We are falling behind. Year after year, the population growth of our country outpaces the ability of the church to reach new people. While our population grows, over 3,000 churches close their doors every year. Simply put, we are not keeping up. Difficulties are not new. The church in every generation has faced tremendous challenges. These challenges have called for bold responses. In the 1950's and 60's, it took the courage of a few to change the racial attitudes of the country. In Nazi Germany, a bold underground movement sought to remove Hitler. Challenges are nothing new to people of faith. Fortunately, we do not fight in our own strength alone. The Bible teaches us that the Holy Spirit provides us with courage, tenacity, and boldness. We have access to all the resources of heaven. Our God stands ready and willing to work on our behalf. As a church, we…
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I've been a fan of business author Jim Collins for many years. As a pastor, I read his books and baptize them for use as a church leader. He's probably best known for Good to Great, a book that examined how good companies became great companies while their competitors failed to do so. Two years ago I read another of his books: "How the Mighty Fall". In this book, Collins outlines the stages of decline that mark the downfall of a great company. It's a fascinating read. I believe it's also a must read for anyone in leadership. The moral of the story is this: successful companies, or organizations, or churches can fall from their perch if they fail to identify the stages of decline. The Five Stages of Decline The Hubris of Success. Success can insulate leaders from the best ideas because the new ideas don't fit with…
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"Standing in the middle of the road is very dangerous; you get knocked down by the traffic from both sides." -- Margaret Thatcher, former British Prime Minister
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One of my favorite sermon series I did while planting LifePoint was one that examined the leadership of Moses. We took about six weeks and looked at the various aspects of his leadership, from his calling to how he handled challenges. Numbers 11 is a good example. The burden of leading a surly group like the Israelites was taking its toll on Moses. The chapter begins with the people complaining (no surprise there). Scholars estimate the number of people Moses was leading to be between 500,000 and a million. That's no small number. Moses is ready to walk away. The loneliness of leadership is almost too much. That's when God offers a remedy. It's found in Numbers 11:16-17 ... "The Lord said to Moses: 'Bring me seventy of Israel's elders who are known to you as leaders and officials among the people. Have them come to the Tent of Meeting,…
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Numbers 14 is a great chapter in the Old Testament, not so much for how it starts. The chapter begins with the Israelites grumbling and complaining: That night all the members of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron, and the whole assembly said to them, "If only we had died in Egypt! Or in this wilderness! Why is the Lord bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn't it be better for us to go back to Egypt?" And they said to each other, "We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt." (Numbers 14:1-4) Listening to their complaints, one might have thought they had left behind the lifestyle of the rich and famous. To hear them speak, life in Egypt was life on easy street. It's remarkable how…
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