Is Ministry Worth the Pain?

If you are in the ministry for any period of time you will have these questions ring through your mind!

“IS THIS WORTH ALL THE PAIN?”

“IS THIS REALLY WORTH IT?”

You need to know that you are not the only one who has that race through their thoughts.  These are normal questions.

I have been married 23 years to my first wife, and we have a GREAT marriage, yet there are days that I know my thoughts are, “Oh my goodness, what did I get myself into?”, and I know she has thought it.

THE THOUGHT IS NOT THE PROBLEM, IT IS WHAT YOU DO WITH THE THOUGHT!

A little saying from the old days goes like this, “You will have birds fly around your head, but you do not have to let them nest in your hair.”

Sin begins with a thought (James 1:14-15).

We are told to take into captivity our thoughts that are contrary to the Word (2 Cor. 10:5).

When, not if, that thought races through your mind, you must arrest it and not allow it to take root.  It has no right in your mind.  Just like divorce is not an option, this thought is not an option!  Kick it out!!

One soul, one life, one saved, one healed, one restored, just one, is worth it all!

“And Jesus answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel’s, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time – houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions – and in the age to come, eternal life’,” (Mark 10:29,30, New King James).

IT IS WORTH IT TO SEE LIVES CHANGE!

John 15:13, Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.

THE HEART OF HEAVEN!

We offer FREE video leadership training via the Internet every Tuesday from 12:00 to 1:00pm, and Thursday evenings from 6:30-7:30pm weekly.  If you’re interested then send your email address and receive the link.  Send your email address to drspencer@empoweringpastors.com.  Visit us on the web at http://www.empoweringpastors.com.

 

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God is STRATEGIC!

GOD IS A STRATEGIST!

Inertia demands leaders to be accidental in accomplishing great things, but there is one thing for sure, those who have accomplished life-transforming victories did not do it by accident.

When God created the earth He did it with clarity of design. One day built upon the next to support the existence, and perpetuation of His creation.

God strategized our REDEMPTION!

Gal. 3:24-25, Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.
John 1:29, The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
Rev. 13:8, All who dwell on the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the Book of Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

God strategized our LIVES!

Jer. 1:5, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you;
Before you were born I sanctified you;
I ordained you a prophet to the nations.”
Ps. 37:23, The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord,
And He delights in his way.
Prov. 3:5-6, Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths.

WE MUST STRATEGIZE THE VISION JESUS GAVE US!

Daily – It is so important not to allow inertia to infiltrate our lives on a daily basis. When inertia takes over we literally accomplish nothing in a day. The day will just happen, and at the end of the 24 hours it will be wasted. Without clarity and aim, like our Father has, then we will do nothing of eternal value. Father already has your day planned, ask Him what He desires.

Long Term – As you pray, what is the Lord putting on your heart for destiny? You will never accomplish anything long term unless you are willing to strategize for the daily items. It is so easy to shout, “I’ve got the vision for the future” BUT, if you never become intentional and strategic then it will never come to fruition.

Pastor, God is not accidental, and neither should His GREAT LEADERS be!

We offer FREE video leadership training via the Internet every Tuesday from 12:00 to 1:00pm, and Thursday evenings from 6:30-7:30pm weekly. If you’re interested then send your email address and receive the link. Send your email address to drspencer@empoweringpastors.com. Visit us on the web at http://www.empoweringpastors.com.

What is your Reputation?

Reputation is people’s recognition – or rejection – of your identity and accomplishments.

Reputation is all through the Word of God.

Cain – evil
Abraham – man of faith, friend of God
Jezebel – mean, vicious woman
David – man after God’s own heart
Elijah – powerhouse
Jesus – Savior, Healer
You – ?

WE DO NOT BASE OUR WORTH ON WHAT OTHERS THINK, BUT WE DO NOT WANT TO BE DECEIVED EITHER.

Why do so many of us neglect our reputation?

We use the excuse as a Christian leader that it does not matter what other people think as long as I am good with God that is all that matters!

REALLY? Then why does this verse say this?

Acts 6:3, Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business;
Acts 10:22, And they said, “Cornelius the centurion, a just man, one who fears God and has a good reputation among all the nation of the Jews, was divinely instructed by a holy angel to summon you to his house, and to hear words from you.”
1 Tim. 3:1-2a, This is a trustworthy saying: “If someone aspires to be an elder, he desires an honorable position.” 2 So an elder must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife. He must exercise self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation……

Reputation is very important.

Reputation, whether it’s positive or negative has a direct effect on our voice in ministry.
If we have a bad reputation with some people, we could be speaking absolute truth, but they will not hear the truth, only our reputation.
If we have a good reputation and speak absolute truth, then people give us platform in their lives and our voice penetrates, permeates, and brings impact on their thoughts and decisions.

WHAT IS YOUR REPUTATION AS A LEADER?

We offer FREE video leadership training via the internet every Tuesday from 12:00 to 1:00pm, and Thursday evenings from 6:30-7:30pm weekly. If you’re interested then send your email address, and receive the link. Send your email address to drspencer@empoweringpastors.com. Visit us on the web at http://www.empoweringpastors.com.

The nasty word – CHANGE!

One primary principle that MUST populate our personage is that we can NEVER stop changing!

Most people do not like that word, and will do anything to avoid breaching the topic. As GREAT LEADERS in God’s great Kingdom, change, metamorphosis, or transformation is our lifestyle. The moment we cease to challenge ourselves to change we slide into lethargy.

How do you know if you are settling into the quicksand of a lackadaisical mindset?

A few simple questions can help to identify your condition.

1). Are you in the Word of God? If you are not in the Word, then God’s infusion of leadership skills cannot be received. We must seek Him first! Matthew 6:33, Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. Barna’s study says that the average pastor prays 5 minutes a day. WE WILL NEVER ASPIRE TO GOD’S GREATNESS WITHOUT HIM LEADING OUR LIVES.

2). What leadership books, CD’s are you ingesting? If you say none, then you are beginning the slide into complacency. We MUST challenge our skill sets! No challenge means no growth. A great book to grab is “Jesus CEO” by Laurie Beth Jones.

Never stop GROWING!

We offer FREE video leadership training via the internet every Tuesday from 12:00 to 1:00pm, and Thursday evenings from 6:30-7:30pm weekly. If you interested then send your email address and receive the link. Send your email address to drspencer@empoweringpastors.com. Visit us on the web at http://www.empoweringpastors.com.

Lead! Stop being Led!

As a leader it is so easy to just get in the flow of life and then get taken away by the tide.

A second turns in to a minute, a minute turns into an hour, an hour into a day, a day into a week, a week into a month, a month into a year, a year into a decade……….

As GREAT leaders our purpose and call is not to be flowing with life, but helping, and leading others to fulfill the vision.

Marshall Goldsmith stated in his book Mojo, “Our default response in life is to experience inertia.” 

What is inertia?  It is when one moment melds into the next and then time has gone with no change.  Inertia is not our friend, it is our enemy of growth and maturity.

When we as leaders choose to stay in the comfort of inertia we will find those that we are leading will be lulled to sleep as well, except for those who want to excel.  They will look at a leader who has hit the “default” of inertia and choose to walk away in disgust.  

We must NEVER stop growing!

We must NEVER stop learning!

The day we allow inertia to grip our leadership lives is the day we begin our descent to having only those who are slugs surround us.  

Choose to stay challenged!

Today if you are struggling and you find that you are in that rut of inertia, call Dr. Micheal Spencer and he will stir you up and challenge you to bust free from inertia, and empower you to reach your destiny in Christ Jesus!

Go to http://www.empoweringpastors.com and break inertia in your leadership life by reaching out for a coach!

The Dreaded Plateau

Overcoming The Dreaded Church Plateau

When you started your church, or when you took over the Pastorate at your church, you were filled with determination and vigor. You couldn’t wait to get started. Every morning when you woke up and sought the Lord, it seemed as though He was directing your every step. You were filled with ideas, and you were filled with a burning fire and a passion for the ministry God had entrusted into your hands.
As time went on, you saw growth. The number of souls that were saved was being added to daily, and you felt as though God was using you, just as he used Peter in the book of Acts. There was no shortage of inspiration when it came to writing your sermons. Each month, God would drop a new nugget in your spirit, and you were eager to share it with your congregation.
Life was good. Your ministry was great, and growing.

Then…it stopped.

Perhaps it took place during the summer when many families take vacations. Or maybe it occurred during the holidays. Regardless of when the growth of your church came to a halt, it happened.

That was when the panic set in.

All Pastors have bumps in the road when it comes to growth in their churches. At first, you hoped that was what you were experiencing – a brief bump. However, as months went by, and things didn’t seem to turn around, you began to really get concerned. Perhaps you tried starting programs, and doing more community outreach. Perhaps you reached out to other Pastors in your area to get some information from them on what they did when they were in a similar situation. Their words were kind, and their ideas were good. They just didn’t work.

The words “church plateau” entered your mind. You had heard of this. You’d heard other Pastors talking about how the growth in their congregation hit an invisible ceiling, of sorts. You’ve heard that they employed many tactics to get things moving in the right direction again. The problem was, none of them worked. You didn’t think this would ever happen to you. However, there you were. Or, maybe…here you are.

There’s a popular belief out there that a experiencing a plateau is just a way of life for the church. The “experts” say that all churches go through these periods of time, and that they’re a normal part of a healthy congregation.

As long as there are unsaved souls in the world, there is still work to be done for the Kingdom. It is the church’s responsibility to reach those people, and draw them into the Kingdom. However, when you feel as though you’re stuck, how do you get moving again?

That’s where Pastor Micheal Spencer comes in. He was in a similar situation, only a few years ago. An experienced coach changed everything for him, as well as for his church. Through his coach’s leadership and teaching, Pastor Spencer broke through that plateau, and began experiencing growth unlike any that he had ever experienced before.

A church plateau only has to be the “norm” for your church if you accept that it is. If you don’t accept it as the norm, and if you want to break free from it, never to visit it again, there is a way to make that happen.
Contact Pastor Spencer today, and take the first step toward real church growth…
…and break FREE from the plateau!

This is a guest post, written by Nicole Colwell, His Tabernacle Family Church Covenant Partner, professional writer, and owner of Colwell Creative Content.

You BELONG at the TABLE!

The most difficult part of leadership is actually believing that you belong at the table!

I remember when I was struggling with this truth, my past and even my present flashed before my eyes. All I heard was, “Who do you think you are?” Our inner self struggles with feeling worthy, but until you resolve this issue in your heart and mind, you will always be overcome by yourself.

We are the ones who determine the height of our success, and that issue is rooted in whether or not you believe you belong at the table.

I remember the day that my mind was resolved. I reached that resolve by actually believing in who God said I am. We have to start believing in who God says we are.

Ps. 139:14, Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex, Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.

It happened to me sitting at my table in the kitchen with my Bible open and talking with my Creator. He finally said to me, “Micheal, do I create junk?”, “Of course not God”! The God of creation believes in you, He made you, He has plans for you, He has great success for you!

TODAY, DO YOU BELIEVE IN WHO GOD SAYS YOU ARE?
DO YOU BELIEVE THAT YOU BELONG AT THE TABLE?

RESOLVE THIS IN YOUR HEART WITH YOUR GOD. THEN YOU WILL MOVE FORWARD IN YOUR LEADERSHIP SKILLS.

 

LEADERSHIP MANDATES

One of the major mandates for us to become a GREAT LEADER is to determine in our hearts that we are NEVER going to stop learning.

What books are we reading right now?

What tapes are we listening to right now?

What steps are we taking to mature our gifts as a GREAT LEADER?

These questions are important for us to ask ourselves.  Without us being honest with ourselves, and making transitions toward learning, then we are just deceiving ourselves.

TODAY, MAKE A DECISION TO BEGIN, OR RESTART YOUR JOURNEY TO LEARN, GROW AND MATURE IN YOUR LEADERSHIP SKILLS.

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