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Category: Church (page 27 of 28)

Leaders, Know your Gifts!

God has wired me differently than He has wired you. It may be true that you and I are the same gender. Or live in the same city. Or drink the same kind of coffee. Or are passionate about similar ministries.

But at the end of the day, I have different gifts than you do. And you have different gifts than I do. And that’s a good thing.

³For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. ⁴Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, ⁵so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. ⁶We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man’s gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to hisfaith. ⁷If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; ⁸if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. -Romans 12:3-8

Our staff at Grace Community Church just talked through our results from Strengths Finder. It was cool to see the varying gifts and passions that God has uniquely given the staff here. Over the next few posts, I’ll share my strengths with you. I don’t share them to make much of myself, but to make much of God, the giver of all good gifts.

These descriptions aren’t perfect for me, but they’re pretty close.

Learner:

People who are especially talented in the Learner theme have a great desire to learn and want
to continuously improve. In particular, the process of learning, rather than the outcome,
excites them.

What makes you stand out?
Instinctively, you normally dedicate yourself to acquiring knowledge and gaining skills. You
probably devote many hours to mental labor. Because of your strengths, you can block out
distractions when you are working or studying. You are seldom pulled away from a task. You
probably desire to understand ahead of time what needs to be done. You also expect to
receive background briefings and/or a list of a project’s criteria. Armed with this information,
you move closer to your goal. With ease and certitude — that is, having no doubts — you
determine what is and is not important to know about an activity, event, or project. By nature,
you habitually bring together all sorts of information so you can refer to it later. At the instant
you collect a fact, example, story, or piece of data, typically you are eager to use it. You trust
it is valuable. Your fascination with knowledge has probably been part of you even before
you formed the words to ask your first question. It’s very likely that you might prefer to
enroll in a difficult class rather than register for the easiest one. Perhaps comparing how well
you are doing in relation to others has meaning only when you earn the best grades in the
hardest courses. To some extent, you crave recognition for your knowledge and winning
spirit. Chances are good that you may be an individual performer who signs up for tough
classes. Perhaps your desire to excel is amplified when the only path to a good grade is a
steep one.

Do you see yourself at all in this description?

Purple Carrots

November 9, 2009 / Ben Reed / 0 Comments

I’m reading the book Think Orange, by Reggie Joiner, and find much of it fresh and challenging. I thought I’d share this with you. I love what Reggie has to say in this quote (taken from page 136). It’s kind of long, but worth the 3o seconds it will take you to read it. Just trust me.

“Up until the sixteenth century, carrots were grown in a variety of hues: red, black, yellow, purple, and even white. There were no orange carrots until the seventeenth century when some Dutch growers began feeling patriotic. In honor of their king, William of Orange, they married some yellow and red carrots to produce our modern day orange carrots.

I imagine there must have been some orange-carrot skeptics in the beginning. They were probably overheard saying things like, “These can’t be true carrots,” or “Carrots aren’t supposed to look like that,” or “Those are not the kind of carrots my parents ate.” Nevertheless, the color of carrots changed forever. But here’s an important point: Changing the color of carrots did not alter the fundamental nature of the carrot. In other words, orange carrots were just as nutritious as black carrots. The only real difference between the two was that more people were willing to eat orange carrots than black ones.

If you knew more kids and students would engage in what you teach if you packaged it differently, would you? Would you color it orange if more kids would listen? Before you start using phrases like “watering down the truth” or “not deep enough,” just remember you can change the color of something without compromising its nature. It doesn’t mean you weaken your message just because you focus on what your audience needs.

The principle is clear; If you want more people to eat carrots, then change the color. If you want more students to listen to what is true, change how you present it.”

What do you think? Can we change the way we present the Truth (or the way that we “do church,”) without altering the Biblical message?

Sunday School vs Small Groups

October 29, 2009 / Ben Reed / 9 Comments

discipleship

“Sunday School guys” and “small group guys” are often pitted against each other. Here are some of the stereotypes:

Sunday schools help people to grow in Biblical knowledge…small groups don’t.

Small groups build healthy relationships…Sunday schools don’t really care about the relational aspect.

Small groups are relevant…Sunday school was relevant 50 years ago.

Sunday school really helps people go “deep” in their faith…small groups stay on the surface-level depth of Christianity.

Here are a few things I can confidently assert about the discipleship in the Christian life:

Discipleship is more than just information transfer. The disciples spent time with Jesus. They heard him preach…but that wasn’t Jesus’ only method of making disciples. He spent significant amounts of time with them.
“Depth” doesn’t just mean a person can quote all 9 of John Piper’s sermons on TULIP, or completely and succinctly recite the Westminster Catechism. Some of the deepest, most life-changing conversations I have had with others haven’t revolved around difficult, divisive theological issues. Depth, in my opinion, is about things which matter both here and in eternity. Not all of those things necessitate insider language. (see my post on the danger of insider language HERE) Can we really say that the intricacies of the atonement are “deeper” than the challenge to truly love our neighbor?
However we communicate (via sermon, blog, twitter, Facebook, over a cup of coffee, a text message, an email, a letter, or an iPhone app), we need to portray the life-transforming nature of the Gospel (the nature and pervasiveness of sin, the hopelessness of the sinner, the person and life of Christ, and the hope of a coming resurrection) in a way that makes sense to both believers and non-believers alike.
The goal of Christianity is Christ-likeness. See Romans 8:29, 2 Corinthians 3:18, Galatians 4:19, Ephesians 4:13, 22-24
This goal cannot be accomplished without the help of others. Jesus, in John 13:34, said, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” You cannot do that on your own!

I believe that the way that we, at Grace, do small groups is the best way that the above truths of discipleship are accomplished. If, at some point, we cease to make disciples, I’m willing to throw out the system in favor of the mission. Don’t believe me? Read my post about that very thing HERE and HERE.

What do you think? Is discipleship better accomplished in Sunday School or small groups? Should we throw both of them out and start all over?

If you want to see small groups expert Rick Howerton and Sunday School guru David Francis talk this through, check out the video they put together HERE.

Our crazy staff

October 22, 2009 / Ben Reed / 3 Comments

Building team camaraderie is important.

Laughing together as a team is essential.

Building unity is an undeniable advantage.

Doing stupid videos for Remix…probably not a must, but at least we made fools of ourselves!

Do you need a Sin Cage 2009?

Chili Cook-off

October 15, 2009 / Ben Reed / 2 Comments

If you follow me on Twitter or Facebook, you know that I like to talk smack about how my chili is much better than yours. Well, here’s your chance to step up to the plate and show the world that your chili is…not as good as mine!

chili Here are the details:

Date: Saturday, October 24 – APSU vs EKU

Time: 4pm (chili should get there by 3:30)

Location: Parking lot in tailgate alley, between the Dunn center and the football stadium. Look for our black tent that has a red Grace Community Church sign

How to enter: Email HERE.

How to win: beat Ben! (voting happens the day of the event)

This is a great opportunity to see college ministry in action and invest in college students at Austin Peay. If you’re looking for a ministry to plug into, maybe this is the one for you.

If you’re looking to win a chili cook-off, you should look elsewhere.

Think you’ve got what it takes to win?

Chuck Swindoll, 50 years of ministry

October 14, 2009 / Ben Reed / 2 Comments

I didn’t grow up listening to Chuck Swindoll, or his Insight For Living. Many people did, but I just didn’t, for whatever reason. After hearing his talk at Catalyst 2009, I wish I had. After receiving the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award at Catalyst 2009, he shared with us what he had learned in his 50 years of ministry, and his goals for his next 50 years in ministry. Needless to say, I took feverish notes. I love to sit at the feet of leaders who have been faithful for so long.

10 Things Chuck Swindoll has Learned in 50 Years of Ministry

1. It’s lonely to lead

2. it’s dangerous to succeed. Every successful person he’s known has had a time where he or she was crushed by God. This is dangerous work. It takes time, often includes failure, and is unbelievably difficult.

3. It’s hardest to lead at home. “Nobody told me that in seminary.”

4. It’s essential to be real. Phoniness is personified among leaders, and those you are leading see right through it.

5. It’s painful to obey. God will ask you to go to some places where it’s not your choice to go.

6. Brokenness and failure are necessary. He quoted Malcolm Muggeridge, former editor of Punch magazine, “If it were ever possible to eliminate affliction, life would be too trivial.” The cross signifies this affliction, and draws us to Christ. In the eyes of the world our failure was a complete failure, but it was completely essential.

7. my attitude is more important than my actions

8. integrity eclipses image. what you’re ding isn’t a show, and what you do behind the scenes that makes you who you are.

9. God’s way is always better than my way. Our problem is that we’re actually too capable, too skilled, and can pull things off in the flesh. God’s going to have His way.

10. Christ-likeness begins and ends with humility. ‘I am meek & lowly in heart.’ Matthew 11:29.

5 statements worth remembering during his next 50 yrs in ministry

1. Whatever you do, do more with others and less all alone.

2. Whenever you spend time with others, emphasize quality not quantity.

3. Wherever you go, do it the same as if you were among those who know you the best (it will help you keep from exaggerating). Make sure those you love are in the audience, because it creates accountability, honesty, and humility

4. Whoever may respond, keep a level head.

5. However long you lead, keep dripping with gratitude and grace.

Do You Have a Vision Problem?

September 18, 2009 / Ben Reed / 0 Comments

Keep Out! I visited a church recently, and found it to be less than friendly. In fact, we felt like we were outsiders.

They used lots of “insider” language, barely acknowledged that visitors were even present, and talked about situations that one would only know about if he or she were a regular attender.

The problem, as I saw it, wasn’t a lack of volunteers. It wasn’t even a lack of skilled volunteers. There were plenty of capable folks who could have made us feel warm and welcomed.

The problem wasn’t that the pastor and leaders couldn’t communicate in such a way that first-timers could get it.

The problem wasn’t a lack of organization on the part of the leadership and the “welcome” committee.

The problem is that they didn’t want to.

By not communicating the importance of welcoming outsiders, they had structured their service in such a way that those who are new felt awkward, unwelcomed, and ultimately unwanted.

People want to be led. They’ll be led where the leader takes them.

If there’s a problem with vitally important tasks consistently not being carried out, maybe the finger needs to be pointed at you, the leader.

Are you regularly casting vision for those things that are most important? Where are you taking those you’re leading?

The Role of Parents

September 16, 2009 / Ben Reed / 0 Comments

I serve at an unbelievably awesome church. I won’t go into all of the reasons why I feel that way, but I’ll talk about one reason here.

We are a church that cares about families. One way that we do that is by giving parents and children opportunities to talk about important matters of faith. Children and parents typically go their separate ways on Sunday mornings, right? Children to the children’s area, parents to the sanctuary…or Starbucks, if they really don’t like the preacher. I’m not challenging this at all. In fact, it’s probably best that parents have a separate area on Sunday mornings (the whole Starbucks thing, though…yeah, that’s probably not best). However, this does not negate the fact that parents and children need to talk about God…together!

This may be revolutionary to you, but it is not the job of the local church to be the primary voice of truth and training for your children. That’s the job of their parents! Parents should not abdicate their role to the youth pastor or children’s pastor.

Deuteronomy 6:4-7 says, “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” (emphasis mine)

Talking to children “when you sit at home…walk along the road…lie down and get up” only makes sense in the context of a family…not the local church. The local church’s role is to equip parents to do what God has called them to do, helping them to live out their faith with their children.

So, in order to not step on the toes of parents whose job it is to teach their children how to honor the Lord, in addition to giving parents tools each week on Sunday morning (to continue the conversation started in their child’s small group), we have a once/month event. This event, called Cross Street Live (for children k-5th grade), is designed to communicate the truths of Scripture in a way that is fun and engaging for children. The catch is that the parents are required to attend as well, thus exposing them to the truth and giving them topics to talk about with their children.

Sound like something you’d be interested in? Great! It’s open to the public, and it starts this Sunday, September 20th! All of the information is listed on the Cross Street Live website.

Will you be there?

Sunday Morning

August 18, 2009 / Ben Reed / 0 Comments

I’m blessed to serve at Grace Community Church. Seriously, I’m blessed like crazy. They took a chance on a young guy like me, even before I was done with seminary. Hopefully, it’s not one they are regretting now! I’m given freedom to try new things and experiment with different ideas in ministry, all with the hope that more of Clarksville might fall in love with Jesus. I’m also given direction and shepherding as a young leader, which I desperately want and need. Seminary was great, don’t get me wrong…but it didn’t prepare me for all that I would encounter in ministry. The team that I serve with here is so supportive, and I love serving with them.

If you’re not a part of Grace, let me introduce you to Chad Rowland (aka @chadrowland, if you’re on twitter). The guy’s a phenom. I’m wowed every time he preaches. He’s a masterful storyteller (before you brand me as a heretic for praising him as a storyteller and not as a “preacher” or “pastor,” don’t forget that Scripture is the story of God’s redeeming his people…that’s right, isn’t it?), having me on the edge of my seat one minute as he shares a story, laughing the next, and floored by the Truth the very next. Yesterday was no exception. He was able to cast the vision for who we are as a church, our three-fold strategy for making growing followers of Christ, and talk about money, the easiest, most comfortable topic to address ever…it was a ton to cover in a short amount of time, but as always, Chad did it with much precision and wisdom. God’s using him in amazing ways at Grace.

[vodpod id=Groupvideo.3217610&w=425&h=350&fv=channelID%3D100000273]

more about “TruthCasting“, posted with vodpod

Saturday fun

August 1, 2009 / Ben Reed / 5 Comments

I’m all for a good laugh. If this video doesn’t make you laugh, or even if it does, you should join us tomorrow morning at Grace Community Church. Expect to see nothing like this: