Competition and Ministry

If you are like me, you enjoy competition.  I get pumped when I can compete in a sport.  I grew up playing sports with my three brothers and my Dad.  It taught me character, discipline, conditioning, health and more.  But the day I hung up my basketball shoes and baseball cleats in college, I entered the ministry field. Success isn't easy to measure anymore.  I don't have a shooting percentage or batting average anymore.  The pressure is there, but it is different.  It is hard to figure out.

It is mental, physical, spiritual and emotional and many times, all at once.

What do we do about this inner drive to compete, especially when it comes to the calling of God?

It is less about me and more about what God does through me.  God wants our best but in the context of His strength and His glory being known.  Jesus had some competitive disciples in Mark 9:33-35:

"After they arrived at Capernaum and settled in a house, Jesus asked his disciples, “What were you discussing out on the road?”  But they didn’t answer, because they had been arguing about which of them was the greatest.  He sat down, called the twelve disciples over to him, and said, “Whoever wants to be first must take last place and be the servant of everyone else.”

The danger I see is when churches compare with one another.  Questions like this are asked, "How many students do you have in your youth group?" or "How many people attend your church?"

Numbers represent people.  It is just dangerous when those of us in ministry are comparing with one another.

At the same time, there is a need for a global Christian perspective on the American church.

What do you say to the missionary in Egypt who is seeing people come to Christ in a small, but persecuted church?  Are they not successful because they do not have a huge turnout?

I guess my question to myself and to you as the reader is, "What do you call success?"

I believe we should passionately pray for God to change not just hundreds but thousands of lives in our local churches.  Why?  Because God can do more than we can ever imagine.

My only warning is we should never think of one local church as the king of all churches.  We are in this journey together to make disciples of all nations.

Be faithful where God has you. Make each conversation count for the gospel. Teach God's Word as if it is the last sermon you will ever preach. Love your family. Run from lust. Be faithful to your spouse. Pray for your children. Listen when people talk. Love the outcast.

Trust God for the results.  Faithfulness is all about how you finish, not just how you start.  Faithfulness destroys the need to compare.

What are your thoughts on comparison in ministry? Share in the comments below. 

Human Sex Trafficking and the Super Bowl

People made in God's image are being used.  My heart is broken. But did you know that the Super Bowl is one of the top sex trafficking events every year in America?

Facts and Stats - There are an estimated 27 million slaves worldwide today, enough to fill the New Orleans Superdome to capacity almost 353 times. - There are roughly 200,000 slaves in the United States today.  It is the equivalent of the full rosters of close to 3,774 football teams. - Two children are sold into slavery every minute worldwide.  508 children were sold during the 254 minutes of the 2013 Super Bowl broadcast. - The human trafficking industry brings in nearly 32 billion dollars each year.  That is 139 times more than the $230 million made by broadcast ad sales for the 2013 Super Bowl. - The average slave is sold for no more than $90.  The cheapest ticket for the Super Bowl started at $650.

In 2014, the Super Bowl will be hosted at MetLife stadium in New Jersey. I enjoy watching the Super Bowl every year, but this year, I have a new outlook on what really matters.

Sports are exciting, but I will be praying more this year for God's power to push back the darkness.

Laws or government will not ultimately fix this issue.  The church is the answer to helping people in the darkness see the light of Jesus.

I believe this is one of the issues of my generation that we need to stop turning a blind eye to.

http://enditmovement.com/

Teaching Process that Helps Students Learn

I love teaching.  I believe communicating God's Word is central to my calling in life.  I want people to passionately love God and learn how to live out their faith, and I'm sure you do as well! How do we do this practically?

I want to unpack this statement on how to teach:

Verbal clarity + Visual aids + Interaction = Maximum learning (from Rick Blackwood's book, The Power of Multisensory Preaching and Teaching: Increase Attention, Comprehension, and Retention)

Verbal clarity - Use clear wording to help students understand what is being communicated.  Work on transition statements in between important teaching points during the message.  Use language that you clearly define to avoid "christian-ese" statements.  Think through the mind of a middle or high school student.  Will they be able to understand the way you communicate?  Am I defining the bigger words I use to help students who do not have a church/Bible background?

Visual aids - Help students see the message as they listen to it.  I like using pictures, videos, props and more to help communicate.  We live in a visual culture, so always make sure to run your message through this filter.  Will the students be able to process visually what you are saying verbally?  Visual props help land the main thought of a message.  In every message, ask the question, "How can I communicate this visually?"

Interaction - Ask questions throughout the message to help engage the audience.  Remember, we are not talking AT people but talking TO people.  Help them see that the message isn't coming from the "expert" but coming from someone that is learning it along with them instead.  I try to think through breaks in each message where I ask a question and pause.  Allow the audience to repeat it back to you.  It helps the listeners to breathe and opens them up to stay on track with the message.

= Maximum learning

The goal of teaching God's Word is transformation.  It doesn't happen by accident.  It takes preparation and the power of the Holy Spirit to impact the audience.  I am continually trying to improve how I communicate God's Word.

What ways do you communicate God's Word to students that help them grow?  Share in the comments below!