Greetings from Bermuda!  Well, I am not actually writing this from Bermuda, but that is where I am today (the beauty of scheduled posts).  Today’s guest post is from my friend Gregg Farah.  If you haven’t checked out his book project yet, you really need to… go ahead, sign up for the follow up package.

When the Apostle Paul exhorts us to “pray continually” he’s talking about a lifestyle decision. I remember a time several years ago when I groaned in frustration as our car inched along the highway in bumper-to-bumper traffic. I was annoyed at yet another inconvenience to my schedule. I shook my head in frustration, knowing the intensity of the traffic was the result of gawking rubberneckers, each straining to see all they could.

As I approached the scene of the accident, I did all I could to force my eyes forward, not wanting to contribute to the slow pace on the road. But I couldn’t resist. I “oohed” and “ahhhed,” noticing tearful passengers sitting beside one another on the damaged guardrail. As I steered away from the shattered glass over the road, I tried to do a quick count of the numerous emergency vehicles. I hate to sound callous, but it was an impressive accident. It looked like everyone survived, but I could not get the image of destruction out of my head.

As lanes of traffic quickly opened before us and I was able to again reach the speed limit–slightly over, actually–I looked in my rear view mirror at my daughter while saying, “Wow. That was some accident, huh?” I didn’t get a reply, so after a quick glance at the road, I looked in the rearview mirror again. “Sweetie? You OK?”

“Yes, dad. I was just praying for the people. They looked sad, and I asked God to help them.”

It took a minute for me to respond. My mind raced back to my frustration sitting in traffic, followed by my collision curiosity. While I thought of myself, my daughter thought of the people and their pain. I saw the people, but my daughter saw their need.

Today, try to pray for what you see. That might sound trivial, but pausing to pray can revolutionize our lives. If we can develop a heart for prayer, with eyes that see people and situations as God sees them, we will grow spiritual depth. Brother Lawrence describes the discipline this way, “There is not in the world a kind of life more sweet and delightful, than that of a continual conversation with God. Those only can comprehend it who practice and experience it.”

Now that you have somewhere to put your stuff, you’ll need ways to send that stuff back and forth to the people on your ministry team. You could email it, but some files are just too big for email.

And you’ll want to share some of that stuff with the volunteers in your church and your congregation. You could publish it to your church website, but then it’s out there for anyone and everyone to see.

Wouldn’t it be nice if there was one way to do all this stuff seamlessly?

There is, and it’s called Dropbox.

Install the client on your computer, then drop your files in the Dropbox folder (or use the advanced setup tool to choose your own folders) and voila! Your files are backed up in the cloud. Any other computer with your Dropbox account is automatically synced, too. It’s called redundancy and it means your likelihood of ever losing an important file again is slim. There are also apps for Windows, Mac, iPhone, and Android.

Cost: Free for 2 GB; $9.99/month for 50 GB; other plans available, including a team plan.
Alternatives: SpiderOak, SugarSync

By the time you read this I (Matt) will be on a boat in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean somewhere, which is why I have asked my friend Scott Couchenour to share his wisdom with us today.  Scott has a phenomenal ministry helping pastors come back from, and avoid, burn-out.  I am a big fan of his blog, and the conversations he has on the Serving Strong Facebook page… and I am grateful that he is sharing with you today.

Been many days now in the ark. Still dark in here. Still raining outside. The moist air mixed with the bowel movements of the eclectic array of animals is truly amazing. Early on, I learned to breathe through my mouth. Now my throat burns at the stench. I’ve no longer tried to be careful where I step – not enough return on investment. Why try to keep my shoes clean when I’m surrounded by waste?

Mrs. Noah and the kids are getting impatient. I started logging their complaints early in the journey. At first it was a couple complaints here and there. Now they are a regular occurrence multiple times a day. Who can blame them? They get the fact that their lives have been saved. But the living conditions are weighing heavy on their waning resolve. I can relate.

The animals are remarkably calm today. Not so last Tuesday. The zebras and the apes got into quite a spat leaving one of the zebras with a wide open wound on a hind leg. That has taken a lot of time to mend. I now keep the zebras at the other end of the stern opposite the apes.

Lord, it’s tough to stay motivated. It stinks in here. Sometimes I feel like I’m the only one who remembers the initial calling you placed on my heart. We seem to be drifting in the rain with no navigation or signs of progress. Nevertheless, I know you are still God. A pungent stench doesn’t change your Lordship. Complaints by those closest to me don’t change your sovereignty. Spats between the animals don’t change your wisdom. They are my reality, yes. But you are my meta-reality that transcends all of this. Therefore, I will stay the course until you say otherwise.

Your servant,

Noah

Do you lead a bunch of people toward a vision God has placed in your heart?  I bet you’ve already written a journal entry a lot like this, huh?

What keeps YOU motivated amid challenges and difficulties?

Two weeks ago, Theresa and I hit a wall of exhaustion.  In one of those moments described by Romans 8:26 we asked God for something.  We didn’t know what we were asking for, but we knew we needed something, anything really.  All we knew was that we were at our wits end, and needed God to be God and do what only God does.

Two Sundays ago, an opportunity presented itself for Theresa and I to take a last minute vacation.  We signed up for a last minute cruise that left from New York City yesterday morning.  We got a great deal, and were given a guaranteed room with outside light (and were told it would probably be an obstructed porthole).  We were just excited to be able to get away, to slip out and rest, and that somehow we were able to clear our schedules on short notice.  We began to have a sense that we might be about to experience that whole idea of Matthew 11:28, we were about to be given rest.

On Wednesday, I checked to see where our room on the ship was.  Convinced that there was a mistake, I called the lady at Norwegian who helped us book the cruise to make sure that I wasn’t mistaken.  Our room had been upgraded from an obstructed porthole to a balcony.  The helpful lady at Norwegian tried to take credit, but I know the truth: we had been given something.

In a moment of flat out Ephesians 3:20-21 our Father has given us immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine…

I choose to hear this as Jesus gently whispering in our ears “I know… I know.  I am here, and I know.  I am with you, and I know.”

By the time you read this, Theresa and I will be in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, on the way to Bermuda.  You will understand if I don’t respond to comments before next Monday.

Where is Jesus whispering “I know.  I am here, and I know” to YOU?

• Guest Post: Take a (Spiritual) Hike
  My friend Gregg Farah is a pastor, writer, and all around great guy.  He has a passion for discipleship, and helping followers of Christ more fully pursue the calling on their lives.  Today is a big day for Gregg as he is launching his next book project.  You really need to check it out, and buy a copy (or three) for everyone you know. If you want to climb Mount Everest, professional trekking services costs [...]
• The Church Planting Spouse
  Two weeks ago at Exponential Paul Williams, from The Orchard Group, said something profound: “a church tends to reflect the personality of the Lead Pastor’s wife.” Think about that for a minute. Today I was sitting in the first day of Redeemer City to City’s Urban Church Planting Coach training when the importance of caring well for the church planter’s spouse came up.  As we spoke, Tami Resch briefly explained the findings of a recent study done [...]
• What Are You Most Proud Of?
  I recently had a conversation where I was asked “when you look back over your years in ministry, what are you most proud of?” Yesterday, while grabbing lunch with a friend, I had the opportunity to hear a story of one of my former students and what happened to a family when she decided to step out and love a friend of hers to Jesus.  As my friend was telling the story I was excited [...]
• My Name Is My Name
  Proverbs 22:1 puts it simply: A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold. Every afternoon I receive a series of Google Alerts.  Some of them are looking for stories on the church and leading well, but some of them are based on my name, and variations of it.  Last week, one of my alerts unearthed something disturbing: Matthew Steen was the antagonist of a fan fiction story [...]

What did YOU learn this week?

My friend Gregg Farah is a pastor, writer, and all around great guy.  He has a passion for discipleship, and helping followers of Christ more fully pursue the calling on their lives.  Today is a big day for Gregg as he is launching his next book project.  You really need to check it out, and buy a copy (or three) for everyone you know.

If you want to climb Mount Everest, professional trekking services costs anywhere between $40,000-$110,000. That’s quite an investment…but I hear the view is amazing. These companies claim to take care of everything, guaranteeing each step up and down the world’s tallest mountain will be monitored.

Spiritual guides should offer the same service, minus the astronomical fee. Here are five commitments to make with those you serve:

• Invest—Agreeing to disciple someone or lead a small group is a big deal. Be willing to invest in academically and relationally. You don’t need to know everything, but be sure to spend more time in preparation than reviewing notes at a stop light. And people want to know you care about them more than simply getting through material.
• Listen—Listen far more than you speak. As a general rule, your group or those you’re discipling should speak 75% of the time, leaving only 25% for you. It might seem out of balance, but you’ll gain a greater understanding of your group if you listen. And your group will grow by verbalizing its faith far more than simply listening to you.
• Pray—Listening to and encouraging a participant is critical. However, nothing is as valuable as praying for his or her journey. Make it a priority to pray for the person you are serving.
• Direct—The abundance of materials available for spiritual growth can be overwhelming. It’s not possible to know about every item available, but develop a Top 10 (or 5) resource list to help those you serve study and grow on their own.
• Improve—Leaders are learners, so commit to growing spiritually and as a disciple-maker. It’s easy to rely on old lessons and illustrations. And while it’s not necessary–or wise–to reinvent the wheel, do strive to learn all you can about what you’re teaching and how you’re leading.

No Everest trekking service can guarantee success, but it can commit to prepare you to have the best opportunity to not only climb the mountain but survive the experience. We can do the same as spiritual guides. Help someone take a next step.

Think about that for a minute.

Today I was sitting in the first day of Redeemer City to City’s Urban Church Planting Coach training when the importance of caring well for the church planter’s spouse came up.  As we spoke, Tami Resch briefly explained the findings of a recent study done of church planting wives, and ranked the sources of frustration that they experience (in order):

• Their Husbands: We really can be tough to live with at times.
• Isolation and Loneliness:  How many nights each week are you spending outside your home?
• Spiritual Health:  How are you encouraging the spiritual lives of your family?
• Ambiguity:  Are the expectations on your spouse clearly defined or are they expected to stand in every gap you have?
• Re-Creation:  Do you make time for intentional family Sabbath?
• Exhaustion:  Related to re-creation, how closely are you monitoring your family’s emotional, physical, and mental energy reserves?
• Finances:  Do I really need to explain this?

As Theresa and I were discussing the list, she agreed with all but the first one of the list.  We spent some time talking through our experiences in Baltimore, and agreed it was one of the most difficult seasons of ministry that we have ever been through.  I asked her what words of wisdom she would pass along to church planters and their spouses as they were getting ready to go plant.  Here is her response:

This will be an exciting time, but will likely be some of the most difficult years you will experience as a couple.  Before heading into the field do everything you can to ensure that your marriage is healthy, and that both of you have support systems in place: as individuals, and as a couple.  Fellas, never forget that your wife is planting the church alongside of you, and feels the stress far more acutely than you ever will.

I may be partial, but she is wise.

How do YOU care for the ministry spouse in YOUR life?

Yesterday, while grabbing lunch with a friend, I had the opportunity to hear a story of one of my former students and what happened to a family when she decided to step out and love a friend of hers to Jesus.  As my friend was telling the story I was excited to hear about her boldness, and grateful to have been a small part of her life.  Later in the day, I bumped into another one of my students at the 7-11.  It was cool to catch up, and he has a truck that runs on diesel and vegetable oil… how cool is that?

Last night I had the opportunity to briefly catch up with one of my former students who is graduating from college (not that I am that old, mind you).  She was looking for churches in my area to connect friends of hers into and was sharing about what she is up to, has been up to, and how God is using her in the lives of people she is living with.  It was a great conversation!

The truth is that I always feel a little goofy about answering that question: I don’t have one thing, one event, a building, or anything like that.  What I am most proud of are the people who have allowed me the privilege to come alongside of them for a short period of time and journey with them as they pursue Christ.  I am proud of their persistence, I am proud of their dedication, and I am proud of their desire to honor God in all that they do.

We can talk of huge service projects, starting churches, building campaigns, and the like… but in the end it is the people that matter.

What are YOU most proud of after YOUR years in ministry?

Proverbs 22:1

A good name is more desirable than great riches; to be esteemed is better than silver or gold.

Every afternoon I receive a series of Google Alerts.  Some of them are looking for stories on the church and leading well, but some of them are based on my name, and variations of it.  Last week, one of my alerts unearthed something disturbing: Matthew Steen was the antagonist of a fan fiction story that was fairly dark in nature.  While the story was clearly labeled as a fictional narrative, having my name linked to the acts portrayed in the story was not something that I was all that excited about… especially when a prospective client could easily find it through Google (fortunately a simple email resulted in a very apologetic agreement to remove my name from the story).

When someone searches the name of your church, the name of a member of your leadership team, or the name of your Senior Pastor, what will they find?  When asked, how will people in your community describe your church?  Will your name be linked to a list of things that you are against, a nasty fight with the municipal government, businesses complaining about parking issues, or will it be linked to the ways that your church is serving the community that you are located in?

Before potential visitors step foot in your church, they research you.  Whether it is asking around the neighborhood, or a quick Google search, they will be seeking out information that will help them decide whether to visit or not.  Having a well designed website will go a long way when people search your church’s name, but having a reputation as being a force for good in your community will go much further.  Developing relationships with the local government, schools, and businesses is hard work, but will allow you the ability to truly influence the communities you serve for years to come.

How is YOUR church viewed in YOUR community?

In other news, this week I was discussed on a Zimbabwe based podcast called The King’s Legacy.  Bishop Fortune is doing good work out there.  This comes fresh on the heels of being quoted for a newspaper in Trinidad & Tobago (this was an interesting story, though some of the details are a little off).  It would appear that I am developing an international presence… what is the world coming to?

Here is what has been happening in between hockey games:

• Finance Fridays: An Offering or Something More?
  Every Sunday morning churches across the country take part in the weekly tradition of passing the plate.  Typically there is something said about the ushers collecting tithes and offerings, many times this is followed up with a prayer. I sometimes wonder if we are missing out on something more. As we tiptoe around the prospect of offending someone by talking about money, in our attempts to “not be that kind of church”, and as we [...]
• Leadership Reading List: Making Ideas Happen
  Scott Belsky introduces his book Making Ideas Happen by saying something that anyone who has led a ministry for more than three days knows quite well: Ideas don’t happen because they are great- or by accident.  The misconception that great ideas inevitably lead to success has prevailed for too long.  Whether you have the perfect solution for an everyday problem or a bold new concept for a creative masterpiece, you must transform vision into reality. We [...]
• Church Leader Tool Box: Church Email
  One of the cooler parts of my work with Church Simple is being a church leader’s concierge.  I get to connect pastors and planters with organizations that help churches focus on their calling by taking some of the non-ministry stuff off their plates.  With this in mind, I am excited what will be a regular feature in the days to come: The Church Leader Tool Box.  I look forward to introducing you to great people [...]
• Reaching the Boomerang Generation
  Last week, while I was in Florida, I had an enjoyable lunch with a pastor friend from a small church outside of Tampa.  Leaving the restaurant I took two things away from our conversation: my first sunburn of the season, and a nagging question about how to effectively minister to adult children living in their parents home. A quick search unearthed the term Boomerang Generation, a phrase that I am not entirely comfortable with… but does [...]
• Is Starbucks Replacing The Church?
  Starbucks did it again. Over the weekend, I received an email from Starbucks thanking their customers for lending a hand as they have been working all month long to better the world around them through mobilizing the Starbucks faithful to contribute their time, talents, and treasure towards community service projects and financial contributions. The email made me think of a sermon I preached several years ago about how we are wired to do life together. [...]

What did YOU learn this week?