Tag Archives: ministry

March 28, 2012

Book Review: Dream House by Barry Bandara

By twoznek

“In many ways, our families are in a battle- a battle of priorities. If we don’t take the time to account for all the movement of our family now and then, we can easily become overwhelmed with all that we have to do.” p. 70

Pastor Barry Bandara gives us an excellent blueprint for developing our own “Dream House.” The book is humorous, insightful and usable. Often books on parenting place a massive guilt burden on parents. Make no mistake about it, there are times when you will say ouch. Overwhelming, you’ll walk away saying “I can do this!” We need more resources that are refreshingly humorous while also giving clearly communicated wisdom.

Overview
Taking from the three best sources possible: God’s Word, wisdom from others and his own failures & success, Barry takes us through the various “rooms” of our dream house and how it relates to family. Along with each chapter and at the end, Barry also shares resources he and his wife found helpful. The metaphor and the warmth of his writing keep the principles understandable and approachable. (Some books I’ve read you almost need a PhD to understand them!)

The big win
Dream House is written by a man who practices what he preaches. I’ve had the privilege to serve with Pastor Barry and to see him as a father. He practices what he preaches. I’m a better husband and father because of his ministry. Often with family resources we ask: will this work? The answer is yes.

The book
What is helpful is the book gives us principles and not programs to add in our homes. Dream House gives you what needs to be done, how it can be done, as well as other resources to do it. This leaves the book highly adaptable for different family contexts. The questions at the end of each chapter are also helpful to figure out how to apply what was said in your own family.

Marriage counseling
Pastor Barry presents a 10 year rule in his book. The idea is to think 10 years down the road. If your child is 2 how do I want them to act when they are 12, and so on. Dream House is a book I’d highly recommend for marriage counseling. It gives a blue print of raising a healthy family and many of the needed principles need to start before kids. You may think “we’re just getting married,” but kids are not that far off.

The bottom line:
Dream House is an excellent resource on leading your family well. It’s written with a warmth and practicality often lacking. I’m looking forward to using Dream House in my own ministry and my own family.

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January 12, 2012

How long would you wait?

By twoznek

14 years is a long time. I can’t imagine being told I was to do something and then have to wait 14 years to make it happen. Paul waited 14 years or more before he engaged in aggressive evangelism. I define aggressive evangelism as church planting. No doubt Paul was sharing the good news and establishing himself. But 14 years is a long time.

Paul was well trained, he was smart, he was one fine-looking Jew. He waited. Out of the gate he could defined the Gospel and his teacher was Jesus Himself. He still waited. Paul likely started his church planting efforts as an old man.

So, why bring this up? Too often we’re impatient. Here is the take away:

1) Paul remained faithful and continued to pursue doing ministry where he was at.

2) Being established does mean something in a church. There is often a gap between being called and serving, and the gap is important.

3) Humility is a key theme in Paul’s writings. It’s possible it was a key thing God was working on before sending Paul.

4) Even after a long wait, God did some incredible things through Paul in God’s timing.

Ministry is a marathon. Don’t be afraid of a gap in time. Be faithful and God in His timing will send you on mission.

One more thing… Just cause you’re nearing “retirement age” doesn’t mean God is done with you!

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , | posted in The Church, The Gospel, Theo...

September 29, 2011

The Devil is in the tech -or- why you need books & original Languages…

By twoznek

Today is one of those days!

Both of my computer programs are not working and websites I use are not working as well. Even on other devices/confusers! Yep, weird. Sermon preparation is part of spiritual warfare just as preaching the Word is. Here’s the thing…

Books don’t crash… Minds do…

I’ve always used original languages as much as possible in my teaching preparation. As I stepped into a lead pastoral role, the urgency to keep my mind sharp on Greek increased. Before I relied on technology. Take your mentor’s words of wisdom and use technology as a back up or resource, not as a main stay! Some, like myself, are not adept at language. Still push yourself and don’t quit. God called us to be ourselves, but there is no replacement for original languages. When technology fails, you’ll be thankful.

Build a solid library of books as well. Granted that technology will increase in our lives. But, the Devil is in tech and while skeptics may say coincidence, coincidence happens A LOT during sermon prep. (Also true of church copiers on Sunday mornings!)

The bottom line: Build a solid library. Keep your mind sharp. I’m glad I have other resources to prepare when other things fail.

Oh, one more thing… Be grateful to those mentors who push you to excel! It’s for days like mine when things just don’t come together but you’re still confident in preparing to preach the Word. Training for ministry is a sacred trust. Be a good steward of that trust and be thankful when a professor pushes you hard. I had a great team of mentors. I’m glad they pushed hard.

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September 7, 2011

Why not Wednesday? Great John Piper Quote

By twoznek

@JohnPiper Let’s revise the popular phrase,“in the world but not of it” to “not of the world but SENT into it!”

Sometimes we need to challenge and reword common statements.

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May 11, 2011

Why not Wednesday? Going retro

By twoznek

Let’s face it, tradition for a long time got a bad rap. Often hailed as the opposition to change, tradition has an aspect of humanity we cannot run from. It grounds us. Allusions to the past, or retro, shows up everywhere and for quite a while. Going retro demonstrates some cool things.

Rediscovery
There is no school like old school. Often the old school has the art and delight for something we now take for granted.

Appreciation
Mimicking is the highest form of flattery. The quest to allude to things past celebrates the work and efforts of those in generations past.

Depth
Things of old contain value. Retro understands this but adds to it a flare of modernity. In a real sense, it is our contribution. Appreciation is the parent, depth is the new birth.

Clarity
Tradition grounds us in a way that helps us navigate life and understand the world. It gives us perspective and stability in an (overly) fast paced world.

Ministry context
In a church context, the retro movement can be seen as a rediscovery of what church is. There is a sense that many churches have lost who they are in running from tradition. There is movement to have a more classic approach to church, but not stodgy. In large measure it comes from a realization that church is unique and it has a rich history. Tradition wasn’t the enemy, and each generation must add its nuance.

The bottom line:
Culture wide there is a reach for all things past. In one sense, perhaps this is a realization that we’re a unique culture. (America is still very young.) But, in another sense I think people are seeking stability. Connecting with the past gives a sense of calmness. After all, we’ve been here before.

2 comments   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in Why Not Wednesday?

January 20, 2011

Loved God, Loved People

By twoznek

C. James Pasma was my first Pastor. When attending seminary my parents let me tag along with them to a party in his honor. An impromptu conversation started about ministry and how he lead the church I grew up in.

Thoughts from my last conversation with Pastor C. James Pasma (1922-2010)

“Biggest advice? Learn to listen to the Spirit. It’s hard, it varies, but learn to listen to the Spirit… If many things come together at the same time, chances are God is telling you something. Listen to Him.”

“I staffed to meet essentials and worked to free people to serve. The best ideas didn’t come from me… They don’t have to come from you. Your job is to feed them, and set them free to serve… Our biggest ministries didn’t originate from me.”

“I looked at the divorced and single statistics in our area and asked who was reaching out to them. Over a quarter of the population was single or divorced. They’re people, and people need to be reached… We studied the Scriptures, prayed about it, and we acted…”

“Treasure seminary. I was not able to go, but if I could go back, I would. The better you know your Bible, the better you can teach it. There is no replacement for knowing the Bible.”

1 comment   |  tags: , , , , , | posted in Life & Learning

January 19, 2011

Why not Wednesday? Buy a Mac

By twoznek

I was a Mac addict for as long as I can remember. When I attended college they would not support the simple, elegant and (far superior) platform, so for a time I used a PC. I wanted a Mac. Here are some ministry lessons from my love of all things Mac:

Form follows function, but it follows
Aesthetics mean something. While function is essential and a primary mover in what we do or develop, the form does not lose significance. In fact, sometimes the form is equal to the function. The form allows one to focus on the task at hand. God designed life with beauty of form, not just solidarity of function. Aesthetics matter. God is the originator of art and function and art can be one.

Simplicity and usability
The thing I love about Apple is they understand complexity and work hard to not pass that on to the end user. The minimalist philosophy of Apple develops into something that is usable. Less is often more. Apple does not shy away from complexity, but it understands where complexity should be and where simplicity should be. In ministry we often over complicate things such as the Gospel, a relationship with God, and worship. Less really does mean accomplishing more.

Build it well so it runs well
Mac’s do have a steeper price tag. The flip side is they are also built well. When asked why Apple doesn’t have an inexpensive entry level computer Steve Jobs quipped: “We don’t know how to build a cheap computer.” (At points a MacBook ran Windows faster than PC laptops.) Yes, there are Macs that have technical issues, they’re machines. Excellence is important.  Sometimes in the ministry rush we stick on a temporary solution that really becomes permanent. Taking time to build a solid ministry with excellence is counterintuitive. Build well to create well. Be aware of the proverb: buy cheap, pay twice.

You act based on what you believe
The Mac platform took a change from a “best in technical specifications” approach to a “usability” approach. You can have the fastest machine in the world but if you can’t use it well, what good is it? Apple called the Mac strategy the “digital hub.” Apple endured a few years of criticism over this approach as their machines were technically slower. Their strategy still holds, and speed is now a non-issue for the platform. Heavy criticism doesn’t always mean you’re wrong when you stick to your theology. Just be wary of arrogance and not continuing to develop your theology.

Think steps not programs
Each step Apple took with their platform lead into the next step. Each step built the infrastructure needed to move to the next step. Apple innovated more than created, as there were digital music players, smart phones and tablet PC’s prior to Apples (brilliant) incarnations. The success isn’t just due to Apple’s form and usability. There was an ecosystem (infrastructure) to support each new development. In ministry focus on building a church vs a mosaic of programs. It may be a slower process of growth and development, but it will be sustainable and grow well in the long run,

The bottom line
Buy a Mac. People looked down on the strategy over a decade ago. Over a decade ago people would say that Mac would never go beyond 4 or 5% market share. Dell even essentially said Apple should just close up shop. Apple took its time revolutionizing the “computer” industry. In ministry perhaps we should slow down and be more theological and methodical in our approach. The urgency of the Gospel does not mean we have to rush in building churches. After all, ministry is a marathon, not a sprint.

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December 15, 2010

Why not Wednesday? Return to basics Phil. 2:5-11

By twoznek

My high school gold team was in a slump. Coach did what coaches often do, give a fiery lecture that made you prefer warm eternal regions of existence and then drilled marched us into basics. Not swinging, putting, chipping, or driving. We practiced our pre-shot routine… for what seemed like eternity: Choose club, pick target, grip, set up to the ball, repeat. We were not allowed to hit a ball until we had it down. Ministry has its own setup. It’s humility.

Humility is our pre-shot routine
Paul focuses on attitude before he instructs to work out our salvation. The attitude should be that of Christ. Summed up, our attitude should be humble. Christ shows what this looks like.

Choose club: Let God be God, and let God be enough.
6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped

Pick target: Seek to serve not be served
7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.

Grip: Embrace humility
8a And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself…

Set up to the ball: Obey God’s calling
8b … and became obedient to death– even death on a cross!

The bottom line:
Get back to basics. Basics isn’t the shot, it’s the set-up. Have this down pat, and you will get to enjoy a great shot.

9-11 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

1 comment   |  tags: , , , , , , | posted in Why Not Wednesday?

December 8, 2010

Why not Wednesday? The Prayer Meeting

By twoznek

The mid-week prayer meeting started early in the life of the church. While Sunday was often a day of worship with focus on God’s Word, the church reserved the mid-week meeting for prayer. For many, in time, the prayer meeting became a tradition and soon lacked its vitality.

Tradition is not a vice. Apathy is. Often the issue with tradition is not the tradition, it’s forgetting what it is about. The prayer meeting started as a way to act on the priority of prayer. The tradition becomes a vice when its reason for existence is “because we’ve always done that, that’s why.”

Apathy is the tarnish of tradition. So, how do we polish tradition so it can shine? There are three critical needs for the prayer meeting:

  • We need to realize that prayer demonstrates our dependence and focus on God.
  • We need to understand that prayer is a way we show direct access to God.
  • We need to see that corporate prayer is as vital and important as private prayer.

Corporate prayer will look different for each church, but it is an essential part to being a church. A church’s success is best measured by two things: It’s sending capacity and its prayer capacity. The first demonstrates its ability to make disciples. The second demonstrates is total dependence upon God.

The bottom line:
Corporate prayer is an essential aspect to church. The Prayer Meeting, like many things in life, needs constant attention. It is easy to let important traditions become tarnished by apathy. Keep the prayer meeting a polished and bright. Pray together because we need God and enjoy His presence.

2 comments   |  tags: , , , , , , , , | posted in Prayer, Why Not Wednesday?

November 8, 2010

Manic Monday: Live to work?

By twoznek

Often we get stuck in the live for the weekend rut. God created us for work. Whether your job is what you like or not like, God placed you there.

In life group we talked through what it means to “set our minds to things above.” A key conclusion we talked about fulfilling the role God gave us in each moment He places us. It’s being who God wants us to be wherever we are.

Maybe we should change perspectives and live to work. There is huge ministry opportunity to serve and help those we connect with at work, family or wherever God places you. The weekend is a joy no doubt. But there are God sightings during the work week as well.

(especially on Monday)

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