Thom S. Rainer's Blog, page 378

Finances and Stewardship: How to Gain Clarity

Finance can seem like such a dirty word. Along with religion and politics, it is one of the three topics we are supposed to avoid in a conversation. Finance is a word that simply carries baggage. For many it’s like a bitter taste in the mouth; it evokes memories from a previous financial problem. We tell ourselves that money is not important, that there are more important things in life.

And at least in the latter, we are correct.

But we still find it difficult to ignore the abundance of teachings in Scripture about finance. Money was one of the most frequent topics of discussion for Jesus.

So we sit, hating finances while trying to convince ourselves of their importance in our life’s journey. These are all familiar quotes to us:

“I would like to have complete financial freedom, to be without worry about any money matters.” “We need to pay down a lot of debt.” “I would love to know that my kids and I would have no worries when it comes to money in the future.” “I wish I could afford to quit my second job and spend more time with the family.” “I want a sound future for myself and all of my family members.”

In the survey we conducted for the book Simple Life, more than 45 percent of the respondents admitted that they did not have enough income for their lifestyles. For many of us, money is a ball and chain attached around the ankle, limiting our life’s movement.

We feel that if we could just get a few extra zeros added to our bank account, then just maybe the weight would start to lighten, the clasp around the ankle would start to loosen. So many of those surveyed told us that money was a limiting factor to doing what they wanted to do. One forty-something man commented, “If I were just independently wealthy, then I could pursue what I really want out of life.” And every now and then, we jokingly find ourselves wishing for the old bartering system, where a handful of goats would get you some land to grow your crops, and maybe even a couple of spouses depending on your negotiation skills.

Those were simpler times (except for the couple of spouses).

Those who have had some type of financial trouble in their lives can attest to the amount of stress it places on them and their families. Half of those who took our survey told us that finances caused strain in their marriage. When money gets thin, life can get scary. What do we do? Where do we go? Which bill do we pay? How are we going to pay for her education? What is going to happen to us? Difficult questions must be answered.

Money can make life a mess. And it doesn’t matter how many zeroes you have on your paycheck, financial trouble can find any of us.

But what do we do? We need clarity.

Finding financial clarity requires a big idea. There must be an all-encompassing direction from which we make monetary decisions.

Should I buy this? Should I invest in that? Should I pay this off first? Can I splurge on this? There are a lot of questions out there, each with its own nuances.

Just one idea captures them all. Stewardship. It is the only concept that provides clarity to our finances.

Stewardship is a word we often hear from behind the pulpit but rarely hear outside the walls of the church. A steward watches over the domestic affairs so that the master may focus on whatever he deems most important. Much trust is placed in the steward by the master. He is expected to act in the best interest of his master, with or without his oversight. So stewardship consists of managing those obligations given to the steward.

By the nature of the word, stewardship requires some type of higher authority. It is a position of submittal to a greater good. It is the denying of oneself and the exalting of another. It is commitment to the well-being of another, knowing that his happiness will result in your happiness.

The concept of stewardship reaches far beyond the boundaries of our bank accounts. Everything we have, everything we are belongs to the One who created us. Our entire being demands stewardship.

Stewardship is not some mathematical formula or a list of dos and don’ts. Stewardship is about the heart.

It is about waking up every morning ready to listen to what God wants us to do for the day. It is about wanting to take care of what God has given us while we are on this little blue planet. It is about acknowledging that His plan is much greater than anything we could imagine. It is about developing a heart that is willing to make financial decisions based on His wants and not ours. A steward who is stubbornly trying to capture God’s desire for His resources is simply beautiful.

Eight Leadership Lessons from Bad Politicians

Guess what? We’re moving into prime time political season. We will elect a president, 435 members of the House of Representatives, a numbers of U. S. senators, and thousands of state and local politicians.

Let’s be fair. Many politicians are good and strong leaders. They have a high ethical standard, care for their constituencies first, and seek to serve.

But some politicians are bad. They put self first. They lie. They seek power first.

Can we learn any lessons from bad politicians? Absolutely. Let’s look at eight of them.

Tell the truth. We are so desensitized to politicians lying that it hardly fazes us when we hear another lie. Some of the lies come in the form of rationalization, yet others are just outright fabrications. True leaders tell the truth. No matter what. No matter the cost. Don’t deflect responsibility. How many times during the political season do we hear a politician accept responsibility for a weak economy or a horrid tax code? How many times do we hear politicians say they are responsible to improve these situations? Great leaders take responsibility for that which they lead. Don’t lead by placing blame. Right now I keep hearing political ads focused on placing blame on the opposing candidates. Such negative ads are accepted as part of the political climate. But great leaders are more concerned about what they can do well rather than what someone else does poorly. Communicate clearly. Most of us hate spin. It’s really just a polite form of lying. True leaders are transparent. They not only tell the truth; they make certain that the truth is communicated in such a way that others understand it clearly. Be aware of the lure of power. It is subtle. It is seductive. It can entice any leader. Many politicians feed off the seduction of power. Great leaders are servants. Their motive is first to serve others. Be willing to sacrifice yourself. It seems rare to hear of politicians who are willing to give up their elected offices to make right decisions. Leaders who make a difference will not put their careers and security before the good of those they serve. Lead by conviction, not by popularity. I read Real Clear Politics almost daily. It’s amazing to look at the plethora of polls taken each day. But it’s disheartening to watch politicians change their positions on issues as the polls change. Great leaders will do what they sense is right rather than trying to win daily popularity contests. Don’t sacrifice the needs of the future for the convenience of the present. It is downright nauseating to see how politicians will postpone tough decisions today and push it forward to the future when they likely will not be around. The clearest examples are Social Security and the growing indebtedness of our nation. Politicians have not yet demonstrated the necessary fortitude to make the tough decisions to secure the future of our nation. Great leaders will make courageous decisions today, even if they aren’t popular decisions.

We need great leaders in all areas of our society. We need great educational leaders, great organizational leaders, great medical leaders, and great family leaders. Perhaps one day we can say that the majority of our political leaders are great as well. For now, it does not seem to be the case, and our nation and world is suffering as a result.

Pray for . . . Largo Community Church

Location: Mitchellville, Maryland

Pastor: Dr. Jack Morris

Weekly Worship: 9:00 & 11:00 AM (Eastern Time)

Fast Facts: Dr. Morris and his wife, Corin founded Largo Community Church as a non-denominational evangelical church in 1972. For 5 years the church met at Largo High School. It now worships in a 760 seat worship center on 54 acres of land in Mitchellville, Maryland.

Connect: Website

“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 .

Two Big Distractions for Pastors

The early church, according to Acts 6, was experiencing phenomenal growth. The author, Luke, simply says, “the number of disciples was multiplying” (Acts 6:1, HCSB). Then the distraction arose. The Hellenistic Jews complained that their widows were not being included in the daily distribution of food.

The need was real. But the complaints had the potential to move the leadership from their primary tasks and thus hinder the momentum of the church. The leaders realized the danger of the distraction and declared to the entire body: “It would not be right for us to give up preaching about God to handle the financial matters” (Acts 6:2, HCSB). Their solution was brilliant in its simplicity. They selected seven wise men of good reputation to handle this matter.

The leaders then returned to their priorities: “But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the preaching ministry” (Acts 6:4, HCSB).

The Problem with Distractions

Distractions take our eyes off those things that really matter. For a pastor, the health of the church is greatly at risk when he loses his focus. I recently commissioned LifeWay Research to do a major project on pastors. Over 1,000 pastors were included in the research.

One of our major foci was on the issue of distractions. Are there specific matters that distract the pastor more than others? Is their widespread agreement among pastors on these issues? The pastors answered affirmatively to both questions. They told us in overwhelming numbers that dealing with critics was a huge distraction. To a lesser extent, but still significant, the pastors said conflict among staff and key leaders was a significant distraction as well.

The Big Two

The numbers are telling for these two big distractions for pastors. Here is a more precise breakdown:

79% of pastors say critics distract them from their ministries. Nearly 40% strongly agree that they do. Though pastors of all church sizes felt this way, pastors of churches with over 250 in worship attendance were more likely to struggle with the critics. 48% of pastors say conflict among staff and/or key lay leaders is a significant distraction. Pastors in the South are more likely to have conflict among staff and/or key lay leaders than pastors in other regions.

Nearly eight out ten pastors struggle with critics to the point that they admit it’s a distraction from their ministries. While I was not surprised to see the issue raised, I was taken aback by the magnitude.

In comparison, the issue of staff and/or key lay leader conflict appears small. Still, nearly half of the pastors pointed to that issue as a distraction in their ministries

The Response

Almost every pastor in our survey named one or both of these issues as a distraction. We could wish the problems would go away, but they are likely here to stay. How can we then respond to support our pastors?

We can make other church members aware of the challenges pastors face. Perhaps they will then be slower to criticize and quicker to encourage. We can encourage pastors. We can be diligent to give them written encouragement so they can read it in those times when they need to hear something positive. We can pray for pastors. Indeed we should be praying for our pastors daily. We can speak positively about our pastors to those who criticize them.

Pastors are not perfect. Pastors will always be subject to criticisms. But the magnitude of the conflict is obviously distracting pastors from what God has called them to do.

Pastors, how can we help? Church members, what are your suggestions?

*In the months of April and May 2012, 1,066 SBC pastors participated in a survey asking a number of questions. The sampling was weighted to represent accurately churches by worship size and geographic location. The sample provides a 95% confidence that the sampling error does not exceed +/- 3.0%. Margins of error are higher in sub-groups

Pastor to Pastor is the Saturday blog series at ThomRainer.com. Pastors and staff, if we can help in any way, contact Steve Drake, our director of pastoral relations, at Steve.Drake@LifeWay.com . We also welcome contacts from laypersons in churches asking questions about pastors, churches, or the pastor search process.

Friday is for Freebies: Ministry Resources

My giveaway this Friday is a pair of ministry resources.

First is the black, genuine leather version of the HCSB Minister's Bible. This newly designed edition is ideal for pulpit use with its large type, wide margins, and extensive ancillary notes from many of today's top preachers and church leadership voices.

Some features of the Bible include:

Where to Turn When . . . Plan of Salvation Four-color presentation page Various wedding and funeral outlines by Jim Henry “8 Traits of Effective Church Leaders” by Thom S. Rainer “21 Essentials of Authentic Ministry” by James T. Draper “Four Kinds of Expositional Preaching” by Ed Stetzer “30 Keys to Giving an Invitation” by O. S. Hawkins “Leading a Child to Christ” by Bill Emeott “Reaching Students with the Gospel” by Lynn H. Pryor “The Importance of Baptism and Communion” by Rick White Commitment Counseling The Christian Year and Church Calendar The Apostles and Their History

Also included in the giveaway is Mark Dever's latest book, The Church. It is a primer on the doctrine of the church for all who see Scripture alone as a sufficient authority for the doctrine and life of the local church. He explains to the reader what the Bible says about the nature and purpose of the church— what it is, what it's for, what it does.

To be eligible to win, tell us what age you were when you became a Christian.

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

Notable Voices (August 2, 2012)

Race and the Gospel in Mississippi -- Russell Moore

Much has been written about the Crystal Springs situation. In the midst of this, however, Dr. Moore has penned what could be called the definitive piece on the subject.

Is the Answer Really Quilting? -- Tony Morgan

Tony's question is related to a church sign promoting, obviously, quilting. This example is one of many I've seen over the years of churches with alignment issues. Regardless of the real reason for the sign, Tony is right: what we communicate is what people perceive to be important to us.

The Value of a Ministry Rotation -- John Herring

John shares five reasons ministry rotations are beneficial for churches. Pastors aren't the only ones in a church that need to stay fresh in ministry. Lay leaders need it as well, and a ministry rotation is a good way to do just that.

The Number One Failure of 90 Percent of Pastors -- Joe McKeever

Lone Rangers. They typically don't make it in ministry because ministry is not an individual effort; it requires a team.

Eight Things To Keep In Mind In Regards To Conflict At Work/Church -- Perry Noble

The best way to resolve conflict is to keep it from happening. I'm not talking about avoidance, though. I'm talking about taking a proactive approach to it. Perry shares eight practical tips that will help you do just that.

The Gospel vs. Moralism -- Tim Keller

Keller reminds us that while texts certainly contain moral lessons, we must not overlook the gospel truths in which they are rooted. Morals are important, yet if they do not flow from the gospel, they are become no different than legalism.

Eight Things to Help You Understand Introverts

Over a year ago, I wrote an article on introverted leadership. Much to my surprise, many people wrote and affirmed the sentiments I expressed. Many of them were introverts who felt misunderstood and often relegated to lesser opportunities because of their reticent personalities.

I understand. I am an introvert.

In the article, I offered some suggestions to introverted leaders to help us navigate what we perceive to be a noisy and energy-draining world. Now I want to address those who are not introverts. You are the people who have to work with us, live with us, and interact with us. Perhaps you even get frustrated with us. And while we introverts can certainly do more on our part, I hope these eight statements will help you understand us a little bit better.

Our aversion to small talk can make us appear rude. Okay, maybe we are rude. When someone asks us how we are doing, we really don’t believe most people want to know how we are doing. If someone tells us that they are so glad to see us, we have our doubts. As a result, our responses are often not warm or chatty. We value close friendships. We may do poorly connecting to tons of people, but we connect well to those we consider close friends. Indeed we tend to be extremely loyal. We introverts often process relationships mentally and emotionally. If we find a loyal friend, we treasure the relationship as a precious gift. If we perceive someone uses us or is disloyal to us, we struggle greatly with that person. Indeed some would say we have an “off switch” for those persons. We like to have a reason to talk. Some people are surprised to discover certain people are introverts because they have witnessed the introvert engaged in a lively conversation. When an introvert is truly engaged, he or she is talking about something that evokes his or her passion. It is a fallacy to say introverts don’t like to talk. We just like to have a meaningful purpose to our conversations. Meetings and public interaction don’t really bother us; long meetings and long public interaction do. Think of an introvert as an automobile with a tank of fuel. The longer we are in meetings or similar settings, the more fuel is depleted. At some point we run out of fuel and become almost non-functional. We can only get refueled and refreshed by moving to a more private setting. Don’t assume we introverts don’t like to have fun. Most of us do have fun. We typically enjoy cutting up with people we know and trust. And our idea of a fun place for relaxation or vacation is typically a quiet and out-of-the-way spot. I must admit that my love for college football is an exception to this pattern. We are not always quick to speak. Sometimes our reticence can make us look thoughtful; at other times we may appear to be clueless. We are often processing information and the environment of the moment. We tend to be especially aware of the feelings of others who may be present. We like written communication. We often tune out long-winded explanations and reports. Countless times in my life I have said, “Let me see that in writing.” That gives me the time to process the information and reflect upon it. By the way, we introverts really do like written affirmation in cards, letters, and emails. That tends to be one of our love languages. You can’t fix us introverts. Our introversion is not a disease that needs a cure. For the most part, we like our personalities and have no desire to be like the extrovert. Spouses who try to change introverts into extroverts have an uphill battle and a likely conflicted marriage.

Of course, all of this information is the perspective of an introvert to the rest of the world. I do not mean to imply that everyone should adjust to us. We have to make our own adjustments to communicate and function in this world.

Are you an introvert? Do you have to work or live with introverts? What do you think of my eight insights?

The Olympics, Alignment, and the Simple Life

Once every four years the machismo of a man takes a brief summer twist. For just a couple of weeks, he no longer sits in front of the television to watch tackles and mud-laden dives. Instead, he goes to the television looking for balance and grace. His lips no longer form the familiar words, “Hit him! Hit him!” Instead a new, peculiar verbiage emerges as he bellows, “Beautiful landing!”

He no longer raises his hands to mimic the celebration of a man who had just hit a home run. Instead, his hands are hoisted high in impersonation of a little girl who just completed the routine of a lifetime. Conversations with his buddies are diverted from a game that requires shoulder pads and helmets to a sport where the only equipment is a skimpy, tight-fitting suit. And crying is permissible as long as it is your nation’s flag that is waving in victory.

The Olympics are truly an amazing spectacle. It’s the pageantry. It’s the flags of the nations. It’s the passion of the athletes. It’s the excitement of your nation going up against the rest of the world. And though most of us are merely spectators, it’s you against them.

But it's not only the events that mesmerize us as spectators. We watch ten-minute pieces on the daily routine of athletes like Michael Phelps or Ryan Lochte: Eat, swim, workout, sleep, repeat. All for the chance at gold.

This is alignment: when we structure our life’s activities and priorities so that the process of the simple life can be accomplished. It is lining up our schedule so that it runs parallel to our heart’s yearning.

A simple life requires us to simplify our time. This begins with eliminating activities that were not part of our declared priorities. World-class swimmers don't spend valuable time on archery or badminton. They swim. And when they finish, they swim some more.

Like Phelps or Lochte, our first step is to align our daily activities so they move us toward the realization of our purpose as a Christian: to be made into the image of Christ. Alignment takes dedication; it takes sacrifice. But it is necessary.

So how well have we aligned our lives?

Our research indicates that the answer is likely “poorly.” Seven out of ten (69%) indicated they need to change how they use their time each day. In yet another example, we might expect born-again Christians to align their time for priorities that reflect their beliefs. But, among that group;

only 40 percent pray regularly with their children, only 35 percent of the married respondents pray regularly with their spouses, and only 30 percent read the Bible together at least once a week.

Not very good alignment.

So how do we overcome poor alignment? What tools do we have at our disposal to use for improvement? The anwer is somewhat obvious: we have one another.

God knows our wiring. He knows that we need someone to encourage us in our personal development. Human existence was never meant to be played in solitude. It is intentionally relational.

If we are serious about changing the way we do time, then we need others who are there, watching our progress. We need a set of eyes that can recognize and verbalize the good and the bad, the aligned and the unaligned.

When choosing that person who will hold you responsible for your actions, be picky. Steer away from family members. It can just get too messy; seek an outsider.

Next, search for someone with similar goals that you are trying to accomplish. If your accountability partner is pursuing similar goals, good. If he has already accomplished what you are moving toward, perfect. Don’t get your workaholic friend to hold you accountable while his own life is totally out of whack.

Finally, make sure the person you choose holds the same values and will not hesitate calling you out when your actions are no longer paralleling your goals. If he doesn’t have the same values, he likely can’t understand your goals. If he is quick to congratulate you but reluctant to verbalize concerns, then you need to seek someone else.

Set specific time intervals in which you will meet or speak: weekly or every other week. And be sure to stay in contact. This is a must.

God has put certain people in your life for this specific purpose. Find them. Approach them. Uncover how a single, open relationship can keep you heading where you desire to go.

Do you have someone in your life that helps you stay aligned?

Modified from Simple Life (2009, B&H Publishing Group)

Entitlement and the Local Church

In an previous post, I wrote about the problems with leaders who have a sense of entitlement. Those leaders become self-serving, selfish, and ineffective. But entitlement is not a problem with the leader alone. To the contrary, the dreaded disease is infecting all levels of society in many areas of our nation and the world.

In a very general sense, entitlement typically means that someone is due certain economic or similar benefits. The term is also used to refer to massive federal and state programs that guarantee citizens income or benefits.

Entitlement and the Federal Government

The federal government, as the most obvious example, has 235 entitlement programs that cost the taxpayers over one trillion dollars every year. Those programs present the most serious challenges to the economic future of the United States. The three biggest entitlement programs are Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. In the most recent annual reports of Social Security and Medicare, the respective trustees of the trust funds said the funds are on an unsustainable path. Their very solvency is in jeopardy.

When Entitlement Becomes Epidemic

Entitlement, however, is not confined to certain leaders or government aid recipients. It is epidemic and widespread at multiple levels of family and society.

Have you ever supported someone in need? Perhaps you have been on the receiving end of a generous gift. Many people will be ever grateful, having expected nothing then or in the future. But some people will be grateful for a moment. The gratitude turns to resentment when more gifts are not forthcoming. They have a sense of entitlement.

Have you ever known an employee with a decent salary and benefits to complain because he’s not receiving more? He feels entitled.

Entitlement creeps into our marriages. We expect our spouses to serve us in a particular way because they’ve done so in the past, or because our parents treated us that way.

When the French government reduced the standard workweek from 39 hours to 35 hours in 2000, many leaders and workers lauded the move. They saw the change as a twofold victory. First, they conjectured, the reduction in a workweek would cause businesses to hire more workers to maintain production. Thus, unemployment would be reduced. Second, the move would improve the quality of life of the workers. The French unemployment rate in late 2000 was 8.8 percent. Today the rate is 10.0 percent.

Attempts to move the French workweek back upward have been met with fierce opposition. Many workers now feel entitled to a shorter workweek.

When Entitlement Comes to Church

If there is one place where entitlement should be anathema, it is the local church. Remember the reason Jesus came to earth? “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life – a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45, HCSB). And how are we followers of Christ to live? We are to “make (our) own attitude that of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5).

Servanthood should dominate the lives of church members. Putting others first should be our first priority. Entitlement has no place in our churches.

How do we know when entitlement becomes pervasive in our churches? We can be sure it’s present when we hear comments similar to these:

“I have been a member of this church for 20 years, so I deserve things my way.” “Someone was sitting in the pew where my family sits.” “I tithe to this church, so you work for me.” “If I don’t get my way, I’ll withhold my money from the church.” “Some people will be in trouble if they mess with the worship the way I like it.” “We’ll just visit another church until he changes things back to the way they were.” “Why didn’t you visit me? That’s what we pay you to do.”

I could continue. Indeed you could add to the quotes as well. But my point, I believe, is clear. There is no place in the church for a self-serving attitude. To the contrary, we are to give cheerfully and serve others joyfully.

Where Entitlement Must End

Perhaps entitlements will continue to expand in the federal government. There seem to be no signs of it abating. Unfortunately, many marriages will fail because the husband or the wife has an entitlement mentality. And many employees will never be happy at their places of work, no matter how many job changes they make. They will always feel entitled to something more, something better.

But entitlement must end in the church.

Countless believers went to church this weekend in nations around the world. But many of them were not concerned about the music style, how long the pastor preached, or if the budget was to their liking. These believers’ primary concern was for their lives and the lives of their families. Indeed the persecuted church may be the one place where no entitlement exists.

I do not live in a nation where churches are persecuted, at least not for the moment. But I pray God will give to me and other believers a spirit of consuming servanthood. And I pray entitlement will be eradicated from the places we worship the Living God.

Pray for . . . Winston Community Baptist Church

Location: Winston, Oregon

Pastor: Steve Schenewerk

Weekly Worship: 11:00 Pacific Time

Fast Facts: Winston Community Baptist Church started in 1987. Steve Schenewerk has been the pastor for 21 of the church’s 25 years. The church is 185 miles south of Portland, and only 75 miles from the Pacific Ocean.

Connect: Website • Blog

“Pray for . . .” is the Sunday blog series of 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 .