Just thinking about...

I'm still here!

It's been a whole since I blogged.

Not really sure why that's true but it is. I plan to do better at blogging, but I'm unsure the value of a 71 year old retired pastor in the blogging world. I get more likes, comments, and "attaboys" when I post on Facebook the restaurant where we're eating. 

Some of the younger pastors I connect with consider blogging "old school". I suppose most everything I do is "old school" to some degree; but I'm not convinced that "old school" means dated, bad, irrelevant, or worthless. Of course, neither do I think that "new" means good. I suppose chronological snobbery still exists in many of my younger friends and nostalgia in my older friends. And me. 

So, I guess I will continue to blog every now and then for both of you who read this.

Now, if I can just think of something interesting to blog about. I'm eating lunch today at......

 

Just thinking about leadership

Since I'm still breathing and only a few people have actually said "bless his heart", I will continue to live as if I'm going to be here a while serving God by serving pastors and churches. That means reading and learning as a Lifelong learner. Recently I read 2 books that will have a tremendous future effect on me even though I am now 70 and have lived most of my life.

The first book is The Way of The Dragon or The Way of the Lamb by Jamin Goggin and Kyle Strobel. The subtitle may explain why I loved it: "Searching for Jesus' path of power in a church that has abandoned it." This is a collection of essays that help us examine whether we are operating in any power paths other than the Holy Spirit. The designation "deceiver" is quite appropriate for the evil one and this book helped me to see times in my life and ministry when I had used ways that were more of the dragon than the Lamb. I was led to repent and confess several times as I committed to put off Dragon ways and put on Lamb Ways. Powerful book for anyone in ministry or churches. 

The second book is Spiritual Leadership, Revised and Expanded by Henry and Richard Blackaby. Because I have been a student of leadership my entire ministry, I had read the earlier edition of this book; but I was blown away at how helpful and pragmatic this revised edition is.  Regardless of one's leadership position in the church, in business, or in the home, this is a powerful, convicting, and pragmatic resource for Disciples of Jesus who lead in any context.

I've been away from blogging for a while but hope to renew writing more regularly. 

Just thinking about leadership...

 

 

For my friends exploring Christianity

The first two decades  of my life were pretty much about me doing my thing my way. That didn't work well. After meeting and marrying Joyce, everything changed. I renewed my commitment to be a disciple of Jesus who was saved and changed by grace. I began learning how to live the good and beautiful life by putting off the old man and putting on the new man (Eph. 4:22; Col.3:9), the one who was a disciple. I trust Jesus for my relationship with the God of the universe, as well as how to live. My values, my hope, my peace, and my joy all comes from Jesus. I trust Him.

I plan to spend the rest of my life helping others find the same meaning, love, forgiveness, and peace with God that I have found in Jesus. 

If you're exploring Christianity and would like to talk about it over a cup of coffee, I would enjoy the experience. No pressure. 

A prayer

Open my eyes, Lord, to see this day as a gift from You.

Open my eyes to see the people in my life as blessings from You or people I can bless.

Open my eyes to the beauty You have created rather than the destruction and division caused by the evil one.

Open my eyes to the future You have for me because of Jesus.

Open my eyes to see the possibilities more than the problems.

Open my eyes to see and my mind to comprehend the love You have for me and for us so that I can love as You love.

Amen.

Old guy thots August 2K18

Great word from the Lord this morning as I reflected on life at 70. "Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day,"(2 Cor. 4:16).

I remembered a song from a few decades ago, "He's still working on me" based on Philippians 2:13. The songwriter added "How loving and patient He must be, cause He's still working on me."

It's true this old body is not the same as it was decades ago. The mind isn't either. It's also true that the Lord has been loving and patient and kind and faithful to me while I have been "under construction". He has been regularly and faithfully renewing the inner self these decades that I have been His disciple. Another song says, "I'm not what I want to be; I'm not what I'm going to be; but thank God I'm not what I was." That last phrase has been my comfort many, many times. Thank You, Jesus, that I'm not what I used to be (2 Cor. 5:17).

I notice my aging body or mind more frequently these days. There are also times when I feel as if I'm still 30, ready to get out and run a few miles. As Satchel Paige reportedly said "How old would you be if you didn't know how old you were?" Sometimes 70, sometimes 30. 

So I live in the reality that I do have an aging body and mind. But I live trusting that my inner self is under construction by the Holy Spirit of God to conform me to the image of Christ, and prepare me for an eternity in the immediate presence of Jesus. 

God is doing what He's always done. I am even more grateful now than ever.

Just a grateful old guy thinking....

...and a new way to live.

From Dallas Willard in Renovation of the Heart:

 “An apprentice (disciple, student) of Jesus...is one of those who have trusted Him with their whole life so far as they understand it. Because they have done so they want to learn everything he has to teach them... Disciples of Jesus are those who are with Him learning to be like Him. That is, they are learning to lead their life, their actual existence, as He would lead their life if He were they.... They are learning how to walk with Jesus and learn from Him in every aspect of their individual lives.”   — Dallas Willard in Renovation of the Heart, p. 241

"Learning to live as Jesus would live if He were" me.

When I became a Christian many decades ago, my limited understanding was about my sins, Jesus' atoning sacrifice, and eternity.

After several decades of His faithfulness and patience with me, I know that Jesus not only gave me forgiveness, atonement, and an eternal destiny, but he gave me a new and better way to live: The Good And Beautiful life. For many years now The Holy Spirit and I have been replacing my old way of living with His way of living. Still "miles to go before I sleep", but as the Gaithers wrote: "I'm not what I want to be; I'm not what I'm going to be; but thank God I'm not what I was".

Just thinking and grateful this morning...

 

Blessed

Yesterday I celebrated my 69th birthday.

Yep. 69 years.

Several hundred friends sent me birthday greetings on Facebook and a bunch of folks texted or called. I enjoyed FaceTime connections with all but one of the grands and gifts from the family and several friends.

I also got a great word from the Scriptures when God reminded me of all of the blessings of my life. Just as I thank God for my mother and father who brought me into this world, I am grateful for the day I was born again and my new life began. 

I am blessed because of Jesus.  

The older I get the more I understand just how amazing grace really is.

 

 

 

 

Unite: Connecting Generations of Pastors

I am convinced that we "seasoned" pastors have a wealth of experience from our successes and our failures, so we can be a resource to younger pastors. Likewise the energy, enthusiasm, and creativity of younger pastors can invigorate older pastors. Since God is currently using both younger and older pastors in His Kingdom plans, it's a win-win when the two generations connect.

Recently Matt Rogers invited me to be part of a book project which could have significant Kingdom value in connecting younger pastors and "seasoned" pastors. The project was entitled UNITE and the subtitle was "Connecting Generations for Kingdom Expansion". The whole project was crafted to facilitate the connections between younger and older pastors. Each chapter has inspiration and practical help in making these connections. Since I am now one of the older guys, the chapter I wrote is about "seasoned" pastors connecting with younger pastors. I consider this connection to be a matter of stewardship. I believe those of us who have been at this for a while should steward our experiences and learnings to bless future generations of pastors, disciples, and churches. It is a Kingdom thing.

In writing one chapter of this book, I hope to inspire both older and younger pastors to consider making the connection for generations yet to come.

I also pray that I will be able to personally invest in others as long as I can. Or at least until someone says "Bless his heart". I know what that means! 8-)

"Retirement"

John PIper nailed it with this post.

Retired? No Way!

After 26 years serving as Lead Pastor at Riverbluff Church in North Charleston, I retired in 2014.

Well, not really.

After 40+ years of discipleship to Jesus, I am more convinced than ever that Jesus is the way to change the world. He literally is The way, The truth, and The life. So my efforts to make disciples aren't exclusively about growing a church, or getting people into heaven, or advancing a career. I genuinely believe it is the way to make the world a better place. I have embraced what I believe to be Jesus' method to change the world.

Making disciples has been the foundation of my work as a pastor for over four decades. I can't imagine doing something else because I have reached retirement age.

My ministry now is trying to help pastors and churches make disciples. Riverbluff Church has deployed me in my "retirement" to coach pastors and/or churches in how best to make disciples in the current culture. We call it "coaching" because we think pastors and churches want help in being and doing what God has called them to be and do in their specific setting. Coaching begins with the question "How can I help?".  

As a ministry of Riverbluff Church I now coach pastors and churches. And  we consider it a Kingdom investment so there's no charge. 

Let me know if I can help.

[email protected]

843-224-6655