The story of Gary and Bonnie Witherall

Gary Witherall grew up in Crawley, England, and professed faith in Jesus as a boy. After a season of rebellion, he committed his life to the fulltime service of Christ. Ultimately, he joined Operation Mobilization and began serving on one of their ships, as they traveled around the world providing books and hosting mission events. After serving in that way for several years, he was invited to attend Moody Bible Institute in Chicago.

While there, Gary met Bonnie Penner, a beautiful young woman who would become his wife. Bonnie grew up in the country near Vancouver, WA. She spent many summers serving on mission teams and projects, so Bible college was a logical next step in her Christian development. She also attended Moody Bible Institute. Following a mission trip to the Philippines, Bonnie committed to a missional lifestyle.

Gary and Bonnie were married in April 1997, and soon they were seeking God’s will about life and ministry. After a season of employment in secular business, they surrendered to God’s missional purpose as a couple. God led them back into partnership with Operation Mobilization, but there weren’t any openings to serve on the ships. One day, Gary was whining to a friend in an email about the lack of ministry opportunities. His friend replied: “Go to the Middle East and eat sand. Love, Mike.” And, that’s exactly what they did. In late 2000, they moved to Sidon, in Lebanon, and began serving a local church while they learned Arabic. God provided them with numerous opportunities to serve the Muslim community around them.

As their Arabic improved, they were able to engage more people in Gospel conversations. While Gary served the church, Bonnie began to work at a Christian prenatal clinic which offered medical services to Palestinian refugees. She fell in love with the women who came to the clinic, and God began to use her in some remarkable ways.

Their calling was tested in the dark days following September 11, 2001. As they wept at the loss of American life, the people of Lebanon celebrated on the streets with joy. Many of their friends began to urge them to come home. Yet, their theology wouldn’t permit it. Gary reflected on their final decision. “We decided that no man could add or take a day from our lives. So, we decided to stay, no matter what.”

During the year that followed, their work continued to expand. Gary was even more engaged in local church ministry, while Bonnie was now helping to run the clinic. Her Arabic had continued to improve, and she could now share her testimony in the native tongue of her Palestinian friends. On the morning of November 21^st, 2002, Bonnie headed to the clinic like every other day. She stopped to buy supplies and carried them up the stairs and into the clinic. When she turned around a man was standing in the doorway. He shot her multiple times and fled the scene. Bonnie died where she fell, and the terrorist was never apprehended.

As you might imagine, Gary’s world collapsed into a heap of sorrow and confusion. Bonnie’s death was an international incident, and the implications and challenges were immense for all involved. Through it all, however, God gave Gary the grace and strength to both navigate the personal trauma and to lift high the Gospel of Jesus. Christian leaders throughout the world reached out to care for him, as did his co-laborers with OM. After weeks of grieving, Gary resumed his missional labors. And, on December 31^st, 2004, more than two years after Bonnie’s death, Gary married Helena Kachikis, the grand-daughter of Roger Youdarian, one of the missionaries who died along with Jim Elliot and Nate Saint in Ecuador in 1956.

As I reflect on this story of a modern-day, American martyr, recounted in the book Total Abandon, I’m inspired by some of the principles that shaped Gary and Bonnie’s ministry mindset. Here are a few that I hope will challenge and encourage you today and in the days to come as you serve Christ by planting churches.

1. God doesn’t call us to a place, He calls us to Himself. Often, potential church planters spend a great deal of time fretting over their plant location. To be sure, God has a plan concerning our destination, because he leaves nothing to chance. Given the opportunity, I could have chosen a thousand places to plant a church before I chose Florence, SC. Yet, in God’s providence, I ended up planting in a location that was absolutely perfect for me. And now, in my tiny outpost, God has allowed me to serve as a shepherd while He has grown an amazing church, to co-found the Pillar Network, and to partner with church plants around the nation and the globe. Before I ever took on the challenge, however, God had to call me first to himself and his purpose. Remember, the step of surrender always precedes the step of faith.
2. It’s easy to romanticize the missionary life. Gary writes, “The reality is altogether different. It means giving up everything: your language, your car, your friends, your family; it means giving up Walmart and Walgreens and clean streets and safety and working electricity. It means you might be going into a war zone; you might be jailed; you might be kicked out of the country for trying to plant an underground church.” It’s easy to romanticize the church-planting life, too. It’s very appealing these days to be a church planter; to embrace the notion of founding a ministry without the headaches and constraints of leading an existing, dysfunctional church. The reality of the hardships and deprivations of church planting become quickly apparent, however, when the NAMB assessment is done, the commissioning service is over, and it’s time to lug crates through the snow to set up for Sunday worship– week after tiresome week. Church planting is one of the hardest forms of pastoral ministry; yet, it’s also one the most rewarding.
3. You have to die to yourself. Gary writes, “Bonnie and I realized what every missionary must realize: You have to die to yourself. You have to be willing to say over and over, ‘Yes, Lord. Any time, any place, whatever you want, including dying.’ He says, ‘Go.’ And we go.” It was the first church planter, Paul, who gave us those sobering words in 1 Corinthians 15:31. I’m sure there were many times when Paul grew weary of the process. Making tents by day and disciples by night, Paul’s labors were unending. After listing his many seasons of suffering, he wrote, “In toil and hardship, through many a sleepless night, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. And, apart from other things, there is the daily pressure on me of my anxiety for all the churches. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to fall, and I am not indignant? If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness (2 Cor 11:23-30).” I don’t know how many people who would choose to serve Jesus vocationally if Paul’s kind of suffering was listed on the job description. I must even pause and ask myself if my labor would be as joy-filled if God had asked me to serve without the many ministry benefits He has provided for me. Paul chose to live in a perpetual state of dying to self, in order that he might gain Christ. When we commit to plant churches, we must do the same.
4. You have to stay, no matter what. After 9/11, Gary and Bonnie were pressured to go back to the safe confines of America. Yet, they chose to stay in Lebanon. I’m always amazed by the church planters I meet who seem to have a “Plan B” tucked away in their backpack. It’s as if they say, “Lord, I’m going to give this a chance for a couple of years and see how it goes. But if it doesn’t succeed in a way that aligns with my expectations, I’m out.” It’s a far cry from the early missionaries of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. They packed their belongings in a casket when they boarded a ship for distant lands. They had made up their minds to go, regardless of the cost or the outcomes. And, the only way they were coming home was in a casket. Dietrich Bonhoeffer famously wrote, “When God calls a man, he bids him come and die.” Whether fully funded or bi-vocational, we must be 100% committed to the work God has given us to plant a healthy, reproducing church; regardless of how long or difficult the task.
5. Do something worth living for. When Gary and Bonny finally landed in Lebanon, they were struck by the immensity of the task that God had put before them. Yet, they had never felt more alive. Gary described it as “doing something worth living for.” In his book “Don’t Waste Your Life,” John Piper echoes this sentiment: “This is the promise that empowers us to take risks for the sake of Christ. It is not the impulse of heroism, or the lust for adventure, or the courage of self-reliance, or the need to earn God’s favor. It is the simple trust in Christ—that in him God will do everything necessary so that we can enjoy making much of him forever. Every good poised to bless us, and every evil arrayed against us, will in the end help us boast only in the cross, magnify Christ, and glorify our Creator. Faith in these promises frees us to risk and to find in our own experience that it is better to lose our life than to waste it (97).” Anyone can earn a living, toiling away in perceived safety, enjoying the American Dream. Anyone, that is, except for those whom God calls to embrace the beauty and sorrows of the church planting journey. That is our call, and we must embrace it with faith and joy.
6. Trust in God alone. In the days following Bonnie’s horrific death, Gary was reminded of an experience from his life in England. He writes, “In a moment when everything in my life had been stripped away, in a moment when I might have fallen into an abyss of despair, I found myself standing on a rock—safe, immovable. Some years before I had visited Tintagel, a small Cornish village with a ruin of a castle. Legend has it that this was the castle of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. The castle sits high above the Atlantic atop granite crags. I watched as the huge swells of the North Atlantic pounded the English coastline—but the ancient rock stood defiant. ‘Rock of Ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in thee.’ That, I believe, is what it means to have Christ in your life. It’s only a matter of time until each of us is tested by some challenge that we cannot meet with our own strength. Where does our help come from? It comes from the Lord.” Friends, you cannot succeed in church planting through your own strength. You’re not smart enough, engaging enough, savvy enough, strategic enough, creative enough or confident enough—and neither am I. God alone possesses the spiritual and material resources necessary to accomplish that task, but that’s exactly what he loves to do! Jesus said, “I will build my church (Mt 16:18),” and by his grace, he gives us the amazing privilege to be his instruments in the new creation of a called out fellowship of new creations. Our confidence must ever remain solely in the strength of our Sovereign God.
7. Do not grow weary in well doing. Ok, so this final one belongs to me, but I’m certain that Gary would affirm it. Fatigue is a great enemy of ministry. Ask Moses when his arms were falling; Elijah after he ran from Jezebel; David when he stayed home from the battle; and Peter when he was up all night following the arrest of Jesus. When we grow weary in well doing, we are standing in the danger zone. So the scripture encourages us with these words: “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith (Gal 6:9-10).” This is an analogy from farming. Farming is tiring, time-consuming, and time-dependent. Farmers live with this certainty—crops will not plant themselves (and, BTW, neither will churches). So, if farmers want a harvest, they have to put in the time and effort necessary to prepare the land, plant the seed, pray for rain, and wait—the harvest comes later. This is true in the spiritual realm as well. Jesus said that the fields are ripe unto harvest. He has sent you out as laborers into his harvest. He has told you to broadcast the Gospel to all around you, and he has promised a harvest of 30, 60, or 100 fold. The one thing you cannot do is quit. Church planting is the hardest thing you will ever attempt. You will feel the joy of spiritual victories and the sorrow of spiritual defeats. You will develop great friendships and experience great betrayals. You will be overworked and under-appreciated. You will take three steps forward, and two steps back, over and over again, but remember, you will still be moving forward; maybe just not as quickly as you want. In those times, when all the forces of darkness array themselves against you, remember God’s beautiful promise: “In due season you will reap if you do not give up.” It was true for Gary and Bonnie, and it will be true for you!

This year I celebrated my 30^th year in pastoral ministry. The years have flown by like a flock of geese heading south for the winter. Those years have been filled with countless weddings, funerals, counseling sessions, staff and Elders meetings, hospital visits, sermon preps, writing projects, mission trips, church planting adventures, seminary classes, and denominational meetings. During those years, I’ve had the privilege to serve five churches as a lead pastor, including a country church, a suburban church, a First Baptist Church, and two church plants, the last of which I’ve served for the past 17 years.

Over the years, I’ve experienced nearly every imaginable high and low. I’ve lived the excitement of planting a thriving, healthy, missional church, and I’ve been asked to leave a church because I was reaching too many new people. I’ve felt the joy of leading people to Jesus and growing them as disciples, and I’ve felt the sorrow of watching people that I’ve invested in for years leave the church over petty, personal preferences. I’ve called many wonderful associates who have served alongside me for years, and I’ve had a few grow discontent and undermine my ministry in significant and harmful ways. Yet, through it all, I’ve been grateful for the gift of serving God’s beautiful church.

T.S. Eliot, in his famous work The Dry Salvages, warns against the crush of the present, which both chokes us off from our past and offers a mirage of our future. He warns us that this approach to living robs us of our experiences in the moment and our understanding of them over time. He notes, “We had the experience and missed the meaning (II, 45).” I fear that this is an all too common mistake that we make in ministry. As week follows week, we are buried under an avalanche of ministry responsibilities, and survival becomes more important than introspection. As I take my pen in hand (yes, I still like the weight of a fountain pen and the feel of journal paper), I sense the pressure of my church responsibilities and that incessant feeling that my time would be better spent digging than writing. Yet, I shall put my shovel aside for a moment, take up my pen, and indulge myself in “the backward half-look over the shoulder (II, 54)” to reflect on some of the most important lessons I’ve learned about ministry during the past 30 years. I’m hopeful that the “meaning” might be helpful for you, too.

1. Time invested for God is not the same as time invested with God. I still recall my seminary days with great fondness. Theological education had a transformative impact on my life and ministry. I found great joy studying with my professors, learning from both their expertise and wisdom in ministry. The satisfaction from hours spent in the study was only exceeded by the time spent with my fellow seminarians, discussing and debating the finer points of theology, ecclesiology, and missiology. In this crucible, I was crushed and refashioned into a competent minister. I was pastoring my first church during those years as well, so I was also fully engaged in the task of ministry. I was writing and teaching three sermons a week, while also caring for a growing congregation. Already, the avalanche of ministry had swallowed me whole. It was during that time of complete immersion in theological study and pastoral ministry that I learned this lesson: vocational ministry is the easiest place to drift away from God spiritually. Gradually, I began to substitute study and service for my daily time with God. I felt that I needed that time to accomplish my many tasks. After all, I was in the Bible constantly. Couldn’t I just count that as devotional time? The answer, I’ve learned, is no. I was investing time for God but not with God. Over time, this approach to ministry produces service without satisfaction. The demands of ministry are so great that we must have God’s daily presence with us to survive; living in His shadow is not enough.

2. Knowledge is easier to gain than wisdom. I love to learn! I’ve spent much of my adult life pursuing graduate education in order to maximize the gifts that God has given me. When I’m not studying or writing, I’m attempting to learn about a new interest. In fact, rarely a day goes by that I’m not soaking up knowledge. This has been true in my ministry life as well. I enjoy the study of Homiletics and Hermeneutics as my academic disciplines, so I’m routinely reading new books, articles, and position papers. And, I serve as a Homiletics professor for several seminaries, so I’m constantly reading and grading the assignments of my students. Throughout this journey, I have gained a tremendous amount of knowledge to apply to my ministry as a pastor. Knowledge for ministry is not enough, however. I need wisdom. Knowledge tells me what; wisdom tells me how. Knowledge gives me answers; wisdom gives me application. Knowledge can be gained in a day; wisdom requires knowledge, experience, and time. When I finally understood this, I surrounded myself with men whose service in ministry was measured in decades—not years. They had the ability to speak wisdom into my knowledge, thus expanding both. Ultimately, this is why the scripture reveals my need for God’s transcendent wisdom. A fool thinks he has all the answers—a wise man remains teachable.

3. Success in church ministry is measured by health, not size. Success is a difficult thing to quantify, especially in local church ministry. In business, you measure success in relation to the bottom line. In sports, you measure success by wins and losses. In education, you measure success by letter grades and diplomas. You get the point. Quantifying spiritual success, which must be measured in the human heart, is impossible for anyone but God. Consequently, churches and vocational servants often use secular measurements to determine if a ministry is succeeding. To determine this, the following questions are often asked: How many people have you baptized this year? How many people have joined your church? How many people attend your church? Have you made your budget this year? How many churches have you planted? The list is endless. While it’s true that the answers to these questions may speak to a church’s popularity or momentum, they say little about the spiritual success of a church. As a young pastor, I was drawn towards this success paradigm. If you worked hard enough and saw enough growth in your church, you would have the potential to go to a larger, more affluent church or be selected for a denominational career. Ultimately, numerical church growth became the measure of all things.

That is not the picture that I find in scripture, however. God’s wisdom reveals that success in the local church is measured by the health of the body. An environment that produces body health includes things like faithful Bible exposition, prayer as a spiritual discipline, intentional disciple-making throughout the congregation, a comprehensive missional strategy (including evangelism and church planting), church discipline, and Elder leadership. Body health can be attained when churches embrace these core biblical values intentionally, regardless of the church’s size or growth trajectory. Every church and pastor should pursue body health above all else, and leave the numbers to God.

4. Sometimes it is God’s will for us to suffer. For generations, pastors in the US were valued and respected members of society. They often held both church and political offices, spoke as a voice for good in the community, and addressed ills that threatened to undermine it. Pastors enjoyed a freedom of the Christian religion that was unparalleled in the world. As secularism has grown in the US, pastors have been pushed further and further towards the margins of society. Even in the church, pastors are often viewed like a piece of old furniture—it belongs in the room, but no one really knows why we still keep it around. Suffering is one of the by-products of this cultural transformation. As our culture has begun to view the role of pastor with disdain, it has become easier to target Bible-believing pastors as outdated relics from a by-gone era. Even in churches, people may decide that the old piece of furniture needs to be scrapped in favor of something new and more modern. Often, this results because they are viewing success through a secular lens. Other times, it is a result of Satan’s efforts to destroy the testimony and effectiveness of a church congregation. Regardless of the reasons, pastors often suffer. I can relate—I’ve experienced several painful wounds during my 30 years of ministry.

When it first happened to me, I was in shock. The questions rolled around in my mind: How could this happen in a church? How could people who claimed to be Christians treat me like this? Why would God let this happen to me? Why would anyone choose to stay in ministry when this can happen? Unknowingly, I had succumbed to the myth of the American church: You aren’t supposed to suffer in ministry here. Over time, however, I discovered the truth about ministry. Regardless of where you serve in the world, sometimes it’s God’s will for you to suffer (Heb 11:35-39). God is our commander, and those of us who serve in ministry are His enlisted men and women. God is always working in His churches, and He sends us to accomplish specific tasks. Sometimes our service takes us to places of great joy, where we see God work through His people in amazing ways. Yet, sometimes our service takes us to places of great heartache, where we see little fruit and suffer much. God is sovereign over both. God has sent me into both types of ministry, but I must confess that I’ve enjoyed the first type of ministry most. Still, it was in the difficult places that I experienced significant growth and came to understand that my primary responsibility in ministry is obedience and faithfulness. I must trust everything else into the hands of my very capable, omniscient, and sovereign commander.

God can use suffering in many ways, and sometimes he uses it to prepare our hearts for new assignments in his Kingdom. While we should never run from seasons of suffering, sometimes God uses it to make us uncomfortable where we are. This is especially true when we’re in a successful and satisfying ministry assignment. We rarely consider new ministry opportunities when we are comfortable. So, if God wants us to move, He has to turn over the applecart of our lives. Most often, this requires changing our circumstances so that we will begin to seek His will about other ministry options. Whether it’s through suffering or a change in family dynamics, God knows just how to get our attention, and when He does, it’s always for our good.

That said, every ministry assignment will have its joys and pains, its ebbs and flows, its highs and lows. I’ve been serving for 17 years in a church I helped to plant, and it is the great ministry joy of my life. Yet, I’ve also experienced great heartaches and disappointments during those years—that is just a part of serving in the Kingdom. We cannot run every time the fire gets hot, or we will spend our ministry lives shifting aimlessly from place to place. Discerning when it’s time to leave a ministry is one of the great challenges of Kingdom service, and sometimes it’s hard to discern our true motives—am I running to something or from something? Thankfully, we don’t have to navigate that process on our own. God’s Spirit is with us as a counselor to guide our hearts and prayers; God’s Son is with us as the Head of His Church to guide our desires for ministry; and, God the Father is with us as our Sovereign LORD to guide our steps and “make our paths straight” for His glory.

5. Family and church are not mutually exclusive concepts. I have witnessed a paradigm shift in ministry over the course of my life. When I was a child, there seemed to be a philosophy of ministry that placed the value of ministry ahead of the value of family. There were many men (and some women) who were willing to sacrifice their families for the sake of the ministry of the church. Often, this produced a resentment in wives and children that resulted in devastating, spiritual outcomes. Many ministry couples experienced divorce, and many children fled from Christ and His church. In the past 20 years, however, the pendulum has swung in the opposite direction. Many men, having witnessed this phenomenon firsthand, do not want the demands or pressure of being the lead pastor of a church. Many other pastors and staff, pushing back against this poor model, will only give God 40 hours a week. If God needs them for more than that, He will just have to find someone else.

Both of these models are flawed. The first is flawed because people put their ministries ahead of their families; the second is flawed because people put their families ahead of their ministry. However, both are flawed for a far greater reason—they view serving in God’s church as a career, not a calling. I’ve discovered that the proper perspective is one that views the desire to serve God in ministry as a “whole life” pursuit for a couple. Ministry, by definition, involves serving in the realm of the spiritual—it isn’t about manufacturing or selling stuff. Ministry isn’t a timeclock profession; tragedy and trauma can’t be scheduled on the calendar.

God created the family first, and He wants our marriages and families to be healthy and happy representations of His glorious gospel. God knows the challenges that ministry creates for families, yet He still gives men and women the gifts and desire necessary to serve His church. He calls them knowing that there will be numerous evening meetings and counseling sessions, lost or rescheduled vacation days, and sleepless nights that result from heartache and conflict. Why does God do this? It’s because He knows that it is possible to lead God’s church and our families well. Learning to do this well takes time, effort, mentoring, and commitment. Additionally, this is a process that requires both spouses to view ministry as a shared call from God, not something that the husband or wife does for a living.

Everything changes when we embrace the desire to serve God together in ministry. When this happens, we begin to see ourselves as partners in marriage, in parenting, and in ministry. Every one of these areas requires surrender to the Lordship of Christ, a love for His church, and a commitment to grow spiritually in a “whole life” process. It’s a challenge, but when it occurs as it has for Lyla and me, it is a beautiful testament to God’s grace.

6. My enemy is me. When I was a boy, there was a saying that appeared on bumper stickers and t-shirts: “The Devil made me do it.” It’s a humorous saying, but it speaks to a deeper issue. Each of us is a master at blaming others for our own issues and choices. After all, everyone else is the problem! Unfortunately, our culture relentlessly promotes this perspective, making each of us victims of external pressures and influences. Scripture tells a different story, however. James teaches that neither God nor Satan are the originators of our sin—we are. Like Bert in the movie Mary Poppins, Satan may paint an attractive picture, but we’re the ones who choose to jump into his sidewalk drawing.

Early in my ministry, I often viewed the cranky Deacon or the profane WMU leader as my enemy. To be sure, they each had the capacity to reflect poorly on God’s church and to create endless headaches for me. But they weren’t my enemies—not really. There are always tares in with the wheat, sown there by the Enemy of Christ, and we must strive to bring in the harvest in spite of the many frustrations produced by their presence and opposition. Over time, however, I’ve become convinced that my greatest enemy is me.  I know better than anyone how easily I can slip on the clothes of the old man, and when I do, I am capable of quenching the Spirit and letting my flesh become an impediment to the gospel. When this happens, my emotions, speech, actions, and even my motives can hinder the work of God. It is then that I cry out with Paul, “Who can deliver me from this body of death (Rom 7:24)?”

Nothing motivates me to pursue God more than this reality. It is impossible to lead a church well without a daily surrender to the Lordship of Christ. I must die to self and put on the new man. I must walk in the Spirit so that I don’t fulfill the desires of the flesh. The fruits of the Spirit must be in evidence in my life if I hope to fulfill God’s kingdom purposes. That is the only choice that leads to the blessing and favor of God.

7. God is the source of every Kingdom victory. I grew up in churches that gave me a very man-centered theology for the Christian life. I came to believe that the fate of the Kingdom of God rose and fell on the basis of my personal efforts. If I worked hard enough, and witnessed good enough, many would go to heaven because of me. If I didn’t, their blood would be on my hands for eternity while they languished in hell. As you might imagine, I felt a tremendous burden to discover God’s “perfect will for my life,” so that I wouldn’t fail in this important mission. This view of the world produced a couple of very harmful side-effects in my life: I felt tremendous pride when I did something good for God, and I felt riddled by guilt when I did not. Both of these are flawed views of work in the Kingdom.

Thankfully, God delivered me from this poor, man-centered theology and replaced it with a God-centered one. Through the years, I’ve discovered that God is the giver of every good gift, including the gift of service in His Kingdom. God is the owner of the vineyard, and Christ is the vine. I’m just a branch, graciously grafted into Christ, capable of bearing fruit by the decree of God and for the glory of God. God has given me unique abilities and gifts, as well as a customized occupation in His vineyard. He has promised to prune me so that I will be most effective in my service, yielding 30, 60, or 100-fold. He is the one who has promised to take my talents and multiply them for His glory.

This view of Kingdom labor produces both contentment and peace. I have learned to rest in God’s plan for my life. In my early years, I fell into the trap of wanting to pastor the huge, influential church. After all, that was always put on display in our SBC world as the ultimate achievement in ministry. Despite that temptation, I have learned to be completely satisfied in God’s ministry assignments for me. I’ll never forget the day when the Holy Spirit breathed a necessary truth into my heart: “Bill, never underestimate the power of a simple life, lived well.”

Everything changed for me that day. Suddenly, I felt such contentment in my ministry. I knew that God would accomplish His purpose for me, regardless of where my journey led. I felt such amazing peace. Finally, I understood and believed that God was just as satisfied with me serving in Florence, SC, as He was with those men He appointed to serve in giant cities. I realized that all God requires of me is to accomplish faithfully the assignments he has given to me. There is such freedom in this simple truth. Men assign greatness—God gives assignments, and they’re all great!

Thirty years of ministry is a long time. It seems even longer when I pause to consider the current statistics for people in ministry. Recent data shows that three in ten seminary students survive the first five years of ministry, while only one in ten retire from ministry. These stats haunt me. They speak to the challenges of ministry and the need to encourage those who are on the journey. Ministry isn’t for the faint of heart, but the potential to faint is an occupational hazard (Gal 6:9). Mine is a simple story, lived in relative obscurity. But if the lessons I’ve learned along the way can help a fellow traveler, I will be grateful indeed.

Dear Friends,

A recent, credible, investigative news article by the Houston Chronicle tells a horrifying and heartbreaking story of 700 documented cases of sexual abuse over the last twenty years by 380 leaders and volunteers in churches affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. Some of these sexual abusers were pastors, church staff, or ministry volunteers. What’s worse, in several of these situations, an abusive pastor or staff member was able to move from one congregation to another without detection, and in doing so, continue their illegal and immoral activities. Your Elders are profoundly saddened by this report. As we reflect on this sad reality, we ask you to join us in processing this information in the following ways:

Grieve: Our first thoughts and concerns are for these victims and other victims of sexual abuse waiting to be heard – longing for justice. When sin wrecked the world and embedded itself into the human heart, it produced countless opportunities to ruin lives. The Bible recounts numerous examples of the sinful abuse of power. Stories like the rape of Tamar (2 Samuel 13) should cause us to grieve for every child that suffers sexual abuse at the hands of an evil, wicked person. Jesus himself said, “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were hung around his neck and he was thrown into the sea (Mk 9:42).” Make no mistake—God’s eternal judgment will be brought to bear against such evil. In the present, however, the aftereffects of abuse are debilitating and destructive. Please join us in praying for these precious folks who have suffered at the hands of people they should have been able to trust.

Repent: In recent years, we have all heard the global reports of abuse that have plagued the Roman Catholic Church. Sadly, we now know that this is a systemic sin and problem that plagues all of society, including the Southern Baptist Convention. After reading these articles, we must pause to reflect on the role that the Southern Baptist Convention and its agencies may have played in contributing to an environment where sexual abusers could move undetected from one church to the next. Even worse, we must pause to reflect on the role that the Southern Baptist Convention and its agencies may have played in contributing to an environment where some victims have gone unheard, unsupported, or unbelieved. At Cornerstone, we pledge to be part of a better tomorrow in the SBC on this front where we can.

Help:  When we hear about situations like this, we often feel helpless to make a difference. One of the main ways we can help is to take accusations of abuse seriously when we hear about them. The guilt or innocence of an individual can be determined through the outworking of the legal process. We must report abuse allegations to the legal authorities, regardless of whether the abuse happened in a home, school, workplace, or the church. Further, if you or a loved one are among this number of victims, regardless of where that abuse occurred, we want you to know that you will be heard and helped at Cornerstone. It is our church policy to report all allegations of abuse promptly, once they come to our attention. And, we cooperate with law enforcement. You need not suffer alone—we’re here to help.

Best Practices: Finally, our thoughts turn to remaining vigilant in our efforts here at Cornerstone to provide a safe place to learn, grow, and follow Jesus. Our children and youth are treasures to us. So, we work tirelessly to screen, train, and supervise all of our pastors and staff, together with all volunteers who work with children and youth. We perform nationwide background checks and other forms of screening at regular intervals. We want to be sure that we’ve done everything in our power to eliminate any threats to our children and students. Sadly, no method is 100% foolproof. Yet, we want to err always on the side of vigilance and diligence. We have implemented the “gold standard” in child protection policies, and we carefully train and supervise all of our workers with children/youth. Also, we encourage folks to report any violations of our protection policies, even when no allegations of actual abuse exist. We encourage victims of abuse to come forward. And, we report all allegations of abuse promptly to law enforcement.

Pray: Our greatest defense against evil is prayer. When Jesus returned from the Mount of Transfiguration with Peter, James, and John, he discovered the remaining disciples embroiled in an argument with a large group of people. At the root of the argument was a father and his son. The son was possessed by an evil spirit, and Jesus’ disciples had been unable to cast it out of the boy. Jesus, however, was fully capable, and he delivered the boy from the demon. Later, his disciples were amazed by their inability to defeat the evil spirit. Jesus told them, “This kind [of evil spirit] cannot be driven out by anything but prayer (Mk 9:29).” The Church remains locked in a life-or-death struggle with an evil enemy who comes to “steal, kill, and destroy (Jn 10:10).” Nowhere can this evil be seen more clearly than in the abuse of power that destroys the weakest among us. At Cornerstone, we will do everything in our power to hold evil at bay from our church. Yet, our greatest weapon in this spiritual battle is prayer. Please join us in praying routinely that God would protect everyone at Cornerstone from this type of destructive evil. And, let’s put “feet to our prayers” by maintaining a culture of vigilance and diligence that helps guard our fellowship from this great evil moving forward.

Sincerely Yours,
The Elders at Cornerstone

There are few things in life more destructive than discontentment. Like a cancer, it eats away at the very core of our beings, and left untreated, it will destroy us. Unlike many cancers, however, discontentment is both preventable and curable. But before we can overcome it, we must first understand it. And to understand it, there is no better place to look than the tragic story of Korah and his friends in Numbers 16, where we read these words:

They rose up before Moses, with a number of the people of Israel, 250 chiefs of the congregation, chosen from the assembly, well-known men. They assembled themselves together against Moses and against Aaron and said to them, “You have gone too far! For all in the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them. Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?” When Moses heard it, he fell on his face (v. 2-4).

Korah’s story reveals the tragic steps he took on the destructive road to discontentment. Understanding them can protect us from making similar mistakes in our own lives.

1. Unmet Expectations

Korah bursts on to the scene to challenge the leadership and authority of Moses and Aaron, God’s chosen leaders for Israel. The Bible says that while Korah was the leader of the rebellion, he was joined by 3 co-conspirators: Dathan, Abiram, and On. In all, 250 chief men of the congregation joined the rebellion; these men were well known and influential among the people (v.1-3).

Apparently, Korah was one of the most respected men in Israel (after all, he was able to gather a significant number of strategic followers). Korah was a Levite, so he had nearly unlimited access to the Tabernacle as a worship leader in Israel. The only thing he didn’t possess was the authority of the High Priest. Rather than be content, however, he craved the authority and leadership that Moses and Aaron possessed—something given to them by God Himself. What was the root of Korah’s discontentment? Unmet expectations. Somehow, Korah believed that he and his friends were as qualified to lead as Moses and Aaron.

2. Appeal for Resolution

The Bible doesn’t give us much behind the scenes information about Korah’s attempt to usurp Moses and Aaron’s authority. Moses served as a judge over Israel, so it stands to reason that Korah would have approached him with his complaints long before this epic and public showdown. I think it’s safe to say that their private meeting would have revolved around the issues that Korah raised in Numbers 16. The first issue was the equality of the people of Israel. Korah said, “You have gone too far! For all in the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is among them.” Korah was a student of the newly given Levitical law, so he would have understood God’s command for the people to be holy (Lev 11:44). Further, he would have understood the process of substitute sacrifice through which the people walked in obedience to God’s commands. Because of this, the people all stood on equal footing before God as they worshiped Him.

The second issue Korah had was with the leadership of Moses and Aaron. Korah stated, “Why then do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?” While Korah accepted the process of worship, he was unwilling to accept the leaders that God had placed over the people, both in matters of civil governance and worship. God specifically called Moses and Aaron to lead the people, but the people chafed under their leadership. Korah and his friends believed that Moses and Aaron were usurpers who were keeping them from becoming the new leaders of Israel.

3. Unwillingness to Accept the Resolution

After Korah made his appeal to Moses based on these arguments, my educated guess is that he then asked Moses and Aaron to step down in favor of a new leadership team led by he and his friends. He may have even had some type of petition from the people calling for their ouster. We know that it would have had at least 250 names on it, and potentially many more.

I’m sure that Moses would have recounted God’s call upon his life at the burning bush, including his own feelings of inadequacy when given the task of leading Israel. I believe he would have told again the way that God used him to bring the plagues upon Egypt and to lead the people out through the Red Sea. He would have recounted his own experiences in the presence of God as he received the law. And, he would have challenged Korah to submit to the leadership God had placed over Israel and to find contentment in the unique blessings of worship ministry that God had given him. In this way, Moses provided Korah with a resolution that could free him from his discontentment.

Unfortunately, the account in Numbers 16 reveals that Moses’ words found no place in Korah’s heart. There was only one outcome that would satisfy Korah—he wanted Moses and Aaron to step down so that he and his friends could take their places. As a result, Korah was unwilling to accept the resolution that God had provided for him through His servant-leader Moses.

4. Bitterness and Discontentment

We can only imagine what was happening in Korah’s heart when he left that meeting with Moses. Foremost must have been a spirit of anger. The nerve of Moses to dismiss his complaints and reject his demands! The journey back to his tent was a pivotal one in his life and in the lives of his friends. Had he chosen to submit to Moses’s leadership, a leadership given by God Himself, he could have reversed the whole direction of his life and left the destructive road to discontentment behind him. He could have encouraged the people to think rightly about God’s will for their nation. He could have led the people to submit to Moses’ leadership, and they would have experienced God’s forgiveness and blessing.

Instead, with every step, Korah became increasingly bitter. After all, he was as qualified to lead Israel as Moses—more qualified according to some of his friends. Who died and left Moses and Aaron in charge? In his mind they were self-appointed dictators who had exalted themselves above him, his friends, and the entire nation. Well, enough was enough. Something needed to be done to fix this situation, and if Moses and Aaron wouldn’t step down, then a rebellion was necessary. He would show them. Soon all of Israel would know the truth about those posers, and when the dust settled, he and his friends would be in charge.

5. Blame versus Self-Assessment

I often wonder how much time elapsed between Korah’s conversation with Moses and his public act of treason. My guess is that it took a while for him to work up the courage to actually attempt the rebellion; it takes time to coordinate something like that. Most likely, he followed the usual course. He became increasingly angry with Moses and Aaron, and rather than confess and abandon his anger, he began to feed it. This made him bitter against them, and soon he was swimming in a sea of discontentment. The result was that Korah became increasingly unhappy.

When people are unhappy, they always look for someone or something to blame. After all, it’s much easier to blame someone else for one’s unhappiness than to actually shoulder the responsibility for it. Korah needed to do some serious self-assessment; he needed to let God work in his heart. He should have owned his sin, practiced repentance and confession, and continued to move forward with a grateful heart. After all, he was a strategic worship leader for the nation of Israel. Had he done this, he would have found joy in his life. Instead, he chose to blame Moses and Aaron for his own sin and the unhappiness it produced in his life.

6. Finding Others to Share the Misery

It has been rightly said that misery loves company. There are few sayings truer than this one. Finally, Korah had enough. He was ready to lead a rebellion against Moses and Aaron, and he knew just where to look—amongst his miserable friends. It’s impossible to hide a discontented spirit for any length of time. Eventually, it rips through the façade of one’s life like lava flowing from an erupting volcano. Korah was unhappy and miserable, and it began to affect everyone around him. Soon, all of his close friends and supporters became unhappy with their position in Israel, and they were prepared to blame it on Moses and Aaron.

Sadly, Korah’s inability to escape the clutches of his discontentment soon affected more than 250 people. As a result, they were unable to find joy in their lives either. At this point, there was no turning back. Together they made their way to the Tabernacle to confront Moses and Aaron and demand that they be given authority over the nation of Israel. Only then did Moses propose a solution: God would choose the men he wanted to lead Israel, either Moses and Aaron, or Korah and his friends (v. 4-15).

Moses’ plan was simple: Aaron, Korah, and the rest of the 250 leaders of Israel were to stand together at the threshold of the tabernacle. The entire congregation of Israel was there—fully in support of Korah (v. 16-19). Once there, each man took his censer, lit it with fire, and laid incense upon it. Then, they waited on God’s decision…

God’s anger burned against Korah and the people for their rebellion against His chosen leaders. Initially, He wanted to destroy the entire nation, but Moses and Aaron interceded for the people who had been led astray by the sins of one man (v. 20-22). Instead, God chose to destroy the ringleaders and judge the people who had followed them (v.31-35, 41-50).

Moses commanded the people to move away from the family dwellings of Korah, Dathan, and Abiram. Then he made this statement: “If God allows these men to die of natural causes, then I haven’t been sent by God. But if he opens the ground, and swallows all of them alive into hell, then you will know that these men have despised the LORD.”

His final words had barely left his lips when the ground ripped open, and Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, along with all of their families and possessions, disappeared into the depths of the earth. The ground slammed back together with such force that it could be felt for miles. As the people fled in fear, God rained down fire from heaven and destroyed the 250 men who supported Korah.

Epilogue

A massive cloud of dust rose hundreds of feet above the desert. It was the last evidence of the lives of Korah, Dathan, Abiram, and their families. Another 250 families lost their husbands and fathers—nothing remained of them but ash. In an instant, the wages of the sin of discontentment produced death.

This story contains great insight into the dangers of discontentment in our own lives. Scripture speaks often about this dangerous foe (Pr 27:20; Eccl 1:8, 4:8; Lk 12:15; Jn 6:43; 1 Cor 10:10; Phil 2:14; James 5:9; 1 Pet 4:9; Jude 1:14-16). It’s dangerous, because we must disobey God to indulge it (Mt 6:25-34; Phil 4:11-13; 1 Tim 6:3-8; Heb 13:5). It’s dangerous, too, because it leads to catastrophic choices and outcomes in our lives. Consider,

• It reveals a lack of faith and dependence upon God;
• It hinders our worship and ability to serve God;
• It misdirects our energies and makes us ineffective in our labors;
• It robs us of contentment and the joy that it produces.

Discontentment is a sin that lurks daily at the door of our hearts. It waits to slip in unnoticed at the precise moment when pride cracks open the door. How does this happen? It happens when we feel devalued because of an unmet expectation: in our marriages, at our jobs, or even in our church. Our spouse fails to meet a perceived need; our boss fails to appreciate us, or worse yet corrects us; someone in our church hurts our feelings. Our pride wells up within us, trying to convince us that we deserve better. Suddenly, our view of people and situations changes, and if we’re not vigilant, we will begin traveling down the dangerous road to discontentment.

How do we avoid this dangerous enemy? Proverbs 4:23 gives us the answer, “Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life.” We must pursue Christ daily, reflecting His humility and consciously choosing to be content (Phil 2:1-11). In doing so, we can defeat pride and keep discontentment at bay. That said, we need the help of others too. Apparently, Korah had no one in his life that was willing to confront him about his sin, and it led to his destruction. We must each have a system of accountability to battle against this dangerous enemy (Gal 6:1-5); someone with whom we can be transparent, and someone we empower to speak truth into our lives.

Ultimately, our spiritual success and joy in life is determined by our ability to battle and defeat the sin of discontentment. Korah and his friends were unsuccessful, and they were destroyed because of it. Thankfully, we have the opportunity to choose differently. Today, and every day, let’s choose to be content.

[hr]

Reflection Questions

1. We battle the sin of discontentment every day of lives. As we’ve seen, there’s a progression of thoughts that lead us to discontentment. Reflect on the six steps we discovered today:

• Unmet
• Appeal for Resolution
• Unwillingness to Accept the Resolution
• Bitterness and Discontentment
• Blame vs. Self Assessment
• Finding others to Share the Misery

Discuss a time in your life when you went down this road. How should you have responded differently?

2. Talk with your spouse about the following important areas where we struggle with discontentment. Remember, discontentment always begins with some level of unmet expectations. What unmet expectations are causing you to be discontent today? Based on today’s study, how does God want you to respond?

• Marriage
• Family
• Work
• Church

If the sin of discontentment has taken up residence in your heart in one of these areas (or another), spend some time in prayer. Repent and confess this sin, and ask for God’s help in living a contented life.

3. Read Galatians 5:16-26 and discuss the following questions:

• To what category does the sin of discontentment belong?
• To what category does contentment belong?
• What is the daily key for defeating the sin of discontentment?
• How does the fruit of the Spirit help protect us from the sin of discontentment?

4. Talk with your spouse about the issue of accountability. Who have you each identified as an accountability partner (you should each have a godly accountability partner beside your spouse)? Are you consistently seeking their help in monitoring your hearts?

5. What do you do when you encounter someone who is discontent? Do you feed their discontentment by commiserating with them, or do you seek to lovingly lead them to the joy-filled place of contentment
(Gal 6:1).

That life is fragile, valuable, and finite, we all know. Yet the demands of life and the pursuit of our personal goals often blind us to the reality of these truths. So we live in the most foolish of ways, oblivious to our own mortality and the valuable lessons it could teach us. We know that people die, but it’s other people, strangers and the like, who we don’t know . . . until we do. Then, and only then, do we have the rare opportunity for personal epiphany.

My friend died this week. He was both mentor and servant, a very rare and beautiful combination in this world of selfish isolation. He both taught and learned, demonstrating that the greatest of life’s achievements isn’t success—it’s the humble pursuit of wisdom. He was like a father to me, quick with praise, protest, or suggestion, yet always offering these with a kind and loving spirit. He was a co-laborer in the gospel, a faithful shepherd, and my friend. And like Jesus with his friend Lazarus, when I heard the news of his death, I wept.

Time would not permit an adequate description of his accomplishments, nor would his humility tolerate such an exercise. But I must share some, even if only to indulge myself and ease my own grief. His achievements as a business man were many, the result of a keen mind and an intense work ethic; an ethic forged on the hot, dusty football fields at Georgia Tech and perfected in the frozen tundra of Labrador.

His achievements in ministry, however, were greater still. He was a passionate Christ-follower, who didn’t just talk about faith—he lived it. He was a faithful churchman who always used his gifts where they were needed most—as a teacher and leader. The final decade of his life was devoted to his most challenging task: helping to found and lead a new church during its most delicate and difficult years. He gave himself tirelessly to shepherd the fellowship at Cornerstone, lending his wisdom and expertise in every area, and managing every building project with his unique blend of leadership and love.

These achievements alone are notable. But there is one other area where his achievements are the greatest—his role as a husband to his wife and a father to his children. Sadly, I’ve come to believe that we all expect far more of our earthly fathers than they can ever deliver. We expect them to provide for us, protect us from harm, and prepare us for the future, all the time demonstrating perfect patience and grace. Clearly, only one Father can accomplish all of these things—Our Father, who art in heaven. All men have clay feet. To suggest otherwise is to invite rebuttal.

Yet occasionally, one of our fathers excels greatly in this task. Such was my friend. He loved Barbara, his wife of 55 years, and sought to provide her with both care and compassion. Like all marriages, theirs was not immune from the effects of the fall. Still, their love was clearly observable by all who knew them. Their gracious attitudes and actions towards one another stand as a beautiful example of a Christ-centered marriage.

So, too, were his relationships with his children: two sons and a daughter. A wise man once said, “Show me the child, and I will show you the man.” If this is the criterion, then my friend was a good man indeed. All of his children have achieved great personal success, but more importantly, all have found a life-long calling to Christian service. There is no greater testimony to a father, or mother, than a familial legacy of faith.

The death of my friend brings me a joy-filled sorrow, yet it provides me with a fresh opportunity to reflect on some important lessons he taught me through his life; lessons that can free me from the “mirage” of invincibility and release me to redeem the time of my own life, something he would very much want all of us to do.

1.  There is nothing of greater value than time invested in God’s kingdom work.
2. There is no higher goal than magnifying the glory of God in every situation.
3. There is no greater gift I can give my wife than a commitment to love her as Christ loved his church.
4. There is no greater inheritance I can give my children than a legacy of authentic faith.
5. There is no greater help I can be to a friend than to be both a patient teacher and learner, fulfilling both in a spirit of gracious humility.

To be sure, I still have so much to learn as I pursue these lofty goals. But I’m so thankful to my friend, Paul Avant, for modeling these goals in his life and reminding me of their profound significance for my own.

Is anything more challenging than change? Change is unsettling because it threatens our status quo, and it is uncomfortable because it requires us to get out of our personal comfort zones. Recently, I was reminded of just how difficult change can be. Nearly every day I use an online service called Blackboard; it’s a very necessary part of my life. I am comfortable with everything about the site—its look, its capabilities, and its processes. I’ve used it so often that navigating it has become second nature.

About three months ago I received word that the site was going to receive a major overhaul that would improve its functionality. I understood that coded language—it meant that the site would have a new layout and new requirements. AND, I would have to develop a new skill set to use it. When I got the news I responded in typical human fashion—angst. The questions began swirling around in my head: “Why are they doing this?” “Why can’t they just leave well enough alone?” “What was wrong with the old system?” “Why wasn’t I consulted before they decided to make this change?”

Finally, it was time for the new rollout. The site was totally different! It was arranged differently and it required different steps to use it. I could feel my temperature rising as I absorbed all of the new information. It was then that I realized that I had three simple choices. Choice one: I could try to escape it. I didn’t have to put myself through this. After all, it was my choice to be involved in the situation. I could choose to simply walk away. But, that would be foolish. This platform adds great value to my life on many levels, and nobody abandons an otherwise great situation simply because of a change. Change is part of life—you can’t escape it. Choice two: I could try to resist it. I could have written nasty emails or complained to my contact person, all the while outlining what a hardship the change was for me at the personal level. That too would be foolish, however. The decision wasn’t mine to make, and frankly, the organization that operates the site is in the business of increasing productivity, not satisfying the fickle whims of users. Choice three: I could choose to embrace it. When I accepted the truth that the site added far more value to my life than vexation, I knew that I wasn’t about to abandon it. And, when I realized that the people in charge probably new more about the need for the changes than I did, I simply chose to accept and embrace them.

I dove into the new site and began to look around. When I did, I realized that the changes weren’t as vast as I first thought. Then, I began to use it. I taught myself the new variations on the platform and found that they worked better than the previous one. After a couple of weeks I had an epiphany—I LOVED THE NEW FUNCTIONALITY OF THE SITE! You can imagine my surprise when I came to that conclusion. What at first seemed like a terrible idea now seemed brilliant to me; all because I embraced the change rather than trying to escape or resist it.

Following that experience, I began to consider again this monster we call change. Why is change such a threatening thing to us? Why do we resist it so militantly? Why, when change is such a normal part of our lives, do we try to escape it at all cost? As I reflected on these questions, I had another epiphany—the problem isn’t change; the problem is us. We all want to feel as though we are in control of our lives, and situations that require us to change threaten that sense of personal autonomy. Once I realized that I was the problem, I began to see that the way I view change is critical to my response to it. Here are three laws of change that I’ve committed to follow as I move forward in my life.

1. The Law of the Big Picture. I struggle with change because I tend to view it only from the perspective of myself. I ask, “How does this affect me?” This is the wrong question. When I am a part of a larger unit of people (family, church, school, workplace, civic organization), I must see myself in light of the big picture. I must ask, “How will this change improve the functioning of the organization of which I’m apart?” When I see change in light of the big picture, I will be more willing to embrace it.
2. The Law of Team. I struggle with change because I tend to view it from the perspective of my preferences. I ask, “Why wasn’t I consulted about this?” This too is the wrong question. While I would love to weigh in on every potential change in my life, the simple fact is that people in greater positions of authority than me are often tasked with making changes. There can only be one head coach on every team—everyone else is a player with a specific role and function. As a result, I must ask, “How will this change help me be more effective in accomplishing my task on the team?” When I see change in light of the team, I will be more willing to embrace it.
3. The Law of Personal Growth. I struggle with change because I tend to view it from the perspective of my performance. I ask, “What will this change require of me?” Again, this is the wrong question. I prefer staying in the warmth and protection of my comfort zone. I don’t want to be pushed to learn new things. I know what I know and do what I do—and I like it. Yet, we’re always either growing or dying—the notion of status quo is a myth. When change comes I must ask instead, “How will this change make me a better person (in my family, church, school, workplace, or civic organization)?” When I see change in light of my personal growth and development, I will be more likely to embrace it.

Here is the simple truth: I am the Change-Monster. Change is never the problem—the problem is always me. My response to change is the real issue. When I encounter change in my life, I always have a choice to make. I can try to escape it or to resist it. This choice will always have a negative impact on my life and the people closest to me. Or, I can choose to embrace it, considering as I do the law of the big picture, the law of team, and the law of personal growth. When I respond like this, I slay the Change-Monster and enjoy all of the gifts that change can give me.

Serving God with vision is necessary to accomplish big kingdom goals. Here are some great principles about vision from Proverbs 16:1-3.

1. We must always seek the will of God in the proper manner. “The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord (16:1).” Strategic planning is essential as we continue to pursue our 10 year goals at Cornerstone. If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time. Yet, as we seek to accomplish God’s will, we must always do so with a humble spirit. After all, his ways are higher than ours and they are always best. So, we must serve diligently and submit totally to God’s sovereign will for us.
2. We must always serve in the will of God with the proper motives. “All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the spirit (16:2).” God is always more impressed with our motives than our service–to obey is always better than sacrifice. As we pursue our 10 year goals as a church, we must regularly assess our motives. Why do we do what we do? Are we just concerned about numbers, or dollars, or programs, or reputations? Are we working to build our own kingdom or God’s? These are the questions that can keep us grounded in humble service to God. God resists the proud, but he gives grace to the humble.
3. We must always surrender to the will of God in the proper method. “Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established (16:3).” Strategic plans have the potential to succeed when they are embraced in humility and surrendered to God’s purpose. This process is accomplished best through prayer. He’s the pattern: we plan, we submit, and we pray–then we trust God with the outcomes. Our call is to remain faithful to the vision he has given to us, trusting that he will establish our plans as we follow him in faith.

Please join me in praying for our church as we move into 2014 and into year two of our #Sync2022 vision!

The pages of ancient history are filled with the exploits of yesterday’s heroes- men and women who faced great challenges and rose to the occasion with strength and valor. The mere mention of their names is enough to stir the imagination:

• Alexander the Great, who conquered Greece, the Persian Empire, and Egypt, and then wept because there were no more lands to conquer.
• Hannibal, the general from Carthage who rode elephants to battle.
• Joan of Ark, the French heroine and military leader who was burned at the stake and later canonized.
• Admiral Lord Nelson, whose bravery during the battle of Trafalgar preserved England as a world power, even though it cost him his life.
• James Bowie, the great plainsman who gave his life at the Alamo.
• And Douglas MacArthur, the man who returned to save the Pacific.

These names read like a who’s who of world history. And yet their deeds, though slightly embellished through time, continue to live on in tribute to their greatness.

The Bible, too, is full of the deeds of great heroes. One need only think of Joshua, commander of the conquering tribes of Israel; Gideon and his 300 men; and Samson, who slew one thousand Philistines with the Jawbone of an ass. Who could forget brave Daniel, who faced a den of lions because of his faith in God? What about Nehemiah, the cupbearer who became the chief builder of the walls of Jerusalem? And don’t forget Paul, who endured the wrath of a heathen world and gave his life to share the gospel of Christ with those who had never heard.

The list of heroes could go on and on. And yet, despite their courageous deed and extraordinary accomplishments, it is not the acclaimed hero that interests me most. It is the unsung hero that means the most to me.

Consider Jael, the wife of Heber, who helped Israel defeat the armies of Canaan by driving the tent stake through the skill of their general, Sisera, while he slept.

How about the nameless armor bearer of King Saul, who, despite the continued pleadings of the mortally wounded Saul, would not kill his beloved king, and who took his own life as Saul’s ebbed away?

What about Ahimelech, the priest of God? He fed David and his starving troops with sacred showbread from the tabernacle.

Abishag is another unsung hero. She had the task of nursing the aged David.

The maid of Naaman comes to mind. Despite being a slave, she told her Syrian master where he could find Elisha and be healed of his leprosy.

An unknown boy who was willing to give his lunch to Jesus is another unsung hero. I think of a woman who poured her life’s treasure on the head and feet of Jesus. What about the group of believers who lowered Paul over the walls of Damascus to safety? And remember Epaphroditus, messenger from the church at Philippi, who delivered gifts to Paul while he was in a Roman prison?

No fancy names. No marquee headlines. No press clippings. No noticeable rewards. No glory. The world didn’t grind to a stop and take notice. In fact, few people even knew or cared what they did. They were just common, ordinary people who were faithful to God when it counted. Yet despite their lack of renown, they were essential to the plans of God.

But while the world ignored them, others praised them- like David and his men when they had a full stomach for the first time in days; and Namaan, when his skin looked and felt like an infant’s. Paul knew unknown Christians had helped him when he opened those gifts from Philippi and wept with joy.

And God noticed, because that is God’s way. He has always chosen the small, insignificant things to confuse the mighty and common, ordinary people to confound the wise.

He works in the same way today. In a world of superstar athletes, musicians, and actors, God still uses simple people to carry out His mission.

I’ve never met any of my heroes (although I did see Roberto Clemente play in person several times). And despite my great desire to emulate their athletic abilities, I never rose to those whose skill I admire. But as I think back over my life, I’ve realized that sports heroes never made any substantial impact on my life.

The flash and glitter of athletes’ outstanding plays has made little difference in my life. But the unselfish investment in me, made by ordinary people serving God, has changed my life.

• People like that nameless college student who gave a summer to come to my neighborhood and tell me that Jesus loved me and died for my sins.
• Or my first-grade Sunday School teacher, who faithfully prepared her lesson every week, knowing all that time that I would be her only student.
• Mr. Booth, who taught my fifth-grade class at a small school and helped me develop relationships- with both boys and girls. He became a role-model for me of what a young man could become.
• Then there was Pastor Koons, who cared enough about a group of rag-tag junior boys to take us on a weekend camping trip and teach us that God loved us and had a plan for our lives.
• I remember Coach Herron, the all-sports coach at another small school, who taught me that the difference between a “champ and a chump is u!”
• And my parents, who took me to church every week and faithfully served in Sunday School classes and children’s church.

The list could go on and on. So many people, now forgotten, invested themselves in the life of a little boy, never knowing that he would grow up to carry on their legacy of service. I can’t remember them all, but God does, and one day He will reward them.

And so I write to a group of common, dedicated servants of God. No superstars. No cover stories. No worldly acclaim. But each of you has been given a special calling by God. You’ve been enlisted to impact the lives of others. You will impact them through teaching, but you will make the greatest impact through your living. For it is your teaching in action that people will remember years from now. They may not remember what you said or even who you are, but they will always remember what you did to impact their lives.

Teaching is often a struggle, a battle to remain faithful week after week when seemingly nothing is happening in the lives of your students. And yet, despite the fact that you may never see the results, God is using you to shape a life.  And what will be the reward you ask?

Somewhere, sometime, a man or woman will have the opportunity to share about the people who impacted his or her life. And your reward is this: one of their unsung heroes will be you!

Everyone grows up with dreams. Time reveals that some dreams are unattainable, like my childhood dream of playing in the NBA. I maximized my talent through practice, but my DNA didn’t cooperate. That dream was simply not meant to be. Other dreams are more achievable, however, because they sync with our abilities.

Despite this truth, most people hide their dreams in the deep recesses of their hearts. They may remember them on occasion, but they remain hidden away from prying eyes. Generally, fear of failure is the primary reason that people hide their dreams. Some hide their dreams for fear of ridicule. Still others hide their dreams because they feel incapable of achieving perfection in the pursuit of them. So, they allow their dreams to slowly fade away.

In his book Quitters, Jon Acuff challenges people to chase their dreams. He attempts to dispel the fears that hold people back by asking several strategic questions:

1. If only your life changed, would that be enough? Most people who fear failure are trapped by a “succeed at all cost” mentality. Honestly, though, the person who benefits most from the dream is the dreamer! When we acknowledge that chasing the dream is its own reward, we will overcome this fear.
2. What do I enjoy doing regardless of the opinion of others? This question gets to the heart of the fear of ridicule. There will always be people who think your dreams are crazy. Generally, they are people who are afraid to chase their own dreams, so they take joy in trying to quash the dreams of others. You will be free to chase your dreams when the opinions of others cease to matter. After all, you are chasing your dream to change your life—not theirs.
3. What do I love enough to do for free? Many dreamers are trapped by the paralysis of analysis. They want a fully developed plan that can be executed perfectly and will produce a financial windfall. Because they can’t figure it all out up front, however, they never even get started. Dreams, however, are the things we love enough to do for free, because they are primarily for our personal development and enjoyment. Do it for free, and it just might become something that can make you some money!

This third point may be the most important. Nothing kills a dream like the prerequisite that a fully formed plan be in place before we begin. To counter this, Acuff provides a new way to think about chasing your dream.

First, be passionate about your dream. Dreams don’t happen on their own—we have to make them a reality. Passion will motivate you chase your dream.

Second, practice the things necessary for your dream to become a reality. “Success always comes when preparation meets opportunity.” There are no shortcuts to preparation; you either do it or you do not. So, practice, practice, practice.

Third, worry about the plan when passion and practice have provided you with an opportunity. Beginning with the plan will paralyze the dream. But, plans are essential if it becomes necessary to expand your dream.

Ultimately, our dreams are for us. They energize our lives and help prevent us from slipping into the rut of boredom. Here are some great principles from Ecclesiastes 10:8-10, 18.

“He who digs a pit will fall into it, and a serpent will bite him who breaks through a wall. He who quarries stones is hurt by them, and he who splits logs is endangered by them. If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge, he must use more strength, but wisdom helps one to succeed. . . Through sloth the roof sinks in, and through indolence the house leaks.”

Principle 1:  Pursuing your dream energizes your life!

In these verses, we see the picture of someone who is chasing a dream. He has purchased some land, and he is now working to make it habitable. He is digging pits, and moving rock, and cutting trees. He is working to build his house—something he has dreamed about for a long time. These are verses filled with energy! There is nothing more exciting than pursuing your dream!

Principle 2: Every dream involves risk!

As he is pursuing his dream, however, he is constantly facing risk. Difficult things can happen when your working on your land: you can fall into the pit you just dug, or be bitten by a snake, or have a tree fall on you. All of these things are simply the risks that come from chasing a dream. There are other risks too: like people thinking your dream is dumb or ready to ridicule you for trying. But, these things can’t be allowed to hinder our dreams—every dream involves risk!

Principle 3: Applied wisdom minimizes failure!

As our dreamer in Ecclesiastes is working to develop his farm, he has to make choices. And those choices may make the task easier or harder. You see, if he decides to cut all of his wood with a dull axe, not only is the job harder, it is more dangerous too. Wisdom is the gift from God that helps us pursue our dreams in the proper way. Wisdom requires us to be realistic with our dreams. We must consider our situation in life, our current finances, and abilities. Some dreams may need to wait until our children are grown. But applying wisdom does not eliminate our dreams—it makes them more attainable.

Principle 4: Dreams don’t come true on their own!

There is no way that our land developer in Ecclesiastes could have accomplished his dream without hard work. Pursuing our dreams takes time and effort—lots of it! He worked hard to develop his farm. Consider his neighbor down the street. That poor guy’s roof is about to fall in because he is too lazy to fix it. You see, roofs don’t fix themselves, farms don’t develop themselves, and dreams don’t accomplish themselves. We have to do that!

For years, I wanted to write music. Of course, I have limited musical skills, but God has given me skills with language. So over the years, I began to write song lyrics (mostly Christian with some country thrown in on the side). The thing is, I would never show them to anyone, not even my wife. I was afraid of ridicule, so I kept this dream hidden away. One day, God helped me to understand that even if I was the only one who benefited from this pursuit, it was enough. I was free! I took the risk of sharing my lyrics, began to collaborate with other musicians, and we now use several of my songs in worship at our church. Now, I write with confidence and enjoyment, because writing songs is not just a dream anymore—it’s a reality.

So, let me encourage you to revisit your dreams. Pull them out, dust them off, and look at them again. You’ve wanted to write that novel, or learn to play the saxophone, or go back to school, or get your pilot’s license, or start your own business, or develop your own farm.

Spend some time praying about it, and ask God for wisdom about how and when to pursue it. Maybe, you need to begin today; maybe next week; maybe next year. But just the thought of chasing your dream will invigorate your life. So, join me and chase your dreams!

Suggested Reading:

Jon Acuff, Quitter, Lampo Press

Michael E. Gerber, The E Myth Revisited, Harper Business

Chip/Dan Heath, Made to Stick, Random House