Influence and Change Chapter 4

In church meetings designed to suggest changes and innovations , we need to be persuasive. Look at assets not just deficits. Affirm the congregation for past and current successes. Honor the fathers and mothers for their innovative ways. 

Brag on past leaders. Show photos of key people that have guided the church. Connect them to changes and suggest they would welcome current changes. 

If we know major innovations are needed, being patient in order to select and train innovators to facilitate changes is necessary. We need people to come alongside and support new people. However, it is hard to do, especially when growing fast. It is necessary. 

In one church a new Minister asked himself, "How do I get this board to lead new ways of doing things at this church?" God's answer was clear: 

"This board has no need or desire to change. It will take a group of innovators and change-makers to go where God is leading. Choose key men and women and coach them how to lead." 

He did and five years later the church was booming. yep, it took five years to prepare changemakers. 

Slow down and make small, incremental changes. It has to be one day at a time and one change at a time. 

Start with the structures first. Adult education is usually a great place to begin. Never, ever try to change the morning worship first. We all have memories of our favorite songs and preachers. But few have had great experiences with adult education.

Get a small group to be with you and catch the vision. 

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A Visit by Steve and Janie Sjogren in Cincinnati

Steve and Janie Sjogren moved to Cincinnati in the mid 80's and planted a church. It was called Vineyard Cincinnati and became one of the fastest growing congregations in America.

Steve was an innovator and change agent. He "invented" one of the most creative and effective outreach programs in church history. Hundreds of thousands of people have heard about the love of Christ all over the earth.

I was playing golf with a Pastor from South Africa in the 90's when he began to share how he and several other Pastors in his city organized a citywide campaign to care for the poor and left out people. They called it Servant Evangelism!

I said, "When did you meet Steve Sjogren?'
He replied, "Who? I never heard of him."

Servant Evangelism has spread all over the earth and is being a very effective way to reach out to people even if they do not recognize the founder.

Steve has not finished. he has started a new venture or two. Go to his web page and sign up for his webinars. 

The webinars are on his blog at the same address.

How Jesus DID Confront the Men that tried to trick Him

In my post about Jesus and the mob of judgmental males that tried to trick Him I asked my readers to pick the post apart. I want readers to think and disagree. I attempted to be provocative but no one bit. Is it because I failed to provoke you?

Can you analyze the John 8 passage and see how Jesus was extremely confrontational?

John 8 reveals how Jesus used extremely smart ways to avoid what I call "The Devil's Dilemma". It is a ploy that the enemy so often uses to distract us from the Kingdom.

The Devil knows we are weak and easily fall into the traps of moralism, legalism and judgmentalism. All he must do to divert our attention away from salvation by grace is to throw out an easy question about sin, guilt and punishment.

We easily fall into that trap and the potential converts are persuaded that we hate them and worse, that God hates them. As a result, they run away from us and God as fast as possible.

Please exegete this chapter with me and try to understand how Jesus acted. It might be a possible role model for us as well. Read the passage and ask yourself:

To whom is He speaking?
What was the main question to Jesus from the manipulators?
How could Jesus have answered?
How did Jesus answer?
What did Jesus do to answer them?

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The 12 Steps of Sobriety from Heroin

For decades I have been promoting 12 Step Groups as one of the best ways for churches and community groups to defeat bad habits, compulsions and addictions.

One block for many Christians is a misunderstanding of 12 Steps. They think the way people talk about AA group meetings is a problem. They do not like the fact that people introduce themselves as Alcoholics.

This small detail is to remind everyone that their enemy is alcohol. Theologically it is not wise to identify as an alcoholic but in those meetings it is a way to say "We are in this boat together".

As I read these steps it is impossible to find anything wrong with them from a biblical point of view.

Steps 1-3 get me into a personal, caring relationship with God

1. I admitted I was powerless over my problems-that my life had become unmanageable.

2. I came to believe that a Power greater than myself could restore me to sanity.

3. I made a decision to turn my life over to the care of God as I understood Him

Steps 4-6 get me cleaned up morally and spiritually

4. I made a searching and fearless moral inventory

5. I admitted to God myself and to another person the exact nature of my wrongs.

6. Was entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.

Steps 7-9 help me change and get healed in my relationships.

7. I humbly asked Him to remove my shortcomings.

8. Made a list of all persons I had harmed; became willing to make amends to them.

9. Made direct amends to such persons whenever possible except when to do so would injure them or others.

Steps 10-12 offer a continual process of healing, peace and growth

10. Continued to take personal inventory and promptly admitted when I was wrong.

11. Sought through prayer and meditation to improve my conscious contact with God, praying only for the knowledge of His will for me and the power to carry it out.

12. Having had a spiritual awakening as a result of these steps, I tried to carry this message to others and practice these principles in all my affairs.

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John Chapter 8 The Men caught in Judgement

Read this chapter and reflect on what key points the Lord is trying to make. What do the Bible Commentators normally focus on? 

John 8: Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them. 3 Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, 4 they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. 

5 Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?” 6 This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. 

But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.

7 So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up[g] and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.”

8 And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground.9 Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 

10 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her,“Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?”

11 She said, “No one, Lord.”

And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”

12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

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Helping Addicts

I am often asked about how to assist people with serious mental, emotional, relational and spiritual problems. Perhaps it is because I am the founder of several Professional and Peer Counseling organizations. Our team established one of the largest Peer Helping Ministries in the USA.

Then we established two LifeWay Inpatient units for people with Psychiatric problems and Addictions. The outpatient centers are still in operation. I am retired from active practice.

For the last few years I have been training churches, schools and community groups how to improve the human relations and healthy activities of their members. We raise the level of positive relationships and prevent more serious problems.

Because of the current issues with heroin, there are many questions about ways to treat addicts. Here are some hints.

1. If you are concerned about addictions of any kind and any substance, start now to equip the healthy members to be healthier! Do not wait until there is a crisis.

2. Helping an addict to find sobriety is possible. However, it is very, very daunting. Do not start with addicts. Support experts that provide Counseling and equip Peers to stop enabling addicts.

3. People can become addicted to anything animal, vegetable, mineral, or spiritual. The object is unimportant. Sex, dope, food, TV, video games, alcohol, violence, ETC.

4. If you want to focus on addiction start Al-Anon in your church or community center. (That is for family members and friends of addicts.)

5. Start a 12 Step Group in your church or community center for addicts can be a good thing.

6. Find people that are in recovery and ask them to advise you. You do not need Doctors or highly educated experts.

7. Stop preaching against addiction.

Preach for people, for healing, for recovery, for grace, for mercy, for love. 

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Jesus Did Not Confront Adulterous Men and Women Because???

In the story presented a few days ago about the woman caught in adultery was used to indicate that Jesus, unlike many of us, did not teach that believers should verbally point out moral failures.  As a result, he did not confront the woman.

Nor did he directly confront the men involved in the adultery. In fact, those men were not mentioned but indeed, if she was guilty as charged, must have been involved with at least one male. (In those days no one was confused about sex and gender roles.)

What was the situation Jesus faced? It can be called, "The Devil's Predicament". It is the way the tempter often appears when we are interacting with a friend or acquaintance that has a difference of opinion, especially about moral choices.

If we are busily building a solid relationship of trust based on mercy and grace, we know that Uncle Screwtape will get mighty nervous. Screwtape gets nervous anytime one of his disciples becomes friends with a true believer. At that point he will go to work to divert our attention from grace to jump on the morality bandwagon.

It is almost impossible for a nice, gentle, pious believer to resist one kind of temptation. It is not just pretty women or strong drink that diverts our attention away from Kingdom activities, it is the need to call balls and strikes when we smell the awful sulfurous stench of SIN!

So, Jesus was in the middle of carrying out Kingdom business when Screwtape saw it on streaming video. He quickly sent a text to Wormwood for an immediate intervention.

Dear Nephew, you must intervene. Jesus is teaching and gaining converts. Stop him now.

Dear Uncle. How?

Dear Nephew. Don't ask stupid questions. Have you completely forgotten "The Favorite Predicament" of our Master? Find a legal scholar to ask an embarrassing question and divert him from the Kingdom.

Dear Uncle. I apologize. I know just the people to bring over and confront Jesus. He will not get out of this one. No one can resist the one about judging sin!

See John 8 for the full story. (But with Screwtape and Wormwood hidden from view.)

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Heroin and the Hope

I attended a meeting of about 130 concerned citizens of Mason, Ohio last night. It is a group led by Mark Stecher, Campus Pastor of the Mason Crossroads Church. The terrible problems of heroin overdoses is an overwhelming issue.

It called for churches and community groups to get together and fight against Heroin. Crossroads is mobilizing people by gathering everyone to come together at 7:00 AM the first and third Tuesday mornings in Mason.

Is that enough?

Yesterday at lunch I met with Josh Willis of Hamilton who has fought drugs all of his adult life. He set up a place for addicts to come for healing way back in the seventies. He recently retired and turned it over to a Psychiatrist.

Josh stills wants to fight against drugs. But how? 

Because of our compassion and desire to do something, do anything, we can rush into short term solutions without thinking of the future. People that are hooked today have an ACUTE PROBLEM that requires immediate treatment answers.

 The answers are not in cleaner needles or more speeches but in expanding treatment centers both residential and outpatient. 

I started an inpatient and outpatient program for addicts and behavior health in 1989 called Life Way Counseling Centers. The clinic continues to operate. Call 513-769-4600

Long term we have a CHRONIC PROBLEM requiring prevention and structural changes. Education does not help much. The DARE programs were/are failures.

What do you suggest?


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Influence and Change Chapter 3

It is a big question today about how Christians can influence a pagan culture. Do we confront it? Withdraw from it? Join it? Enjoy it? How do we act?

Paul in Acts 17:22 did it. How? He used a very modern technique to influence the highly educated Pagans of Athens, Greece. These men loved to debate. 

The first goal of their debates is not to crush the opponent but to get them to see that you and he agree on an issue. Paul wisely did the same.

 Paul changes the medium for this message. In other sermons he often began with the history of Israel. Not this one. Here he  spoke to Greeks who knew little about Israel's holy history. As a result he was brilliant when he opened his debate remarks with:

1.     A visual aid tool.Visuals are more impactful than words. The picture becomes wedded to the brain. 

2.     He focused on an idol that was very familiar to the Greeks. Idols were everywhere. 

3.     He wisely affirmed them for their religion! Could you have had the courage to do that? It was a false god!!

4.     He then asked great questions in the Greek manner. It is designed to make them think and put them at ease.

It was a masterful presentation with enormous psychological impact. It made Paul's sharing applicable to the current situation. He related to their cultural and religious context so he could communicate to them persuasively. (We catch more flies with honey than with vinegar!) 

Can we do that? Can we affirm a Muslim or Buddhist for his or her devotion? 

Is it right to do what Paul did or is it "watering down the word" by "failing to take a stand"? 

Was Paul right or wrong?

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Innovation and Change Second Chapter

A man of character finds a special attractiveness in difficulty, since it is only by coming to grips with difficulty that he can realize his potentialities. Aristotle

All organizations face the dilemma of changing while keeping in touch with past values and future ideas. Every family also faces  difficulties daily, especially as children grow and begin to develop their own values and ideas.

Churches and workplaces are little more than families coming together to work. We bring our strengths, habits and weaknesses with us. One of the ways we can prepare our families and congregations for needed changes is by introducing current issues into the discussions. 

Bible study can be either all theology or all current events. Neither works without the other. The key is to set up a dialogue between the two worlds and apply scripture to life and life to scripture. To only teach the Bible leads to Trivial Pursuit: Lots of trivial knowledge but little or no application to marriage and family life, community affairs and politics.  

An overemphasis on Current Events leads to faddish thinking with no substance. We are not political parties or marriage therapists but we can be informed about the ways spirituality and life intertwine and build on each other. 

When we wisely connect the two worlds together in a dialogue it can lead to a readiness to change by most of the people. We all need, like Peter, "A Vision from God" or we will always choose past habits that are easy and comfortable rather than learning new ways o understand other people. This can be transforming. 

Select leaders that have a proven track record of leading change in business and industry. Have book clubs and film reviews that study current affairs and contemporary messages in them that impact us and our children. 

I am thinking about a friend that wanted to minister to children so she spoke with her church about setting up a childcare center nearby. She hired some workers and put out an ad in the local paper with the money the church allocated to the job. 

Before long they had about 30 kids of nursery age with single moms who dropped them off early in the morning before work. This service allowed them to minister to 30 kids and their moms. It was a tremendous way to draw people to the church ministry on other days as well because they had built trust with their love. 

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How to Promote Innovation and Change Introduction

                              Got a big problem, Pilgrim?

If you are not riding the wave of change--you'll find yourself beneath it. Anonymous

Many large organizations develop separate, independent groups and systems to lead innovation. Trying to innovate in an organization while maintaining the health of the current system is very, very difficult. Individuals and systems find innovation extremely difficult.

Revivals and Awakenings in religious life are times when large scale innovations occur. As I read church and political history it is apparent that there are times when God breaks into a large system and causes an outbreak of new ideas, music, ways to communicate and organizational structures. (These things also occur in scientific and political systems.)

In most cases, those in charge of the current ways of doing things strongly resist the new ideas. Sometimes, the ideas become so filled with emotion that conflict breaks out between the innovators and the traditionalists.

Just read the Old Testament and see what happened when Prophets confronted the current kings and leaders with the needed changes. Saul was happy with David as long as the shepherd was on his side. However, when God sent Prophets to crown him as the new king, Saul was very unhappy even though he knew the prophesy was from God.

A New Testament example is Brother Peter, the Rock that is immovable! As he prayed the Holy Spirit showed him a vision to which he responded, "Oh no, Lord. I cannot do what you are saying. I am too committed to my past traditions!"

God had to repeat the vision and commands to eat that which was considered to be unclean. Despite those direct commands from God, The Rock stood firm and said no!

That sums up the problem all innovators have and it is especially difficult because we rarely have God's voice speaking directly into the Elder Board members' ears!

Resistance is predictable. So, what can we do about it, Mr. and Mrs. Leader???

Find out more about dealing with resistance and support our ministry here!

The information that got us to this place will not take us to the next.

Why Did Jesus Not Confront Adulterous Sinners?

Have you ever seen Pastors or Counselors advertise they are uniquely Christian in their ability to change people by simply confronting them about their Sin and sins. "We know that Jesus always confronted so we alway confront sinners" they seem to say.

The fact that direct confrontation does not always or even usually bring positive changes in others does not deter the true believers from preaching a confrontation message.

Since facts about real people do not work, we can examine the biblical text and see what Jesus really did. (One of my favorite ways to deal with folks who say things like, "The Bible ALWAYS tells us to ___________" is by asking them to give me a series of texts that proves that point.)

Let us examine one of the most famous texts in the New Testament. The men of a certain village brought a woman to Jesus and asked what they should do with her. "She committed adultery so should we stone her?"

The people that say they are just like Jesus and always confront sinners may dislike this passage. Here was a perfect opportunity for Jesus to show off with His ability to implement the Law of Moses.

A circle of men demanded that Jesus interpret the Law for them had set a trap. In Counseling jargon it is a Triangle between the Law and the woman as well as a Triangle between the men and the Law. Their question was a gentle and direct invitation for Jesus to get caught in between the side of the Triangles. They wanted Jesus to confront her!

Jesus was too smart for them. He refused. His response was brilliant. It was a model for all of us.

Go to John 8 to read the story carefully.

Name the main characters.

How did Jesus treat the characters?

Why did Jesus Not Heal Everyone....?

Early in my Christian walk I had answers to many if not most of the hard questions about God, Jesus, the Trinity and more. I even knew why God healed some people and not others.

My friend Larry Chrouch, a businessman and teacher of biblical truths extraordinaire, responded so well to to a group of Christian leaders in Norway that I will repeat it here as my current answer. "Why some people were not healed? " the theologian asked, after Larry and Ellen Chrouch related their testimony. The 300 or so Pastors' at a renewal conference had heard them share some amazing stories about God's healing grace and wanted to know what to do or say if a person was not healed.

His answer, as best remember it,was: "After 20 years in the healing ministry I have many more unanswered questions than I did at first. However, I am more convinced than ever that God heals."

Larry was a master of simple but profound sayings that penetrated and summarized a tough biblical mystery with humor. He had a million of them.

So, I join my friend and say, "I used to think the Bible and faith were puzzles that we could answer if we knew enough. Like a crossword puzzle, we can fill in the blanks with our perfect knowledge. 

Now I believe that much of life and godliness is a mystery. 

The mysteries are deeper and the challenges huge but I still believe God heals, saves and delivers. 

Self Worth of a Leader

For some years I have offered my counseling free to Christian leaders. Several have asked me to help them deal with anxiety, worry, depression, conflicts, marital and family concerns, etc. in many cases the situation boils down to the leader trying to over function. We can call it burn out, workaholism, compulsions, etc. it does not matter what the name, it is a person trying to do what only God can do.

The Olympics has reminded me of a chronic problem of leaders. We compare ourselves to the best in the world when we might well be good enough to play in our city or county. One wag suggested that every Olympic event needs a normal person in the competition so we can compare the top people with the average person.

Many preachers and leaders compare themselves with the top TV Preachers or the top authors. Some even ask themselves, "What would Jesus do?" That is like asking "What would Michael Phelps swim if he were in the pool with me?"

No wonder so many leaders are anxious, depressed and subject to moral failure! They look at Rick Warren and say to themselves, "You should be as successful as he is!" Or worse yet, "I should heal like Jesus did!"

When watching TV golf I warn my wife that the game they play is completely different than the one I play. I am really reminding myself not my wife. Ask, "What did Jesus do, not what would Jesus do!"


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Life or Death

As Proverbs says, "Life and Death are in the tongue!" However, it also says, "A word properly spoken is like an orange in a silver tray that refreshes the weary traveler". 

The key to Helping and not harming is to follow the Golden Rule. 

Treat others the way you want to be treated. 

This command of Jesus says a lot.

1. This is not a passive statement but very active. 

2. Look for people to treat well. We want to be treated well so reciprocate. 

3. Think about how you want to be treated. Then do it. Do not ask, "What would Jesus do" but "What would I want the person to do if I were in need?"

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Silence can be Golden

Silence is often misinterpreted but never misquoted.

Donna S Thomas

Are You Anxious about America's Future?

Well, how do you answer that question? 

Are you frustrated, upset, feeling hopeless?

Do the candidates leave you wishing and praying for a perfect candidate?

For me the answer is Yes!. However, my man was crucified because he challenged the power structure and promoted righteousness.

I admit that as a former news junkie I have stopped a lot of TV watching recently. The media seem to be more unrighteous and malevolent than the politicians.

I know a lot about emotional manipulation and lying but these elections push even my limit of understanding. The lack of morals and ethics from the media tempts my blood pressure to rise and I do not need any assistance in that regard.

I am concerned about the future of an America. I have always thought our democracy was built on the Constitution. It is not perfect but it is a wonderful foundation. Now I see that the judges decide on the way people feel and how they look. I have seen the terrible results of that in Africa, the USSR and Asia.

I thought Americans would alway stand for right and wrong. But now I am concerned that such a foundation is gone.  The Ten Commandments are anathema to many people. The media and some judges hold the laws of Europe to be superior to our constitution. Of that I despair.

The fact that many want to kill the weak and frail is the opposite of our heritage. Righteousness was not at all popular  when our nation failed we change slavery, Jim Crow and other abuses of power. Our nation regained its senses but we seem to be slipping back into the callous disregard for those who cannot protect themselves.

I am thankful I believe in God. Only God has a chance to change things that are such a mess. Will God step in before the crises become so overwhelming that we cannot recover?My answer is "Maranatha!"

Peace. Support our ministry here. We still promote love, joy and peace.

Hiring Mature Men and Women Makes Companies $$$$

There is a lot of bias about older workers that keeps them out of the workplace and hobbles a lot of companies. I am not focusing on the legal issues of age bias but the fact that a company is not as effective and efficient when older men and women with life experience are blocked from getting a job.

Even in technology, we geezers are better! Does that shock you? It did me. Put our effectiveness in tech with our better work ethic, more human relation skills and wisdom and you have a lot of reasons to hire older people.

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What is a Dollar Really Worth?

Although that sounds like an easy question, it all depends on where we live. Is  $100.00 Bill buy as much stuff here in Ohio as it does in New York?

If you were offered a job in New York and promised a 10% bonus to move there, would you take the job? (Answer strictly on the issue of money.)

If there is a difference in buying power among states, which ones are easiest on the pocketbook? Can we figure it out?

Yes, some people have written all about it on this blog. 

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How to Impact the Nation's Poor Children

As many of you know, I am an Educator/Counselor/Minister that has been focused most of my life on Growth and Healing. As a result I love to see new research on the things that work best to achieve those goals.

I recently read a book by Paul Tough that summarizes a great deal of research on what works to help kids from poor, stressful, low achieving families do better. It is called Helping Children Succeed and follows an early book on a similar topic.

This book is very well done. I strongly recommend it to all those interested in nurturing our kids, especially the poor. Is it early education? More and better education? More emphasis on reading, writing and math?

Nope!

The key to broadly impacting the millions of at risk is even more basic than these critical items. It is not technical.

Mr. Tough focuses on hiring and training key professionals to intervene with poor children. He mentions many current programs that are working. However, they all use trained and teachers, psychologists, nurses, social workers, etc.

Such programs are wonderful but impossible to spread widely throughout the nation. One program has a budget of Nine Million Dollars and reaches very few children.It is not sustainable. All the gold in Fort Knox is not enough. 

Only an approach that has two prongs can succeed.

1. Teach professionals how to equip and deploy numerous current teachers and agency workers how to nurture and care for the kids emotionally as well as intellectually! We do not need more specialists but better trained people currently in the workforce.

 2. Train volunteers from churches and the community how to nurture and support the professionals. My friend Lorraine Loomans rand a child care program in Cincinnati. She recruited elders from a nearby nursing home to come over each day and rock the babies to sleep while humming and singing.

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Leaders Must Think Like Modern Citizens

I can remember when it hit me that many of our members in the congregation probably knew more about the world than we who supposedly "led" the church. I was chatting over a cup of coffee with a man that had just returned from a week in Europe. He spoke about how different things were in Europe and the USA. Then he said that Christians in America need to study their situation to see why they had largely rejected Christianity.

My friend was a researcher at one of our biggest companies and it was his job to understand how demographics, and other changes in a culture impacted marketing and sales.

His most shocking statement came next. He said,  "The Europe that we know is dead. They have practiced 'Zero Population Growth' for decades and now the birth rate is far below the rate it takes to replace our parents. This means that Europe must import millions of immigrants to fill their jobs. The new immigrants have far different values, cultures and goals. The Old Europe is dead! It is too late for traditional Europeans to catch up with the new immigrant population."

That was at least 30 years ago and he was right.

It is also coming true in America today! We have been following in their footsteps for a long time. Zero Population Growth ideas grew up during the hysteria of the Seventies when Leftist idealogues began warning about the great danger overpopulation.

They coined a new term: "The Population bomb!"

The hysterics never considered the fact that many countries like China, India and Mexico, to name a few, would keep producing millions of babies annually. Second, they never figured on immigration and travel. As a result poor immigrants from north Africa, Africa, and Asia are flooding into the wealthy western nations.

These people do not share western values about life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Nor do they understand and agree with our ideas of democracy. So, like Europe, monster changes are coming. What do we as caring people do?

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How Long, Oh Lord?

In an earlier Post I asked how long it took Saul to get mature enough to actually preach and teach with maturity. Today we will look at the answer.

When I ask that question to Clergy and seminary students as well as most believers, they say the same thing. He was ready immediately to be an Apostle!

This response shows one reason Christians in general and people in leadership are so weak and volatile. They are immature.

In times past I was in the same frame of mind. Thankfully I received the gift of an older man that took me under his wing and helped me see how immature I was.

It hit me one day that I, as a teacher and professor of education in college, knew that every school system in the world has levels of training. Even the church does for children and youth. Nearly all have classes for each age level with materials that are aimed at the appropriate age maturity.

However, after age 18 or so everyone is thrown together into a "Sunday service" that forces speakers to attempt to speak to people ranging in age from 8 to 80! There are widely divergent needs and abilities within that one congregation.

The only possible way a person can grow in Truth, Fruit, Gifts and Power is to gather with others of a similar maturity led by an older Believer that can cover the Theory/Theology as well as the Practices of a growing Christian. Thankfully, I was able to listen accompany my mentor as he spoke, ministered to the sick, did funerals, weddings and visited hospitals.

I was very impressed by a famous Christian Doctor that took me with him to minister to an elderly man in a coma. We entered the hospital room and he spoke to the man as if he were wide awake when in truth he had been comatose for days.

The Doctor took his hand and said gently how glad he was to be able to visit and bring the man up to date on  his family and current events. As we left I asked why he was so chatty and personal to a comatose man. He said, "The ability to hear is the last  thing that leaves us. I always speak to my patients as if they were able to converse with me.

In the case of surgery I demand that the Physicians and Nurses speak gently and positively while in the OR. Even if they are deeply medicated I know that their souls will be able to receive the blessings of uplifting conversations and music.

I still attempt to remember that when I visit people that are apparently not awake. It had a lecture, sharing, personal modeling and hands on experience. Yes, I did pray for the man along with the Doctor.

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Growing Up

Research reveals that it takes about 5-7 years to develop the skills required to move from being a First Line Supervisor to be an effective senior leader. I think that is too short. It usually takes a lot longer. 

How mature does a Christian leader need to be before he or she is ready for ministry? I wonder if the immaturity and brokenness of many well known current Christians that makes young people shun the church and God. 

Famous TV Preachers and maverick Roman Catholic Priests have ruined many lives and brought shame onto the Name of Christ.  

I like to ask Pastors and seminary students how long it took Saul to become Paul and be ready to lead the apostolic move to the Gentiles. What is your answer. look it up and count the time yourself. Was it immediately afterwards? Most clergy think so.

Next question: "Who trained/discipled Saul? Why did Saul need to be trained before he was ready to preach and teach? 

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Why Do Churches Resist Innovation and Growth?

Think for a minute about men and women that attempt to bring innovations to the churches they love. Historically, many were persecuted and killed, especially in Europe. Our hearts go these martyrs. In modern societies, innovators are not usually martyred but they are usually resisted strongly.

 What happens to these people after they leave a stifling system and st up a new dynamic place they choose? Too often, after they break away from a bureaucratic organization in order to set up a more functional and biblical system, they became as rigid as their old system.

I am amazed at how quickly an organic church dedicated to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ to set people free can regress into a legalistic, bureaucratic system dedicated to survival rather than salvation.

The Jesus Movement that railed against the formal systems in the Seventies tended to develop into fiefdoms of dogmatic men that demanded control. Too often the least mature, most gressive, fervent members take over because they step up to volunteer and less aggressive leaders say nothing. Some even claim to have special gifts and knowledge.

Too often the culprit is FEAR. Fear that someone will make a mistake. Fear that I will lose control. Fear that God will be displeased if I don't control things. One of the biggest issues faced by leaders that want to grow is one that stops many churches from growing.

How can we bring new, often younger people into the system and still minister to the veterans who built the church originally? 

There are ways to innovate and grow without greatly threatening the veterans that built it, but leaders must bring in the new while keeping the old happy. Not easy!

I will write more on that later. 

Why Do Churches Resist Innovation and Growth?

Think for a minute about men and women that attempt to bring innovations to the churches they love. Historically, many were persecuted and killed, especially in Europe. Our hearts go these martyrs. In modern societies, innovators are not usually martyred but they are usually resisted strongly.

 What happens to these people after they leave a stifling system and st up a new dynamic place they choose? Too often, after they break away from a bureaucratic organization in order to set up a more functional and biblical system, they became as rigid as their old system.

I am amazed at how quickly an organic church dedicated to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ to set people free can regress into a legalistic, bureaucratic system dedicated to survival rather than salvation.

The Jesus Movement that railed against the formal systems in the Seventies tended to develop into fiefdoms of dogmatic men that demanded control. Too often the least mature, most gressive, fervent members take over because they step up to volunteer and less aggressive leaders say nothing. Some even claim to have special gifts and knowledge.

Too often the culprit is FEAR. Fear that someone will make a mistake. Fear that I will lose control. Fear that God will be displeased if I don't control things. One of the biggest issues faced by leaders that want to grow is one that stops many churches from growing.

How can we bring new, often younger people into the system and still minister to the veterans who built the church originally? 

There are ways to innovate and grow without greatly threatening the veterans that built it, but leaders must bring in the new while keeping the old happy. Not easy!

I will write more on that later. 

Why Do Churches Resist Innovation and Growth?

Think for a minute about men and women that attempted to bring innovations to their churches. Many were persecuted and killed, especially in Europe. Our hearts go these martyrs. In modern societies, innovators are not usually martyred but they can be strongly resisted.

 What happens to people after they are told to leave a church system" Can they set up a new place of dramatic changes?

Often, after they break away from an organization to set up what they think is an exciting, more functional and biblical system, it becomes as rigid as their old system.

Do you remember how fast the Calvinists set up a rigid system after complaining about the Catholics? The Lutherans were no different nor were the Reformers in Scotland. the spirit of renewal developed into a spirit of revenge and narrow theology.

I am amazed at how quickly an organic church dedicated to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ to set people free can regress into a legalistic, bureaucratic system dedicated to survival rather than salvation.

The Jesus Movement that railed against formal church systems in the Seventies tended to develop into fiefdoms of dogmatic men that demanded control. Too often the least mature, most gressive, fervent members take over because they step up to volunteer and less aggressive leaders say nothing. Some leaders even claim to have special gifts and knowledge. (I am still picking up the pieces from that kind of problem.)

Too often the culprit is FEAR.

Fear that someone will make a mistake.
Fear that I will lose control.
Fear that God will be displeased if I don't control things.

They may start in Faith but end in Fear!

How can we bring new, innovative new people into the system and still minister to the veterans who built the church originally? 

There are ways to innovate and grow without greatly threatening the veterans that built it, but leaders must bring in the new while keeping the old happy. Not an easy task but the future of a church depends on it.

I will write more on that later. 

Why Do Churches Resist Innovation and Growth?

Think for a minute about men and women that attempted to bring innovations to the churches they loved. Historically, many were persecuted and killed, especially in Europe. Our hearts go these martyrs. In modern societies, innovators are not usually martyred but they are usually resisted strongly.

 What happens to these people after they leave a stifling system and st up a new dynamic place they choose? Too often, after they break away from a bureaucratic organization in order to set up a more functional and biblical system, they became as rigid as their old system.

I am amazed at how quickly an organic church dedicated to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ to set people free can regress into a legalistic, bureaucratic system dedicated to survival rather than salvation.

The Jesus Movement that railed against the formal systems in the Seventies tended to develop into fiefdoms of dogmatic men that demanded control. Too often the least mature, most gressive, fervent members take over because they step up to volunteer and less aggressive leaders say nothing. Some even claim to have special gifts and knowledge.

Too often the culprit is FEAR. Fear that someone will make a mistake. Fear that I will lose control. Fear that God will be displeased if I don't control things. One of the biggest issues faced by leaders that want to grow is one that stops many churches from growing.

How can we bring new, often younger people into the system and still minister to the veterans who built the church originally? 

There are ways to innovate and grow without greatly threatening the veterans that built it, but leaders must bring in the new while keeping the old happy. Not easy!

I will write more on that later.