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As the year 2008 will bring about change, I feel compelled to invite God to change how I handle ministry. Through my experiences serving in the church within the past 3 years I have seen a lot of good and bad within ministry. Coming from the corporate and entrepreneurial world, I sort of looked at ministry in ways that were similar to business. Personally, I think a lot of pastors do as most mega churches and churches that want to be mega churches seem to have a corporate structure about them.

I made a decision after a lot of prayer during the second half of 2007 that I was not going to climb the corporate ladder of success and strive to be the president and CEO. Instead, I just need to serve where I can, connect with whomever God puts in my path, and just try and show them love and grace as Jesus would.

Sure, I think I can bring a lot to the church in terms of how to lead and manage various ministries, but at the same time it causes me to look upon how prepared and effective those ministries are and begin to cast judgment on those involved. The church should not be managed like a secular corporation and it is time to take it back to the streets and walk with those whom Jesus would have walked with. His message of hope is received best by those that need hope, but unfortunately it is the very people that need hope the most that tend to be ignorant about Jesus’ teachings.

I believe that we as the church should honor God with our best, but as He meets us where we are at, my best may not be at the same level as someone else’s best. Is it up to me to set the standard and make someone strive to be better than God Himself is asking them to be? How can I know what God finds acceptable in the work of someone else?

As hard as it is going to be for me to stop thinking about ministry as I would as a CEO or COO I feel it is what I must do in order to move forward assuming my role in the kingdom of heaven. I should not be so worried about how to remove the speck from another’s eye if there is potentially a big plank sticking out of mine.

It’s going to take a lot of prayer and a lot of patience, but I believe this is what I must do to further my calling in 2008.

For those of you that transitioned over from my old myspace blog, you may recall the tremendously bad experience I had when I tried to fast along with Pastor Jentezen Franklin and Free Chapel Worship Center of Gainesville, Georgia last January. My mind was ready and my schedule allowed it, but my body just wouldn’t submit. Headaches, nausea, tired, cranky, I felt awful and was awful to be around.

In my mind I figured that maybe the timing wasn’t right in the plan God had for my life. He wasn’t being honored by my crankiness, so I stopped after 3 days. As much as there is a big part of me that wants to give it another go in 2008 and just work through it this time, there is another part of me that resists. Actually, after much prayer I believe it is the still, soft voice of God telling me not to fast. So, I have concluded that I will not attempt round 2 of the global fast, but I can tell all my friends at Free Chapel that are committed to the fast that I am praying for all of you.

Every year Pastor Franklin emerges from the 21 day fast a new creation in Christ. He seems broken and humbled, yet with an excitement for the revelation and burden God places in his heart for ministry in the new year. This year the focus is on release, restoration, an reward. I will be praying in the word of Isaiah 58:6, Joel 2:25, 2 Chronicles 2:14 alongside you.

It is with great anticipation that I await the overflow of blessings upon the world as you all fast and pray and seek the Lord’s guidance for 2008.

I confess that at times I want to think about how I and others fall short in life. It is times like this when we will rise from the conviction and become closer to God and become better examples of our faith. However, should we be subjected to hearing this be repeated from the leaders within the church as they try to force change upon us? More importantly, should I be someone that points out people’s faults and teach them the ways of God’s righteousness or should I stand alongside them as a sinner myself, call upon grace and encourage them to recognize the hope that God will use to compel them to change?

I’ve come to embrace and accept my role as a facilitator of change. The change I seek comes in the way of lives being transformed by the power of the good news of the gospel of Christ Jesus. It is not up to me speak change into their lives, but it is up to me to be the example of change that they can follow as we seek to stand together and grow in our faith and maturity through the power of the Holy Spirit within us.

Romans 1:16 (New International Version) - I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes

I can stand before the church and claim righteousness through the Bible and use it to remind people of how they are not perfect, but where is the good news in that? I firmly believe that the truth of the Word will set us free. However, I also believe that we as shepherds of God’s people are called to encourage and edify, not condemn and convict. Using the power of the gospel of good news is where we struggle the most. Shining brightly with confidence, courage, and bold compassion are impossible without the love of Christ within us. It is He that makes us strong as we are called to be examples of His witness when times aren’t good; in times when we need to give to others before we consider our needs. Our actions speak louder than words!

As the old saying goes, you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink. However, lead the horse to water, then set the example and drink yourself first. Leading by example before imposing correction works even in the most-stubborn of people. There is so much power when we choose to love instead of find fault…exemplify instead of crucify.

It’s time we started being truth through love and setting examples for others to follow. It is what Christ is compelling the world to do.

1 Peter 4:8 (New Century Version) - Most importantly, love each other deeply, because love will cause people to forgive each other for many sins.

God has been using a wonderful and gracious friend of mine named Sambi Katano to teach me this much-needed lesson of love. The Lord has pierced my heart through the inspiration of my friend as he spoke light into my life.

I came across a quote today that impacted me and confirmed for me that I need to give up the ways of convicting people of sin through the Scriptures, choosing instead to bring light through the hope God grants us when we trust in Him and receive His eternal love for us. May this quote bless you richly and open your mind and your heart to the true nature of the good news of the gospel of Jesus:

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us most. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and famous?’ Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that people won’t feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in all of us. And when we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” –Nelson Mandela

God is Truth, Salvation, Compassion, Conviction, Lord, Eternal, All-Powerful, and Love. Of all of these things, the only instrument we have been entrusted with to share God’s good news is love. Everything else is left up to God. Embrace the love and share the good news with everyone you come across today! God loves you and He wants to use you to share the love of His Son Jesus with the rest of the world.