

The latter question brings up another possible explanation. The desire for big government could be a matter of default. No other organizations have stepped up significantly, so the government is the only logical place for solutions.

More than six out of ten Millennials feel that the government should be responsible for providing their retirement. Even though the number represents a significant majority, their sense of entitlement is not strong. Only 20 percent have a strong opinion that this is a proper role of government.

The results are similar on government-provided health care. Two-thirds of the Millennials see it as the government’s responsibility to provide everyone adequate healthcare coverage. But on this issue only 26 percent feel strongly about it. Many of the Millennials seem to be seeking an expanded role of government, but they are doing so reluctantly. They have turned to a more centralized government because they know of no other alternatives.

I am not a spokesman for my generation; so many Baby Boomers may disagree with me. But my perspective is that we are leaving our children a world that is in a much sadder state than when the baton was passed to us. So consider the following an open letter to Millennials:

To the Millennials,

We have borrowed from your future and left you an incomprehensible national debt. We have polluted the world and left you dirtier air and water. Our politicians have failed you. Our religious leaders have failed you. Our business leaders have failed you. It is no wonder that you care little for the institutions of our nation. It is no wonder that you have always had a cynical view of those institutions.

We have created such a system of entitlements that everyone seems to be asking for their next handout. But we have not adequately funded those entitlements so we borrowed a bit more from your future.

We have left you wars. And it seems like we are engaged in the new habit of fighting multiple wars at the same time. We have left you in the fear of terrorism. I know you can’t blame the Baby Boomers for terrorists, but those terrorists have taken advantage of the weaker nation we left you.

It seems as though the one significant gift we left you was our belief in you. I know sometimes you were our trophy children, and we pushed you to accomplish things for our own egos. But most of the time we truly did want the best for you. We really do love you. And we really do believe that you can make a difference.

It won’t be easy to reverse the problems we have created, but you can do it. You have the desire. You have the abilities. You have the education, both formal and informal. Yes, you can do it.

Then perhaps, in thirty or forty years, when you pass the baton of leadership to your children in the next generation, you will give them a better place than we left you. If nothing else, we leave you with our confidence that you, the Millennials, can become the next great generation.

Sincerely,

Thom S. Rainer

Adapted from The Millennials (B&H Publishing Group, 2011)

Leaders Who Don’t Delegate

The business leader just turned 50. He had advanced in his organization primarily through his relational skills. He was easy to like and most people felt comfortable with him. To this point in his career, his relational skills were sufficient. He had really been more of a manager than a leader. He thus depended on others to make decisions; he would carry them out with a good attitude and a good work ethic.

The First Sign of Problems

The problems began when he was promoted to a position that was clearly one of leadership. He was now expected to make decisions. He was to take initiative instead of waiting on others to move. He now had people who worked under him who waited on him to make critical decisions.

He failed. He seemed frozen in making decisions. He would not let others under him help him. He treated his new level of leadership as if he was still a manager who carried out tasks. He perceived it was his responsibility to do everything, rather than to see that everything got done.

He failed to delegate and thus he failed in his new job.

The Limitations of Failing to Delegate

Failure to delegate will always limit a leader. He or she will not be able to expand the level of influence because that influence is limited to one person.

Often the leader who does not delegate gets overwhelmed and essentially stops functioning. At other times, he or she may move toward workaholism until the inevitable burnout takes place.

The Reasons Leaders Don’t Delegate

So why do some leaders fail to delegate? I have identified seven reasons, though I’m sure you can think of others.

Some are control freaks. They want to know all details. They are distrustful of others who might make decisions. They feel as if they have lost control of their positions if someone else gets involved in their work. Some are insecure. These leaders worry that they will be perceived as disposable if others do some of the critical work. Their lack of security often means that they will hoard assignments even if they do not get done. Some are lazy. They don’t want to take the time to equip and train others to do the tasks. They don’t realize that a little investment in someone else only makes their work more productive. Some don’t prioritize. If they did, they would make certain that the most important tasks were accomplished. Instead they often spend time on minutiae that makes little difference. Some can’t leave their comfort zones. They would rather do the things they’ve always done because they are comfortable doing so. If they delegated their routine tasks, they would have to move out of their comfort zones to take on new challenges. Some have analysis paralysis. If they or a subordinate take on a task, the leader wants to look at it from every angle. They are famous for preparing 80-page documents when six or seven pages would suffice. They think they are preparing for every contingency when such a feat is impossible. Some fear not getting the glory. This symptom is another facet of insecurity. The leader is fearful of letting go of anything if the result is someone else getting credit. Instead of being the type of leader who desires to see others become successful, he or she desires all the recognition. Such is a miserable existence that is doomed for failure.

Rarely does a non-delegating leader have all of these symptoms. But it does not matter if he or she has one or multiple symptoms if the end result is a failure to delegate. And a failure to delegate inevitably leads to a failure of leadership.

Pray for . . . Franklin Avenue Baptist Church

Location: New Orleans, Louisiana

Pastor: Fred Luter

Weekly Worship: 7:30 AM, 9:00 AM, 10:30 AM and 12:00 PM Central Time

Fast Facts: In September 1986 the small congregation of Franklin Avenue Baptist Church called Fred Luter as pastor. The church was a victim of “white flight” and became a predominately African American congregation. By March 1997 the congregation moved into a new 2,000-seat auditorium, and by 2005 the growth reached 7,000. After Hurricane Katrina left the church building with nine feet of water in it, services were held in other venues in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Houston. Those venues now constitute one church in three locations with Pastor Fred Luter leading the New Orleans venue, Pastor Sam Young leading the Houston venue and Pastor Manuel Pigee leading the Baton Rouge venue. Amidst the challenges facing this church, God has continued to bless their growth and testimony. Please pray for this church and for Pastor Fred, who became the first African American in history to hold the office of President of the Southern Baptist Convention in June of 2012.

Website: http://www.franklinabc.com/

“Pray for . . .” is the Sunday blog series at ThomRainer.com. We encourage you to pray for these churches noted every Sunday. Please feel free to comment that you are praying as well. If you would like your church to be featured in “Pray for . . .” contact Steve Drake, director of pastoral relations, at Steve.Drake@LifeWay.com.

The Reason We Are Sent

By Mike Glenn, Senior Pastor, Brentwood Baptist Church, Brentwood, Tennessee

The sentence hit me like a ton of bricks. I was re-reading Bonhoeffer’s Life Together when I came across the following:

A pastor should not complain about his congregation, certainly never to other people, but also not to God. A congregation has not been entrusted to him in order that he should become its accuser before God and men. (Bonhoeffer, Dietrich, Life Together, Harper and Row, 1954, p. 29.)

What? A pastor can’t complain about his church? I thought that was a natural right of ministers. What else would we pray about if we couldn’t explain to God we would be much better ministers if we were only at a different church? What would we talk about to our pastor friends if we couldn’t complain about our churches?

OK, let’s get real. I’m no Pollyanna. I’ve been doing what I do for a long time. There’s nothing about a Baptist church I haven’t seen or heard. Like Paul, all of us bear on our bodies (and souls) the marks of ministry.

But can we at least reframe the question? Perhaps the question isn’t, “What’s wrong with these people?” Maybe the question we should ask is, “Why am I sent to them?”

Remember, every great movement of God begins with a problem. The children of Israel were in slavery, so Moses was sent to Egypt. Samuel anointed David king at a time of national crisis. Esther was made queen “for such a time as this” and her bravery saved her people. We’re no different. Our people are in trouble and that’s why Jesus has sent us to them.

Sometimes, I think talking about the Fall is misleading. Maybe we shouldn’t talk about the Fall as much as we should talk about the Falling. The word “Fall” means we fell one time and it’s over. But life as we know it isn’t like that. People seem to keep on falling. They keep messing up, keep making wrong decisions, and keep ignoring the clear teachings of God. Life gets ugly when that happens. So, we keep being sent to them.

So what do you do when you have to deal with problems all of the time? I volunteered as a chaplain for the Brentwood Police and Fire Department for several years. Here’s what I learned from the firefighters about dealing with problems:

Check your equipment before you need it. When the alarm sounds, you have to know your hoses don’t leak and your oxygen tanks are full. The time will come when you won’t have time to GET ready, you’ll have TO BE ready. As a pastor, what systems or skills do you need to prepare before the crisis happens? Drill. Drill. Drill. Firefighters are constantly training to deal with different scenarios. They know what to do when the “what if” happens. What about you? What if you find out a leader is having an affair? What if someone abuses a child? Who will you call? What will you do? Now is the time to get ready for time when the worst “what if” will happen. Trust me, it’s coming. Condition and train. Firefighters are always working out. Knocking down doors and pulling people from burning buildings requires a lot of strength. Our work requires a different kind of strength, but what we do is still dangerous and exhausting. Be sure your body, mind and soul stay strong. Train other firefighters. Firefighters consistently enlist the support of the community and hire other men and women to join the force. I know dealing with the demands of daily ministry can be overwhelming, but we must organize our time so we are always training more leaders. The job is too big for one person.

As I write this, it’s Monday morning and I’m in the office trying to sort through emails and phone messages about hurts and heartbreaks we heard about in yesterday’s services. This is what I do. This is what you do. It’s why we’re here. Broken people are hurting people.

Jesus said sick, wounded, and broken people were the reasons the Father had sent Him. These same people are the reasons He sends us.

In addition to serving as the senior pastor of Brentwood Baptist Church, Mike is a frequent speaker and prolific author. His latest book is The Gospel of Yes . You can read his blog at www.MikeGlennOnline.com.

Friday is for Freebies: Fight and the Life Essentials Study Bible

The first item in this week's giveaway is Fight, a new DVD resource from Kenny Luck. Many men ignore the dangerous spiritual war surrounding them. And that willing surrender ensures the total destruction of all they hold dear. This eight-session study can help men respond to the fight with boldness and duty. This DVD Leader Kit will equip men—in a devotional setting, accountability partner setting, and in group—to do spiritual battle with the enemy.

The second is the Life Essentials Study Bible. This full HCSB translation is complemented by Gene Getz's extensive study notes guiding readers to put 1,500 life principles within Scripture into daily action. Personalized online video lessons for each principle--250 hours of free coaching led by Getz--is also made available.

To be eligible to win, tell us the average number of hours per week you spend reading.

The deadline to enter is midnight CDT this Saturday. We will draw one winner from the entries on Monday morning.

Notable Voices (October 25, 2012)

10 Questions a Pro-Choice Candidate Is Never Asked by the Media -- Trevin Wax

Like many Americans, I am somewhat surprised that the topic of abortion was not directly addresses in any of the three Presidential debates. But if it had, I doubt the questions would have been as thought-provoking as the ones Trevin shares here.

How to Fire a Minister – and Have Him Like It! -- Joe McKeever

Having to let a church staff member go is rarely an easy or pleasant task. However, Joe provides a framework for what could lead to a productive firing—both for the church and the minister.

Satan in the Suburbs -- Seth McBee

While Seth may minister in the Northwest, he still sees many of the same hindrances to discipleship as pastors in the South do. He shares how to overcome these obstacles and live on mission for Christ.

10 Reasons to Stay in a Job for 10 Years -- David K. Williams & Mary Michelle Scott

In today's corporate culture of ladder-climbing, corporate acquisitions, and mergers, it's rare to be in a high-level leadership position for more than a decade. In ministry it's not as rare, but it's far from common. Might our churches be healthier if ministry leaders stayed longer? This list certainly could be used to support that hypothesis.

The Cure for Backsliding -- Joe Thorn

Last week, I shared a post Joe wrote about how to spot backsliding in your life. He followed that post with this one on how to cure it.

Measuring Success for Social Media in Your Church -- Josh Burns

As Josh says in his article "success in social media in the church is hard to measure because we’re not selling a product. We don’t have concrete sales numbers." So how do you measure success? Well, it depends on what your goal is.

Bulletin Bloopers . . . Again

Just when I thought I was done using church bulletin bloopers in my blog, I came across several new bloopers. At least they are new to me. I hope you enjoy my latest additions to this vital genre of the written language.

It's Drug Awareness Week: Get involved in drugs before your children do. The Sunday night men's Bible study will meet on Saturday at the park, unless it rains. In that case they will meet at their regular Tuesday evening time. Illiterate? Write to the church office for help. The class on prophecy has been cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances. (An unfortunate blooper during the pastor's illness) God is good! Dr. Hargreaves is better! A bean supper will be held on Tuesday evening in the church hall. Music will follow. The church office will be closed until opening. It will remain closed after opening. It will reopen Monday. Let us join David and Lisa in the celebration of their wedding and bring their happiness to a conclusion. On Sunday a special collection will be taken to defray the expense of a new carpet. All those wishing to do something on the new carpet will please come forward to get a piece of paper. There is a sign-up sheet for anyone wishing to be baptized on the table in the foyer. Janet Smith has volunteered to strip and refinish the communion table in the sanctuary. The concert held in the fellowship hall was a great success. Special thanks are due to the pastor's daughter, who labored the whole evening at the piano, which as usual fell upon her. Eight new choir robes are currently needed due to the addition of several new members and to the deterioration of some older ones. If you are going to be hospitalized for an operation, contact the pastor. Special prayer also for those who are seriously sick by request. Jean will be leading a weight-management series Wednesday nights. She's used the program herself and has been growing like crazy! (After the church maintenance man left a note with the church secretary that read “van battery dead,” these words were in the bulletin the next Sunday) Pray for the family of Van Battery who died this week. When parking on the north side of the church, please remember to park on an angel. Men's prayer breakfast. No charge, but your damnation will be gratefully accepted.

Please feel free to contribute to the list. I love bulletin bloopers!