Church of God LifeBuilders

As we begin a new "church year" at Lay Ministries, we’re also gearing up for an important event on our calendar: the Fourteenth Annual LifeBuilders Golf Tournament, which will be held next May.  This is a great event and we encourage all of you to take a look at joining us or sending your pastor as a way of appreciating him or her for their dedication.

Golf runs long and deep in my family.  Unfortunately my father was frankly indifferent to whether I achieved anything athletically or not. He did not make the automatic connection between success on the athletic field and success in business that most American men do.  So, although he was a good golfer (if he could keep the ball in the next fairway rather than the one over from that,) I didn’t get much encouragement on the course.

If there was a golf fanatic in my family, it was my mother, who really pushed my brother and I to play.  Although she wanted us to play well, she was too focused on the technicalities and externalities, i.e., the rules, the etiquette, just being at the club, taking lessons, etc..  Although these are important, when overemphasised they became demoralising.  I eventually quit playing.

My mother supported the tournament until her death in 2000, but it took another five years for me to start playing again.  In the Spring of 2005 I announced to Ray Hughes Jr., at the time the tournament coordinator,  that I was playing in the tournament.  He put me down after picking himself off of the floor in shock.  My play was so unsatisfactory that I was put in a "non-competing team," but that had its advantages too: I got the honour of playing with Ray H. Hughes, Sr.

I could have spent a lot of time and money on new equipment and lessons.  And I definitely needed both.  But early on I decided to just get out and play on a regular basis, trying to apply all of those lessons I had already taken.  Moreover my decision to play at all had its immediate benefit: when I became tournament coordinator in January 2006, I was knowledgeable enough about golf as it is played and equipped in the 21^st century that I could run a credible tournament.

Through all the playing, my game has managed to improve (with some equipment upgrades,) but not enough to win the tournament (which is good news if you’re planning to come!)  But golf has both enriched my life and helped this ministry.

Our ministry is all about training and motivating lay people to do the work that God has called them to do.  After all of the training and all of the seminars and meetings, there comes a point when it’s just time to do the ministry, to win the souls we’re called to win, to lead men in the ministry that’s so important to the health of the church, to do all of those things that impact the eternal destinies of those around us.   With golf, there’s a time for lessons and equipment upgrades, but after that it’s time to get out and play.  It’s the same with our ministry.

As you seek God for what He wants you to do with your ministry, keep in mind that, when the praying and the training is over, the time comes to just get out and do it.

Don Warrington
Ministries Coordinator

Today we present Christ in the Public School Classroom — Reaching Kids by Dr. Michael Laney.

I know that when you are the president of a ministry, you are supposed to be an expert. But I didn’t feel like much of an expert last weekend.

My wife and I purchased one of those "pre-fab" pieces of furniture — a shelf for our bathroom. She went out to run an errand, so I decided to put the furniture together to surprise her when she returned.

It happened on about the seventh step. I was holding one piece with my left hand, had a screwdriver in the other, was pushing a second piece up against the first with my shoulder, holding a screw in my mouth and balancing the whole thing by leaning it against the wall — suddenly a large piece slipped and the other pieces began falling to the floor. I was able to slow the fall enough to save it from any major damage, but it became quickly apparent — it would be almost impossible for me to put this furniture together by myself.

The same thing is true in leadership.

We have team-based leadership at Man in the Mirror. I both love it and hate it. I "hate" it because I often don’t get my way. Believe it or not, people don’t just do what I want because I’m the president.

I love it because what we end up with together is so much better than what I would have done on my own. It takes a little longer; it’s messier; it can be frustrating; but the best ideas win and God uses everyone’s gifts to help us get where He wants us to be.

This is not Pat Morley’s ministry. This is not David Delk’s ministry. It’s God’s ministry, and He gave us a team to carry it out.

In the same way, you need leaders by your side who can help you become more than you could ever be on your own.

Do you have someone walking with you in your personal life and in your ministry? If so, thank them this week and also take a moment to thank God. If not, why not meet with one or two men this week, share your story, and see if God might call you into partnership together?

Leadership is a team sport. Grab someone and get in the game.

With you in the battle for men’s souls,

David Delk
President, Man in the Mirror.

This week’s podcast is The Power of Sunday School To Transform Lives by Tony Lane, Sunday School & Christian Ed. Coordinator, Church of God Department of Youth and Christian Education.

Here’s a story from a friend about "living by faith, not sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7) that I hope you and I can both emulate.

The bills had arrived faster than income for several months. For several weeks Tom had not slept well. The stress was excruciating. And now, an unpaid vendor was chewing him out as he quietly listened. His heart was heavy as he placed the phone back in its cradle. This was the first time in his career that Tom had creditors calling to ask when he could pay. Discouraged, he shut his door, slipped to his knees, and began to pray.

"Dear God, I owe you an apology. Somehow, I have taken over the ownership of this company. I know it really belongs to you, and I am sorry. I’m not doing too well. I’m stressed out, I’m not sleeping, I’m grouchy at home, and I’m neglecting my family. Right now, by faith, I am giving you back your company.

"Now, over there on my desk you have a pile of unpaid bills. I am going to trust that if you want this organization to continue that you will find a way to get them paid.

"In a moment, since I do trust you, I am going to get up, go home, have a nice meal, enjoy my children, and stop worrying about whether or not you want your company to succeed. Amen."

You wouldn’t be surprised to learn that things turned around over the next few days, would you? Well, they did.

For the glory of Christ and no other reason,

Pat Morley, Ph.D.
Man in the Mirror

Our podcast continues with Discipling New Converts by Dr. Larry Hess, Field Director for Western Europe/Mediterranean/Middle East, Church of God World Missions.

One of the hardest parts of waiting on the Lord to reveal his will is to know if we should a) sit still or b) try something. There are two schools of thought on this, either one of which may be right at a particular moment.

The School of "Active" Waiting

I tend toward action. My philosophy is: Not even God can change the direction of a stationary object. So I tend to favor "active" waiting–that God can speak to me best by directing my body in motion. This means, then, that when I err it is because I would not sit still long enough.

The School of "Passive" Waiting

Recently I heard from a man who lost his career to new machine technology. He has been engaged in "passive" waiting–for six years…SO FAR! It would be a terrible error for me to assume he has it wrong. From my "human" perspective, I would think the solution is to get re-trained for a new vocation. Yet, he is eating and taking care of his family. Simply, you and I never know what God’s will is for another man’s life. That said, it would be an equally terrible error for this man not to at least pray about some "active" waiting.

So what’s the answer? The solution, whether by active or passive waiting, is to discern the wisdom of God by employing the means he has given us. Here are (at least) seven means to find God’s will:

• Prayer
• The Bible
• The Holy Spirit
• Counsel
• Circumstances
• Conscience
• Fasting

Now for application: Are you an active waiter that needs to be more passive, or a passive waiter that needs to be more active? What’s your next move?

For the glory of Christ and no other reason,

Pat Morley, Ph.D.

Man in the Mirror

This week’s podcast is Behind the Wall–Jail and Prison Ministry, by Dr. Orville Hagan, Third Assistant Overseer of the Church of God, Donald Newsome and the late prison chaplain Ronald Padgett.

This week our podcast features David Griffis, Administrative Bishop for the Church of God in Tennessee, who speaks on Youth Evangelism — Jesus For A New Generation.