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CLEAN AND EMPTY

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CLEAN AND EMPTY

By Ken Blue

“Where no oxen are, the crib is clean: but much increase is by the strength of the ox.” Proverbs 14:4

No doubt, one’s vision and philosophy is reflected in how sanitary the barn is. The attitude of some is, “My barn may be empty, but it is clean.” That is not something to be proud of. Animals always track in dirt. The more animals you have, the more dirt you can expect. However, those who track in the dirt are the same ones who do the work. They feed the cows, slop the hogs, pay the bills and provide your bread and butter.

[pullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]The animals must be fed, comforted, loved and cleaned up after.[/pullquote]

If you want the farm to increase, you must stop attacking the animals. Instead, they must be fed, comforted, loved and cleaned up after. If you don’t want people of other races, other political persuasions, children and teachers of public schools, or anyone else who may defecate in your barn, just attack them when they arrive. They won’t be back, but you will have clean stalls.

Some pastors and evangelist seem dedicated to keeping the barns clean and empty. It’s your call. You can have the increase from the animals or you can be clean and empty, but you can’t have it both ways.

MOTIVATION OF A TIMEX

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“TIMEX; IT TAKES A LICKING AND KEEPS ON TICKING”

MotIvationTwo things can be expected in the ministry; you will “take a licking,” and you must “keep on ticking.” Since we have no way of knowing on which front the enemy will attack, we must put on the armor of God and be vigilant. We have little control over when or where Satan will attack. However, we do have a responsibility to “keep on ticking.”

I have found that the number one cause of “burnout” in the ministry is discouragement. How can we deal with this deadly enemy of our souls? Let me say up front that we all get discouraged at times. What is the answer?

Internal motivation is not an acceptable source of motivation. It is rooted in self and pride. This dynamic does not honor God nor does it have His interest at heart.

External motivation is temporal and short lived. Therefore, the pastor who is motivated by it will live on an emotional rollercoaster and turn into a cheerleader in order to keep the hype going for his own motivation.

Eternal motivation is the only acceptable motivation for the Pastor. This motivation keeps him going because it sees outside self and beyond the temporal. We must keep in mind that the value of our service will be determined by the Lord and will be rewarded by Him. If our purpose is to glorify Him and fulfill the purpose for which we were created, we will be motivated with eternity’s values in view. We can then, “take a licking and keep on ticking.”

CONTROLLING

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# 4

 

controlThe fourth pillar in the management process is that of control. Unless the organization has proper controls in place, all plans are destined to fail.  Seagoing vessels have built in controls to keep them on course. Without them, the ship will veer off course and end up on the rocks, so it is with the church.

The tools that need to be built in to control an organization are: Weekly staff meetings, the Team Report, the budget, the calendar and the planning arrow. These will keep the leadership abreast of where each ministry is in relation to the scheduled plans. If the organization is off course and in the fog, these tools will identify the problem and help the pastor regain control and get the ship back on track.

Note: When we teach the leadership conference, these tools and their use become part of the packet.

WHAT IS LEADERSHIP

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WHAT IS LEADERSHIP

# 3

leadership

By Ken Blue

John Maxwell says, “Everything rises and falls on leadership.” If that statement is true, the pastor’s call to the ministry is really a call to leadership. Perhaps the following definitions Webster will help. “To show the way to by going in advance. To guide or direct in a course. To guide the behavior or opinion of; induce. To direct the performance or activities of.  To inspire the conduct of. To go or be at the head of. To be ahead of. To go first as a guide. To act as commander, director, or guide.  An example; a precedent.”

One is not a leader simply because he has the title or a position. Look behind you, if no one is following, you’re not leading; you’re only taking a walk.

There are many factors that may affect a leadership situation. The following example will suffice. Several New York business men invited a tribal chief of the rain forest to their city to work out an agreement on cutting timber in his area. He was picked up at the airport and shuttled about the city for the next few days. He was overwhelmed by the number of people, the skyscrapers and the traffic. The suits were in complete control as they led him about from one meeting to another.

After a deal was agreed upon, the business men returned to South America with the chief to map out the specific area to cut. The jet landed in a major city, and from there they were to be shuttled in a small bush plane to the village. However, the small plane experienced engine trouble and made a forced landing in the jungle. No one was hurt, but the business men were completely helpless, disoriented, fearful and lost. The chief reassured them by taking the lead. He knew the direction to the village and which plants and animals to avoid. In a couple of days, they reached their intended destination.

[pullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]The pastor’s call to the ministry is really a call to leadership.[/pullquote]

The above story illustrates the many factors that impact leadership. You must know what you want; where you want to go, how to get there and convince others in your ability to get them there safely. In the city, the suits were leading. In the jungle, the chief was the leader.

Although leadership can be learned, there are certain qualities that cannot be ignored if one is to succeed.  Those who follow you must have rapport with your personality; they must have confidence in our competence and they must have respect for your character. Weakness in any of these will impact your leadership. You can lead, but you must be clear on where you want to go. This is discovered through the planning process. Then, you must be able to share the vision with others until they too embrace it.

The above puzzle is a more important illustration than you might think, weakness in any of these hampers your leadership. Meditate on each piece and discover the areas you need to improve. Failure in any one of these hampers your ministry. If you think soul winning and preaching is all you need, that’s all you will attempt. Everything depends of prayer and leadership.

IT’S ALL ABOUT SERVICE #3

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flat tireSome years ago a staff member was driving our church van and noticed that the right front tire needed air. He went to different stations and found that each required 50 cents for air. Finally, he pulled into a tire shop and told them that he didn’t have any money, could they please put some air in his tire. The manager motioned him into the stall, where they fixed the tire and filled it with air. After handing him the keys, the manager said, “No charge.”

I was in the market for new tires, and as you can guess, I purchased them at that store. As I paid, I asked the manager if he had any idea why I purchased tires from him. He said he would like to know why. I told him the above story. He said something I will never forget. “Pastor Blue, I know you can purchase tires anywhere in town, all I can give you is service.”

Some pastors flatter themselves that they have the only truth in the city, and then complain, “The lost will not come because they just can’t stand the truth.” I don’t think that is the problem. If we give people the best service in town, they are more likely to open up to the gospel and the Church. Remember, people can find another church in your town, all you can give them is service.