Capital District and Europe: February 27-March 18, 2008
I keep telling myself that I’ll learn to type someday, and use all my fingers (instead of five) to press the keys while looking at the screen—instead of the keys themselves. But I’ve been singing that tired old refrain for years and years with little effect. I heard the other day that Bill Gates is planning on developing computers that are voice-activated with touch-screens. Wouldn’t that be great? Then I would not have to learn to type; I could simply talk my way through documents.
Speaking of talking, I was so thrilled on Monday to get THE call from my youngest son, Evan, telling me that he had passed his candidacy exam for his PhD at Cal Tech. Though he still has a few years of research left before he completes the program, this was the big hurdle: a three-hour oral exam during which he could be asked virtually any question by the three professors on his panel. To make matters even more dicey, he was informed a week ago that one of his expected profs would NOT be at the exam due to a protracted battle with cancer. That meant a substitute prof would be asking a different set of questions based on his specialization.
So Evan changed his study tactics and topics accordingly—only to learn at the exam that the substitute was being replaced by a quasi-prof (post-doctoral staff lecturer). This man was the very person who had so bitingly castigated Evan for asking a question about a subject this man thought everyone ought to know. Imagine Evan’s state of mind when he discovered the new panel-member when he arrived to take his exam…
But true to form (this is a tangent about talking one’s way through things), Evan settled his heart and trusted in Jesus…and started talking. His first task was to present the results of his research (very exciting actually), and he did so quickly and interestingly. His results were impressive in their own right, but Evan also knows how to present material due to his experiences on the stage and in Bible studies he has led. Following that, the questions began—and the new panel member threw Evan a very difficult one. He did not remember the exact solution process, but as he talked, he managed to find his way toward the answer. That satisfied the panel. The other questions were also challenging because that is the nature of such exams. I reminded Evan there is a reason why so few people get a PhD…
The New Capital District
Dave Detter picked me up at 4:45am. Somehow I managed to spend the entire 45 minutes of the trip to the airport talking to Dave about the changes I’ll be introducing to my new district in a couple of days. He is a long-time Foursquare guy, so he appreciated just how different things are going to be in my new district. On Friday, I officially inherit another 23 churches as my purview extends north from Washington, DC (and Virginia suburbs) to Philadelphia, west to Pittsburgh (though not the city proper), south to the northeastern sliver of West Virginia and back to DC.
I needed more work like I need a hole in the head, but at some point, leaders in the West, who enjoy the spillover of so much blessing and so many fine models for church, must be willing to do more if we are going to see the same developments happening in Foursquare in the East. As much as I may have wanted to keep going about my business traveling to the far reaches of our world to encourage pastors, I could not escape a certain sense of God-intended responsibility to offer what I have to my pastor-peers in the East. Besides, there is a certain part of me that always points toward that direction—being where others rarely go.
I’m one of those truly optimistic people. I don’t just mean in an emotional frame of mind (though it certainly includes that); rather, my optimism is mostly mental. I constantly ask a simple question—“What else, what other could we do?”
Circumstances are what they are. We can lament them, or should I say, we can lament the conclusion those circumstances have presently told us is all we can do. Instead, I always believe there is another way to try, another course to take to get to what we desire.We can start with what we have and find new/other ways to keep pressing toward the goal. Seasons come and go. What worked before and is no longer working does not have to be the end of the road. We do not have to give up—not yet.
If, for instance, if our goal is to stay connected, there are always ways to accomplish that if we are willing to be patient and creative, seizing moments when they present themselves. I hope to connect the pastors of my new district with one another and with new thinking. I want more of a connection with friends in the East, but I cannot impose anything on people who are not in the same frame of mind.
Since we’re trying to develop more reproductive churches, led by a larger number of healthy pastors, we’re not going to make much progress simply by hoping for a change. People put too much trust in the mere passing of time—as though time itself will carry us forward. It won’t. Time usually takes us away from our goals and dreams unless we do things to intentionally alter its course. It’s like me and learning to type. Time is no teacher. If I want to end up typing more efficiently, I must change the pattern of my “today” which is simply to keep typing the same as always.
So, I hope to introduce changes for pastors who are eager to press into the future; even though I run the risk of rejection by those who are content with the status quo in place, I know that things the way they are will not turn into our desired future. At least, I want to give it a try or two before conceding defeat. A few pastors on my district have called and emailed me in anticipation of the meetings this week. That has been very, very encouraging. I hope more friends in the East will want to have ongoing connection with me, pointing toward our future—or at least, resolving to go our separate ways in mutual respect.
I’ll know lots more after Sunday. The district transition conference runs Friday and Saturday. It may be nuts of me, but I’ll be giving everyone my cell phone number and encouraging them to call me if they want. I speak at one of my new churches on Sunday morning and another Sunday afternoon. Then I’ll have lots of free time Sunday evening and all day Monday to evaluate the reactions I get. I fly out of New York to Zurich Monday night.
Very full day beginning with an early breakfast at Whole Foods Market, where I get a giant cup of coffee and a huge blueberry scone made without hydrogenated oils or other not-good-for-me ingredients. So, I gorge myself with impunity.
Then I drove to Gettysburg to meet with Marty Jenkins, the man whose district oversight I am assuming on Friday. We had a great chat, as always, about all things Foursquare and especially about the transition in the district. He was very encouraging—but also mindful of the dear pastors for whom he has cared these many years. I know the feeling of wanting to pass your flock on to others, but also wanting to hold onto them. I think, actually, that dynamic tension is an indication of health…
The afternoon held the first big meeting of the district council—all the superintendents plus a few others whom I asked to join us. I laid out my heart and vision to them all afternoon and into the evening. It went very, very well—at least from my perspective. A huge goal for me was to establish the beginnings of relationship. I’m not so naïve as to believe that relationship/trust are instant, but I did come away from the meetings feeling like we have a good start with the pastors who are unfamiliar to me (and I to them).
Due to the late night (I got to pray some significant deliverance that evening for one couple who have been hassled by a strong spirit of divination), and now this early morning when my “plate” is very full of things that need doing and thinking through, this journal is brief. Tomorrow’s will likewise be short.
We all know that God is able to do exceedingly above and beyond what we imagine, but I’ll confess to being surprised, still, at how much He does for us! My mind and heart have been quite occupied, of late, with the district transition—merging the former Mid-Atlantic and Washington, DC-Baltimore Metro districts into the new Capital district. I wasn’t worried about God’s ability to accomplish His will, just about my inability to carry it out, or the pastors’ willingness to follow the sense I have of His leading.
It’s not that I anticipated strong resistance. Nothing I have heard from Marty or anyone else gave me any impression about my new-to-me pastors other than great eagerness to “go for it” in the Lord. I suppose that is the nature of our fears: they are rarely based in reality, but that is what gives them their power to linger about our heart, hovering to steal away our hope and confidence. Yesterday at the District Transition Team meeting, the atmosphere was amazingly collegial and positive. I should have taken heart then and rested in confidence that the Lord had gone before us (as always) to make a way.
The actual district meeting began at 3:30pm following a time of arrival and fellowship. I introduced myself, led the pastors/leaders in a time of worshipping in the Spirit and praying in our spiritual languages, and invited them all to follow the “Golden Rule” in praying for one other person whose name they did not know. From my perspective, the initial buzz in the room, beginning with that ministry to each other, never left the room. We went through a couple of pages of my massive syllabus/outline, and off we went.
Though I’m pressed for time right now, I’d like everyone to know how hugely encouraged I am at how our district has begun. I’m seriously considering setting aside some additional days on my next trip or two to deepen my connection with my friends. I think I can juggle my schedule if they are willing and able to do the same to give us real quality time together—without being rushed as we are at conferences like this. My sense is that people would want to make changes in their routine to make a place for me to visit. I guess we’ll have to see if their expressed eagerness translates into calendar action and flexibility. I’m going to give serious attention to seeing what I can do to eke out some extra days in the next few months.
Our district gathering on Saturday was, if it’s possible, even better and more confirming to me that it was on Friday. That could simply be because I had found a level of comfort and relaxation in being who I am without any worry about how well I would or wouldn’t be accepted. Its not like I expected personal rejection; I wasn’t worried about being liked by my new friends; I didn’t bring into this new connection any baggage of hard-fought struggles from past pains in ministry; I didn’t feel particularly insecure—but I hoped and prayed we could move together rapidly into the future.
Conversation after conversation with my pastors brought up the same basic statement: “We’re so happy you’re here, and we’re really hoping for someone who will be able to help us live up to our potential. We need specific ideas and help with church because we’re tried extra praying, etc., and we’re still stuck. Please, please give us counsel.” Wow! How can I be anything other than encouraged by that? I realized before our meetings on Saturday that my anxiety/worry about my reception was NOT a personal concern or nervousness about/for myself; rather, I felt so keenly that accepting this enlarged assignment was based on my sense of what the Lord has asked me to do with/for the churches.
Simply put, I want to offer them very practical and biblical thoughts, tips, training and counsel to do church a very different way than they have been doing it thus far. If the pastors would not have wanted that kind of input, I know I would not do this new job for long. That isn’t and wasn’t a threat in my ear saying, “My way or the highway!” I just know what I’m called to do at this stage in my life/ministry, and I have zero interest in fighting anyone or trying to convince anyone about anything. If my counsel is accepted, great. If not, great. I just know that I am not eager to continue offering input when/where it is not wanted.
Although time will tell much more, I believe these pastors want whatever little help and perspective I can offer them. That makes me very, very excited and hugely inspired to do even more for them!
I’m including—at the end of this journal entry—the outline I gave to my new district pastors (slightly revised thanks to the advice of my district council). You may enjoy reading it if you like that kind of thing.
On Sunday, I was privileged to speak in Frederick, MD at the Foursquare church pastored by Dave and Debbie Hendershot. It was a blast. Following church we went to dinner with Pastors David and Lety Rodriguez who lead the Hispanic congregation in the same building later in the day each Sunday. Not only was the Mexican (Spanish) food good, the conversation and laughter were even better.
I had to leave just as we were getting warmed up in relationship because my crazy schedule called for me to be in New York City that evening. I had also asked Lynn to see if any other pastor would like to spend a few minutes with me on the way. Allen and Gretchen Hersh, who pastor in Hunterstown, PA (near Gettysburg), invited me to chat with them and their leadership team. Oh, was that a blast for me, too! As I was hoping, I received a word from the Lord for them and the church—one that was very, very encouraging, but quite unusual.
Then I drove 4 hours to New York City and went to sleep in the hotel without any dinner…
A New Approach for a New District
Since we’re hoping for new strategy and a breakthrough that goes beyond simply doing the same things and waiting longer, hoping that our present approach will be fruitful, I would like to give you some things to think about from my perspective. Please bear with me as I lay out the beginnings of my vision for the district… I’m dealing with a bit of information overload.
Probably my biggest worry during this transition is that I will inadvertently disappoint or wound some of you by overlooking details, projects, people or funding that are, no doubt, worthy of attention. My ministry philosophy is so geared around working through relationships that I will be at a disadvantage before we get to know each other—and until you feel the freedom to ask me about anything I may have missed or passed over.
My goal is NOT to dismantle everything that has been set in motion and built in our respective (former) districts. Instead, we’re trying to transition into a different future—not because the past was bad, but simply because the past is passed!
As we look together toward our future, I hope that we will all ask ourselves what is the best approach for resourcing our churches for what they are facing today and in the next few years.
Recent History and Observations
Last year I was privileged to conduct various pastor/leader training events in 32 nations—from Estonia to Singapore, from Hungary to Korea. Just last week I returned from 38 days in Asia, training Foursquare pastors and future leaders in India, Thailand, Singapore, E. Malaysia, Philippines and E. Australia. Everywhere I went, the churches and pastors were facing the same realities and asking the same questions.
Our challenges are not unique to our part of the nation…but that means the solutions we discover will also be a great help to Foursquare pastors throughout the world!
There were several Ah-ha moments for me in the last 14 months since leaving my position as senior pastor of The Coastlands. The biggest of these came in Jerusalem during our convention when I met with an Israeli congregation-leader (they don’t use the words pastor or church) who wanted to pick my brain about church-life. In the Holy city that has experienced untold numbers of crusades, prayer gatherings, prophecy conferences and every other manner of spiritual pilgrimage by thousands of believers from all over the world, a church leader just like us desperately wanted answers to two questions: “How do I get more people to volunteer?” and “How can I make cell groups more effective in discipling people?”
There appears to be a practical side of church that seems to unaffected by spill-over from the more spiritual side of ministry. I’ve always believed in two sides of church life—organic/natural and intangible/spiritual—but that moment with the Israeli leader solidified my conviction that much of what stymies pastors in their church ministries can be answered by simple but not-always-spiritual-seeming suggestions.
(By the way, those same questions were the talk of the day in Bangalore, Bangkok, Kota Kinabalu, Griffith and Sydney in the last five weeks.)
More Spiritual; More Practical; Different
I invite you to join me in an even more diligent pursuit of the “things of God,” the spirituals and Kingdom principles/tools laid out for us in God’s word. The Bible has so much to say to us about leading our congregations—and I do not just mean material for our sermons! But, additionally, I hope you will renew your passion to have more regard for what is “honorable [valuable, commendable, the best] …also in the sight of man.”
I have a love and burden for Foursquare in the East. Several years ago when “Go East” was a rallying cry, I caught the vision, and it compelled me to accept the role as supervisor in DC/Baltimore. It has been a fantastic and fulfilling experience for me even though we were forced to do district matters a bit differently than elsewhere because I was bi-coastal—a non-resident supervisor. That created certain challenges.
I was neither expecting nor hoping for the opportunity to expand my district oversight to an additional group of churches. I am not looking for more to do. My life and ministry are already very full. I do not say that to whine, and I do not want to imply that my life is busier than yours! No one is twisting my arm, so I’m not accepting an increased supervisorial role as if I have no choice in the matter.
I have always believed that “problems” are prophetic clues about the future; they require us to change our approach and rethink our strategies. Hence, the problem of my limited time holds hints about how we are to develop ministers in the district, and how we will conduct district business.
The only way I can add the current Mid-Atlantic churches to my district duties is to align this new assignment with my life-assignment. That way, I’m doing the same sorts of things—just in a few more places. Does that make sense?
Guiding Principles
There are two guiding principles with which I will lead the new district; they are critical for your understanding and for my sanity (smile). Since the Capital District exists to advance the gospel by increasing the number of healthy, reproductive leaders (and their churches), our goals are fairly simple. Those goals will guide all district-initiated activities and training. Within the geographic boundaries of our district, we will:
Encourage greater health and fruitfulness in existing churches:
1. Train and mentor pastors/leaders in Bible study, leadership and discipleship, plus ministry and administration skill-sets.
2. Create learning communities among our pastors, as well as within the larger Foursquare family.
3. Provide services and activities beyond what a typical church can do on its own (youth camps, retreats, etc.).
4. Insist on basic patterns of church governance and finances (see Financial/Administrative Evaluations” below).
Engage greater numbers of people in leadership ministry:
1. Assist local churches in identifying and training prospective leaders—asking each church to have an identifiable leadership training course or curriculum.
2. Recruit church planters from within our circles of influence—among church members and among our friends/acquaintances elsewhere in the world.
3. Intentionally position younger, newer leaders wherever possible—asking older leaders to become mentors and advocates for successive generations.
Divisions: Affinity or Geography?
In the last few weeks, I have been intrigued/prompted by an unusual question—one that I had not even considered as a matter open to questioning:
Which churches will be in which divisions?
Our tradition has been to automatically place pastors/churches in divisions based purely on geography. The assumption has been that physical proximity increases the depth and extent of connection between pastors. But I do NOT believe that is the case!
Affinity is more meaningful than geography. I am much more willing to drive a couple of hours for a meaningful connection than I am to drive ten minutes to be with people I hardly know or with whom I share little in common. Since “iron sharpens iron” and since God said long ago that it isn’t good for man to dwell alone, the greatest advantage in ministry is for pastors to have close connections with other pastors.
In fact, a nationwide survey by the Southern Baptists identified only one meaningful factor in the health and survival rate of church plants: regular coaching from a mentor! Regardless of money, team size, proximity to mother church, etc., the best hope for new churches surviving infancy rests in the pastor’s connection with another pastor. I happen to believe that the same dynamic holds true for more established churches.
Divisions exist as a means for advancing our district goals. They are an extension of the supervisor’s office.
- Consequently, I see divisions primarily as learning communities, not administrative groupings. Superintendents should mentor and advise pastors, not just convene meetings.
- At a minimum, however, each division must meet three-four (3-4) times per year, in a setting that allows for mutual sharing, instruction and ministry for the pastors (and other leaders invited by the pastors).
- Each division will have a designated understudy, an apprentice superintendent—hopefully someone newer or younger in ministry.
- Pastors who do not make at least two-three (2-3) of those meetings will be asked to have a conversation with the superintendent and supervisor to discuss their vision for belonging to Foursquare.
I want our pastors to be loved and discipled by mentors whose lives and church ministries are individually attractive and inviting to our pastors.
- Effective immediately, all current divisions are discontinued. Pastors may, of course, continue to get help and counsel from their former superintendent, but no pastor is currently assigned to any district; neither is any superintendent responsible for any local pastor/church.
- Superintendents will spend the next six months wooing and discipling whichever pastors they would like to have in their future division. Pastors are encouraged to seek out and pursue relationship with whichever superintendent they would like to have as a mentor.
- Although the superintendents will host a few ad hoc gatherings, inviting any/all pastors to attend for training and relationship-building, there are no divisional meetings (in the usual sense of the word). Let me stress, again, that future divisions will be mentoring communities that supersede meetings. Pastors are in divisions by virtue of their connection to fellow pastors and a superintendent, not simply because they reside in a particular area and/or attend monthly meetings.
- Between now and our district conference (September 5-6), pastors will be free to place themselves under the care and tutelage of any divisional leader, as long as those pastors are willing and able to participate meaningfully in divisional activities. There is no hurry to decide which division pastors belong to, but at the district conference (if not before), each pastor must indicate their division-of-choice.
- I am quite happy to establish new divisions based on language similarities, ethnic identity, age of church/pastor or any other factor around which several of our pastors can find identity, significance or shared-learning—as long as those distinctions do not fragment our collective identity as a district. Each of these requested divisions is subject to the approval of the District Council. Divisions may be made up of as few as four (4) churches and as many as six-seven (6-7) churches.
- I am also forming a division, called the Flex-Division. It is designed for pastors whose ministry-demands, age, attitude and/or circumstances lead them to be disinterested in or burdened by divisional connections with their peers. Too much time and effort get spent chasing pastors down and urging them to attend gatherings, so I will NOT be asking our superintendents to chase after pastors who would rather be left alone.
- However, any pastor in the Flex-Division is subject to more exacting accounting requirements. If a Flex-Division pastor fails to submit a monthly FCCR report OR if the church is non-fundable for four months in twelve, he or she will have a conversation with the supervisor—most likely leading to membership in the Foursquare Association, rather than in the Foursquare Church.
- Since this division has no superintendent, and since much business with the ARC involves superintendents, the processes affecting the business aspects of Flex-Division churches will proceed more slowly than for churches who have a superintendent.
- NOTE: This division is only available for already-existing churches in our district. It is not a future option for churches. In the future, all such pastors who want little, if any, district connection and accountability will be encouraged to stay in the Foursquare Association.
Training Venues
District-sponsored training events will focus on essential ministry, discipleship and leadership skills. For the most part, district training and consultation venues are optional. Evaluations are not optional. The district will provide some travel and accommodation assistance for pastors wishing to benefit from a seminar or training opportunity.
Ministry Practicum Series—Practical training opportunities for district pastors/leaders
Thursdays 6-9:00pm; Fridays 9:00am-9:00pm; Saturdays 8:30am-Noon
May 1-3 “How I Study My Bible” (Pastors and Leaders)
July 10-12 “Aiming and Shaping Your Church” (Pastors Only)
November 13-15 “Discovering Your Gift-Mix” (All Welcome)
Church Vision/Ministry Consultations—(Optional, available for interested churches)
Praying and talking together about local church plans and strategies for getting the church to function as a whole toward your vision.
The consultation will include the supervisor, the pastor and any leaders the pastor wants to include.
Appointments are available by appointment with the Supervisor’s office.
Financial/Administrative Evaluations—(Mandatory for all district churches)
Open dialog about church finances and governance, including a look at records, trends and checks/balances.
The conversation will include Supervisor and/or Superintendent, plus Pastor and Church Council representatives.
Appointments will be scheduled April 4, 6-7; May 4-6; July 13-15 (and other days as needed) by the Supervisor’s office.
2 Corinthians 8:21
I still find it amazing how any given day can seem to stretch on forever while other days slip away so quickly, and almost nothing gets accomplished. I had both of those days on Monday and Tuesday. After arriving late at night at my hotel in NY, I awoke quite early—I think because of how hungry I was—and decided to power-walk through the streets. Down I went along Madison Avenue, Park Avenue and Fifth Avenue, walking faster than anyone else on the sidewalks. I managed to find a great deli where I got a pumpernickel bagel with cream cheese and some great coffee.
After a couple of hours, I returned to my room for another couple of hours. I wanted to get a head-start driving to JFK to drop off the rental car. The GPS direction-finder in the car had a difficult time registering my location because the tall buildings seemed to block the signal. Several times I turned where I thought I was supposed to go, only to discover that the directions weren’t accurate. It constantly “recalculated” my route. Finally I managed to out-smart it by aiming at the route it was misleading me away from. It worked!
I was already a couple of hours early for the 5:20pm flight, so I sauntered from the ticket counter through an almost non-existent security clearance line. “Why,” I wondered are the lines so short when I have so much time—and so long when I don’t?” Who knows…
But the time allowed me to do some more work and get a couple of phone calls. However, I got word that the flight wasn’t going to leave until 7:00pm. That turned into 9:00pm and then 10:00pm. We did not actually depart from NY until nearly 11:00pm. I was tired before the flight began.
On Tuesday, nearly eight hours later, after some of the worst turbulence I’ve experienced in several years on a trans-Atlantic flight, we touched down in Zurich about 12:30pm. I called Volker who told me to hurry and catch a direct train from Zurich airport to Basel. I knew the routine, so I purchased a ticket and zipped to the train. Along the way I bought a newspaper because I wanted to stay current on the latest election news.
I am a real fan of Barak Obama; he has been my candidate-of-choice for many months, long before he had won anything. That may surprise some religious people, but I believe we need a candidate who is thoughtful, highly intelligent and willing to recognize that America cannot win any “war” without a far more cooperative relationship with our allies. Our country has not treated our peer nations with respect, and our nation has become a villain throughout the world. We must change the ego-centric manner in which we have behaved throughout the world. For a change, we need to consult with other players on the world stage.
Obama strikes me as the most collegially-minded of the candidates still in the race.
All that to say I caught the train to Basel where I arrived an hour later. I bought a sandwich, hopped the tram to the hotel and slept for a couple of hours before Volker picked me up to drive to our Swiss Foursquare Board meeting. At the meeting, we had dinner with Matthias Nowak and Marc Lanz, the other two Board members along with Volker and me. I love these guys so much. It is total pleasure to spend time with them, and every time I visit, I reflect back on so many tears of shared history and relationship.
We had to race away from the meeting at 9:00 in order to drive to the Zurich airport. My good friend, Sam Ahn (from S. Korea), arrived to help us put on a pastors’ seminar for several of our Korean friends throughout Europe. I have been looking forward to seeing Sam again since the last time we were together. I’m also excited to have him meet Volker and the other Swiss pastors. This should be a very fun few days.
A New Approach for a New District
Since we’re hoping for new strategy and a breakthrough that goes beyond simply doing the same things and waiting longer, hoping that our present approach will be fruitful, I would like to give you some things to think about from my perspective. Please bear with me as I lay out the beginnings of my vision for the district… I’m dealing with a bit of information overload.
Probably my biggest worry during this transition is that I will inadvertently disappoint or wound some of you by overlooking details, projects, people or funding that are, no doubt, worthy of attention. My ministry philosophy is so geared around working through relationships that I will be at a disadvantage before we get to know each other—and until you feel the freedom to ask me about anything I may have missed or passed over.
My goal is NOT to dismantle everything that has been set in motion and built in our respective (former) districts. Instead, we’re trying to transition into a different future—not because the past was bad, but simply because the past is passed!
As we look together toward our future, I hope that we will all ask ourselves what is the best approach for resourcing our churches for what they are facing today and in the next few years.
Recent History and Observations
Last year I was privileged to conduct various pastor/leader training events in 32 nations—from Estonia to Singapore, from Hungary to Korea. Just last week I returned from 38 days in Asia, training Foursquare pastors and future leaders in India, Thailand, Singapore, E. Malaysia, Philippines and E. Australia. Everywhere I went, the churches and pastors were facing the same realities and asking the same questions.
Our challenges are not unique to our part of the nation…but that means the solutions we discover will also be a great help to Foursquare pastors throughout the world!
There were several Ah-ha moments for me in the last 14 months since leaving my position as senior pastor of The Coastlands. The biggest of these came in Jerusalem during our convention when I met with an Israeli congregation-leader (they don’t use the words pastor or church) who wanted to pick my brain about church-life. In the Holy city that has experienced untold numbers of crusades, prayer gatherings, prophecy conferences and every other manner of spiritual pilgrimage by thousands of believers from all over the world, a church leader just like us desperately wanted answers to two questions: “How do I get more people to volunteer?” and “How can I make cell groups more effective in discipling people?”
There appears to be a practical side of church that seems to unaffected by spill-over from the more spiritual side of ministry. I’ve always believed in two sides of church life—organic/natural and intangible/spiritual—but that moment with the Israeli leader solidified my conviction that much of what stymies pastors in their church ministries can be answered by simple but not-always-spiritual-seeming suggestions.
(By the way, those same questions were the talk of the day in Bangalore, Bangkok, Kota Kinabalu, Griffith and Sydney in the last five weeks.)
More Spiritual; More Practical; Different
I invite you to join me in an even more diligent pursuit of the “things of God,” the spirituals and Kingdom principles/tools laid out for us in God’s word. The Bible has so much to say to us about leading our congregations—and I do not just mean material for our sermons! But, additionally, I hope you will renew your passion to have more regard for what is “honorable [valuable, commendable, the best] …also in the sight of man.”
I have a love and burden for Foursquare in the East. Several years ago when “Go East” was a rallying cry, I caught the vision, and it compelled me to accept the role as supervisor in DC/Baltimore. It has been a fantastic and fulfilling experience for me even though we were forced to do district matters a bit differently than elsewhere because I was bi-costal—a non-resident supervisor. That created certain challenges.
I was neither expecting nor hoping for the opportunity to expand my district oversight to an additional group of churches. I am not looking for more to do. My life and ministry are already very full. I do not say that to whine, and I do not want to imply that my life is busier than yours! No one is twisting my arm, so I’m not accepting an increased supervisorial role as if I have no choice in the matter.
I have always believed that “problems” are prophetic clues about the future; they require us to change our approach and rethink our strategies. Hence, the problem of my limited time holds hints about how we are to develop ministers in the district, and how we will conduct district business.
The only way I can add the current Mid-Atlantic churches to my district duties is to align this new assignment with my life-assignment. That way, I’m doing the same sorts of things—just in a few more places. Does that make sense?
2 Corinthians 8:21
Sam and I got a great and early start to the day with a typical Swiss breakfast of cereal/yogurt, coffee, bread, butter, cheese and jam. Though he hasn’t traveled much to Europe, he, like me, believes that the only really good bread in the world comes from Switzerland and France; we have equal addiction levels to bread, butter and jam, so we made a pact with one another not to have as many rolls and croissants as we wanted to have. How many we did have is not a matter that needs to be clarified at this point in the journey. We left the table satisfied and satiated.
Wanting to offset the effects of jetlag (though Sam suffers very little from it so far), we opted for a long brisk walk in the cold Swiss air. Before we actually made it out the door, however, it began to snow. What fun we had plodding along with the snowflakes blowing against our faces. Basel doesn’t get too much snow, and what does fall—especially this late in the year—rarely stays long on the ground. By the time we returned 45 minutes later, the snow was finished and the sky had grown almost sunny.
Later we took the tram to the old city to look around and get lunch. It was so cold, we didn’t linger long on the streets. We came back, and I took a nap.
I honestly don’t remember the rest of the day until Volker took us, along with Kathryn Luci, to a pastors’ meeting in Aarau. There we met with many of the Swiss pastors and assistant pastors to discuss plans for the coming year, as well as to get caught up on happenings. Sam shared a bit about Foursquare Korea and its 70 churches (he is the Vice-President of Foursquare Korea). Volker asked me to talk about my season since leaving Coastlands. We shared a great meal prepared by some of the volunteers in Kurt and Miriam’s church, prayed for each other (with prophetic words), and headed home.
On Thursday morning at breakfast, Sam shared some impressions he had about the Swiss pastors and our family here. Among his observations was a particularly meaningful one to me. He said that he was impressed by how loving, affectionate and unified everyone was. He loved their laughter and joy, and how everyone seemed to be “family” in the real sense of the word, not how it gets used as a cliché in church circles. It was beautifully ironic. Here we are about to do a pastors’ seminar for 20 Korean missionaries/pastors from throughout Europe, and Sam comments on one of the spiritual qualities we have tried to cultivate most intentionally in Foursquare Switzerland.
I remember the skepticism and aloofness that greeted me when I first arrived here so many years ago—and all the ways that spiritual knowledge had vaunted itself above kindness and mercy in the church culture. Women were hardly valued, servanthood was virtually unknown, and an air of seriousness bordering on melancholy pervaded almost everyone. I could have wept while Sam was commenting on how loving everyone seemed.
Pastors’ Seminar
After breakfast we walked to the church. My ears nearly froze off! Soon afterwards, the first of the Korean missionaries arrived, and we began our day of discussions. The basic theme was how to lead your church spiritually. The topics we covered (at least took a stab at) ranged from:
1. The need to break out of Korean church culture if they want to reach people of the nations where they live. I used the exercise of asking them to write their first name (only) on their nametag; no one calls people by their first name in Korean culture, so that was a stretch with a point for them.
2. How to reinterpret their unchanged circumstances—like needing to be bi-vocational tent-makers—in light of God’s merciful leading and provision. In other words, how is their circumstance actually allowing them a more spiritual perspective? Just as Jesus became like us in all things (except sin), so the pastor who has to work a regular job can identify with the lives of people to whom she is ministering.
3. Focusing on their real job. Too many leaders do “church” and have little energy left to disciple individuals.
4. Discovering the topics/qualities God wants them to disciple in their people. I reminded them that they only needed to teach others what Jesus taught them, so what had He taught them? What qualities should they focus their discipling efforts on? I recommended thinking about three things:
a. Use the Golden Rule and ask yourself what you wish someone would have taught you earlier in your walk;
b. Think back on big changes in your perspective as a believer and try to express the change—and how it happened;
c. What qualities do you really admire in others and/or what spiritual developments in your own life really make you happy in the Lord?
We had a fabulous meal of chicken curry and flan for lunch. When I finished my portion of the day it was 4:00pm, and I went into one of the rooms to do email for an hour. After that, I took a nice long walk to a forested area near the church where I try to go every time I’m in Switzerland. It holds so many wonderful memories—a kind of yearly marker for all that has happened with my friends. On the one hand, I really get sad thinking about all the years that pass, but I would not trade them for anything. Consequently, a small sadness tinges my remembrances, but that usually gets offset by the hope of memories-to-come.
Since Sam was having dinner with some of the Koreans and their hosts, I walked back to the hotel where I was going to nap. But I had to take care of several upcoming trips. I made many airline and hotel reservations, almost always getting incredible deals on my usual hotel/travel sites. I realized, after booking three trips (just the ones in the next five weeks that I had not already reserved), just how much I do travel.
It’s now 3:10am Friday morning, and I’ve been sitting here in my gray sweats typing this journal for nearly an hour. There are some advantages to terrible jetlag… Hope your day is very, very happy.
Seminars and conferences have a definite dynamic, a rhythm and life-cycle almost as real as a person’s daily routine. After a couple of days together, all of us are feeling relaxed, comfortable and at ease with one another. The laughter quotient goes up, people’s personalities emerge more, and we experience a great sense of camaraderie. These are the days I love the most—when people conclude that no one is trying to do anything to them, and the material as well as the presenter are for them, not the other way around. As much as delegates come to seminars to learn new things to help their ministry, they still come with an unintentional skepticism—or fear.
Friday was a great day! Volker shared a little bit more and tied in his comments yesterday with some new reflections about the atmosphere that exists in the church halls/office. The Koreans had commented on how affectionate, joyful and fun things seem here. The volunteers and staff have transformed the office into a huge social affair, and everyone seems to be talking with everyone—a sure sign that kingdom work is getting done! Sam is not only translating the things Volker and I are sharing, but he, himself, is totally engaging with the material. He told me at breakfast that he is reflecting on many changes he wants to make based on what I’m sharing.
Lest that sound too self-congratulatory, let me quickly say that such comments are the only evidence I ever get that I have invested my life wisely. Trust me when I tell you that flying around the world gets old very fast. Doubts assail me constantly. My “job” deals only in intangibles; I plant a few seeds beneath the ground, and I usually have to leave town before I see even a blade push up through the soil. So to see the pastors “catching” a fresh vision, to hear Sam say he’s being affected by what I say, to enjoy the incredible church atmosphere Ruth and Volker have created—these are what keep me going.
Most of the day was pent on practical examples for how church leaders can communicate and live out their values with the organization and procedures of church. For instance, let’s say a church claims to value people over ministry. If the worship team still practices its music set up until just a few moments before the service begins—thereby being unavailable for the newcomers who walk into the building 10 minutes before church—that church is disavowing its stated value. A pastor who puts people before ministry cannot afford the unmistakable symbolism of a worship team practicing ministry when it could be engaging people in conversation.
The last part of my presentation dealt with various growth-barriers churches face all over the world. They tend to get stuck at these sizes: under 40; under 60; under 90; under 120; under 200; only 10% of churches in America (and the world) grow beyond an average of 200 people at their primary worship service each week; less than 5% grow beyond 1000. The good news is that once a church passes through those ceilings, they become floors. In other words, once a church passes the 90 barrier, it will rarely shrink to 40 people. A church that has truly passed the 60 barrier isn’t likely to become a church of 30.
Dinner
Ruth, Volker and I went to dinner at a Chinese restaurant Ruth likes a lot. Volker is not especially a fan of Chinese food, so Ruth and I gang up on him almost every time I come to Basel. It was good food, and it was especially fun to enjoy time with Ruth. I walked back to my hotel very tired, but very happy.
Sorry to say that I am simply too busy to write the journals for Saturday and Sunday—except to say that the pastors’ workshop for our Korean friends turned out so well. That is their comment, not mine (though I agree with it). The missionaries felt so warmly embraced by Volker and his church. Pastor sam felt like we had really connected with the Koreans—and offered practical world-changing truths. The missionaries, themselves, could not stop smiling at their new-found family.
Sunday in church was fantastic. I was especially struck with how much the congregation has stepped up to serve, and their relationships feel deep and exciting. The atmosphere of family, affection and servanthood was so thick, I could have cut it with a knife. I sensed all the hallmarks of a substantial and mature congregation…I was happy, happy, happy!
Here are a couple of pictures of Sam Ahn and the Korean Missionaries:
Mathias Nowak and I flew from Zurich to Munich to Wroclaw on smaller planes—the type that are not tall enough to reach the jet-bridge. The LOT (Polish Airlines) plane from Munich was a very interesting looking airship. Its stunted nose, very tight interior and overall feel caused me to check to be sure that the windows did NOT roll down. Fortunately, I had Matthias for conversational company—plus the last few chapters of a book I have been reading—to keep me from dwelling too long on the air-worthiness of our plane. (I had no real thoughts about crashing, just about how “different” it felt.) Martijn Krale, who along with his wife Ellen are Dutch church-planters in Poland, met us at the airport late Sunday night. It was good that he came (unexpectedly) because the Hertz rental counter where Matthias was supposed to pick up our car and where we were told someone would be on duty until 10:00pm was abandoned at 9:05 when we arrived. It would have been an interesting journey to the hotel without a car…
Since it is never too late for Matthias to eat (meat), he decided to have a full meal when we got to the hotel; I opted just to sit and chat with him. Well…I did eat a small portion of his veal…and potatoes wrapped in bacon…and a mushroom compote that he insisted I taste. After Matthias ate, we sacked out.
Monday morning we had opportunity to survey the breakfast offerings, and we managed to find enough yogurt, cheese, bread, meat, salad, etc. to make a decent meal. Add the coffee (not very good by Swiss standards) and conversation about the emergent church, and you can imagine what fun we had. We haven’t traveled together for ministry since we went to Bulgaria four or five years ago, so I was very happy to be doing this again.At lunch we joined Martijn and Ellen (and their new baby, Lenna). Our 3-hour meal mostly revolved around the kinds of questions/issues all pastors face as they attempt to discern God’s instructions both for the pastors’ lives, but also for the pastors’ congregations. That was always one of the trickiest things for me when I pastored: How do I know if what I am feeling/sensing is my personal issue, or something God is telling me for the sake of people in my church? It is very, very difficult to distinguish between those.
Add to that trauma (second- and third-guessing yourself) the fact that churches morph into different entities over the span of years, and you can begin to appreciate that “leading” is no simple matter. What is God saying to me…to my church? Have we finished with one season in order to pass into another, or have I missed it? Why don’t the things that used to stimulate me now not excite me at all? Where is my place now? Where ought I to devote my energies and my time? What an honor to be sitting at table with a courageous couple who dare to face all the doubt and uncertainty that go along with pastoring.
I think Matthias and I offered some helpful, prophetic insights for them to consider, and we certainly added our own stories about directional discernment for our churches.Ah…what do pastors do when they have no outside friends, no experienced mentors to question? The whole lunch was worth the simple privilege of encouraging this couple, who have left their families and friends in Holland to start a church in Poland: “Sounds pretty normal to me. I must have gone through five of six major transitions and era-changes in the 22 years I pastored Coastlands.”Seasons come and go; so do people. The pastoral calling is mostly to keep the candle burning in the window—Spring, Summer, Fall or Winter. And when God chooses to end one volume (book) He is writing with your church, look forward to the sequel. Pastor, the story-line gets better and better with each ensuing volume, as long as Jesus is still the Author. The new plot and its outcome depend on Him.
Bible Study Intensive
At 4:00pm, I began the Bible Study Intensive, teaching several young adults from Martijn’s church how to listen to what God says through His word. I thought the seminar concluded at 9:00pm, but it was really 10:00pm. “Tell that to my kids,” I laughed, “They will never believe I could keep going until that time of night!” I didn’t. We “called it a night” (a new slang expression for them) shortly after 9:00…
“The Rock” church, like most pioneer congregations in a big city, is forced to rent a facility they must share with other groups. The Ukrainian Community Center in downtown Wroclaw is located on the second floor and is accessed through an alley shared with several bars and restaurants, a sex shop and other typical inner-city establishments. We were unable to meet in the main room because a group of Ukrainian ladies holds their big meeting every other Tuesday afternoon. That meant we ended up in the small office “The Rock” rents permanently adjacent to the big hall. It turned out to be the perfect venue for our Bible Study because everyone sat closer to each other, and several preferred the carpeted floor to the chairs.
The atmosphere was both relaxed but expectant. Several times during our study I veered off onto several tangents that were, I believe, quite prophetic for some of the young adults listening. I had a blast connecting with these 20-something’s. We enjoyed an excellent pizza dinner right there in the office (as you can see).
Even though we started the sessions at an odd time (4:00pm), everyone was fairly alert. As the evening wore on, however, some of the hard-working gang tended to droop a bit, but when key points came up or when we got into some of the tangential material, they came alive again. Several times in the evening, we came to some interesting pivot points when various ones truly encountered the voice of God speaking to them in the most obvious ways—by verses they read. I never tire of watching people encounter God’s counsel, affection, revelation and leading through the Bible.
Matthias stayed at the hotel because he had a bad headache after driving several hours to make contact with another pastor from another city in Poland. That meant I got to walk back to the hotel after the sessions ended. I enjoy walking and looking at the sights. It only took me about 15 minutes to retrace the steps I had taken on my way to the building. The city-center, the giant square situated in the middle of the town, is very beautiful. I was glad that I had taken some photos earlier in the day, so I can show you a bit of the scenery I’m enjoying…
After Matthias and I met for breakfast, we returned to our respective rooms where we both engrossed ourselves in work; he continued to write on various elements of the emergent church; I did many more emails, arranged some calendar items, did my journal and prepared for the remainder of the seminar. At lunch we met with Thomac and Aga, the couple who assist Martijn and Ellen in leading “the Rock.” I had met both of them previously. Matthias knew them well from his years working in Poland. It was fun to hear their vision/desire for the church.
After lunch we went to the church office to spend a little time with Martijn and Ellen because we wanted to continue the very interesting conversations we had been having in the two days so far. I always hesitate to spell out too many details –or even to mention—the sorts of things I talk with pastors about when it comes to their churches and ministries. It is not my place to tell their stories or situations, especially since they are usually processing the decisions they face. Nevertheless, I frequently find myself talking with ministers who are right in the middle of some kind of change—seasons when their vision, assignment or role is being altered by their kind, Heavenly Father.
The puzzles they face always seem to energize me and get the prophetic juices flowing in my heart. Matthias and I both had almost identical perceptions of what “the Rock” is going through right now. We wanted to pass along what we sensed. Unfortunately, by the time we found a parking spot, much of our time was gone. Because of a word of wisdom God gave me for one of the young men attending the Bible Study Practicum, I had promised to meet for coffee. That was a blast, too. There I was, walking around the huge plaza in Wroclaw, Poland speaking with a 26-year old man about God’s plans for his life.
Afterwards we continued the seminar, and for some reason, the students were nearly silent. No matter how hard I tried, I could hardly get a word out of them. That, naturally, led me to several discussions about the nature of spiritual leadership: as Peter explains, it involves volunteering, caring about how others are doing more than how we are doing and simply rising up “with alacrity”! That was a million-dollar vocabulary word for them. Alacrity means enthusiasm, eagerness, readiness, quickness to do something. It’s the opposite of sluggardliness, indolence, and hesitation. When we hold back, wait-to-move and drag our feet, we miss many God-given opportunities to accomplish great good for others.
Despite their reluctance to talk or ask questions, we managed to get into many poignant subjects, and several times while I was speaking, I could tell that the words/scriptures went very deep. Later that evening, I took everyone out for a dinner, and afterwards a couple of the students thanked me for one of the most changing times of their lives. Who could want more than that?
It was sad to say good-bye to my young friends, but especially to Martijn and Ellen. I will see them in a few weeks because they are going to be attending the Swiss Pastors’ Retreat—an event that Volker is opening to all the pastors in Central Europe. I’m already looking forward to more conversation with them—and hearing what they think the Lord is saying to them.
For many months Fernando and I have been planning this pastors’ seminar for the pastors in his region of Europe, and although only a few pastors came from outside Spain (France, Belgium, Holland and Luxembourg), we still had nearly 40 people together studying their Bibles in a new and fresh way. Because my comments had to be translated into Spanish—and then, quietly, into French—there were times when I wondered if my points were coming across, or whether we were losing the very people I sought to serve. Additionally, the larger group meant that most people—even pastors—would be reluctant to ask questions and respond.
For many of the hours (and there were many of them, from 9:00am-8:30pm Friday and Saturday), I felt like I was not quite connecting. I sensed some opposition/frustration, as well. But I knew how much the enemy lies to me when I’m sharing this kind of material. Having just come from Poland where I felt the same lying intimidation, I chose to forge ahead. What made the “forging ahead” even easier were two things: first, my translator, Tim Lamb, was hugely encouraging to me, and he was almost as assaulted about his translation ability as I was about my communication ability; second, the vast majority of pastors/leaders at the seminar had hearts that were so willing to learn.
One of the Spanish pastors told me that this was so new to him and, he thought, to all the other pastors. It was forcing them to think in fresh, new ways about church, discipleship and how to teach the Bible to their congregations.
Because I kept feeling a prophetic tug to take the material in several directions that related specifically to pastoring and mentoring, we often took tangents into additional passages in the Bible. Several pastors said, at the conclusion of the final day, how much they appreciated the exercise of tackling actual situations in their leadership with a study in the Bible: “You not only showed us new ways to study the Bible, but you modeled the practical process for using the word of God to answer our pastoral questions.” We dealt with everything from how to disciple to how to prophesy—or/and how to allow for public prophetic words in church without surrendering your services to spiritual weirdos.
The schedule was typically Spanish: breakfast at 8:30am; two sessions (with a 20 minute break between) lasting until 2:00pm when lunch was served on the roof of the church; two more sessions (with a 30 minute break) went from 3:30pm until 8:30pm when we walked to a nearby restaurant for a dinner that lasted until 10:00pm. Since I’m so jetlagged anyway, I adapted quite easily to that rather daunting schedule. I took a 40 minute walk each morning, and then joined four wonderful (new) friends for a quick breakfast at our hotel/hostel; it was such a pleasure renewing acquaintance with Martin Shoots from Holland (he’s Linda’s pastor) and Dennis, a fiery, radical guy from Belgium. I also got to talk with Jean, a Congolese pastor leading a church in Luxembourg, as well as Gabby, another Congolese pastor serving in Paris.
Those men, and their eager determination to serve Jesus in their national context, made me feel, as I usually do, so profoundly honored to be sharing even the smallest bit of truth that might help them in their ministries. Then the Spanish pastors—many of whom are immigrants from Central and South America—had such openness to me and the little course I was offering, that I could hardly contain myself.
At one point on Saturday, all the delegates were busily engrossed in their Bible study, searching for answers to the questions I had posed to them in the exercise. They were looking down, flipping to various passages, reading the Scriptures with pens in hand and notebook paper ready. The room was quiet. For just a moment I imagined what God must feel like as He looks down on the earth at any given moment to see His daughters and sons all over the world reading His word. I could hardly contain myself, and I thought I would cry for joy and love.
Here’s to all the pastors and teachers for their long hours of study and searching throughout the Bible for all of us who get fed week after week. Thank you Pastor Jack for all you did to study in silence week after week just so I could be advanced in my walk. And thank you Pastor Todd for what you do for me and all of your flock by studying to show yourself approved, rightly dividing God’s word to give us understanding of God and His ways.
Sunday
What a blast I had on Sunday, as Fernando invited me to speak at his two services in the main church in Madrid. Wow! There are a lot of people who call that church home. Nearly 600 people gather week after week in a small, converted business shop and adjoining residence upstairs and next door. As I have always said, the best comparison of European church size with American churches is to multiply the European attendance by 7. So, Fernando’s church is like the mega churches in U.S. Foursquare—pushing 4,000 weekly attendance. It’s not about numbers per se, but I think many American pastors do not always understand just how much we might glean from Fernando, and other “Resource Church” pastors in Europe and Asia.
Because I hammed-it-up a bit as I told the OT story I preached from, my interpreter, Tim, had to get a bit “looser” than is normal for his teaching style. I’m told I can be dramatic. Tim found out just how dramatic as he contorted his face, body and voice to keep step with my retelling of the story. Apparently, the congregation had not seen that side of him, and several times they roared their approval of his vocal manipulations and bodily punctuations! What fun—especially in light of some things he and I had shared on one of our walks together.
The highlight of my days came after church. Though I absolutely loved meeting and talking with several young people who are stationed at the WorldBase, and I delighted each time God put a scripture on my heart for various ones among the pastors, my favorite time came as Fernando and his wife Manolli (I’m sure I have butchered the spelling) took me to lunch after church. We went to the “oldest continuously open restaurant in Europe” where they had pheasant and I had pork roast. The food was spectacular. We started with salad, an eggplant specialty and some fried potato/cheese Spanish dish that looks like an eggroll, but is creamy and cheesy on the inside. I was full after that!
What a delightful time we had talking and laughing together. For me it was so special to connect with them on such a personal, heart-level. I have always struggled explaining to people why I have come so many times to Europe for so many years—and why I am also traveling all the time to Asia: I do NOT go for the sights and sounds; I’ve stayed in both nicer and doggier hotels than anyone I know, so the adventure of traveling wore off long ago; yes, I get jetlag on every trip, but it’s easier simply to dismiss the questions about tiredness with “I’m getting used to the time-differences”; I’ve never seen the Matterhorn, and I decline all invitations to see the tourist places unless the person offering to take me is really asking for more time to ask questions.
This is why I travel–for hours like the ones with Fernando and Manolli, for the brief moments with Martijn and Ellen at lunch, for dinner with Ruth and Volker. I travel because in the middle of these exhausting days and nights, I get to share a scripture or paint a picture or listen intently or give a smile. So many of our Foursquare leaders around the world have almost no one who simply cares for them. I am not so overwhelmed with ideas of self-importance—imagining that my trips and words make a huge difference in these pastors’ lives—but knowing I have been given much by the Lord (personally encouraged and advantaged throughout my life), I am determined to “give a lot” in my schedule and of my years.
Maybe long, exhausting trips like this one actually produce only a small amount of good and advantage for my friends in Europe. That’s ok. The “much expected” I stay focused on has more to do with the cost to me, not the benefit to others. I have been given much, so I want to pay (back) or/and invest much. I put this aging body on a plane, sleep it in youth hostels or 5-star hotels, feed it at odd hours and wake it from brief naps taken on two chairs put together. Like David said, “I will not offer God what costs me little.”
“Maybe, just maybe,” I think in the middle of the night when my body-clock accuses me of idiocy for trying to sleep, “What I’ll share tomorrow will really help someone…”
Sounds a bit melodramatic, I know, but it’s what I think all the time!
