Author Archives: Barry

Freedom and Responsibility

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“Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.”

1 Peter 2:16

For Americans, freedom is regarded as our most cherished and important right. Our nation was founded on the principle of freedom for the individual and is essential to our system of self-government. Our Declaration of Independence states, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” In other words, America claims that its citizens have the right and the freedom (liberty) to live our lives as we determine, to pursue what makes us individually happy, and to govern ourselves accordingly. That level of freedom is what makes our nation unique in the world. It is also the reason people from around the world are drawn to our country – to have the freedom and opportunity to speak their minds, practice their faith, and to pursue whatever dreams and aspirations they may have.  As the plaque inside the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor proclaims, “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.” These freedoms are foundational to our culture and enable us to protect ourselves from the tyranny of our own government.

Freedom brings with it many great benefits. Having freedom means that as Americans we get to make our own choices and determine our own future free from societal norms or interference from others. We get to decide what career or work we want to do, what education to pursue, and where to live. We also get to decide who and what to vote for and what we choose to believe. We have the freedom to buy, drive, wear or do what we like. Our freedom as Americans is also the driving force behind our economy that has resulted in the development of many of the world’s new innovations, new businesses and even new industries. In America we have more choices of products and services than anywhere else in the world. If something is needed in our culture, somebody will recognize it and invent it!

But, are we truly free to do whatever we want to do? The answer of course is no. That’s because with freedom comes responsibility.  Like all nations we had to establish a set of laws that govern our behavior in order to restrain our citizens from infringing on the rights of other citizens. It starts with our Constitution and then continues with our state laws and local laws that further constrain what we are legally allowed to do with our freedom. We must use our freedom responsibly. If we don’t and break those laws we risk going to prison and ultimately losing that freedom. Only those who have been in prison truly understand what the loss of freedom means. I, for one, certainly don’t ever want to experience what that is like!

Unbridled freedom in any society leads to chaos and instability. That’s why laws exist. In order to protect and keep our freedom as a nation we must be responsible citizens and use it wisely. We must be careful not to take our freedoms for granted or abuse that privilege. Otherwise we risk having to pass more and more restrictive laws to govern our behavior that gradually takes away our freedom until it is completely gone!

This same principle of using our freedom responsibly is true for every human being regardless of their nationality. God has given every human the freedom to make their own choices in how they live. That is called free will. The consequences of those choices, however, will vary by nation depending upon its laws and culture. God also gave us free will to choose whether or not to believe in Him or follow His commands. Unfortunately, we were also born with a sinful nature that causes us to hurt ourselves and others. But our loving God has also freed us from our bondage to sin through the life, death and resurrection of his Son Jesus so that we could live in true freedom. It is a free gift to us if we simply put our faith in Jesus! Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us “For it is by grace that you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.” But without faith in Christ, we are stuck in our sinful nature and unable to free ourselves from it by our own power.

The Apostle Paul wrote in Galatians 5:13, “You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge in the sinful nature; rather serve one another in love.” God is warning us that how we use our freedom matters and that we must use it responsibly. If we use our freedom to make bad choices or hurt others due to our sinful nature, then we will reap the consequences. But if we use our freedom to serve others as He calls us to do, then we will be blessed and avoid falling back into bondage to sin.

So how do we protect the freedom that Christ has won for us? Again, God uses Paul to show us the way. He wrote in Galatians 5:16, “So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature.” In other words, the only way we can overcome our sinful nature is by taking on more of God’s spiritual nature!  We can’t fight our sinfulness by trying harder or using the latest self-help technique. We can only deny our sinful nature through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. Once we recognize this simple principle we can stop trying to fix ourselves and instead submit to God (ref. James 4:7) and thereby allow His Holy Spirit to lead us to make decisions that honor Him and bless others!

So, we Americans must be careful to be responsible with our freedom so that we don’t lose it. It’s not just about passing more laws to prevent the abuse of our freedom, but to act responsibly on our own as citizens so that we don’t have to restrict our freedoms. But more importantly, as Christians, we must be careful not to use our freedom to sin or hurt others in our individual pursuits. We are called to submit to God, to obey His commands, and to use our freedom to serve others.

Let us remember the words of the Apostle Paul in Galatians 6:8-10: “The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of Believers.”

Strategic Planning

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“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower.  Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it?  For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him.”

Luke 14:28-29

Planning is an important element in church or ministry leadership.  Robert Schuller, author and former Pastor of the Crystal Cathedral in California, says, “those who fail to plan, plan to fail.”  Having a clearly defined plan helps a church or ministry organize its resources and apply them in such a way as to best achieve their vision.  Without a plan, churches and ministries waste limited resources and valuable time, and inevitably fall short of achieving what God has called them to do.  Having a plan does not restrict a church or ministry to a prescribed course of action, but rather lays the foundation upon which the church or ministry can strategically deploy its assets for maximum effectiveness. 

To begin with we must first define what is meant by strategic planning.  Strategic planning is the process of setting goals, organizing activities and deploying resources to achieve a Vision. A Strategic Plan tells you what resources you are going to use, when you are going to use them, and how you are going to apply them, in order to accomplish what God has called you to do.  All of your available resources are given to you by God (James 1:17) and His desire is that you invest and manage them wisely in order to produce fruit for the Kingdom.  A strategic plan helps the leader to do just that.

One of the questions many church and ministry leaders ask is why we should have a plan at all, since we are supposed to be led by the Holy Spirit who directs us as He desires.  But we must remember that even a strategic plan is directed by the Holy Spirit, and as we start to organize and decide how best to deploy the resources that God has given to us the Holy Spirit is right there with us guiding our decisions and plans.  The strategic plan is not for God’s benefit, but for ours.  It is a tool that helps us stay focused on the Vision that God has given us and to manage our resources wisely and effectively. 

It is also important to remember that our God is a God of planning.  Scripture includes references to God’s plan for salvation (John 3:16) and His plan for us (Jeremiah 29:11).  It also includes references to our use of planning (Psalm 20:4, Proverbs 15:22 & 16:3, and Isaiah 32:8).

Churches and ministries need a strategic plan for several reasons. First of all, it enables the church to chart a course for the future. A strategic plan helps us to build a foundation for future growth and development. Having a plan assures us that we have a strong ministry foundation that will not be swept away or collapse when difficulties arise (Luke 6:46-49). Second, a plan helps to avoid distractions. The strategic plan will help to keep the focus of the church or ministry on its vision and mission and avoid being distracted from its primary mission or goal.  Third, a plan enables a church or ministry to utilize its resources effectively and efficiently. One of the primary benefits of a strategic plan is to enable efficient resource deployment.  As part of the planning process the leader must choose how to maximize output from the available resources and to allocate them wisely and not waste the resources God has provided.  Finally, a strategic plan helps to prevent future conflicts. This is because the leadership team has already decided how best to use its resources to accomplish its goals and vision.  With a plan in place, the church or ministry can better evaluate the impact of conflicts against the current plan and determine the best way forward. 

What does a strategic plan involve? There are 7 elements to a strategic plan.  They are:

1. Statement of Vision. The statement of vision describes the desired outcome that you are attempting to accomplish.  It answers the question of what your ultimate goalis or where you are going.  It should be something you can measure so that you know when it is completed.  If you cannot measure it, it is not a goal or a vision.

2. Statement of Needs. The statement of needs defines what you need to accomplish the vision.  This is usually expressed in terms of the resources needed, such as people, money, time, equipment, etc. 

3. Activity Planning. Activity planning is the element that identifies the activities you are going to implement for each need.  It answers the question of how each need will be achieved and what you are specifically going to do to achieve them. 

4. Timing. Timing is the element of the plan that answers the question of when something needs to happen.  Timing specifies when you are going to do an activity, how long each activity will take, or when an activity must be completed. 

5. Resources. The element of Resources answers the question of what is needed in more detail. A good strategic plan first considers the existing resources that are available.  This usually includes people, equipment, or financial resources from your existing budget. Then the church or ministry can determine those resources that need to be acquired.

6. Tactics. The element of Tactics identifies specific opportunities that you have, either in terms of resources or timing, and answers the question of why you are including an activity in your plan. This includes things like the gifts & skills of your members or how to take advantage of available resources or cost savings on potential purchases. 

7. Organization. The final element is Organization, which answers the questions of who is responsible for completing a task. The element identifies who will have what authority for project decisions or financial decisions. It also determines what teams are needed, who will be on them, and who will lead them.

How do we develop a strategic plan? The development of a strategic plan is a process that should be done with attention to detail and with collaboration with others to assure that it is a comprehensive and well thought-out plan.  If it is done quickly or only by one person then there is a greater likelihood that there will be errors or things missing that could result in poor results or outright failure.  So it is important to take the time necessary to get it right and to involve others in its development so that all points of view and options are considered. 

Here are some basic steps to use when developing a strategic plan:

Step #1: Organize a strategic planning group. The first thing you want to do is to put a team together who will develop the plan. You should pick key people who have appropriate skills or background in what you are planning. 

Step #2: Outline your Plan. The starting point to any plan is a simple outline that defines your vision and key needs.  This is the foundation of the plan. Getting this step right guards against making a critical mistake that ends up invalidating the final plan.

Step #3: Add details to the Plan. Using the outline, determine the list of activities you are going to implement to meet each need that you have identified as necessary to achieve the vision.  Each activity should include their timing, resources, tactics, and organization.  This is where you focus on how each need is to be met. 

Step #4: Gather input from others in the church. Once you have a draft of your plan, ask others within the church or ministry for their thoughts, opinions and perspective.  This will enable you to adjust the plan or introduce new ideas that you had not thought of. 

Step #5: Prepare a written document. Writing a plan down helps to clarify it and uncover missing activities or ideas.  The plan can then also be distributed for others to comment on and provide a base point for discussions and reference.

Step #6: Finalize the Plan. Prepare the final written strategic plan that the team members can review for accuracy and completeness.  I suggest that you have each member of the planning team sign the document to acknowledge their agreement with it.. 

Step #7: Communicate the Plan. The last step in the planning process is to communicate the plan to team members and to the church or ministry.  The important thing here is to communicate to the church or ministry what the plan is and what your intentions are. 

Can a strategic plan change? Absolutely! A strategic plan is not meant to be carved in stone, meaning that it can never change.  A good strategic plan must change because our environment and situations are constantly changing.  And because things change, the plan must change and adapt to the changes that affect it as well.  Some of the assumptions included in the plan are no longer valid.  Some of the people you had counted on to implement the plan are no longer at your church.  Some of the costs you estimated have gone way up or way down since the plan was made.  All of these changes will impact the plan and must be taken into consideration if the plan is to be implemented effectively.  Without a plan in place you could make erroneous assumptions or inaccurate evaluations on the true impact of the change.  Taking the time needed to evaluate the impact and make adjustments to your plan will enable the church or ministry to better manage its resources and more effectively achieve its vision.

(taken from chapter 9 of our Management for Church Leaders™ Volume #1 Training Manual © 2010)

Wise Men Still Seek Him!

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“Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him while He is near.”

Isaiah 55:6

January 6th was Epiphany, the day that Christians traditionally celebrate the visit of the Wise Men (Magi) to Jesus the Christ child (Matthew 2:1-12). These “wise men from the East” knew the prophecies about Jesus, studied the stars, and were led to go and find him (the King of the Jews) so that they could worship him.

Today, there are many people who criticize Christianity as a “crutch” for those who lack intelligence. Their assumption is that the Christian faith is a myth and that any intelligent person would not believe in such nonsense. I find it very interesting, then, that perhaps the most intelligent people of Jesus’ day were these wise men from the East. Though they were wise and highly intelligent people, they understood not only who Jesus was (the Son of God) but also that He was worth seeking and worshiping. They also traveled a great distance and at some peril to go and find him.

For most of the world today, we do not have to travel far or risk danger to seek Jesus. As the prophet Isaiah foretold, we are to “call on him while he is near” (Isiah 55:6). Isaiah further commends us to “seek the Lord while He may be found.” In other words, we should do it now and not wait or put it off until another day.

The dictionary defines the word Seek as to “go in search of” or “to look for.” So exactly where are we supposed to look for Jesus or seek Him? According to Scripture, there are 3 places where we can find Jesus.

First, we should look for Him in the Word itself. John 1:1 says that “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” In John 1:14 it says that “The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us.” In other words, Jesus is the Word! When we read the Bible, God speaks to us and points us to His Son Jesus. Jesus is present in both the Old Testament (as in Isaiah above) and the New Testament (as in the gospels). When Jesus walked the earth as a man He often quoted the Old Testament and thus confirmed its truth as God’s Holy Word (e.g. Luke 11:29-31). He also confirmed who He was when He read Isaiah 61:1-2 in the synagogue in Nazareth (Luke 4:16-22). So when we read the Scriptures we can’t help but find Jesus in its pages and in its purpose.

Second, we should look for Him in His creation. We know from Genesis 1:1 that “God created the heavens and the earth” and all that dwells therein, including people. There is absolutely nothing in our world that we can see with our own eyes that was not created by God! Since Jesus declared that “I and the Father are one” in John 10:30 and John 1:3 proclaims about Jesus that “Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made,” Jesus was therefore involved in the creation. All we have to do is look around and marvel at  what He created to see Him! Though some may deny this truth, Romans 1:20 says that “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – His eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.” It does not require a PhD or a high IQ to see, understand and know God & Jesus!

Third, we should seek Him within our own spirit. God created all human beings “in His image” (Genesis 1:27) and has therefore put His spirit into every human being as well. And it is through this spirit that we can communicate with God, just as Jesus did. Jesus told the Samaritan woman at the well that “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:28) And if we allow God into our lives and seek Him in spirit through prayer, He will speak to us through His Spirit and reveal His son Jesus to us! The prophet Jeremiah, speaking the words of God, said, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13) In other words, if we are not seeking God with our whole heart we cannot find Him and we cannot see Jesus. But if we do seek Him with our whole heart, He will make both Himself, and His Son Jesus, known to us.

It is sad and disappointing that so many people whom God created refuse to acknowledge Him. And if they can’t acknowledge God Himself, they will not seek Jesus nor ever find Him. Many of these people have great intelligence, many academic degrees, and are considered wise by the world’s standards. Yet they still cannot see the obvious even when it is in everything around them. The dictionary defines this condition as a scotoma. A scotoma is “a spot in the visual field in which vision is absent or deficient.” In other words, God is right there but they just can’t see Him. The Old Testament also frequently refers to this condition as a “hardened heart.”

But we should not despair. Instead, Jesus has given us as His followers the awesome privilege of sharing the gospel and leading others to Him, especially those who because of their scotoma cannot see Him! We must share God’s Word with them, show them our God in His creation, and pray with and for them to help remove the scotomas from their eyes that have prevented them from seeing Jesus!

Let us all be like the wise men and “seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness” (Matthew 6:33), so that we can then lead and encourage others to seek Him as well!

My Personal Testimony about our Past, Present and Future

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“I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.”

1 Corinthians 3:6

Every once in a while we come to a point in our lives where we take time to reflect on our past, consider our present circumstances, and ponder the future. FaithLife Ministries has been my life and passion since our beginning in 2001.  I have been blessed beyond measure by God who called me into this ministry of training and equipping pastors and church leaders in the majority world. When it began I had no idea what, or where, it would lead to. Nor did I stop to consider the cost, the struggles, or the perseverance it would take to get to where we are today. However, when I do take stock of where our ministry is today, I am humbled just to be a small part of what God is doing. And the future before us is as unknown as it was when we started.

But there has been one constant throughout the years – God! He has been the guiding force in the ministry and the One I have tried to look to for wisdom, counsel and provision. And He has never failed me or this ministry!

They say hindsight is 20/20, so it is not that hard for me to look back and see that all that this ministry has accomplished has been through the Lord’s Hand. I have simply been His instrument and the one He has called and willed for the purpose of building up His Church around the world through the training of pastors and church leaders. I still don’t know why He chose me, but He did. And I’ve spent the past 19 years trying to be obedient to that call and His purpose. And as I look back and reflect on how far we have come, I am simply astounded and amazed at what He has done with the little I had to offer. Like the feeding of the 5,000, God took the “few fish and bread” I had to give and has used it to feed so many (ref. Matthew 14:15-21).

The road here has not always been easy, however. We had fund shortages, difficulties recruiting people, travel challenges, health issues, miscommunications and a myriad of other obstacles that caused me at times to question our plan and purpose. But I also knew that we had His Holy Spirit to help us overcome them. And through it all, God provided, God sustained and God proved faithful to His Word to “never leave us or forsake us” (Hebrews 13:5). And when I thought that I might have failed Him, He reminded me that “many are the plans in a man’s heart, but it’s the Lord purpose that prevails.” (Proverbs 19:26). So I stand here today knowing that God has used this ministry to bring about His purposes for it. Of that I have no doubt!

As I look around today and consider all the training that is taking place around the world through our Global Trainer Network I realize that I am not the only person that God has called into this ministry. God has sent us laborers to work in this “vineyard” alongside of me to produce the harvest He desires. Perhaps the most important lesson God has taught me the past few years is that I was never meant to do this alone. Once He revealed that truth to me the ministry has been able to expand, multiply and grow faster and more effectively than it otherwise would have. As the Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 3:6, “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow!” Because of this truth, this ministry is stronger and has deeper roots today. And I treasure the relationships I have with all of our trainers and training hosts that we have had over the years who are co-laborers with me in this global vineyard!

I am confident that the future of this ministry is in great hands, because it is in God’s Hands, as it always has been! And as I contemplate the future, pray for God’s vision, and listen for His voice, I know He will speak to me and “reveal His thoughts” to me (ref. Amos 4:13) for the future of this ministry. The vision is not ours, it’s His. And whatever that vision is, He will not only give it to us but He will provide the resources needed to accomplish it as well! Although the future is not ours to see (as the old song goes), it is ours to inherit if we follow Him and His call!

I was confirmed in my faith at the age of 14. My Confirmation Bible verse was Matthew 28:20 that says, “…and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always to the very end of the age.” Though I did not know it then, I can’t help but believe with certainty that I am doing exactly what He planned for me to do and acknowledge that He has been with me and guiding me every step of the way!

Thank you, Jesus, and praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Managing Money

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“You cannot serve both God and money.”

Matthew 6:24

Virtually all ministries require some level of finances to operate.  Typically, they rely on the donations and gifts that they receive from their members or followers.  As a church leader, you have the responsibility to make sure that all donations are recorded accurately and that all church expenses are legitimate and accounted for properly.  This is typically a legal mandate, but, more importantly, it is a Biblical expectation as well (Luke 16:11-12)!  Managing your church or ministry finances well demonstrates to God, and your membership or followers, that you are trustworthy.  The Bible warns us that failure to maintain the highest level of integrity in your finances only leads to ruin and suffering. 

Why is managing money well so important? First of all, the Bible says that money can cause many problems. 1 Timothy 6:10 says that “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.”  Poor money management leads to stress and other sins (lying, stealing, coveting, etc.) and will destroy relationships. And it will usually not go uncovered (“The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out.” – Proverbs 10:9). We must remember that money is not the goal. It’s only the means to a goal. It is a resource that we use to achieve a goal and we know that God will provide the resources we need to do His work. We must also be aware that the power of money over people is well documented and often results in bad decisions or even imprisonment. We are also warned that money can become a god or idol of worship (Matthew 6:24) and to pursue money is to pursue a false god. We lose our freedom in Christ by becoming a slave to money.

Secondly, using money inappropriately is cheating God. Treasures given to the church are given to God. Everything we have is His and, we are only His stewards (managers) of what He provides. Misuse of money is the same as stealing it. We rob from the church and we rob from God (Malachi 3:8) when we misuse what He has provided to us.

Thirdly, poor money management is poor stewardship. Poor stewardship is not managing money (God’s resource) wisely. Using God’s gifts wisely by investing them effectively produces fruit for the Kingdom and glorifies God (Parable of the Talents – Matthew 25:14-30).

Finally, good money management builds trust with our church members or ministry followers. Jesus said, “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?  (Luke 16:10-11). So when we manage money well we are demonstrating to others that we are trustworthy.

Here are 8 basic principles of managing money:

  1. Be content with what God provides you. Ask Him only for what you need and trust God to provide for your needs (“Don’t collect any more than you are required to.  Don’t extort money and don’t accuse people falsely-be content with your pay.” –Luke 3:13-14).
  2. Don’t use money for purposes it wasn’t intended for. Don’t ask for money for one thing then use it for another purpose. Honor people’s giving.
  3. Don’t use church money for personal desires. Never take money from the church to satisfy a personal desire or want. Do not give church money to others for personal desires or wants. All expenses should have a legitimate ministry purpose.
  4. Account for all money received. Record ALL income and gifts received. Record the requested purpose of all donations and honor them. Keep accurate and up-to-date records.
  5. Account for all money spent. Record ALL expenses and keep receipts for them. Make sure to write the purpose and other details on the receipt if it is not shown.
  6. Establish procedures for large purchases. Do not allow one person the authority to make a large purchase. Establish a check and balance system for all major expenses and require an approval form or other document to dispense large amounts of money.
  7. Regularly publish a financial statement. Include the amount received, the amount spent, and the balance on hand. This can be done monthly, quarterly or annually.
  8. Utilize independent people to periodically analyze church finances. Have someone from outside the church review your financial records to ensure accuracy and compliance or have an annual financial audit done.

There are 4 ways we as leaders can practice good money management in the church. First, teach the Biblical principle of tithing (10%).  Deuteronomy 14:22 says, “Be sure to set aside a tenth of all that your fields produce each year.” Lead by example – be a tither yourself and encourage first fruits giving (Proverbs 3:9). Second, demonstrate financial integrity by recording ALL income and expenses, paying your debts first and putting procedures in place to audit and review church finances. Third, trust God to provide for your needs. He will give you what you need because God cares for His people (“Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.” – 1 Timothy 6:17). Fourth, allow members to see church finances. Do not hide your finances from your church members and be open and honest about all receipts and expenses.

If we practice these principles we will experience some great benefits. First, we will build trust with our church members. If they trust us with money, they will trust us with other things and are more likely to follow us. Second, we will avoid potential serious problems and remain a good example to our flock. Third, we will learn what the power of God can do and see first-hand how God provides for our every need.

(taken from chapter 10 of our Management for Church Leaders™ Volume #1 Training Manual © 2010)

Our Training Expands to the Middle East!

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We are pleased to announce that our Management for Church Leaders™ (MCL) training has formally reached the Middle East with our recent training in Cairo, Egypt! Egypt was an ideal location as it is safe to travel to and has an estimated 25% Christian population. Although the training material was in Arabic and we had translators, about 50% of Egyptians speak English.

The training conference was held October 4-6th and was attended by 68 pastors and church leaders from Egypt, Lebanon and South Sudan. We were invited to bring our training there by Dr. Wahid Wahba, founder and president of the Middle East Leadership Training Institute (MELTI). I was referred to Dr. Wahba by Ali Khalil, a pastoral trainer from Lebanon that I met at the Global Proclamation Congress for Pastoral Training in Bangkok in June, 2016.

MELTI has been working in the region for 20 years and has provided Christian training to pastors and church leaders throughout the Middle East through their training center in Cairo. A few of their instructors attended our training and will now be able to teach our MCL material along with their other training material where needed. They are also considering adding our MCL training to their regular training curriculum.

What was particularly encouraging about this conference was that before the 2nd day of training was completed 4 attendees asked for copies of our MCL Training Manual in English along with the MCL Trainer Manual in English with the goal of teaching our training to others. We have provided them with this material and will be following up with them on their training results in the months ahead. One of these individuals is from Lebanon who also has his own training ministry and goes to many other nations in the region. We are hopeful that he will consider being part of our Global Trainer Network as well and include our training where applicable and useful.

During our training we also discovered a few translation errors that are now being corrected by MELTI so as to improve the training in Arabic. They will also provide an Arabic translation of our MCL Trainer Manual so that those who do not speak English can teach our training as well.

We have now planted the seed of our training in Egypt and look forward to watching how God uses us, and those we have trained, to expand His Kingdom in the Middle East! As the Apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 3:7, “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.”

We thank God for this wonderful opportunity to spread our training throughout the Middle East and look forward to seeing the fruit that is produced from this one seed of training!

To God alone be the glory!!

Divorcing God

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“But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.”

Matthew 10:33

Recently, several high profile Christian leaders have renounced their faith and have said that they no longer consider themselves to be a Christian. Because of their status or visibility they have also done so very publicly. It makes me wonder why they chose to make a public announcement about it.  Why not just step down from leadership, take a sabbatical, or just take some time to pray and rebuild their relationship with the Lord?   Have they really given up on God? Has all of their time and effort put into ministry really caused them to doubt God and His promises?

I’m sure many Christians sometimes stop going to church, question their faith, or lack the zeal for the Lord they once had. That has happened to me on occasion as well. Faith is a journey that has many ups and downs. It is not always smooth and going forward. In life there are struggles that we all face (John 16:33). In those times we sometimes falter or go backwards in our faith. But it is often temporary until the Lord brings us back to Him again.

Most Christians don’t go public or have a platform they use to tell others about their fall away from faith and the Lord they once served with great devotion. Instead, they generally keep it to themselves or reach out to others in confidence for counsel and assurance. And if they do somehow lose their faith they do it quietly. They just stop going to church and disconnect from church relationships and activities. Sadly, sometimes the church doesn’t even notice.

Our faith and relationship with God is like a marriage. As a matter of fact, Jesus referred to himself as the bridegroom and the Church as His bride in the parable of the Ten Virgins (Matthew 25:1). When we meet someone we think might be a good marriage partner, we spend time with them, try to please them, and eventually discuss joining our lives together in marriage. Once married, we begin to build our lives together and have children. But sometimes marriages fall apart and end in divorce as the two that earlier had become one drift apart and go back to living separate lives.

So when someone falls away from faith it is like divorcing God. The person no longer has the love for God they once had, they don’t feel the love God has for them, or they simply drift apart because they don’t spend time together. Thus, they want out of the relationship. Divorce in our secular world is often very messy, complicated and ends up hurting many people. Divorcing God has the same effect. And the more public the divorce the more people it usually hurts.

Faith, like a marriage, is built on trust and a focus on the other person in the relationship. If we don’t trust God or we stop doing things that please Him we can easily find ourselves questioning our faith and our relationship with Him. Faith, like a marriage, needs constant work for it to be successful. Taking that relationship for granted or not putting the time into it that’s needed often results in a broken relationship. In our world, either person in the marriage relationship can ask for a divorce. But with faith, God will NEVER divorce us or break that relationship. Only we can divorce God!

So how do we keep our relationship with God strong and avoid divorcing Him from our lives?

In order to have a healthy relationship with God we must focus on 3 things. Jesus told us what they were when asked what the greatest commandment was. He replied, “Love the Lord God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” (Matthew 22:37)

So first, we are to love God with all of our heart. We must have an emotional, heart-felt connection to God because of what God has first done for us (1 John 4:19). That means we must love Him by worshiping Him and doing what pleases Him. If we don’t feel His love for us in our own heart then we are less likely to give our heart to Him in return. When we truly love someone we feel an emotional connection to their heart. We hurt with them, we cry with them, we rejoice with them and we laugh with them. Without that heart-to-heart emotional connection we are far more likely to drift away in that relationship.

Second, we must love Him with all of our soul. We must have a spiritual connection to God as well, and that comes from the indwelling of the Holy Spirit within us. It is His Holy Spirit that gives us faith (1 John 4:13). But we must also develop that spiritual connection by talking to God (prayer) and letting His Spirit guide and direct us in our actions. We cannot do this on our own but only through His Holy Spirit. As the Lord said to the prophet Zechariah, “Not by might, not by power, but by my Spirit says the Lord.” (Zechariah 4:6).

Thirdly, we must also love him with our mind. That means we must read His Word and meditate on it so that we gain His wisdom (Proverbs 4:7). We don’t just accept God in our heart and soul but we also accept Him in our mind. It is logical to have faith in God, even though we cannot see Him. His Word makes sense to us because He created us and it is the Truth. He created us in His image and so we have the capacity to believe His Word and place our faith in Him, even though we can’t understand all of it. But when we earnestly seek Him, He will help us to understand (Amos 4:13).

In many marriages there are always outsiders who tell us to get out, that we’re better off on our own, and that the other person isn’t holding up their end of the marriage. With faith, that person is Satan, who continues to lie to us and tell us that God doesn’t love us or that He isn’t doing what He promised. Satan tries to convince us that we’re not getting what we want or desire from God. Satan always puts the focus on us and never God. So we must be on our guard against his schemes and attempts to separate us from God (Genesis 3:1, 1 Peter 5:8).

It saddens me greatly when fellow believers fall away from God or divorce Him from their lives. We must walk beside them to encourage them to “stand firm in the faith” (1 Corinthians 13:16) and “to trust in Him and lean not on our own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5-6). We must tell them that if they draw near to God, He will draw near to them (James 4:8). We must remind them to persevere and to finish the race so that they will receive the crown of eternal life that God has promised them (James 1:12). That’s His promise and God always keeps His promises!

Delegation & Accountability

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“Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight.  Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account”
Hebrews 4:13

In order to be an effective leader, one must learn to properly delegate responsibilities and hold others accountable to their commitments.  Since we cannot do all of the ministry by ourselves, especially as our ministry grows, we will need to delegate some of our responsibilities to others if we are to get the work done that the Lord requires of us.  Learning how to delegate effectively and then hold others accountable will produce action and not excuses.  

Delegation

“Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom.  We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the Word.”

Acts 6:3-4

Delegation is the act of empowering someone to act for another. When we delegate something to someone else we are asking them to take responsibility for getting something done on our behalf. There are several reasons why we would delegate responsibility to others.

First, delegation allows us to spread the workload so that more work can be accomplished in less time. Second, we delegate so that we can enlist the help of others. This enables us to have others participate in ministry and to utilize their skills. Third, we delegate to others to expand our ministry. This gives us time for other ministry work or to pursue other ministry passions and opportunities. Finally, we delegate to others to develop them as potential leaders. We do this to train others for ministry, enable ministry leadership succession, and to build the kingdom of God.

Here are 6 principles of delegation:

  1. Delegate only to qualified leaders

“And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.”

2 Timothy 2:2

Delegate to people of character, people of faith, and people full of the Holy Spirit.

2. Delegate to trained people

Make sure they are trained for the task at hand and provide training, if necessary, before you delegate.

3. Delegate responsibility, not activities

Give them freedom to manage as they feel appropriate. Do not dictate the process but allow them to use their own style to accomplish goals.

4. Delegate authority with responsibility

Do not hold back your authority from them. Let them make decisions within the authority you give them. Gently guide, but do not decide.

5. Provide deadlines for results

Specify project time frames for completion and make sure deadlines are agreed to. Be firm but flexible on deadlines and allow for changes due to unforeseen circumstances. Make sure new deadlines are also agreed to.

6. Follow up to answer questions or provide support

Provide ongoing guidance and encouragement.

When you delegate, first decide which project or responsibility to delegate to someone. It could be a project that you want someone else to lead or a responsibility that you do not have time to lead. Second, choose the leader wisely. Select only qualified, trained or experienced leaders. Third, communicate your expectations to them. Agree on goals & objectives and specify outputs & results. Fourth, give deadlines and specify desired completion dates. Make sure they commit to meeting the deadlines and monitor their progress to ensure deadlines will be met. Finally, provide support to them. Do not ignore them or leave them on their own. Give them encouragement along the way.

Accountability

“So then, each of us will give an account of himself to God.”

Romans 14:12

Accountability is an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility or to account for one’s actions. Leaders should never delegate responsibilities to others without holding them accountable. This is to ensure project success and the achievement of project goals, completing projects on time and meeting key project deadlines, developing the leadership skills of others and their decision making ability, and to build the leader’s confidence and trust in others.

Here are 4 basic principles of Accountability:

1.  Never delegate responsibility without accountability

It enables you to maintain control and tells them this project is important. It also shows them you are interested in what they do.

2.  Be specific in your expectations

Set deadlines for results and communicate clearly the results you expect. Write them down if necessary.

3.  Be diligent in your follow up

Check on their progress regularly and ask for status reports (weekly, monthly, etc.).  Expect results as promised and on-time.

4.  Be constructive in your feedback

Do not be overly critical and praise good work and effort. Offer your encouragement and support.

Holding someone accountable means that you first make sure objectives are clearly understood. Poor objectives will lead to poor results and potential project failure. Second, make sure deadlines are agreed to. Write them down if you have to and make sure you both agree to them. Third, ask for regular updates and status reports. Keep on top of the project and its progress and meet regularly to discuss project issues. Fourth, provide ongoing feedback and give your thoughts and comments on the progress. Fifth, praise and reward good effort and give them your encouragement. Finally, recognize success and short term achievements. Do it publicly if significant.

(taken from chapter 2 of our Management for Church Leaders™ Volume #2 Training Manual © 2010)

Patriotism and Christianity

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“Then he (Jesus) said to them, ‘Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s’.”
Matthew 22:21

As we celebrate our Independence Day in America, there is division on what it means to be a patriot. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the word patriot signifies a person who loves his or her country and is ready to boldly support and defend it (that meaning has endured since the word’s arrival in English in the 16th century). Many Americans support our nation despite its faults, desire to adhere to our Constitution and the intent of our founding fathers, and want to protect our values of liberty for all, individual work ethic, and respect for our laws. Patriotism appears to coincide with this group. 

But there are other Americans who claim that our Constitution needs to be changed to reflect a changing world, that our nation has historical faults it must now atone for, and that we need to have more progressive values such as diversity, open borders, and socialism in order to provide more fairness and equality for all citizens in work and income.  This group does not support our nation as it currently is but rather wants to change it to something else. This would suggest that they are not patriots, but revolutionaries.

As a Christian, my allegiance is to Christ first and foremost. I have freedom from sin and the assurance of eternal life through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, which is of utmost importance to me personally. And I can take that to any nation on the earth and live my life accordingly. But as an American, I love my country, the freedoms and opportunities we have, and the principles and values upon which it was founded. I have traveled the world and visited many nations. I have lived in another country. But I do not desire to live anywhere else other than America! We have freedom from tyranny and oppression on this earth through our Constitution and our military. We have the world’s best system of justice, although it is far from perfect. We also have the opportunity to pursue education in any field, choose our work and become what God made us to be.

And while Christian principles are in our Constitution, our government cannot force Christianity on anyone nor prevent anyone from practicing their religion. Alexis de Tocqueville, in his book Democracy in America, said, “Liberty cannot be established without morality, nor morality without faith.” In other words, we need faith and Christian values in America if our nation and self-government are to survive. So there is very little conflict between the Christian faith and our Constitution and form of government.

So where is the conflict? The conflict comes from the revolutionaries who do not reflect what it means to be a patriot. They are the ones who want to change our constitution and do not support our nation’s history, foundations and values. They want to change America as we have known it.

So, why is Christianity now being attacked in America? Why are Christians suddenly facing persecution for their religious beliefs? And does one have to be a Christian to be an American patriot?

The reason Christianity is now being attacked stems from a misunderstanding of what our Constitution actually says about religion. Many secularists claim that there should be a separation between church and state, and that on that basis our government cannot have any Christian values or principles. However, this is not what our Constitution says. It simply says that the state cannot establish a religion for all citizens nor prevent the practice of any religion. All Americans are free to practice their religion, whether in government or in any other part of our society. Christians do have and must have a voice in our government and culture. We are free to share our values and thoughts and to pursue policies that encompass them. The secularists want to deny Christians that voice so that their values and policies prevail.

The reason Christians are suddenly facing persecution is because the progressive values of the secularists are based on individual preferences and not on any moral standards of behavior. Having no standards, such as the Bible, allows people to do what pleases them regardless of the impact on others. The Book of Judges from the Bible shows us exactly what happens when people think that way. According to Judges 21:25, “In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit.” Without a standard for moral behavior a society will descend into chaos and destroy itself. Consequently, I believe that secularists do not want to have a standard of behavior, because that may not allow them to do what they choose to do. They do not want to be held accountable to God or anyone else. So they seek to have the Bible and Christian influence removed from our culture entirely.

Finally, being a patriot does not mean that someone has to be a Christian in America. A person can love our nation, support its military, have a strong work ethic, and enjoy its freedoms without being a Christian. I believe most Americans would agree. But there are some religions, such as Islam, that are not consistent with our laws and culture, and Americans would be wise to be wary of them.

The Bible does not speak a great deal about nations and patriotism. Rather it speaks of God’s love for us, our rebellion from Him, His mercy upon us, and His grace through Jesus Christ. It is all about us as individuals and how He wants us to have faith in Jesus and live our lives according to His Word. He wants us to live lives that are holy and obedient to Him, and to serve others in His name. But God did speak to the nation of Israel in 2 Chronicles 7:14 when He said that “if my people, who are called by my name, will humbles themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

Let us humble ourselves so that God can bless America and heal our land! Amen!

Holy Spirit Moves in Nigerian Church!

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Pastor David Akinsanya

“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness.”

Romans 8:26

I recently received this wonderful testimony from Pastor David Akinsanya from Lagos, Nigeria (photo) who went through our Management for Church Leaders self-training book and began to apply some of what we teach within his church. Here is his testimony of how God used it to impact his ministry and congregation:

“I have been experiencing tremendous positive changes in my leadership. I had to conduct a training for my under leaders last week Saturday from 6am-2pm. The outcome has been wonderful. I am blessed in my life by the Holy Spirit and the resources you sent to me. I am more conscious of Holy Spirit more than ever before in my life and ministry, and the results of this has been Awesome. Our Sunday service was a super Sunday because I committed the under-leaders to His Holy hands and He used them in a way that made me cry at my ignorance and what my pride has blindfolded me from seeing.

I quickly see my ugly picture and how I have been insensitive to His Leadership role and place in the church management, mostly in our church – HOUSEHOLD OF FAITH COVENANT CHURCH. The leaders (workers) were so excited and happy to be given a role to play in the kingdom assignment, a goal that I have been assigned by God. It was so visible that with the enthusiasm of each and every one of them that were given a role to perform for God during the service and you can see that they have long been waiting for this kind of mighty move in the church with the backing of the Holy Spirit as well as to be trained and to be trusted with such responsibilities. 

And you need to see the Joy of been allowed to use their God given gifts for the Lord. Oh Barry, Holy Spirit moved in a new dimension in our fellowship last week Sunday and I strongly believe IT IS A NEW DAWN!!!! You won’t believe how quickly people began to use their gifts with joy (for example, one of them walked up to me and said, “Pastor, the Lord Says you should not minister by sharing message today. Instead, you should let Brother Ruben take the message.”).  I said noted and I called the said  brother during the workers fellowship (which is where we workers always pray for one hour before the Sunday School and Main Service and commit everything during the service to God). I told him I was told that the Lord wants you to minister to us today, so please go prepare your message and whatever the Holy Spirit places in your heart please say it (HE MINISTERED USING THE TOPIC HOLY SPIRIT). 

It was a powerful Ministration (sermon), and with the backing of the Holy Spirit it made everyone present to tremble. I cannot but shed tears!!!! I only ministered during the service in the administration of the Holy Communion which we do often on the first Sunday of the month. This was the product or result of one day of training showing them the Scriptures on the place and role of leadership and Holy Spirit in Church Growth and Health as well as the role and place of the 3 types of workers in the church being (1) Congregation, Committed, and Core from your training material. All I did was to tell them what we all need to do to move to the next level now from that of being just a Congregation to being Committed members, and to keep developing ourselves and playing our role of going out (evangelism) according to Matthew 28:19-20. I returned all the Glory to God.

Things are gradually changing for the best. Thank you Holy Spirit and thank you Barry, for allowing God to use you and your training to minister to me.”

We are very grateful to David for sharing his testimony with us so that we could share it with you. To God alone be the glory!