Here’s a quote from Organic Church (p 211-212) by Neil Cole. It’s a story that made me cry when I first read it.

While doing some teaching in Japan, I had a dream that Heather, my daughter, started a church. In the dream, a room was full of young people who were all seriously worshiping God. When I returned from the trip, I mentioned it to her just to let her know that she was on my mind and in my dreams while I was away.

The next day she said, ‘Dad, my friends all want to do it!’ ‘Do what?’ I asked. ‘Start a church.’ I told her that she would have to do most of the work, and I would coach and lead only a little. She said that was fine. The next day she arranged a house to meet in, picked a night of the week, and found a worship leader; flyers were soon being passed out to friends on campus.

After the church had been meeting for several months, I met with these students and we all sang praises to the Lord. I felt the Lord’s pleasure. I asked the students what was the biggest church they had ever been to. Living in Southern California there are many options of megachurches, and a number of churches were mentioned, ranging in size from two thousand attendees to more than fifteen thousand.

I then told them that I think Satan is more intimidated by this little church of fifteen high school kids than by any of those Godzilla-sized churches. They all sort of chuckled and looked around the room at one another with smiles.

I showed them why I thought this way: ‘How many of you think you could start a church like one of those megachurches?’ No one raised a hand. I asked, ‘How many of you think you could start a church like this one?’ and all raised their hands. I asked them to look around the room at all the raised hands, and I said with a new found soberness, ‘I assure you, Satan is terrified by this.’

As with most things, pastoral vacations tend to be a little bit different than many other professions.  Every profession presents challenges when leaving for a period of time, however it seems as though vacations for pastors require more attention to  logistics and a little more planning.  That being said, I would like to offer the five best pieces of advise I have received on taking a vacation as a pastor.  These are in no particular order and feel free to comment with your own suggestions.

1. Take extended vacations - A three day getaway can be very nice, but if you are anything like me it takes you that long to disengage from your regular mindset and actually be on vacation.   Due to the demands of ministry vacations of at least a week at a time may be preferable.  In fact, it may be a good idea to take a full two weeks away every year, with the intent to take up to three weeks off every few years.  This may become almost a mini-sabbatical.

2. Don’t view vacations as a chance to catch up on work - Many people make the mistake of trying to cram in extra study, reading, or sermon preparation.  At times this may be a necessity, but try to avoid it…you’re on vacation!  This is a time for you and your family.  (By the way, don’t make the mistake of taking time off of your relationship with Christ during this time.  Read the Scriptures, pray, and seek Him.  You may find you have a blessed opportunity to do this in new and different ways while away from the daily pressures of full-time ministry.)

3. Find the most capable pulpit replacement you can - Finding an excellent Bible preacher to teach while you are away is further communication to your congregation that you love the Gospel and God’s message more than the sound of your own voice.  Whether it is a member of your staff, an elder, or someone you hire, find the best possible preacher for your absence.

4. Encourage other pastors - Many pastors, including myself visit other churches during vacations.  Take a few minutes and write an encouraging note to the pastor of the church you are visiting.  Whether it seems like it or not, that pastor needs and will appreciate your encouragement.  Pastors can uniquely encourage other pastors.

5. Let your congregation know you missed them - When you return from your vacation, take a moment to tell your congregation that you were on vacation, but you are glad to be back with them.  Most churches realize their pastors need time away, but it will communicate your love for the people if you mention that you missed them and are happy to be back with them in worship and community.

Recently, the discussion of the preacher’s words has gained momentum through prominent extremes.  Many well-known orators have begun to push the envelope as it were and introduce suggestive, lascivious, crude, and direct language to the pulpit.  The question that is continually asked is, how far is too far?  Additionally, we will approach here whether or not the average church preacher has a variant standard from those in more popular pulpits.

Some have described the vogue movement of sly talk in churches to be the “pornification of the pulpit.”  Such a label not only goes too far, but insufficiently categorizes the motives of some preachers.  Often critiques of sharp, direct preaching pronounce judgement on preachers intentions by suggesting that the purpose for course words is purely based on relevance, worldliness, and succumbing to cultural norms.  To be sure, a motivation steeped in cowardly desires of blending in, has no place in the proclamation of the Word.  However, there is another possible purpose, a virtuous purpose, behind hash, suggestive preaching–truth.

Language must be redeemed just like everything else in this world.  The way preachers redeem language is by using it properly to convey proper ideas.  No matter what words we use we must pursue truth.  The motivation must always be truth.  If preachers construct linguistic ceilings, they will be disabled from preaching the whole council of Scripture.  When particular words and particular topic are lost in a “don’t ask, don’t tell” vault, truth is not preached and relativism gains footing.  Consequently if course, sharp language is motivated by and used in the pursuit of truth we redeem language.

The average church preacher, however, must be more discerning.  Whereas mega-church pastors preach to the world, average church preachers preach to the room.*  Meaning that because of the disconnect many large church preachers have with their congregation, they are able to speak more freely.  However, a pastor that intimately knows the lives of most of his listeners must proceed with extra caution.  Average church preachers have the privilege of knowing his people’s preferences, habits, and ideologies.  He must therefore choose his words with great care in respect to his specific knowledge of his congregants.

In light of all of this, might there be a blank statement laid over the entire discussion.  No matter what size of the church, no matter what language is used or what message is preached, the preacher must always posture himself lovingly.  Preachers may preach truthfully, forcefully, honestly, and beautifully but if his ministry and message is void of love, he is a clanging gong and will rendered ineffective from the pulpit.  Our words must be sharp but true and always wrapped in a tone of love.

A specific manifestation of this declining foundation of Scripture is preaching. Biblical preaching is no longer seen as the call of every community of believers, but has become a distinction between “traditional” church and “contemporary” expression. Whereas traditional (usually a pejorative) churches preach the Bible, contemporary communities have conversations about life and ethics (perhaps even Jesus’ life and Jesus’ ethics). In this shift we have adopted a heretical view of the Word. We have downgraded the Bible to a collection of things that God has said rather than an active Word of what God is saying. Therefore we constantly sit in silence waiting for God to speak to us, while our Bibles sit untouched. Leading to a spiritual depression because we have not been given a sign, or a call, or a word from God that tells us what to do. All the while his whispers and shouts of truth are muffled by closed leather covers. But God is not silent.

We almost always seek relevance in places that we consider to be contemporary. But these are not synonyms. Relevance is not a matter of dates but a matter of truth. Please hear this. Relevance is not a matter of dates but a matter of truth. Therefore we must not jump into current movements of media, spirituality, ideology, and church under the pretense of becoming relevant and effective. We must jump into the Word because it is the most relevant collection of language ever authored. Every other assemblage of letters and language is dead. This literature is living and active. We do not read the Bible; the Bible reads us.

If we lose our grip of Scripture, not simply as a launching pad of spiritual growth but also the means of our development, the Church and its believers will be render ineffective and obsolete. The authoritative leverage of Scripture is rooted in the very nature of God. This special revelation of sixty-six books is the revelation of God. When we limit this disclosure of God to a past occurance, a dated message, and a “traditional” approach, we have limited God himself and sentenced our lives and ministries to a godless religion. There is authority in the Word of God and in the direct proclamation of that Word. In this world of relativity and moral flexibility, the authority of God must be our hope and stay.

Relevance is not a matter of dates, but a matter of truth. Scripture is not simply what God has said, but what God is saying. It is our call to relevantly follow what God is saying in a world that is in desperate need of authoritative instruction and foundation. May we be men and women of the Word.

Should it matter how many people show up?  Is it a crazy idea to want less people to attend a church ministry or function?  Where in the Scriptures does  it say that a faithful pastor will always have a large number of sheep?   As a church, we try to regularly evaluate what we are doing in relation to the Gospel and our purpose, mission, and vision.  If a ministry does not match these stated goals we question its authenticity and its purpose.  However, if the ministry has been drawing an attendance above what we anticipated, the question is usually raised by someone who says something like, “But God is really blessing (whatever it is), isn’t that a good reason to continue it?”

Do you see the problem there?  Too often, attendance translates into an idea of success.  Just because a bunch of people show up doesn’t make it a successful ministry.

It may be easy to assume that because this site is called “Average Church” we don’t like anything that is big or attracts a large crowd.  That is absolutely not true!  Our goal is not to put down large churches, ministries, or gospel events.  If you serve or are a part of one of those things and you preach a true Gospel, minister with the love of Christ, and desire faithfulness to His Word and your calling, then we praise God for you.  We really do.

Our hope is to dispel the idea that faithfulness equals something attended by many people.  That to consider yourself a Godly pastor means to have a frequently downloaded podcast or plans for a satellite campus.  Those things in themselves are not bad.  It is the pervasive thought that without them a ministry, pastor, or church is not complete, is in need of something, or has failed in some way.  If you are a pastor of an average church, in the attendance sense, allow me to encourage you.  Your calling is to preach the Gospel of Jesus  Christ, to lead your flock in truth and faithfulness, and to prepare them for Heaven.

What if we stopped thinking about success in terms of attendance and put it in terms of faithfulness?  From where I sit, that is a beautiful thought.  If that happens, whether your church has many people or a few, whether your outreach event was “well” attended or not, or if the only people that listen to your messages online are your parents and wife you will still know you have done well in the sight of the Lord.

To Him be the glory forever.

In one of my favorite books on leadership, The Contrarian’s Guide to Leadership, Steven Samples suggests that a person’s time is best spent on reading old books that have stood the test of time and continued to prove relevant.  For us as pastors that book is obviously the Bible.  Samples goes on to tell a story about a period where he did not take in any firsthand news for six months.  He didn’t read newspapers, watch the news on television, or visit any websites.  After the first couple of weeks he began to realize that within 12 hours of a story hitting the newstand or running on the nightly news he would hear about it.  As it turns out, people love to relay information to others (or give people information the other does not know).  In turn, he continued to receive news while having an increased amount of time to read what was truly beneficial and important.

I am not saying this is hard and fast truth, but try this on for size: As pastors if we spend our time studying Scripture and praying for our people, when we are called on to give an opinion on a matter of public concern our thoughts will be guided by Christ, not the editorial of a fallible writer.  I am not saying we can’t hear or read news, that sports are sinful, or that cultural happenings are worthless.  What I am saying is that, as pastors, our calling is to shepherd people in Truth, not in newspapers or television shows.

I’m a sports watcher, I enjoy a few television shows, and keeping up with current events gives me an idea of where those I shepherd are coming from (or at least what they are concerned with at the current time).  However, I hope that those things don’t define me.  I hope the Bible and my pursuit of Christ define me.  I hope that is what defines us as pastors.

I just got back from a retreat and I am feeling like I usually do: tired, distracted, and wondering whether or not all that just happened.  It did.  However, I am also at another place the Lord typically allows me to be: satisfied.  I am satisfied in Him, I am satisfied in what He did this last weekend, and I am satisfied that it was worth all the time, effort, planning, and loss of sleep.

For me, like all of you, retreats mean time away from my family, time away from church, and time away from the regular duties of ministry, but they are worth it.  The lives that are changed, the messages that God sinks deep inside a person, and the way people come back different make all of that worth it.  There is something about getting a group away for even a few days that God uses to do mighty things for His sake.  If you are not big on taking retreats and don’t prefer the grind that they represent, I would challenge you to change your thinking.  Find someone to speak from the Bible, organize a few times to talk, interact, and challenge one another, and pray hard that God rocks the lives of those who He calls to be there.  You won’t regret it.

I’m tired (maybe so tired that much of this didn’t make any sense), but I’m satisfied.

Please don’t misunderstand what I am saying.  I think it is appropriate to spend time with new people, to envision ways to make them feel welcome at your church, and to encourage them to join your family of believers.  I just think we are misguided when we do it at the expense of those who are already there.  I know I am guilty of looking over the shoulder of the person I am talking with and scanning the entry way for anyone who might not look familiar.  When I do this, it gives those who attend my church the idea that they are not someone I’m interested in shepherding, but rather a tool to help get more people into the building.  This does not encourage a warm and inviting church family.

I want new people to come to my church, to know Christ, and to become more fully formed disciples of Him.  For the glory of God.  What I don’t want to do, is have that happen at the expense of the sheep I know and love, those God has already entrusted to me.

Do you have a tendency to concentrate on new people?  How can we, as pastors, welcome people to our churches, but continue to be attentive to those whom God has already given us?

Quietly he recalled falling in love, coming to church, and meeting Jesus. He has attended [our average church] for over fifty years, he and his wife have taken in more than fifteen needy children, invited people to church, led families to become missionaries and ministers, raised his own children, and cared for a first born who had brain damage. His life is one that meets people where they are and cares for needs when they arise. To this day he fixes toilets, counsels couples, vacuums the sanctuary, preaches, prays, visits the elderly, works construction, and points me to Jesus.

His legacy does not consist of books, a pastorate, a strong portfolio, or any assemblage of fame. No my friend did not change the world…he has changed hundreds of worlds. And through my connection with him these past three years he can add one more world to the list.

I thought legacy was found in width; I learned it is found in depth.

I thought legacy was found in being remembered; I learned it is found in remembering others.

I thought legacy was found in popularity; I learned it is found in connection.

I thought legacy was found in success; I learned it is found in significance.

I thought legacy was found in the obvious; I learned it is found in the forgotten.

(Thank you my friend.)

*Reposted with permission from www.plethyno.blogspot.com

A quick online search will direct you toward many sites that offer bundles of materials, complete with video clips, handouts, and prepared lessons…for a price.  Usually these sets are priced based on the number of students you have attending.  The other drawback to most of these bundles is that they are fairly generic and, because of their target audience, aimed a huge variety of students.  The reality is, you know your students better than a publishing company and you are more equiped to teach them the Bible.

Primarily we (myself and our adult volunteers) teach through books of the Bible.  However, when we are inbetween books and looking for a few weeks to fill, a teaching plan based on a good book works really well.  They help to focus your time and provide a helpful resource for developing content.  This will probably look similar to a small group study, but without as much discussion and interaction.  Additionally, books give lay leaders who are still learning how to teach some added structure and help planning a message or Bible study.  The cost is also extremely inexpensive when compared to buying whole sets of DVDs and printed materials.

Here are some books that we have taught through in the past:

Do Hard Things - Alex and Brett Harris

Is God Really in Control? - Jerry Bridges

The Jesus Storybook Bible - Sally Lloyd-Jones (quick note: this is a children’s Bible that points many prominent Old Testament stories to Jesus - it’s very good and I think your students will find it helpful)

The Cross Centered Life - C.J. Mahaney

Run with the Horses - Eugene Peterson (our Senior Pastor used this as the basis for a preaching series)