I don’t remember that I thought too much about the word legacy—not in a personal sense, anyway—until my first grandchild was born. As parents, we’re so involved in the daily aspects of guiding our children, and we’re so committed to being there for them every step of the way, that we don’t think as much in terms of what legacy we leave for them after we are gone.

But truthfully, every parent does leave some kind of a legacy. So do grandparents.

A legacy, however, isn’t something you dream up and write as a pre-eulogy. It’s something you live—every day.

In other words, what you do today is shaping your legacy of tomorrow.

Recognizing the value of a legacy and the importance of today in shaping it gives meaning to the mundane. Driving your kids to school, planning a family night, going to ball games, praying with your children before bed—although we do these regularly, we must remember that each instance is meaningful. It has accumulative strength in shaping a child’s heart for God.

Seeing the everyday actions of our lives as elements of a legacy also adds responsibility to these regular actions. It reminds us that we need to seize the moments to invest in the lives of our children and grandchildren.

How can we shape a godly legacy on a daily basis?

1. Walk in the Spirit.

Leaving a godly legacy begins with living a godly life. And living a godly life begins with walking in the Spirit.

Perhaps there is no role more in need of the leadership of the Holy Spirit than that of a father. The level of wisdom, sensitivity, strength, and energy that we need as dads can only come from the Holy Spirit. Leading your children begins with allowing the Holy Spirit to lead you.

2. Differentiate between the urgent and the important.

Children don’t typically press their needs—especially their heart needs—as persistently as the urgent items on our to do lists. They don’t send reminder emails or call during dinner to say, “I need you, Dad. Please listen to me!” But their needs are indeed important.

If we’re not careful, we miss the daily needs of our children for direction, affirmation, and love. You will always have something urgent demanding your time. Parents who leave a legacy learn to see through the high pressure of the urgent and daily invest in the eternal—the hearts of their children.

3. Purposefully invest yourself.

When we make financial investments, we study, get counsel, and plan. We’re intentional about the process because we want a good return for our investment.

Our children are our most precious possessions, and they are worthy of our purposeful investment. As dads, we should be as intentional about investing our time and ourselves into our children as we would be about building a portfolio or establishing a career. Actually, we should be even more intentional about our investment in our children.

4. Live in light of eternity.

It seems just yesterday that our four children were the ages our grandchildren are now. And before I know it, I’ll be wondering where the time went when our grandkids were young!

To give my children and grandchildren a legacy that matters, I must live today—every day—with eternity in view.

If I only live for today, I am selfish. If I only live for my lifetime, I am short-sighted. If I live for eternity, I will make daily investments that make a difference in the hearts and lives of my children and grandchildren.

To leave a legacy, you must build a legacy. And building a legacy is an everyday activity.

Twenty-seven years ago, God allowed my family and I to embark on a tremendous adventure of faith as we came to Lancaster, California. At the time, none of us—our family or our small church—had any idea how God would bless our obedience. We just knew that we needed to follow Him in faith—to launch out at His Word.

In fact, our church theme for 2013 has been just that—“Launch Out at His Word.” Over the past six months, we’ve often considered the words Jesus spoke to Peter on the shores of Galilee: “Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets.”

Peter obeyed, and the rest is history—a miraculous history.

To me, this is a similar picture of the history at Lancaster Baptist Church. Those of us who were here twenty-seven years ago could never have envisioned the miracles God would do in and through our church. He took a handful of people who were willing to “launch out” in faith at His command, and He has done exceeding abundantly above what we could ever dream!

Over the past twenty-seven years, we have watched God bless our church with miracle after miracle. And each blessing has followed a similar pattern to Peter’s experience on the Sea of Galilee.

Jesus told Peter to launch out, and Peter responded with an expression of doubt and then said, “Nevertheless, at Thy word, I will let down the net.”

Nevertheless—Our church has never had sufficient resources when God first tells us to launch into a new area of faith. Even from the beginning, logic would have concluded that a dwindling handful of people meeting in a foreclosed building wouldn’t be able to launch. Since that time, each ministry we have started and each building we have begun has been a project undertaken—not with great resources, but with faith in a great God.

At Thy Word—To me, a trademark of the Lancaster Baptist Church family has been a hunger and responsiveness to God’s Word. I give my best effort to preaching contextual, expository messages—often preaching verse-by-verse through books of the Bible—but I am privileged to preach to a church family who responds in faith.

I Will—I believe that God blesses a bias for action. As our church family has been obedient to not just hear God’s Word, but to do it, God has blessed each launch of faith with tremendous results.

Over the past twenty-seven years, we’ve seen a pattern develop:

1. Insufficient resources
2. The instruction and promises of God’s Word
3. A choice to act by faith

And every time these three are present, God blesses.

It is a joy today to celebrate what God has done over the past twenty-seven years—and to Him be all the glory! But I believe we have only seen the beginning of what God can do. There are still more souls to reach, more families who need Christ, more miracles God can do.

And we have the benefit now of knowing how it will happen—when we launch out by faith.

I don’t want to stop launching now. I’m praying the Lord will enable us, by His Word, to launch out further.

As we begin Spiritual Leadership Conference, I’m praying that God will bring about true revival in our hearts—that the spiritual leadership in our churches will reach a new dimension by the grace of God.

If you are unable to attend this year’s conference, I hope the live streaming will be a blessing to you. We will be streaming all of the evening services and the daytime sessions taking place in the main auditorium.

The live stream is available at lbclive.tv. Below is a schedule of the services. (All times given are Pacific Time.)

Sunday

8:30 am – Early Service
11:00 am – Morning Service
5:30pm – Evening Service

Monday

7:00pm – Evening Service

Tuesday

9:00 am – Morning Service
10:30 am – Morning Session (Pastor Chappell—Staying the Course)
1:30 pm – Workshop (Pastor Chappell—Rest for Your Soul)
2:30 pm – Workshop (Pastor Wayne Van Gelderen—Prayer and Revival in the Local Church)
7:00 pm – Evening Service

Wednesday

9:00 am – Morning Service
10:30 am – Morning Session (Pastor Chappell—America Tomorrow)
1:30 pm – Workshop (Pastor Chappell—How I Talk with Young Preachers Who Are Questioning Their Heritage)
2:30 pm – Workshop (Dr. Tom Farrell—Preaching that Pleases God)
7:00 pm – Evening Service

In addition to the live stream, I encourage you to download the conference smart phone app (available for iOS and Android). For those at the conference in person, the app is helpful in providing campus maps, speaker info and session titles. Everyone—in Lancaster or not—will benefit by the app in the way of updated conference news and access to conference videos and photos. (The iOS app even allows for live streaming the conference from your phone.)

Please pray for this conference—that Christ will be exalted and that we will determine to launch out in faith at His Word as never before.

One of the annual aspects of Spiritual Leadership Conference that I most anticipate is the large release of new resources from our publications ministry.

We release materials throughout the year, but the Striving Together team works especially hard to have a large batch of new resources from multiple authors ready for the conference.

For a quick overview, here is a list of new releases. Click any title for more information.

Books

The Road Ahead—Written primarily for pastors and leaders of independent Baptist churches, this book takes a close look at imbalances that occur within ministries and leads readers through ten steps to authentic ministry in a biblical context. In this post, I share more of my heart in publishing this book.

Passionate Parenting—This was released last fall, but it’s worth mentioning again. If you long to enjoy the teen years and you’re ready for some tough, but rewarding, work—this book by Cary Schmidt is for you.

The Shadow of the Broad Brim—Any preacher of God’s Word who longs to love his Saviour more passionately, fill his messages more biblically, and balance his life more scripturally, would do well to study the life of Charles Spurgeon. This biography is a reprint of the most thorough work I have ever read on the life of Spurgeon.

Rejoicing in Christ: Philippians Expanded Outlines—Designed as a practical study help to pastors, teachers, and any Christian who desires to study God’s Word, these expanded outlines walk verse by verse through the book of Philippians. I wrote them as I preached through Philippians for our church family. The expanded outlines work well for sermon preparation or personal Bible study.

Minibooks

Sailing with Jesus—Peter’s life was forever changed when Jesus entered his boat. From Peter’s decision to obey Christ and launch out to the lessons he learned from Christ on a stormy sea, this minibook reveals what God can do through our lives when we choose faith as our compass.

Protect Your Purity—Moral purity doesn’t happen by accident—not in today’s world. In this minibook, Dr. Don Sisk shares four keys to guarding your heart and maintaining a pure heart, mind, and body.

Laborers Together—Relationships are vital to the work of God. And the relationship between a pastor and a church member deserves special emphasis. In these pages, Jerry Ferrso points out how this relationship can be one of synergy and unity, faith and friendship.

One Thing—Written specifically with the religious lost person in mind, Evangelist Paul Schwanke guides readers through the common roadblocks to placing their faith in Christ for salvation.

What Does the Bible Say about Speaking in Tongues?—The newest addition to our Contemporary Issues series, this booklet cuts to the chase of the often clouded issues surrounding speaking in tongues. Particularly, it highlights the scriptural priority on love and the biblical mandate of using the Bible as our final authority.

Curriculum

Striving Together—What does biblical teamwork in the local church look like? In these lessons by Tim Christoson students see biblical examples and receive personal instructions on how to strive together with their church family and experience the fruit of biblical unity.

Fruit by the Bushel—Abundant fruit always begins with healthy roots. And healthy roots always produce abundant fruit. Through these lessons, lead students to become more rooted in Christ and more yielded to the Holy Spirit’s work of fruit-bearing in their lives.

Abiding in Christ, 2nd Edition—The Christian life was never meant to be lived in your own strength. It was designed to be the outflow of a continual abiding relationship with Jesus. This curriculum, an updated edition of our first curriculum, walks through John 15 teaching students what it means to abide in Christ.

Sacrifice of Our Saviour, Children’s Curriculum—In these lessons, student ages 3–12 are invited to follow Christ on His path to Calvary, witness His Resurrection, and join the disciples for His post-Resurrection appearances. Completing the first year of our Striving Together children’s curriculum, each lesson in this series powerfully conveys the heart of Christ for children.

Student Planner

Christ in You—Designed for Christian teens, this 2013–2014 student planner features week at a glance and month at a glance pages. Each page is colorfully designed with Bible verses and inspiring photos and quotes. The perfect gift to teens from the youth ministry, this planner will encourage students to redeem their time and will equip them to live a planned life for Christ.

If you are attending Spiritual Leadership Conference, be sure to stop by the Striving Together Store on the first floor of the Revels building!

If you were choosing men to turn the world upside down, who would you pick? What vocation would you draw from?

I might pick lawyers (they know how to press a point), political activists (they engage fully), writers (their pens triumph even the sword), investors (they understand that large undertakings require capital), or CEOs (they get the need for oversight and administration).

But Jesus chose fishermen.

Fishermen.

He picked men from one of the most common occupations of the Galilean region and deputized them as the movers and shakers of Christianity.

Not only did He choose these men, but He basically kept their title. Fishermen became Fishers of Men.

Think about it: He could have transformed fishermen into lawyers. He could have said, “You used to be common men with a common occupation, but I am going to make you powerful men with prestigious credentials.”

But He didn’t. He chose fishermen, and He made no attempt to sophisticate their work.

Why fishermen? What qualities do they posses that Christ wanted them to invest in fishing for men?

They are courageous and daring.

First century fishermen regularly put their lives on the line. The storms the disciples faced with Jesus on the Sea of Galilee were undoubtedly not the only storms they had encountered. This lake is known for its violent storms that literally threaten lives. These men knew what it was to rub shoulders with danger, and—for the sake of their occupation—they dared to do it again and again.

They have patience and determination.

How many times do you think Peter, James, and John fished all night and came up with empty nets? Two such nights are recorded in the Bible, but I’m guessing there were more. Impatient or easily bored fishermen don’t tend make a success of the occupation.

They know how to employ teamwork.

Commercial fishing in the first century was not an occupation for loners. Peter and Andrew had James and John as partners. The teamwork they employed is referenced in both of the Gospel accounts of the disciples out fishing.

They exercise faith.

In many ways, this last trait is a culmination of the above. The fishermen who Jesus called as disciples believed that their courageous daring and determined patience exercised with others would sustain a livelihood. Why else would they purchase boats and nets? And why else would they wash their empty nets to be used again the next day?

It was these qualities—common qualities for men of a common occupation—that Jesus harnessed and redirected. When you think of it, fishers of men need the same traits.

Courage and daring

And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word,—Acts 4:29

Patience and determination

And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.—Galatians 6:9

Teamwork

Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;—Philippians 1:27

Faith

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.—Hebrews 11:6

Only the Holy Spirit can fully develop these qualities in His fishers of men. But we can recognize our need for them and, through His power, exercise them each time we obey His Word and launch out by faith.

Join us June 9–12, 2013, at the 2013 Spiritual Leadership Conference as we increase our faith and launch!

With Spiritual Leadership Conference just a few days away, I thought I’d share a few thoughts for anyone still on the fence, deliberating over coming.

You should not attend this conference if…

1. You are comfortable with the status quo. This year’s conference is going to challenge us to launch out by faith as never before. If you prefer comfort over fruit, you probably will not enjoy it.
2. You have no personal or ministry needs. Spiritual Leadership Conference is not for perfect people with perfect ministries. It is a shot in the arm for strugglers. Most of us need the boost.
3. You do not believe the best days of your life and ministry are on the horizon of faith. If you believe the best days of your ministry are behind you, enjoy the memories. If you long to catch a vision of faith for what God could do in your life and through your ministry, I pray you will gain that at this year’s conference.

You should attend this conference if…

1. You love biblical preaching. The preaching at Spiritual Leadership Conference is the highlight of the year to me. It challenges my faith and enlarges my vision—every year.
2. You are looking for equipping tools. With over eighty ministry workshops, there’s a good chance you will find the truths and tools you need to overcome current ministry hurdles.
3. You are concerned for America. I am deeply concerned for our nation, but I believe local New Testament churches can see revival again. In a special session on Wednesday, I plan to present a 110-page action plan for Baptist pastors.
4. You enjoy good fellowship with likeminded leaders. Next to the preaching, I always look forward to the fellowship. The conference is a great time to see ministry friends, meet new friends, and hear what God is doing around the world.
5. You want a fresh vision of faith and a strong push to leave the comforts of the shore. As we launch out by faith at this year’s Spiritual Leadership Conference, I invite you to come and catch this spirit with us. Allow the Lord to use you in a greater way in the days ahead because you were willing by faith to launch out. Come join the adventure.

This final interview is with Pastor Mike Norris. Pastor Norris has served as the senior pastor of Franklin Road Baptist Church in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, for fourteen years.

What is an area in the past five years in which you’ve launched out by faith, and how has God blessed?

Our ministry had grown to the point that we desperately needed more space. Our nurseries were too small and outdated, and our Sunday School was overcrowded. Our original building had virtually no lobby space for fellowship, and the building exterior, which was popular in the 70s, had become outdated.

Our church was debt free when we unanimously voted to borrow $3,000,000 to begin construction of a 26,000 square foot, two-story building which would address all of these issues. Included in this project was a total facelift of the present building’s exterior with a beautiful stone and brick update.

Although this project stretched our ministry financially, the real test came in the middle of the construction phase. City government requested that we purchase more property to accommodate the extra parking and required us to pay for the construction of a city sewer extension to our property.

I remember the day when we had to call a special business meeting to increase our loan an additional $1,000,000! This was a total unexpected test of our faith. That night our church “launched out” and unanimously voted to borrow this additional money.

The Lord blessed mightily, and we now occupy a beautiful ministry facility that has given us room to grow. We are presently praying and waiting on the Lord to give us the “green light” to begin Phase III—a new Worship Center.

How have you seen Satan target leaders who launch out? What is your counsel to others to overcome those challenges?

It has been my experience that each time I publicly commit to by faith take my ministry to the next level, Satan attacks—especially during building programs! I regularly speak with men of God who experience Satan’s attack on their ministries each time they seek to break away from the status quo.

My advice to leaders who choose to launch out would be to make sure they have the basics of the ministry under control:

• The personal life of the leader should be solid—his devotional time in the Word and prayer, his time witnessing to others, his marriage, his relationship with his children, etc. If any of these areas are shaky, the devil will attack here.
• The professional life of the leader should be in order—his staff, his schedule, his dedication to the ministry where he serves. If you as leader are not content in the ministry and are considering a move, you can be sure the devil will tempt you here.
• The planning of the project should be God-led. Be very sure that your act of faith is from the Lord. A time of prayer and fasting can bring you to a place of confidence that you are indeed being led by the Holy Spirit. You can be sure that Satan will attack you with periods of doubt. Have Scripture burned in your soul to which you can relate to when these doubt come.

What reoccurring obstacles do you face when you sense God calling you to launch out, and how do you overcome them?

The first obstacle is convincing myself that it is actually the Lord who is moving me to launch out. Sometimes men will do things that other men are encouraging them to do. Sometimes leaders desire things in a selfish manner. Personal time in fervent prayer, searching the Scriptures, and the counsel of others can quickly overcome this obstacle.

A huge obstacle for any leader is the concern that the people will not support you in your faith venture, causing you to fail in the ministry. This can be resolved through patient leadership, tenderly guiding the people in your pulpit ministry, and effectively exposing the need. If the Lord is in the effort, He will guide the people with the same Spirit with which He guided the leader.

You have a session at the conference titled “Developing People of Great Faith.” Would you provide a brief overview of this session and how it will help and challenge pastors and missionaries as they challenge others to launch out in faith?

The people’s faith will rarely surpass the faith of their leader. This session will provide leaders with specific ways to effectively exemplify faith. It will also suggest examples of how to give your people opportunities to stretch their faith and lead them to make an impact on their community and the world.

See earlier posts in this series:

• Launch Out: an Interview with Kevin Folger
• Launch Out: an Interview with Tom Farrell
• Launch Out: an Interview with Andrew Reed
• Launch Out: an Interview with Wayne Van Gelderen

If there was ever a time that Christians and local churches needed to strive together for the faith of the gospel (Philippians 1:27), it’s now! This is not the time for independent Baptists to divide and splinter; it is the time to reach out and turn the world upside down once again.

This is where Romans 14 comes into play. In this chapter, God guides us through the troubling issues of nonconformity within our ranks. It gives us a biblical perspective of understanding those who interpret Scriptural standards a bit differently than we do. Most importantly, it provides us with seven principles on how to have unity with our brother where there are differences in certain practices.

The infographic below lists these principles.

We live in a real world where good, godly people have differences in applying biblical principles. Whether in the local church or among local churches, the principles of Romans 14 are vital if we are to stand in unity and strive together for the gospel.

[The principles above are taken from Chapter 7 of my book The Road Ahead: 10 steps to authentic ministry for independent Baptists. For chapter titles and a free sample of the book, visit Striving Together Publications.]

How do you thank those who willingly place themselves “between their loved home and the war’s desolation”?

And especially, how do you thank those who never returned to their loved home, because they paid the ultimate price for our freedom?

We owe these heroes a tremendous debt of gratitude. As free-men, they chose to stand in the gap to purchase and protect the freedom of their families and country. There is no way to properly eulogize the men and women who have given their lives for our freedom.

The least we can do is remember.

Will you take a moment today to remember?

And to thank God for freedom?

The “progressive” America taking shape around us is digressing in almost every way.

Morally, politically, financially, socially, and spiritually, we long ago untied our beliefs and practices from our early faith and values.

To say that our nation is speeding down a slippery slope is not an understatement. It would be more accurate to say that we are careening toward a frightening cliff. Short of the intervention of revival, the future I see is deeply concerning.

We have been complaining of this decline for several decades, but what are we doing to change it? What can we do to change it?

I’m not a politician.

I’m not a legislator.

I’m not a judge.

I’m a Baptist pastor, and I believe the hope for America is found in Jesus Christ.

For the sake of the next generation, I want to see God use me to impact America tomorrow. I don’t just want to fear for my country and for my grandchildren, I want to do something.

There has never been a more needy time in our country in which to preach the gospel. We must not sit on our hands bemoaning the state of affairs. We must act—strategically, decisively, obediently.

During the Wednesday morning combined session at Spiritual Leadership Conference, I will be teaching a session titled “America Tomorrow” and presenting a free workbook—a 110-page action plan—to every pastor. This is book is a manual for pastors who care about engaging a lost culture in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I hope that you are already planning to attend the conference or that you will take a moment to register now. And I’d ask you to pray for the Lord to use this session to spark revival in our needy nation.