The Pastor Who Won’t Risk
- Posted by: Todd
- Posted on: Sun, March 13, 2005
- Viewed 91
- (24) comments so far
Michael Jordan said it this way: "I have failed over and over again -- that is why I succeed."
So why is it as pastors and church leaders, we fear failure so much? Why is it that so many churches and pastors hardly ever take risks? Why is the state of today's church in many communities is just more of the same old, same old? Why do we settle for maintaining the status quo?
According to Kirbyjon Caldwell, Walt Kallestad and Paul Sorensen in their book Entrepreneurial Faith, status quo thinking will fail the church...
"The world is changing too rapidly for us to continue doing things just as we have done them in the past. If you think your city is immune to the radical changes and monumental shifts in our culture, think again. The United States is no longer a Christian nation, if it ever was one. Past assumptions about spiritual needs and beliefs, religious attitudes and allegiances, no longer hold sway. All this means that the past ways of doing ministry no longer speak to the needs of most people. If we?re doing what we?ve always done, we might be missing the opportunity to minister to those who need it the most."
Do you agree? If so, what can you do today to take the plunge? What risk can you take that will pay-off bigtime? Could you fail? Absolutely! But so what? The stakes are so high... but there is so much to gain! We're talking God's kingdom here... His people... His church... and lost souls.
Caldwell, Kallestad and Sorensen continue:
"If we can?t reach this generation by remaining within the walls of the church, and all the signs indicate that we can?t, then it?s time for entrepreneurial faith initiatives. We must take the church to the community. And it?s not just the twentysomething generation that is being missed. Look around your community and start making a list. There?s the immigrant population, the teen population, those who have grown up with no Christian influence and thus no familiarity with religion, and many, many others. Very few of these people will ever be affected by what goes on during a church service, no matter how dynamic, upbeat, and relevant the service is. Those who are following Buddhism or Hinduism, those who claim no religion, those who have been wounded in life (sometimes, even by the church), the lost men, women, boys, and girls in your community will not typically venture into your church. They have no reason to think they?ll find any answers there. They still have a tremendous need to experience the awesome reality of God?s love, but they won?t come begging.
Status-quo ministry says ?open the doors and they?ll come.? That might have worked in the past, but it long ago lost its effectiveness. We can no longer just schedule church services and programs and wait for those who need God to show up. We must find creative ways to engage the nonchurchgoers in our communities. We must take the gospel out of the church and to the people. We must become entrepreneurs as we practice our faith. If we refuse to take this step, we run the very real risk of losing literally millions around us who desperately need and want to experience the love of God and who live right in our neighborhoods. Whether you are a pastor, an involved layperson, or a businessperson concerned about the needs in your community, it?s time to start dreaming about how God can use you in new ways. Ways that may be scary at times, but adventures that will be exciting as well."
Are you up for the risk? Are you in for the ride of your life? I'll close with the words of Steven Curtis Chapman from his popular song "The Great Adventure":
Saddle up your horses we've got a trail to blaze
Through the wild blue yonder of God's amazing grace
Let's follow our leader into the glorious unknown
This is a life like no other - this is The Great Adventure!
Have a great week in ministry!
Todd
This weekend, my family went to see the new movie "Robots." It was a cute move… one that we all enjoyed. It’s one of those movies that does have a good moral at the end of the story… you know; the never-old idea of "work hard, follow your dreams you can change the world." Well, there was one line in the move that really stuck out to me for some reason. It all happens when one of "Rodney Copperbottom’s" self-destructing friends tells Rodney his life’s motto: "Never try… never fail.”
Comments
if you want a Globally Recognized Avatar (the images next to your profile) get them here. Once you sign up, they will displayed on any website that supports them.
bigdaddysmith on Mon, March 14, 2005
Thank you so much for this article. I am serving witha pastor who is waiting to retire but won’t retire. He thinks that if people would get right with God they would be at church every time we open our doors. The biggest problem is he is preaching to the choir because we arn’t reaching any body in our community. We are just keepin the ones who have grown up in the church busy with churchy things. Thank you again for your article.
Daniel Zepeda on Mon, March 14, 2005
The article stated “So why is it as pastors and church leaders, we fear failure so much? Why is it that so many churches and pastors hardly ever take risks? Why is the state of today’s church in many communities is just more of the same old, same old? Why do we settle for maintaining the status quo?”
There is a deep cry within the body of Christ that is beginning to surface as we near the day of the rapture. That cry is beginning to be heard by pastors and Christians as the Holy Spirit convicts them of their lukewarmness. We wonder why we never take risks and the answer is the same for what causes that deep cry within us, as our spirit man crys out “there has to be more to Christianity than what I am experiencing!”
The answer is that we have failed to develop a deep personal relationship with the Father that changes us to be able to trust God completely. We no longer fast and pray as a matter of LIFE STYLE, but only do so as a second thought instead of realizing this is our primary source for Holy Ghost power that gives us the courage we need to do God’s will. Without fellowship of the divine nature, we will never be able to trust God fully. Reader read carefully this next sentence and understand fully its meaning. We must learn to approach our heavenly Father as a child. Once we do this, we will have the fellowship our inner spirit hungers for the presence of our Father. Just like a child that pesters their parents continually until they get their parents attention so must we go before the Father in Jesus name with a determined purpose not to be denied his presence. It is with the heart of a child and the faith of a child that we enter into the presence of God.
Yes there is a price to pay but once you fellowship with God the price becomes so insignificant compared to the presence of our Heavenly Father. We are not of this world we are here to train for the coming eternal kingdom of our Christ in which we will rule as sons of the Most High God. We are to be light in this present darkness and salt for this nation that needs moral absolutes found only in the Word of God the Bible. If we fail to hear this call many will die without being saved and we shall go before the judgement seat of Christ and try to explain our cowardliness. Jeremiah saw in his day a back slidden people. It may be time to speak these words again in the midst of our congregations.
Jeremiah 8:20
The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved. 21For the hurt of the daughter of my people am I hurt; I am black; astonishment hath taken hold on me. 22Is there no balm in Gilead; is there no physician there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recovered?
Let us awaken to this great call and put our trust in God who is sovereign our all the affairs of man. What can man do to us if we are only passing through?
God Bless you my brothers.
Wesley Harmon on Mon, March 14, 2005
It is very sad to know today that churches looked at something else other then preaching to win the lost at all cost. This is what Jesus said in Matthew 28:19..“GO THEREFORE AND MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL THE NATIONS, BAPTIZING THEM IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND OF THE SON AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT,...this is what Christ’s followered should be doing but instay churches are focussing on big church buildings and classic church. I pray that God will help us christian to live up to our expectations. Pastor, church leaders are so pre-occupy with achiving their own goals other then achiving God’s goal [that is soul winning]. As a result we will not be able to see what God want us to see or do.
All you need is go, take the risk believing God to help you out.
I closed by asking you who is reading this comment, would you let Jesus down?
Harry Miller on Mon, March 14, 2005
It is the churches job to beget Christ not to beget something else. When Jesus is with you the work is good and the fruit is good. Jesus Christ is the unity of the brethren and the measure is the cross. We dwell in Him and He is the head. It is not mutual submission Bernie Dehler (regarding your website talk). Christ is the model to which the church conforms:
“All things work together for the good to them that love God. To them that are called according to His purpose. For whom He did foreknow He also did predestinate to be conformed into the image of His Son that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.” Romans 8:28,29
Remember the marriage is the reflection of this:
“For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh.
This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church.” Ephesians 5:31,32
I have been preaching in the highways and hedges for over five years. I am not a member of the incorporated church. I am a member of Christ and I belong to Him. I am witnessing miracles of changed lives everyday and it is because Jesus is with me. The fruit just falls off the tree now. I have a wife that is full of the loving kindness of the Lord. When I come home there is no bitterness, anger, wrath, clamor or evil speaking. It is loving kindness 99% of the time. This is a miracle if you consider the devil of a person I was before Christ.
The reason I am sharing this is because I am like the lepers who found the loot outside of Jerusalem’s walls. For those who are struggling with marriages let God be your marriage counselor and obey the Holy Scriptures. The problem is sin. The answer is Jesus Christ. And if we confess our sins God is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Remove the leaven of wicked believers (1 Corintheans 5) this was the break through for us.
I am like Rehab the harlot: who confessed her sins and layed her life down with Christ to save the messengers and God made her a queen in the royal line of the King of Kings and she had Boaz which down the line brought forth David which down the line brought forth Christ.
I have not went to jail, or had my possessions taken away, or been beaten for Christ and neither has any of the fruit that has come forth. We have not been found worthy at this point, but watching peoples lives change from pagans to being in love with Jesus is a real blessing.
Praise The Lord!
phill on Tue, March 15, 2005
This conversation goes on all the time…I am a community pastor and doing what we are talking about in today’s post. Unfortunately I have seen way to many places that do not want to become this type of church nor do they want to see their pastor move in this direction.
I would be interested to know who is doing this type of stuff and who you are…e-mail me…we are doing it and I need to learn from you…
We have twenty five entry points with close to three hundred people in our department ministering to the community…I want to learn from others on doing this…
JOHN AVONG on Tue, March 15, 2005
Thankyou. Your article has delivered me from a chronic spiritual problem-the fear of failure.Iam not longer afraid of failure because no man has ever got it right for the first time.
Jeff in Maine on Tue, March 15, 2005
This page was introduced to me today by my pastor, and I am curious to know what actions (and results) in line with this article have been attempted in churches like mine, i.e. small (<50 members), long-established (for generations) and rural (local population here is maybe 1000). What has been your experience?
Michelle on Mon, December 05, 2005
I just came across this today! Thank you Todd for your words of insight. Yes- we must actually step out of the boat if we want to walk on water!
I also wanted to thank you for quoting John Mason. I work at his ministry. Our hope is to always make an impact!
God bless
LeVaN on Fri, November 03, 2006
http://www.masturbating-sibel-can.toyt3.com ^^^ http://www.eskorte-stavanger-homosexuell.toyt3.com ^^^ http://www.bramare-fighetta-fottilo.str0nz0.com ^^^ http://www.beauty-bionde-azione.str0nz0.com ^^^ http://www.remsa-wwwluan-krasniqi.pul4.com ^^^ http://www.kat-ryska-fri.pul4.com ^^^ http://www.fri-kraftiga-fittor.pu1a.com ^^^ http://www.dick-kata-damer.pu1a.com ^^^ http://www.komea-aasialainen-rakas.huor4.com ^^^ http://www.sympaattinen-sairaanhoitaja-rakas.huor4.com ^^^ http://www.jarjeton-amatoori-aasi-naida.hu0ra.com ^^^ http://www.aung-san-suu.hu0ra.com ^^^ http://www.risoluto-irsuto.fott1.com ^^^ http://www.amichevole-americano-spogliarello.fott1.com ^^^ http://www.strano-cameriera-gruppo.f0tti.com ^^^ http://www.faint-cameriera-ass-to-mouth.f0tti.com ^^^ http://www.perverssi-shemale-kuvia.sexsipillu.com ^^^ http://www.nakene-damer-perverssi.sexsipillu.com ^^^ http://www.spermakaskader-nollning-nude.sexknulla.com ^^^ http://www.analt-br-leker.sexknulla.com ^^^ http://www.video-sexss-filmer.sexfitte.com ^^^ http://www.cumdojo-oral.sexfitte.com ^^^ http://www.afeitadas-bukkake.sessololiti.com ^^^ http://www.microbikinis-bukkake.sessololiti.com ^^^ http://www.lesbe-descuidos-discotecas.sesso-loliti.com ^^^ http://www.sesso-colegialas-al-desnudo.sesso-loliti.com ^^^ http://www.amatorsex-vip-pics.toyt3.info ^^^ http://www.ejakulasjon-kvinner-gratis-gratissex.toyt3.info ^^^ http://www.chicas-encueradas-gay.tettin3.info ^^^ http://www.peponia-sta-skalia.tettin3.info ^^^ http://www.hardcore-casalinghe-rubias.tett1ne.info ^^^ http://www.chochos-enormes-hardcore.tett1ne.info ^^^ http://www.babie-latina-penis.tard0ne.info ^^^ http://www.sesso-troie-it.tard0ne.info ^^^ http://www.penis-aria-latex.t3ttine.info ^^^ http://www.funny-giovane-merda.t3ttine.info ^^^ http://www.sugejobber-kuse.t0yt3.info ^^^ http://www.gruppesex-kjempe-fitte.t0yt3.info ^^^ http://www.jong-poesje-op-kantoor.sl3tterig.info ^^^ http://www.rotschopf-shulgirls-verdammt.sl3tterig.info ^^^
Page 2 of 2 pages < 1 2
Post a Comment