What Leaders Need To Know

I recently read a post in one of the Ministry Groups on Facebook that I am a member of by a Minister Friend. He was starting some new training for those that would be going into leadership and wanted to know what things we felt were important for leaders to know. Right away several things came to my mind and this Blog is the result of that discussion.

Ministerial Ethics & Integrity:

If there is something that is sorely missing in the church today ethics and integrity are certainly among them. I am constantly amazed by Ministers and Leaders who I thought would know better, but don’t, and act with such a lack of ethics and integrity. There are just some things that you do not do as a Minister or Leader, but it seems many are not aware of what they are. Here are some of the things one should not do:

1.      Do not steal sheep.

2.      Do not encroach into another’s anointing or office.

3.      Do not usurp another’s authority.

Here are some things to do:

1.      Always submit to God ordained and delegated authority.

2.      Always respect and honor another’s office or calling.

3.      Always respect another’s sphere of influence.

I remember years ago, hearing a Man of God say: “Every traveling Minister should spend a year or two as the ‘Set Man’ in a local church; and every ‘Set Man’ should spend a year or two in traveling ministry; that way each would understand the other’s function and would know how to treat the other and what to do and what to not do.” I believe there is Great Wisdom in that.

Submission & Authority:

It should be readily understood and accepted that one can only exercise authority to the degree that they are under authority. That was one the greatest truths I learned when I was in Bible school. Jesus was amazed at the understanding of authority by the Centurion, because he said I am a man that is under authority and I have men that are under me; I say to this man go and he goes, and to this man come and he comes. I wish folks in the church understood this simple principle. As my Father put it in his message recently: "People who cannot follow, will never be allowed to lead."

The Differences Between The Classifications Of Gifts In The New Testament:

The New Testament is clear that there are three different lists of gifts; and yet many times folks approach the various types of gifts with statements like: “Well gifts are gifts.” That is quite ludicrous to say the least. Logic like that is like saying: “Well sports are sports.” Now you know as well as I do that baseball is a sport, football is a sport, and basketball is a sport; but they are nowhere near the same. Each sport is played differently and has different rules that govern it. So, it is with the gifts in the New Testament. The three groups of gifts are known as:

1.      Motivation – found in Romans chapter 12. These are the primary motivations of one’s life that drives them and really what makes them tick.

2.      Manifestation – found in 1 Corinthians chapter 12. These are the Gifts of the Holy Spirit which are manifestations that are given for the common good and operate as the Spirit wills.

3.      Ministry – found in Ephesians chapter 4. These are also referred to as the ascension gifts or the five-fold ministry gifts and are designed as equipping gifts so that the body be not tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine and come to a place of maturity.

It should be evident that these three categories of gifts are not the same and have different intended purposes, yet it is amazing how many current leaders do not understand these differences.

Practical Ministries:

I can recall when I first enrolled in Rhema Bible Training College in September of 1982 and taking Rev. Kenneth Hagin Jr.’s class called “Practical Ministries”. It was one of the most foundational and important classes I took at Rhema. It underscored what I already knew from growing up in a Pastor’s home. “So many have delusions of grandeur that the Ministry is nothing but: Preaching, Praying and Prophesying…that you will live in camp-meeting and revival 24/7.” Kenneth Hagin Jr. said. Nothing could be further from the truth!

I can still hear him standing before us as he addressed first year Bible school students with his Texas drawl: “All right…you want to know how to spell Ministry? W-O-R-K! That’s how you spell ministry!” We need to learn that there is a lot of behind the scenes work that needs to be done that nobody sees. Folks just see what is done in public. That is the easy part. The tedious part is what is done behind the scenes…that is the real work.

There is no way that I can cover all the things that leaders need to know in one blog without turning it into a book. We could speak of overcoming rejection; observing and keeping proper boundaries and being adaptable, able to change; but time and space do not allow. I trust these simple thoughts will be of help to both prospective leaders and current leaders as well as the Body of Christ at large.

Thoughts On 2016-Understanding The Why Of The Process

2016 was an interesting year for many, me included. The year started with great Prophetic Promise and excitement. Then as the year unfolded many of us received curve balls that we were not expecting. Our choice was to go with what was cast our way, embrace it, and the find the purpose of God in it; or get stuck and stifled right there, no longer moving towards our destiny.

I discovered that even in the curve ball God has been working His Master Plan for our lives. He seldom operates or does things the way that we think that He will or should. After all, He is still sovereign and has promised to do a New Thing. Why are we so surprised when He does? Because it didn’t come the way we had the scenario worked out in our pre-conceived ideas.

I for one learned this more than anyone this year. Even though I have always preached that we can’t put God in a box and that He will seldom do it like we think He will; yet when it happened to me, I was totally floored. I made up my mind to embrace the assignment and in the process, discover the why of the process.

So often we want to understand the WHY before we embrace the process. That is not how it works. It is as we embrace the process that the why is made clear. I discovered this year that God really does know what He is doing even when we think He doesn’t.

Unfortunately, many never discover the beauty or irony of how this works because they want it all figured out with a pretty bow on it before they do anything. They are individuals with all the POTENTIAL in the world who never live up to it because they can’t embrace a process they do not understand. God has always operating an individual’s destiny as unfolding revelation. He told Abraham to go to a land that He would show him.

Most of us would have said: “If you don’t show me where we are going, I am not leaving.” Thus, we find the underlying issue why so many never move past POTENTIAL. I read somewhere that the “Just Shall Live By Faith”. If you know exactly where you are going, no faith is required. But when you embrace that you are going where only God knows; then you are walking “By Faith And Not By Sight”.

This year, despite being thrown a major curve ball that I never saw coming nor ever expected or wanted, I discovered the purpose and plan of God for my life by embracing the process. I now know why I received the assignment that I did that I was not expecting. It turns out that God actually had at least four reasons that I am aware of at the time of this writing, and I am sure more will be revealed in the process.

My advice to you is simply this: Even when you don’t understand the curve ball that seems to be thrown your way, embrace it and yield to the process of God, as you do you will understand the why of the process. 

Teach Them To Your Sons

All the way back in Israel’s history…there was a practice that we in the church today sure do need to resurrect. It was known as “Teach them to your Sons”.

“These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead.” Deuteronomy 6:6-8 NASB

“You shall therefore impress these words of mine on your heart and on your soul; and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. You shall teach them to your sons, talking of them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road and when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.” Deuteronomy 11:18-20 NASB

“Now therefore, write this song for yourselves, and teach it to the sons of Israel; put it on their lips, so that this song may be a witness for Me against the sons of Israel.” Deuteronomy 31:19 NASB

The pattern was always that Fathers taught their Sons, who in turn taught their Sons, and so forth and so on. The pattern was always to be multi-generational. “The God of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob”.

Yet in our day many of our Leaders both Naturally & Spiritually have forgotten and lost this pattern. What and how are we teaching our Sons…that they might teach their Sons? Apostle Paul instructed his Son Timothy, the Emerging Apostle:

“And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” 2 Timothy 2:2 NKJV

Do you see the pattern of Multi-Generational again? Paul…Timothy…Faithful Men…Others Also.

If there is not a burning desire to pour into the next generation and you are in leadership…then you surely cannot call yourself Apostolic or a Father. Teaching from a Pulpit or a Platform is not Fathering nor Apostolic. From the pattern of Israel it was something that was “Hands On”.

As we seek to be Apostolic Fathers…we must do more than just teach from the pulpit…we must be “Hands On” with the next generation to raise up Sons. Let’s Go For It Copying The Pattern As Old As Israel!

Hear And Be Healed

Yesterday I read a Facebook post by a friend of mine, Dr. Don Lynch, who asked as a conversation starter: “To what extent should miracles, signs and wonders be paired with preaching?”

I began to think almost immediately of all the Scriptures I have ever used in preaching along these lines over the years. But I couldn’t get the thought out of head even this morning. Then to my remembrance came this verse that Rev. Kenneth E. (Dad) Hagin used to quote way back in the early 80’s when I used to attend Healing School at Rhema while a student there.

“But despite Jesus’ instructions, the report of his power spread even faster, and vast crowds came to hear him preach and to be healed of their diseases.” Luke 5:15 New Living Translation (emphasis mine)

I want you to pay attention to what The New Living Translation brings out that other Translations don’t. They came to hear Him Preach…and to Be Healed of their diseases. They didn’t just come to be Healed…But to Hear and be Healed. Most other Translations just say: “…great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by Him of their infirmities.”

I am struck with the thought that many want to be healed, but don’t want to hear anything. They want you to lay hands on them and just ZAP it to them. Well thank God for the Gifts of the Holy Spirit being in operation as He wills, but if they aren’t…you better Hear The Word!

I am also reminded of the ministry of Jesus in Matthew chapter 4.

“And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people.” Matthew 4:23 New King James Version (emphasis mine)

Again notice in the ministry of Jesus that He was not just Healing, but He was Teaching, Preaching and Healing. The Word must be proclaimed if we expect to see the Healing Power of God. God confirms His Word, and if we don’t put His Word out there He has nothing to confirm.

Remember the Great Commission in Mark 16?

“And He said to them, ‘Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned. These signs will accompany those who have believed: in My name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover’….And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them, and confirmed the word by the signs that followed.” Mark 16: 15-18 & 20 New American Standard Bible (emphasis mine)

I want you to notice that in obedience to the commission that they received, that they went out and preached everywhere…and the Lord worked with them…and confirmed the word by the signs that followed. What if they didn’t preach? Then I dare say the Lord would not be able to work with them. Notice He confirmed the word. He only confirms the word! He will not confirm anything but His Word!

Tongues More Than You Think

It is always amazing to me that Apostle Paul in writing to the church at Corinth stated that he did not want them to be ignorant about the manifestations of the Spirit (see 1 Corinthians 12-14 in context). Yet, the very thing he said that he did not want the church to be ignorant of seems to be the very thing a large percentage of the church is ignorant of.

I remember Rev. Kenneth E. (Dad) Hagin used to say in his teachings that there are two reasons why folks are ignorant about subjects in the Word of God:

1.      No Teaching

2.      Poor Teaching

Unfortunately, the church has been victim of both a lack of teaching and poor teaching about the Manifestations of the Spirit, and Tongues in particular.

At the root of most of the issues and confusion over Tongues in the church, even among those who believe that Tongues are still for today, (cessationists of course do not believe that they are) is that most do not understand that the New Testament speaks of two different manifestations of Tongues:

1.      Private Tongues – (or Personal Tongues) Your Prayer Language for your own Worship & Prayer Life.

2.      Public Tongues – This is the Public Gift that works in conjunction with the Gift of Interpretation of Tongues in a Public Setting, with the two together equaling the Gift of Prophecy. Prophecy does it in one step, Tongues & Interpretation does it in two.

Today I was mediating on 1 Corinthians 12-14 from multiple translations and came across this:

“I’m grateful to God for the gift of praying in tongues that he gives us for praising him, which leads to wonderful intimacies we enjoy with him. I enter into this as much or more than any of you.” 1 Corinthians 14:18 The Message (emphasis mine)

From this verse in the Message it is quite clear that Apostle Paul is speaking here about the first manifestation of Tongues that we have defined…Private Tongues. I want you to pay close attention to the wording that The Message brings out:

·         Paul is grateful for the Gift of Praying in Tongues. (note this is not a Public Message that needs to be interpreted).

·         Paul said that God gave us this ability (Praying in Tongues) for Praising Him! We can Worship in Tongues (our Prayer Language) and we should.

·         When we exercise Praying in Tongues both for Prayer and Praise it leads to Wonderful Intimacies with Him.

·         Paul admitted that he entered into this practice (exercising his prayer language for both prayer and praise) as much as or more than any of the rest of the Corinthian church.

Obviously if this was a bad practice, Paul would not have engaged in it as much as he did; nor would he have encouraged them to operate in it. Wasn’t it Paul who said: “Follow me as I follow the Lord”? We should be following his example in this.

Now if you treat this Manifestation of Tongues the same as the Public Gift of Tongues, you are going to be greatly confused. That is like trying to play Baseball with Football rules. There is much more to Tongues than many of us have thought, believed and in far too many cases practiced.

Sometimes it is just fine to either pray or praise in the Spirit (other Tongues) without there being an Interpretation, especially in a BELIEVERS MEETING. Maybe not in a crusade…but amongst Believers…it should be an accepted and expected practice. After all, didn’t Paul also say:

“For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for no one understands, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries.” 1 Corinthians 14:2 NASB (emphasis mine) (some translations use the word secrets instead of mysteries)

We need the manifestation of both Private Tongues and Public Tongues. They need to be clearly defined as to their intended purposes as well as how they should function in our midst; decently and in order. You see when it comes to Tongues…there is more than many think.

Each One

After an outstanding service yesterday morning at Community Church Fixer of Hearts in North Brunswick, NJ; which I have the privilege to lead, I have been thinking all day about a phrase that occurs over and over again in Apostle Paul’s discourse on the Gifts (or Manifestations) of the Spirit in 1 Corinthians chapters 12-14.

“But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.”

1 Corinthians 12:7 NASB (emphasis mine)

“But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.” 1 Corinthians 12:11 NASB (emphasis mine)

“What is the outcome then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.” 1 Corinthians 14:26 NASB (emphasis mine)

What was so special about the service yesterday morning that had me thinking all day long? It was a service where there was participation by about eight or nine other people during the service besides me in communicating all that God wanted to get across to the Body that was assembled. We had Tongues & Interpretation of Tongues, Psalms & Songs of the Lord, Exhortations, Admonitions, An Explanation of a Vision, A Testimony of an Instant Healing and the Sound of a Human Shofar (no actual horn) that pierced and shifted the atmosphere. God used the ‘Multiplicity of Gifting’ that was present in the house to accomplish His purpose.

I want you to pay particular attention to the emphasized two words in each of the verses above: ‘Each One’! Notice Paul was talking about the involvement of the Body in the Ministry and about their Participation in the service or gathering of Believers. So often we have this mindset in the church that the congregation sits back and watches the show as those on the ‘Platform Perform’. That is NOT WHAT GOD INTENDED!

Church is not a Spectator Sport! God does not want His Body to be Pew-sitters…He wants them to be Participators! I am not an authority on the English language…but the last time I checked…Each One meant Everybody present. Our job as Leadership is to Facilitate a flow of the Holy Spirit (much like an orchestra conductor) that allows for Each One to participate according to their gifting, as the Spirit wills, for the common good and edification of the Body.

To make the Church function by divine design according to the New Testament pattern that Paul speaks of in these texts it will require two things:

·         People being willing to step out of their comfort zone and not rely on Leadership to do all the ministry realizing that God has uniquely gifted them and desires to use those gifts for the common good of the Body.

·         Leadership that recognizes people’s gifts, accepts people’s gifts, develops people’s gifts, empowers people’s gifts, encourages people’s gifts, honors people’s gifts, deploys people’s gifts and celebrates people’s gifts.

An Apostolic Letter To An Apostolic Son

Traditionally theologians have referred to the Epistles of First and Second Timothy, as well as Titus as Pastoral Epistles. Nothing could be further from the Truth. Timothy and Titus were both Spiritual Sons to Apostle Paul and as such were being fathered, mentored and trained as young up and coming emerging Apostles in their own right.

If you read the New Testament through the Paradigm of an Apostolic Mindset, this will be quite clear. Paul clearly referred to Timothy as his son. (see 1 Corinthians 4: 17, 1 Timothy 1: 2 & 18 and 2 Timothy 1:2) Titus was also referred to as his son. (see Titus 1:4) With that in mind we are better off referring to these Epistles as Apostolic Epistles, not Pastoral Epistles.

I want to draw your attention to one passage from Apostle Paul’s first letter to Timothy:

“Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership. Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.” 1 Timothy 4: 13-16 NKJV (Emphasis Mine)

I have highlighted some words in this passage that we should pay attention to as an Apostolic Father was writing to an Emerging Apostolic Son:

Ø  Reading

Ø  Exhortation

Ø  Doctrine

Ø  The Gift

Ø  Prophecy

Ø  Laying On Of Hands

Ø  Meditate

Ø  Doctrine (second time…just maybe it is important)

Ø  Continue

It is quite often that we get asked what Apostolic Ministry is all about and how does it differ from other types of ministry. This should be a PROOF TEXT for every Apostle and Emerging Apostle in the Body of Christ!

We could go into great detail on each one of these bullet points, but suffice it to say, each and every one of them are an integral part of Apostolic Ministry. These were things that Paul stressed to his Son Timothy. If we are going to be truly New Testament Apostolic all of these things will be part of what we do; and if we are going to raise up Apostolic Sons, we will stress these things to them just as Paul stressed them to Timothy.