leadership 101

I am, by nature a guy who doesn’t particularly enjoy confrontation.  However I know that its part of life and needs to happen from time to time.  That being said, I still don’t like it.  Here is the most basic thing that I have learned about leadership, people and confrontation; the longer you wait to work things out, the more difficult it will become.  I am not simply talking about the initial discussion but also what the discussion is about.

I am certainly no expert on all things leadership and am quite certain that those who work with me attest to this truth, but I refuse to allow a test of my leadership define the type of leader that I am, and that is a lesson that every leader has to learn at some point.  The confrontation that most of us are busy avoiding is, I believe the very thing that keeps momentum held back and leaves every situation cloudy at best.  Once things are cleared up momentum begins to build and the whole team is able to move forward.  That’s what confrontation does inevitably, it bring s clarity.

So my encouragement for any young leader working with other leaders is go ahead have the talk, get things clear and move forward, its really not going to be as bad as you think!

Are you watching!

I was doing a little studying today after our staff meeting (which is not something I usually get to do) and was reading in Ezekiel chapter 33. This chapter in my opinion is a job description for each person who considers them self a follower of Christ. This is what I mean:
“Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. When I say to the wicked, ‘O wicked man, you will surely die,’ and you do not speak out to dissuade him from his ways, that wicked man will die for [a] his sin, and I will hold you accountable for his blood. But if you do warn the wicked man to turn from his ways and he does not do so, he will die for his sin, but you will have saved yourself.
There is a clear charge to each believer that says you are to open your mouth and speak. I understand what Saint Francis was saying to preach the Gospel and if necessary use words, but it seems to be a little contradictory to God’s Word. Still not convinced that you need to open your mouth, let me bring another scripture to attention. Romans 10:14; How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” Not sure about you, but I want my feet to be beautiful. I want to tell the world about Him. I have been so blessed to have spent the last year of my life with an amazing group of young people. They have taught me more than they will ever know. My hope and prayer is that each one of them walks in the fullness of what God has for their lives. That they would never forget to open their mouths and tell people about Him, and that they would love with such a passion that all men would know that they are His. To the youth at Thrive you are amazing and Your Youth Pastor believe in you big time and love you. Go after Him today and everyday after this one. much love! PB

Gethsemane, Appalachian trail and other thoughts

I have been pondering Gethsemane for sometime. I wonder what it must have been like for Jesus to feel literally the weight of the world on His shoulders. Being all God I’m sure it wasn’t not a problem, but the all man side that I would imagine was a whole other story. Hebrews tell us that for the joy set before Him He endured the cross. Have you ever thought about that. You are His joy, and to me that is refreshing, reassuring, and comforting. We have been in Alabama for almost a year, how time as flown, we have made new friends while not forgetting our old friends. We have experienced more intimate moments with the Lord and a drawing of His presence unlike anything before. There have been times of where we have felt like we were being pressed on every side, but He is faithful and we are…..and you are His joy.

Tomorrow I’m tanking four of my students for three days in the woods. We are hiking a 33 mile section of the Appalachian trail in North Carolina. should be a good time with great weather and great talks. I love where God has me right now! Not just the job and church and amazing students who challenge me and teach me all the time, but personally what He has been showing me about who I am, what He has for me and how I get to be a part of what He is about to do here in Florence and I believe around the globe. God is………just fill in the blank! He is all that you need Him to be and you re His joy today.

For the students who read this know that this has been the best year of my life and largely because of all of you. love you guys.

Amazing Grace

I have been thinking a great deal about grace. Have you ever though about it? “Amazing grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me.” Their was this, if you will great transaction that took place on the cross where this Jesus, who knew no sin BECAME sin for us 2 Corinthians 5:13-21. Did you here that He became sin. It’s not like He just passed by our sin and forgave us, He became our sin! “Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me.”
Grace as been used to excuse poor behavior, when it was intended to set us free. Grace is uncomprehending much like the love of God. the same God who cast the stars in the sky, separated dry land from the sea, is the same God who came to earth to display this grace that we all would be hopelessly lost without. “Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me.” Take a moment to think about grace and what it cost.

His Majesty

Have you ever given thought about how majestic He is. All of creation displays His majesty. Its quite overwhelming, to think about and ponder the beauty that He creates for us His sons and daughters to enjoy. With a word He created the heavens and the stars. With a word He told water where to stop and dry land to begin. As if this isn’t enough, we see His majesty displayed in full view in the life of a child. More times than not I find myself at a loss for words when I try to express how awesome, magnificent, and holy He is. To worship Him in spirit and truth is to identify with the death and resurrection of Christ. The Lamb slain before the foundations of the world in all His majesty, beauty, and holiness. That is simple put majestic!

Trusting

I sit here at my desk typing this post, and having to really make sure I believe it. I trust you God. It is a mystery that we trust and rely on a God who we cannot see with our natural eyes. I sat on the couch and uttered those very words, “I trust you God.” As I did I was flooded with images of times when I was younger and times when Lauren and I were first married, and then times when Micah was born and then some more when Kaleb was born. Despite all that Lauren and I have been through, and continue to go through I can say with all the confidence in the world that “I trust you God”.

He is a good God who is faithful. I refuse to believe anything else. I remember what a Pastor that I was under when I first started this journey used to say….”without a test there can be no testimony.” I remember what my Pastor from back home used say……”when it looks like you’re down to nothing, look up because God is up to something.” He has never sen the righteous forsaken nor His seed begging for bread, and He will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory. what do you have need of today? Maybe its healing, Maybe its financial breakthrough, maybe its the love of the father. Whatever it is trust HIM for it for He will never let you down.

Some Thougths

My wife and I have been here in Florence now for just over five months now. This post comes on the heels of what may prove to be the most important night in our youth ministry. Last night we met with our discipleship group, and it was at time of healing for many. For those of you who don’t know the youth a this church have been through it. the average Youth Pastor stays in one location for 12 to 18 months, and this church has not been the exception. Not only have the students had Youth Pastor after Youth Pastor, according to many they never been challenged or pushed to Chase Him. I am not the average Youth Pastor, and I am here to challenge the norm. I will not be satisfied for the ordinary, as a matter of fact it was that prayer that landed us this opportunity in the first place. Lauren and I would not settle for the ordinary, we wanted the extraordinary! That is what we got. The students here are amazing and are ready to Chase Him.

Healing takes place in His presence. There may have been Youth Pastors that we here before me that were and are more talented, but as John Maxwell says, talent is never enough. My goal is to be a carrier. I want to carry His presence where ever I go. In His presence there is the fullness of joy. I like to stop and think about the fact that in His presence there is fullness. Whatever we have need of can be found in Him. Last night our students let go and moved into a place of healing. It’s out of healing that God will bring to pass the things that have been spoken over this church and this Youth Ministry. It has little to do with Lauren and I if anything. We just get to play a part.

To the power school students, I came to lead a group of revolutionaries, and that is what you are. I challenge you to not settle for the ordinary. I challenge you to stand against the wind. Jesus changed the world with 12 and oddly enough there are 12 in our group….let’s chase Him and change our city. You are all revolutionaries!

love is…..

I just got done reading one of my students blogs and it was really well written. I thought that I would for the sake of love write on this topic as well. We are often mislead about love. We have good reason for that. All the movies that we watch, the magazines on the stands in the stores and even the interaction in daily life gives us a false image, or misrepresentation of what love really is. I think about movies…a lot, and there are some that come to mind that display a better picture of what love is. the first and really a rather obscure movie is Mr. Hollands Opus a movie about a man who had a dream to be a professional musician and great conductor and writer of music, but instead finds himself working as a high school music teacher. It was just supposed to be a “temporary” job. He ends up staying at the school and becoming a force of change in his students life. At the end his students from years past and present perform a symphony that he had wrote. Love first and foremost bears much fruit. It is a force to be reckoned with. There is no stopping love. we can build barriers and put up walls, but love never fails.

The second movie, one more recognizable is Braveheart. A movie about love from start to finish. William Wallace was a man who was deeply passionate and was willing to lay down his life for that love. He fought to avenge the murder of his love, but more than that he fought for Scotland! A land which he loved until he died with the final words not just whispered, but shouted at the top of his lungs…”Freedom.’ The second things is love will always set us free! This doesn’t always mean we’ll be happy, but we will be free.

Our lives are surrounded by people who have no idea what or more accurately who love is. I have a friend who some years ago wrote a poem called Love hung on a tree. This statement couldn’t be more true. Love hung on a tree, died a death that was meant for us. He paid a debt he didn’t owe, and we owed a debt that we couldn’t pay with a thousand lifetimes. I am humbled, as should you be that He loves us that much. Love is more than just words…..it’s action. He acted on His love and sent His son to die a selfless, obedient, but glorious death, and because of that we are part of the fruit of that love. I want to love like that. to my students at Thrive that read this, know today that PL and I pray for you often and think that you are amazing and you made the move worth it! we LOVE you guys!

Creativity and Spirituality

Have you ever pondered the idea that we are creative beings? We were created by the ultimate Creator, but he doesn’t expect us to all be the same. Nor does He want us to be robots who are made to mind their master. He wants us to want to mind Him. We can see that we are made to create from a couple of passages of scripture. The one I would like to focus on is found in Matthew 25:14-30. We find here a man who goes on a long journey and leaves some money with three servants. Five bags of gold with one, two bags with another and one bag with a third. He gives them responsibility over them; he entrusts these bags to them. We notice the master didn’t given them specific instructions on what to do with money, only to be responsible.
We see that all but the servant with the least amount of responsibility was both willing to take the risk and attempt to make his master more money and He was undoubtedly creative in doing so. The servant who did nothing, but bury his masters money say back and did nothing. the one with the mos to lose risk much more than the others and was richly rewarded, although not looked at with any greater joy or love from the master.
Creativity is a natural result of spirituality. The closer we get to The Creator the more creative we become. The master was not looking to see who out of the three servant won, he was looking to see which of them lived! When we are alive to Christ, then we will walk in a creativity that this world has not seen. Creativity isn’t a luxury of artist, but a calling of humanity. In my office at work I have a TV which my boys occasionally watch movies on. the one they have been watching lately is Wall-E. There is a line in the movie where the captain of the Axiom says ” I don’t want to survive, I want to live.” Isn’t that the cry of our hearts? I want to know what it is to truly live. Today as we set out on whatever lies ahead for us, lets create the life we have always dreamed of. Like the servants in the parable, let us go an create that our Master might say “enter into the my joy, be my partner.” Go and create!

Hide and Seek

Last night after a long work week the boys and I decided to play hide and seek. I quickly came to some very startling conclusions. First, I am not as small as I used to be! Blame it on marriage, poor diet or lack of exercise. The truth is I couldn’t hide where I really wanted to because I was to big, and would have been easily discovered. Second, the boys just wanted me to find them. They would hide in the same spot that I had hide in the previous time. Seems so simple and that they would get bored with it rather quickly. On the contrary, they couldn’t wait to play another round. As a matter of fact after their bath and right before bed the last thing they asked me for was to play one more round. I was thrilled to play!

No matter how long I have been a parent, my boys never cease to amazing me. The are both bright, good spirited and while I’m at it good looking (they get this from their mother) boys who want to please their parents. I want to live that type of life. I have a friend who wrote a song some years ago called “only to please you”. I want that to be the story of my life and ministry. I live for one. Being here in Alabama has been the most amazing experience of my life. While that is true, it has not come without its challenges, but amidst those challenges we have seen the faithfulness of God in a big way.

Once the boys discovered where I was it turned into a big game of chase. I would chase them around the house and before I knew it the had turned the tables and were chasing me. Today as we set out on the adventures that await us, lets turn the tables and chase Him. Lets live our lives in such a way that we are trying to only please Him.