One on One with God (Part 2)

So I study the bible.  Duh.  Right?  Yeah, but this about HOW I go about doing it and what works for me.  Many people have different ways of studying the bible.  There may be no wrong way of course as long as you are seeking God in it.  However I personally think some ways may be better than others…hence what I’m about to share.  I basically do these…

• Read
• Write
• Learn
• Apply

I’m not hung up on translation, but I use a New International Version study bible.

READ - I personally like to read one book at a time.  I’ll focus on a chapter or a portion of a chapter at a time sometimes reading the same verses several days in a row.  What prompts me to go from one book to the next after I’m done may be something very simple.  It may be an excerpt from a sermon.  Or it may be scripture or a story from someones blog.  It may be from a book that I’m currently reading (typically this one).

WRITE - During this process I will take notes.  (You will interpret scripture differently in a couple of years or even months.  Looking back on those notes when re-reading is sometimes enlightening and fun.  Life experience will change the way you interpret most things including scripture.)  Plus writing helps me to remember what I’ve learned.  So take notes or simply keep a journal.

LEARN - Whatever the case, I always expect to learn something when I study.  It may be something I’m already familiar with, but repetition of the Word won’t hurt anyone.  Don’t be surprised if what you study is eerily congruent with what is going on your life, a friends life, what’s being taught at church, etc.  Listen up because God is probably trying to tell you something.  If the same scripture keeps popping up through multiple, unconnected sources of your life, PAY ATTENTION!!  Trust me on this one.

APPLY - Next, there’s application.  Today in my study of  Hebrews 11:1-6, I reminded about the importance of faith.  Faith pleases God.  God commends those for their faith in Him.  So I ask myself how and where do I need to apply this, what I’ve learned?  In my life as a father, husband, as a church leader, etc.?  All of them?  In the end, does what you learn really serve a purpose if you don’t apply it?  You get the gist.

No excuses.  You and I have no excuse not to read the bible these days due to websites like www.biblegateway.com (I use it a lot) coupled with a cell phone that has web access.  It’s almost impossible not to have access to God’s word anymore.  Again, you can’t possibly be too busy.  Being too busy for God is pretty much the equivalent of demoting Him from where He should rank in your life.

Just like life itself is a marathon or a long journey, treat your study time that way.  It’s more about quality and not quantity.  You will not become Billy Graham, Perry Noble, or T.D. Jakes overnight.  Don’t expect anything close to that.  Pace yourself and learn.  It’s taken those guys years and years to get the wisdom and understanding that they have.  On top of that, leaders of that caliber are still growing, too.

This process is not rocket science.  Don’t over complicate it.  Look at studying as your opportunity, not an obligation, to connect with God.

Final side bar:  If you ‘hear’ from God a whole lot, but don’t ever crack open your bible, I have my doubts.  Sorry.  If you think you’ve ’heard’ something from God, make sure it wasn’t just the semi-spoiled cole slaw you had a couple of hours ago and read your bible just to confirm.  It’s a fail-safe.  It ain’t ever gonna change and it’s always gonna be His words. 

Next…prayer in part 3.

Blogs That I Read and Why

A year ago, before I started blogging, I wasn’t even sure that I knew what a blog was.  Since then, not only have I enjoyed this whole process, but it has been supplemental to my growth as a christian and a church leader.  It’s been fun to say the least.

So these are some of the folks in my blog reader and why…

• This guy makes me want to be better at what I do.
• This guy I look up to.
• This guy just oozes with the Word of God.
• This guy inspires the crap out of me.
• This girl encourages me and almost always entertains me.
• This guy stretches me and the way I think.
• This guy makes me laugh out loud at work.
• This guy I work for so I have to read his.

Leadership Lessons - On the Job Training (part 2)

Learn from other leaders.

Wow!  Is that not the understatement of the year (or I think so at least).

As I mentioned in my previous post, part 1, a leadership position in the church demands  so much of you personally.  It’s almost more a part of who you are than a job.  So where time and energy are precious in the ministry setting, why make the same mistakes of a pastor or person who’s already lived the problems and learned the lessons you’re bound to encounter?  Exactly.  That’s just working smarter or as we call it ‘eliminating redundant work’ in my day job.

As for our leader, I have spent a great deal of time with Joe and Pam in the time that we have worked together and I have learned a lot.  In some cases we’ve even learned together.  But it shouldn’t end there.  A leader in a church should not only be seeking God and His wisdom directly, but also looking for guidance from other Godly men in similar positions with way more experience.  Doesn’t that just make sense?  Believe me, experience counts and it’s something that is very difficult to learn in a classroom.  I would even go a step further and say that there are leaders outside of the our church industry that we can learn from as well.  Remember that God is a pretty creative dude and He can and will use anything He wants to show or teach you something. 

More than ever these days I’m always looking to learn something from someone.  I read blogs, books, websites, etc.  in an attempt to glean useful information from these people and places that I can apply as a pastor.  My other job has even yielded useful lessons and tips that I get to apply at church. 

As a team learning effort, our staff is reading Simply Strategic Stuff by Tim Stevens and Tony Morgan.  These are two very successful guys that I already look up to and have learned much from through this book and their blogs.  Some of the other guys on my blogroll I respect just as much.

In the end, wisdom is truly priceless.  God devoted the entire book of Proverbs to teaching us about wisdom.  That is just how important it is.  Whether it’s wisdom from God directly or from God through your peers…seek wisdom.  It’s an essential and critical part of leadership. 

Proverbs 3:19-20.  Man, that is the wisdom that I want to tap into!!!!

Challenges

Just some food for thought from me today…

Everyone faces challenges in life.  Some challenges are small, some large.  Some even appear devastatingly impossible to attempt, much less overcome.  A simple question to any Christ follower would be this.  How do you face your challenges?  Do you face them head on with faith and hope or with bitterness and despair?  Maybe that’s an easy one to answer at this point if everything is quiet on the home-front.

One of the books that I’m reading right now is Twelve Ordinary Men, by John McArthur.  I’m learning a lot about myself through learning about the lives of Jesus’ Disciples.  Compared to those guys I’m learning that my challenges in life thus far have been pretty insignificant on the overall radar, so to speak.  However, I pray that my faith would always remain strong and my passion for Jesus and the ministry continue to grow when those tougher challenges do pop up.  With God, there’s always a purpose even in struggles…especially the struggles.  I hope I don’t lose sight of that fact in the midst of those struggles.

Read Romans 8:28-39.  Just a little confirmation.  It says in EVERYTHING God works for the good of those who love Him.  That means the good AND the (seemingly) bad.  Now being reminded of that scripture, I’ll ask again…how do you face your challenges?

Personally speaking, my family is currently going through the struggle of losing my very dear uncle to cancer.  However, I can’t help but see some of the very cool ways in which God is already working in this tragedy.  More on this personal matter later…

The Five Love Languages

Well, after seven years of being married, I finally got the book authored by Dr. Gary Chapman and read it while Julie was out of town last week.  Its a book filled with common sense and great advice on how to make your marriage successful.  I found myself saying “umm hmm” and quietly agreeing many, many times.  I have learned more about my spouse as well as myself by reading this.  The book reminded me of what my father said to me years ago before taking the plunge and that was that a good marriage takes work and effort.  I wouldn’t call myself a bad husband, but I know that I can be doing better to make my relationship with Julie soar. 

Like I said in yesterdays post, success doesn’t just happen by chance, even in marriage.