Thirteen Years and Counting...

Thirteen years ago today, my family and I headed to Indianapolis to serve as senior pastors of Bethel Family Worship Center.  It's a little surreal when I look back to where we started.   Although Beverly and I had been raised in the ministry as PK's and had served in several ministry positions - serving at BFWC was definitely something new and would prove to be a learning experience right out of the gate for a young 28 year old minister who thought he knew what he was getting himself into. :-)

One day, I hope to write a book and share how those early experiences shaped us and gave us an internal fortitude to persevere. 

If I've done my math right - in the past 13 years I've preached (just at BFWC)...

• 676 Sunday mornings (add another 416 for 8 years of two morning services)
• 520 Sunday evenings
• 676 Wednesday evenings

That's 1,820 opportunities to share the Gospel message!  (Not including the mentorship, teaching, revivals, conferences, etc.)

The further along I go, the less answers I have and the more questions I find myself asking.  At the first of the year, I asked myself, "What if this Sunday was the last opportunity I ever got to preach?"  I had to search deep within to ask, "what would I say?"  Honestly, this has affected the way I preach.  I want to preach like a man ON FIRE - full of passion and I don't ever want to leave the platform full of regret!

This past Sunday morning, Beverly and I met a lady for the first time - she was a guest of one of our families.  She told me that she really loved the service and she also loved being yelled at!  I had to laugh out loud!  Her smile was infectious and she was truly sincere!  Inside my heart, I was thinking...I don't ever want to deliver a "half-baked", "half-hearted", "half-prepared" message.  Every time I have the privilege to stand before people...I want to give 100%!

Another question I could ask myself is "Am I waiting on God to do something for me that He has clearly asked me to do?"  How many times have you heard people say, "I'm just waiting on the Lord?"  Have you ever considered what that sounds like?  It sorta sounds like "I'm so fast that I outran God...and now I am waiting on Him to catch up to me."

Friends, when God has called you...you have to do what He says to do.  God didn't just give Joshua the land...He said "TAKE IT!"  I'm not sitting around waiting on God...He's waiting on me.  For that matter - I have no intentions of sitting idle and watching the world go by.  BFWC - if you think we're going to sit by and let the world pass us up...think again!  We're MOVING FORWARD with our dreams and we're more excited than ever!

Every leader has to make uncomfortable decisions!  It seems that everyone can talk about the problem, see it, discuss it, pray about it and so on...but there are very few people who are usually willing to do something about the problem!  This is what separates the MEN from the BOYS!  Along the journey, we've had to make some tough decisions...those decisions caused some people to be upset, angry and even leave.  Stepping up to do what's right means you will have to embrace the fact that sometimes God will put you in an uncomfortable situation.  But this is REAL LEADERSHIP!

I'm still PASSIONATE about what God is doing!  When I lose my passion for what He's doing I need to resign.  Good leaders are passionate about what God is passionate about.  In other words, you are trying to find out what God's doing and do that...not the other way around.  The truth is...BFWC belongs to Jesus...not me!  I am merely a steward, not an owner.  The church is HIS Bride...not mine.  His agenda must prevail...not mine!

As we move forward...I still need other people!  God didn't call me to do this alone.  I'll will never be able to do everything in our church well!  I learned this years ago and held a deliverance service for myself that I AM NOT SUPER PASTOR!  If I kept doing what I was doing...I would have burned out and never accomplished anything.  Learning to ASK FOR HELP was a struggle at first, but in order to walk in health and produce health in the church I had to learn how to ask others for help!  There are certain things I can do...and there are things I shouldn't attempt to do.  I've found that there will always be people who enjoy helping...if I'll just ask!


Church growth isn't a formula...it's simply doing what God has called you and believing He will bring the increase.  I've talked to lots of pastors and leaders who are interested in seeing their church grow.  Friends, you can extract principles from many areas - there's nothing wrong with that - there's nothing new under the sun.  However, you have to be true to your heart and what God is speaking to you.  The results are up to Him...the work is up to us.  If we'll do the work...He'll give the results.  My job as a pastor is NOT to find the latest, greatest church growth methods...but rather to be completely faithful and obedient to the vision God has poured inside of me.


God didn't call me to perfection.  One thing I've learned is that people can identify more with my mistakes than my successes.  The bottom line is...I'm not JESUS...but I'm pointing people to Him!  BFWC doesn't need me to be their hero...they need to know about JESUS and how, without Him, I would be completely messed up when it comes to living this life!  Leading with integrity is embracing honesty.  I don't get up and tell all my business but I do allow my weaknesses point to Christ's strength!   On the flip side, when you talk about your struggles there will always be people who criticize you.  Remember, those people usually delight in finding fault in others so they don't have to deal with their own mess.  They want you to be perfect...but they are not perfect...which makes them a hypocrite.  Love them through it and just be honest. :-)


Thirteen years and counting...and having a BLAST!