A Father's Heart

I've come to find out that I've been carrying a lot of hurt due to a lack of having Spiritual Fathers in my life. Because of that, I've also caused a lot of hurt by not being and responding to those near me, who looked to me, to be a spiritual father to them.
I didn't know this at first, even though I've been able to quickly point out a lack of "father-ship" in my life, I failed to understand and connect the dots between being hurt and lack of spiritual father-ship.

Even though you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers....(1Corinthians 4:15)

That word "many" is what jumps out to me. I do have one in my life currently, with the introduction to one more that has just been birthed over last weekend.
But many?
Sadly, no.
I personally think that in life it is important to have spiritual fathers that are far and some that are close.

Here is why we all need "many" Spiritual Fathers in our lives.
A Father's Heart
1. Fathers Give Us Identification
A. Children must know who they are.
B. We must know who we are to know where we’re going.

2. Fathers Give Us Impartation
A. When Jesus was baptized in water He received the Holy Spirit. Matthew 4:16
B. Paul imparted gifts to Timothy by the laying of hands. I Timothy 1:6

3. Fathers Give Us an Inheritance
A. It’s a father’s delight to bless his children.
B. It’s God’s will to bless your children to accomplish more. Deuteronomy 30:5
C. They should exceed us.

Perhaps, you're like me and have struggled to fully walk in the destiny God has for you. I suggest finding a person (or many persons) who has a father's heart in raising up spiritual sons and daughters.

I'll share in the next few post more characteristics of a Father.

Blessings!


(Inspired by: Dale Yerton)

Misuderstanding

My friend, Song, posted several weeks ago song lyrics on her page that moved her.
My wife, Lora, posted song lyrics just a couple of days ago that expresses her.

So I thought I'd post lyrics to one of my favorite songs--mainly because looking back over the last couple of years of my life it has become the theme song of my journey. I have struggled to say properly how to do ministry, life, things in countless talks and conversations. I've always been quick to point out how not to do something, while not so quick to point out my support to the person. I feel the last couple of years of my life were just on big debate.
A nuisance. A heartache. A misunderstanding.


So here we are in this same old spot
Knowing something needs to happen but our mouths are locked
Tongue tied closed tight sealed shut...yup,
I tried hard but it just wouldn’t come up
It’s on the tip of my tongue it’s in the front of my mind
Yet the words were still so hard to find
Finally the reality of things to come pushed me to the edge
I jumped off the cliff into the abyss as I said

I’m not trying to be a nuisance, I just think we can do better than this
that was simply my two cents, you can.... you can, take it or leave it

The conversation lingered on and on and
Before I knew it night had turned to dawn and
Were we searching for the truth in all of it
Or are we debating just to win the argument
Cuz none of us want to hear about where we go wrong
This song could easily be from me to you or me to (Vince)
Cuz I have the potential to be the guiltiest
My greatest strength is also my strongest weakness

Let’s think about this path that we’re taking
Let’s think about this future we’re creating
Let’s think about this life that is fading
Think about it, come on think about it now
Let’s think about this time that we’re spending
Investing in monetary things that are ending
Let’s think about it and let’s think together
And let’s think about what we can do to make it better.....

I’m not trying to be a nuisance, I just think we can do better than this
that was simply my two cents, you can..... you can, take it or leave it.

(Artist: John Reuben, Album: The Boy VS The Cynic, Song: Nuisance)

Connecting the Dots

As a minister, I've spent my years in ministry with a deep passion to make followers of Jesus Christ. That's what Jesus himself told us to do, "go and make disciples." However, how do I really know if that's being done? What I'm getting at is this: I've had the same thinking that countless other church leaders did--and for the most part still do--concerning ministry.
That's the problem. We all know what the mission is: Make Followers of Jesus Christ.
But the way we gauge if we're successful doesn't work. It's the easier way, in fact, it's the only way that is tangible. It's called "counting heads."

If you've been in ministry on any level, full-time, part-time, volunteer or just sat in a service, then you've heard the phrase, "how many did we have?" I've sat in staff meetings where we gauged our success by that phrase. I've asked that same question to my own staff or other people to gauge the success of their mission. Why? Because of the belief that if people are coming to our life-changing services or meaningful classes or purposeful events, then there must be some productivity coming out of it. Lives must be being changed. So we count heads.

Unfortunately, the head is not where life change happens. It happens in the heart. When asked by the religious leaders of His day what the greatest commandment was, Jesus answered, "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." (Matt. 22:36-39) There's the problem. Jesus gives us a way to gauge our spiritual growth that many of us, myself included, have not been using.

The way we know if we are truly making followers of Jesus Christ, or should I say, if WE are truly followers of Jesus, is by the way we/they love God and love others. The separation of the two cannot exist, at least not in the sense of truthfulness. Unfortunately, the condition of the heart is a hard aspect to see. I mean, we don't have at the entrances of all of our churches a "Dr. Seuss Heart Detector" (you know, like what was used to see the Grinch's heart two sizes too small).

However, I offer this thought. Is it possible to see our churches filled with people who openly worship God in song and dance, yet truly are not in a growing, maturing relationship to become more and more like Jesus? I think so.

I'm not discrediting that we're not passionate about worshiping God. I just think there's more--the loving-other-people-like-you-love-yourself part just seems to be missing.
Maybe not missing, just not highly visible because I truly believe that people want to love one another and given the right opportunity, they do. I also believe that this type of atmosphere has to be created and maintained by the group's leadership to continually foster that type of attitude.

Be forewarned though, a church or organization that does strive to make these types of followers of Christ will have a hard time keeping the unchurched, the lost, the hurt, the masses away. People want to be loved and to find a church that truly does that and loves God,.....well, sign me up too!