May 21 – 2 Samuel 22-23 & Psalm 57

Below are my thoughts from the daily Bible reading of the West Side Church of Christ. Today’s reading comes from 2 Samuel 22-23 & Psalm 57. Before reading I invite you to pray and asked God to speak to you as you read his word. Also above in the tabs is a link to the Bible reading plan.

As I have written before the success of leaders is dependent upon those he or she has around them. No matter the skill set of a leader if his people are not behind him, on the same page as her, or simply helping them, no leader will be successful. David was only successful because of the men he had around him. He had his three top guys who were almost as famous and skilled as David. He had men willing to cross enemy lines to bring him a drink of water from his hometown. David was powerful and mighty because he had surrounded himself with the right men.

Are you a leader or a follower? If you are a leader surround yourself with the right men and women to help you achieve what it is you have been called to lead. If you are a follower ask yourself how are you helping your leader achieve what they have been called to lead? Their success depends on your support. Also ask yourself if you are being helpful or becoming a hindrance? Finally, not everyone is a leader and that is ok. If everyone was a leader then there would be no followers, which would result in no help for leaders, creating a vicious cycle of no accomplishments or fulfillments.

At West Side we believe highly in prayer. We are asking people to join with us in praying daily for West Side. If you would like to join us please click here and subscribe to receive daily emails containing a short prayer request for West Side. We appreciate your partnership.

May 19 – 2 Samuel 19 -21

Below are my thoughts from the daily Bible reading of the West Side Church of Christ. Today’s reading comes from 2 Samuel 19-21. Before reading I invite you to pray and asked God to speak to you as you read his word. Also above in the tabs is a link to the Bible reading plan.

The heart of a father runs deep. No matter what our children do to us a good father still loves his children. We see that today in the life of David. Absalom had taken the life of one of David’s sons. He had spent four years wining the favor of the people. Absalom had even taken over his father’s throne while David was still alive. In the midst of all this he takes ten of David’s concubines and sleeps with them in a tent on the palace roof; a clear indication to all of Israel he was now ruler. When Absalom dies in battle David can do nothing but mourn.

Joab, David’s five-star general, sees David mourning and that his mourning is bringing the moral of the troops and the nation down. David’s reaction to his loss of Absalom is beginning to feel like a defeat to David loyal subjects and followers. Joab will not stand for this and he has the strength to call David to the carpet about it. David as king could have reacted many ways, but again we see his true heart in his response. David listen’s to reason and does the right thing for his nation despite his personal pain.

Good leaders are always going to be willing to listen to the wise advice of others. Foolish leaders are the ones who try to govern and lead without any help and aid. Sure turning to advisors might slow the process down but it insures that the decisions being made and the actions taken are almost always the best ones. Do you need to slow down and seek the wise advice of others?

At West Side we believe highly in prayer. We are asking people to join with us in praying daily for West Side. If you would like to join us please click here and subscribe to receive daily emails containing a short prayer request for West Side. We appreciate your partnership.

May 1 – 2 Samuel 5 & 1 Chronicles 11-12

Below are my thoughts from the daily Bible reading of the West Side Church of Christ. Today’s reading comes from 2 Samuel 5 & 1 Chronicles 11-12. Before reading I invite you to pray and asked God to speak to you as you read his word. Also above in the tabs is a link to the Bible reading plan.

Welcome to May, where has this year gone already?

Every good leader needs support. Show me a leader with out people behind them, and I will show you a leader that will not succeed. There is too much to do without the proper people supporting and helping a leader become successful. Supportive people are critical.

On the battlefield David had his mighty men; roughly thirty men who were willing to do almost anything for their leader. When Saul was still alive and David was his general the chants the people sang out, “Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands,” was only possible because of the men surrounding and following David. When David was on the run, he remained alive, productive, and even prospered because of the men around him. When David became king, the order and strength of his kingdom was the direct result of his men.

Leaders need support. Let me ask you, in your church are you seen as a supportive person or are you seen as a thorn in the flesh to your leaders? When I mean a thorn in the flesh, I am not talking about someone who asks honest questions? I am talking about someone who complains because they do not like anything, and instead of trying to have a productive conversation, they instead simply wine. Are you helpful to your leaders, giving them needed advise, lending a hand, sacrificing time and energy all to help fulfill the task they have been given to do? Let me encourage you to be helpful, insightful, and an arm to lean on to those given the task to lead you and your church.

At West Side we believe highly in prayer. We are asking people to join with us in praying daily for West Side. If you would like to join us please click here and subscribe to receive daily emails containing a short prayer request for West Side. We appreciate your partnership.

March 6 – Numbers 26-27

Below are my thoughts from the daily Bible reading of the West Side Church of Christ. Today’s reading comes from Numbers 26-27. Before reading I invite you to pray and asked God to speak to you as you read his word.

Leadership is an incredibly important aspect to any organization. Christian leadership expert and coach John C. Maxwell has several leadership laws he stresses. One of my favorites is his Law of the Lid. The Law of the Lid basically states that no organization will ever rise above its leadership. If the leadership grows the organization can grow. If the leadership stagnates the organization will stagnate. If the leadership struggles the organization will struggle. Constantly the organization will rise up to its leadership and hit what ever lid they have established. Leadership is probably one of the most important aspects of any organization.

Moses understood this. “Moses said to the Lord, “May the Lord, the God who gives breath to all living things, appoint someone over this community to go out and come in before them, one who will lead them out and bring them in, so the Lord’s people will not be like sheep without a shepherd.” Numbers 27:15-18 NIV. Moses knew that if no one was in charge that the people would wander aimlessly as they moved into this new land.

God had in mind one man … Joshua. Joshua has been Moses right hand man since leaving Egypt. Joshua is the one who goes up on Mt. Sinai with Moses. Joshua is the first to hear the noise coming from the camp after the golden calf has been made. Joshua along with Caleb were the only two out of the twelve spies that believed God could deliver the Canaanites into their hands. Joshua has aided Moses greatly. The forty years in the wilderness had been a training course for Joshua to assume the leadership of the people once Moses died. What a perfect glimpse into God’s system of training up the next generation of leaders.

At West Side we are beginning a new prayer partner campaign. We are asking people to join with us in praying daily for West Side. If you would like to join us please click here and subscribe to receive daily emails containing a short prayer request for West Side. We appreciate your partnership.

March 2 – Numbers 16-17

Today’s reading comes from Numbers 16-17. Before reading I invite you to pray and asked God to speak to you as you read his word.

Are you one to question authority? Do you constantly have something negative to say about those in leadership positions? If so, than today’s reading should scare you. We witnessed the authority and position of both Moses and Aaron severely questioned by a group of Israelites. This made God very angry and it ended with the revolters and their families either being swallowed up by the ground or consumed in fire. God did not want his chosen leadership of Moses to be questioned.

I think it is dangerous for us to constantly be questioning the leadership we have. No matter if it is elders or ministers in the church, elected city officials, school board members, or even the President of the United States, I think it can be dangerous. Now when I say question, I mean to disobey, to cause real turmoil and heartache, to make their job anything but a joy. In our political landscape we elect our officials, and hopefully we elect men and women who are in align with our philosophies. Sometimes though we may not be part of the majority and there is someone serving we have different philosophical ideas with. How do you respond to them? Do you argue against their ideas and direction with positive uplifting discussion? Absolutely! Do you talk with hate and discord towards them. Absolutely NOT!

I think we see the hate and discord too much in our nation right now. Our country is truly divided with completely opposite ideas of what is best for our country. While I have a fundamental philosophical difference with our current President nowhere in me do I have hate for him and his family? Too many Christians I talk with do, and that saddens and upsets me. Whether he was chosen by God to be president, or simply allowed by God to be president, he is the President of the United States. Because of his position, and simply because he is a human being, but most of all, because God is allowing him to be president he deserves my respect. How about yours?

At West Side we are beginning a new prayer partner campaign. We are asking people to join with us in praying daily for West Side. If you would like to join us please click here and subscribe to receive daily emails containing a short prayer request for West Side. We appreciate your partnership.

Lesson’s From a Church Builder

Here at West Side we are currently going through the process of rebuilding the foundation of our congregation. In that process we are trying to secure the foundation by deciding who our target audience is as well as what our mission statement is. We are calling that process our BluePrint.

I think this aspect is essential to growing and building the church. I have talked on here that I think there needs to be a paradigm shift in the minds of the people. But what are they shifting to. Are they shifting to being more outward focused? I hope so. Are they shifting to change their style of worship? Only if it needs to be shifted? Whatever the shift that takes place is, there needs to be a common goal that we are all shifting towards.

Right now I have in my head what needs to happen. But that doesn’t mean that is the right direction. What is in my head may not be what is best for this church. That is the beauty of this BluePrint process. It is all of the men on the church board coming together to draw up our BluePrint that we will help to shift the minds of the people towards. Whatever the paradigm shift that needs to take place here, it will be shifting towards the one common goal and mission that will come from the BluePrint meetings.

Please keep these men in your prayers as we push forward and seek God’s leadership and direction for his church here.

Lessons for a Church Builder

Yesterday at my weekly breakfast with a group of guys from the church we were discussing the future and the direction of the church. I made the comment that I felt like we were starting to see a paradigm shift in the minds of the people. I was then fielded the question something along the lines of … “what type of shift do you think needs to take place?”

In my opinion many churches who have become static or have even dropped off from their former “glory days,” have two things going against them …. 1) for some some reason they have become inward focused, and 2) they have lost their creative edge. I think these things are important to building a church.

 

I have said many times that I am not about numbers. I don’t care if we are a mega church, a medium sized church, or even a small church. Numbers don’t drive me. What drives me is reaching as many people for Christ that we can. That is what we as a church have been called to do. We have been commissioned by Christ to … “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20). Did you get that, we are to make disciples, how? by going, baptizing and teaching.

Many churches who have fallen off have some how forgot this message. Sure if you were to ask them what the church should be doing they would respond with many things, but one would be to evangelize. While they understand this, they no longer operate in a way that is going to foster evangelism. This is the first paradigm shift that has to happen in the minds of the people. The church has to stop being inward focused and start being outward focused. Without doing this, you cannot begin to reach people with a life changing encounter with Jesus.

The second paradigm shift supports the first. When churches who have existed for a while start failing one thing that goes is creativity. The church gets caught in a rut, doing the same old things week after week, month after month, and year after year. This is where the sacred cows, the traditions of the church begin to take hold. When they have lost their creativity they begin playing church, and that tends to lose that spirit of evangelism.

So to change these things you have to start rebuilding creativity. You have to start preaching evangelism. You have to start preaching about being outward focused. Before change can take place you have to shift and change the minds and hearts of the people. Once this begins to happen amazing things can begin to occur. This is the process we are now going through at West Side. And you know what … it is beginning to happen. We are beginning to see a change in heart and mind. We are beginning to see the creativity return to many people … and to be honest …. IT IS EXCITING!!!!

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Leadership Principle

A couple of months ago I got on here and ranted about my beloved Cleveland Browns. I was frustrated and upset with the direction the team was going. After 11 season back in the NFL we had a horrible product on the field. My plea then was that the problems of the Browns started at the top. I was of the opinion that the Browns needed new ownership.

Image used from site EveryJoe.com

Now, a few months removed from those comments, watching the team win the last four games of the season, and seeing great changes take place, I would like to retract my comments. I still believe the Browns problems start at the top. After spending time reading many articles and things about Browns owner Randy Lerner, I believe he does care, I believe he does have the best interest of the team at heart, and does want to see them win. That is why I believe he has removed himself from the situation and brought in Mike Holmgren.

Now Holmgren has only been in the job a few weeks, but his hiring brings credibility to the organization. He has taken two teams from rubble and brought them into the national spot light by taking them to 3 Super Bowls. Holmgren brings instant credibility to the leadership role of the Browns. Finally after 11 seasons there is a football guy running football operations.

I think that the church must be careful to do the same thing. If we seek to grow, if we seek to reach people for Christ then our leadership should be that of a church growth expert. I am not talking about any man or woman, I am talking about Christ. Christ should be the head of the church. Christ should be who we turn to as we make decisions for his church. Are we making decisions based on our desires and preferences’, or are we making decisions based on what Christ’s leadership would call for? After reading through 2/3 of the book of Matthew this month with West Side Bible Reading Plan, I believe it is clear that Jesus leadership would be radical. Is your church radical? Is your church seeking Christ leadership? If not, maybe you need to stop listening to yourself.

Prayer for Our Leaders

Each day I will be posting from the daily Bible Reading plan we will be doing at West Side. On weekdays we will be going through the New Testament. On the weekends we will read passages from the Old Testament books of Psalms and Proverbs. We invite you to join along.

Today’s reading (Proverbs 3) discuses a common theme found in the book of Proverbs; Wisdom. It talks about seeking the wisdom of God and what comes with it. If we seek wisdom like one searching for silver then we will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God.

Now most of us in our lives pray for wisdom. We seek God’s wisdom, guidance, and discretion in our lives, but do we ask for that same thing in others lives, particularly the ones we have asked to lead us. We should pray for our political leaders, our church leaders, and even the leaders of our civic groups and organizations.

Today let me challenge you to prayer for the leaders of our country that they seek God’s leadership, wisdom and discretion.

Prayer that our church leaders will seek the leadership and discretion of God as they work to take Christ church to all people.

Prayer for those who work with your children or grandchildren that they will lead and inspire your kids to find God’s guidance in their lives.

It All Starts at the Top

Growing up in South East Ohio I developed a deep love and passion for the Cleveland Browns. I became a fan at the age of 3 when I received for Christmas a Cleveland Browns uniform. I began following and understanding the team in the mid 90’s during the Bill Belichick and Vinny Testaverde era, right before the team moved to Baltimore. I remember watching one game in 93 or 94 following one of the Cowboys Super Bowl wins and thinking it was really cool that my team was playing the Cowboys. I remember the three years that I was without a team. I remember getting on the internet one of the first times and watching the live feeds of the construction progress of the new stadium. I remember going to the NFL Pro Football Hall of Fame and seeing on a bill board the date of the Browns first game at Fawcett Stadium against the Dallas Cowboys. I remember watching that game, and being excited as they won the game in overtime. But that is, for the most part, where my good memories end.
Since their return in 1999 the Browns have had a winning season only twice, and made the playoffs only once. Every other year has been abysmal, leaving the fans and myself broken hearted. Every so often a regime change takes place. After the first two horrible years the Browns head coach, Chris Palmer was let go. Following him was Butch Davis. Some good happened under Butch, but after a crazy game against Cincinnati Butch had a psychological breakdown, and resigned from the position. Following him was the Savage/Crenel era, and the era was branded as “rebuilding.” They lasted three years, had one good season, but following a poor attempt last year, were let go. Now with a new coach and new GM the rebuilding is beginning again. So far, it does not look promising. My preseason prediction – the Browns have a chance against 3 teams, Kansas City, Oakland, and Detroit, but to be honest I think they may loose all three of them. Players are signing grievances with the players union against Coach Eric Mangini, and it is reported that players have stopped “playing” for him.
Why do I say all that on a blog where I comment about life and the Church? Because I believe the failures of the Browns are due to one reason and if the Church is not careful it too can fall to the same problem. I believe the heart of the Browns problems begin with the ownership of the team, and the “lack” of leadership. I do not know the Browns owner, and assume he is a great guy, but as an NFL owner, Randy Lerner stinks. I think it is time to change the Browns organization from the top down, starting with the owner. He is an owner that is known for not being very visible and not involved in the day to day operations of the team. Now I certainly do not want an owner like Jerry Jones, but someone who cares would be nice. Leadership is important.
Friends I believe the Church can face a similar situation. If the leadership is not right, if it is not strong, if it is only half into it, then the local Church is going to fail. Leadership means taking risks. Leadership means being involved. Leadership means taking action. Leadership means being on the cutting edge. This is especially important in the Church. If we are going to win people to Christ then we have to do whatever it takes to win them. But if we manage our team like the management of the Cleveland Browns at best we get a mediocre team that has a positive season every now and then. Friends, I believe the church is too important to let that happen. Lets stop being mediocre, and get busy winning souls to the Kingdom.