Saturday Night Specials

I started series preaching about a year ago – and I love it.  It reduces the themes that people hear throughout the year, it brings focus to 12 to 18 issues or topics a year instead of 50, and it reduces the amount of stress involved in sermon prep.

However, during the last two weeks, I have had no series, and the harder I have tried to put one together, the more frustrated I became.  Friday came, no direction, no word, but lots of prayer.  And twice, as I laid my head on my pillow on Saturday night, God has dropped a word in my spirit about Sunday morning.  And the results have been amazing.  It’s awesome when you share the word God has given you and someone comes and says that you have been reading their mail.   And what a great opportunity to give glory to Jesus!

This is not my preferred method of preparation – a word on Saturday night with a Sunday morning press to put the notes together – but it certain causes me to lean on Him more.  I am preparing for some summer series preaching – but as always, God can interrupt those plans if He so desires.

Long Time, No Post

For all both of you that read my blog (sorry, a little self-deprecation  there), I am getting back to the blogosphere.  Went to MinistrieSummit – got some sort of kidney infection and was out of sorts for about a week.  Since then lots of stuff happening at church, home, you know.

I have been really pressing in to the presence of God lately, more so than ever – feeling that tug of the Holy Spirit to make sure that the Lord of the work takes precedence over the work of the Lord.  And as I have done so, I have been watching God do great things.  Checking your email, making phone calls, etc., should not take precedence over His presence. 

Please Pass The Thanks

It is easy as pastors to take advantage of the servant’s heart of our people.  We can begin to treat them more like employees than the servants of the Lord that they are.  They are a blessing.  I have often said to my congregation how many people it takes to make a Sunday morning happen.  I so appreciate every worker.  There is no “I” in TEAM.  We are in this together.  From the ones who clean to the trumpet player, we work in symphony to minister unto the Lord. 

Pastors, pass the thanks along.  Don’t keep it to yourself when someone praises you for an accomplishment.  Let your staff, your volunteers know how much you appreciate them.  If your people merely feel like cogs in the wheel, you are doing something wrong.  One of my great friends in ministry – every time I talk to his staff, they cannot say enough good about working for him and for God.  That is the testimony that we should crave.

So, please pass the thanks!