It’s Presidents Day. Maybe you’re enjoying a day off.  Maybe not. Either way, I thought I would offer a few quotes from some former presidents to gain some wisdom. My point is not to be political, I just want to offer a few insights from some of the greatest men our nation has ever known.

George Washington

It is impossible to rightly govern a nation without God and the Bible.

Mankind, when left to themselves, are unfit for their own government.

Let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Reason and experience both forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.

Thomas Jefferson

When the people fear the government, there is tyranny. When the government fears the people, there is liberty.

Experience hath shewn, that even under the best forms of government those entrusted with power have, in time, and by slow operations, perverted it into tyranny.

I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that his justice cannot sleep forever.

John Adams

Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.

Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide.

Power always thinks… that it is doing God’s service when it is violating all his laws.

Abraham Lincoln

America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.

Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God’s side, for God is always right.

Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.

Ronald Reagan

Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same.

If we ever forget that we are One Nation Under God, then we will be a nation gone under.

The most terrifying words in the English language are: I’m from the government and I’m here to help.

By far, my favorite Super Bowl Ad (and maybe yours too) was “God Made a Farmer” by Dodge. Not just because I love Paul Harvey and miss that great voice. But because it reminded me a lot of my upbringing and personal experience.

I grew up farming. I worked for my dad at the grain elevator in Bonaire and learned a lot of lessons early in life. Instead of working out for football during the summers, I tossed watermelons, picked corn, and harvested produce on my grandaddy’s farm.

So, when I saw this video, it really resonated with me. And, I began to compare what I did then to what I do now. And you’d be amazed at what I learned farming that I still use in ministry to this day. Take a couple of minutes and watch the video. It’s worth your time.

Here are a few short and simple lessons that I learned while farming but still use in ministry.

1. Recognize that life has its seasons. There’s a time to plow. A time to plant. And a time to harvest. A good farmer knows that there are seasons in life.  Every season is different. That’s the way God made it. In ministry, we would do well to remember that everything has a season. And we should be “instant, in season and out of season.”

2. Remember that it’s hard work. Farming is not for the faint of heart. It demands everything. You can’t really do it halfway. But, it is very rewarding. When you see the field you plowed begin to turn green with sprouts of a new crop it puts things into perspective. Ministry is hard work. It’s not for the faint of heart. It will demand your all. But the work is incredibly rewarding when you’re faithful to the task.

3. Realize that you can’t make it rain. One thing I’ve heard my dad say many times, “I can’t make it rain.” You can plow, you can plant, you can pray. But you can’t make it rain. Farming is a very dependent profession. You’re depending on God to do something that you can’t do on your own. In ministry, you can’t make it rain. Only God can. When a pastor realizes that it is a very free feeling. Don’t try to take responsibility for those things that only God can do. Instead – pray, wait, ask, seek – and watch Him work.

4. Rely on God to give the increase. One more thing. You can prepare with hard work. You can watch it rain. But only God gives the increase. A simple plant growing out of the ground is a miracle. The seed, soil, sun, water, and nutrients miraculously come together to bring about life. This is a God-thing! And remember, in ministry only God gives the increase. When the seed of the gospel is planted into the soil of a man’s heart, only God can make that seed take root. Rely on God to bring the harvest that you long to see.

Who knew that all of those days after school and long summer months were teaching me more about ministry than farming?  God knew. And I’m so grateful for it.

The mission of the church is clear. In fact, every New Testament church has the same mission. It’s found in Matthew 28:19-20. We are called to make disciples of all nations for the glory of God. That’s a big task! And it’s a critically important task.

If it’s so important, why don’t we have a plan to make it happen? And how do we know when we’ve been successful? If I worked at a shoe factory, I would know that my job is to make shoes. And when I was done, I could hold up a shoe and see the finished product. Making disciples isn’t quite that simple.

So, with much help from other sources, books, pastors, blogs, and leaders, we’ve developed a process of discipleship at our church. A disciple will do (at least) these three things.

Continue reading →

There’s a long list of things I didn’t learn in seminary. And to be honest, there’s a long list of things I did learn but can’t remember. I’m incredibly grateful for the theological foundation provided by my Masters of Divinity and Doctorate of Ministry. But as I continue to pastor, I notice a greater need for leadership and strategy that must build upon that theological foundation. Both are necessary. Both are essential. Both are important.I don’t believe in the false dichotomy many say exists. Theology and strategy are friends, not enemies. The Bible and leadership go hand in hand. All truth is God’s truth. So, I want to be the best theologian I can be. And I want to be the best leader I can be. That means I’m a constant student – of theology and strategy.

With that in mind, here’s one thing I didn’t learn in seminary. How do you form a church strategy? How do think strategically, systematically, and methodically as a pastor? Here are four steps that will get you started in the right direction.  Continue reading →