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SharePastor Connect 2007
- Mon, Jan 1, 2007
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Articles In This Issue
Article- Brian G. Hedges
- Thu, Dec 27, 2007
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Several years ago I read Patrick Lencioni’s The Five Temptations of a CEO, a “leadership fable” about Andrew O’Brien, who is approaching his one-year anniversary as CEO of Trinity Systems. Faced with his accountability for the company’s poor fiscal results, Andrew learns some tough leadership lessons from a quirky old man named Charlie. Woven into the parable are a CEO’s five temptations:
- The desire to protect career status
- The desire to be popular
- The need to make correct decisions, to achieve certainty
- The desire for harmony
- The desire for invulnerability[1]
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- Brian G. Hedges
- Wed, Dec 12, 2007
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Many voices compete for our attention, clamoring to be heard. Family and friends. Institutions and individuals. Politicians and entertainers. Voices without and voices within. All are speaking. But one voice above all others deserves our attention. Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds ...
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- Brian G. Hedges
- Fri, Nov 30, 2007
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John Calvin, the sixteenth-century Reformer of Geneva, is talked about more than he is read. This is unfortunate, because Christian leaders who risk reading through his Institutes of the Christian Religion will discover a treasury of Christ-centered theology precise in exegesis and lyrical in expression.
Calvin may be most helpful in Book III of the Institutes, on “The Way We Receive the Grace of Christ.” Here is a powerful summary statement:
Christ was given to us by God’s generosity, to be grasped and possessed by us in faith. By partaking of him, we principally receive a double grace: namely ...
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- Brian G. Hedges
- Wed, Nov 14, 2007
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We are all aware that Scripture compares a pastor’s relationship to the church with a shepherd’s relationship to a flock of sheep. In fact, the word pastor literally means shepherd.
A shepherd obviously carries a heavy responsibility. While his specific tasks might easily number into a dozen or more, all of them could be summarized by two words: feeding and leading.
The shepherd must care for, give food to, and provide medicine for his flock. This is feeding. He must also protect them from danger, keep them together, and direct them in the proper way. This is leading ...
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- Brian G. Hedges
- Wed, Oct 31, 2007
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Is God the source and center of your joy? Is He your all? Or, to ask it another way: Is God the fuel you run on? Or are you filling your tank with something else? I get the idea for this question from C. S. Lewis, who wrote:
What Satan put into the heads of our remote ancestors was the idea that they could “be like gods”—could set up on their own as if they had created themselves—be their own masters—invent some sort of happiness for themselves outside God, apart from God. And out of that hopeless ...
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- Brian G. Hedges
- Wed, Oct 17, 2007
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A Russian Christian once visited the United States, and his host took him to a World Series baseball game. When the game was over, the American asked his foreign visitor what he thought. His response was telling. “I’ve never seen such first-class devotion to such a second-class cause.” Too often that could be said of my life. My passions have often centered around trivial pursuits—things not particularly evil themselves, but oftentimes pathways to evil because they usurp the vital in my affections. The enemy of the best is often the good. Dangerous Small Things Sinful Idolatry Is it ...
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- Brian G. Hedges
- Wed, Oct 3, 2007
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“I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.” Ephesians 1:16-17 Vibrating, Flying Tires Paul’s priority in prayer was that Christians would come to know God better. Although this may seem impractical, it is more practical than you think. Several years ago, my wife and I went to a conference in Minneapolis with some close friends. About two or three hours into the nine-hour ...
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- Brian G. Hedges
- Mon, Sep 17, 2007
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What causes a pastor to be ineffective? Charles Bridges wrestled with this question almost 200 years ago in his classic The Christian Ministry: With an Inquiry Into the Causes of Its Inefficiency.[1] In his discovery he specified ten character flaws which hinder ministerial effectiveness, and his insights are as true today as they were in 1830. 7. Spiritual pride It has been observed that spiritual pride is the sin of young ministers. Paul warned Timothy against appointing an immature believer as an overseer: “He must not be a recent convert, or he may become puffed up with conceit and ...
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- Brian G. Hedges
- Mon, Sep 10, 2007
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What causes a pastor to be ineffective? Charles Bridges wrestled with this question almost 200 years ago in his classic The Christian Ministry: With an Inquiry Into the Causes of Its Inefficiency.[1] In his discovery he specified ten character flaws which hinder ministerial effectiveness, and his insights are as true today as they were in 1830. 4. Lacking in Christian self-denial “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (Luke 9:23). A life of self-denial is Christ’s call for all of His disciples, especially for His ...
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- Brian G. Hedges
- Fri, Aug 17, 2007
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What causes a pastor to be ineffective? Charles Bridges wrestled with this question almost 200 years ago in his classic The Christian Ministry: With an Inquiry Into the Causes of Its Inefficiency.[1] In his discovery he specified ten character flaws which hinder ministerial effectiveness, and his insights are as true today as they were in 1830. 1. Devoted half-heartedly to the ministry Whole-hearted devotion to the work of the ministry is essential to spiritual success. The resolution of the apostles was to “devote [themselves] to prayer and to the ministry of the word” (Acts 6:4). After charging Timothy ...
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- Brian G. Hedges
- Wed, Aug 8, 2007
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The greatest king Israel ever had was David, the son of Jesse and an insignificant shepherd boy divinely chosen to replace wicked King Saul. He was both a warrior who defeated Israel’s greatest enemies and a worshipper who penned Israel’s greatest poetry. Second Samuel 11–12 describes the beginning of the darkest era of David’s life. In the early years of his reign, David honored God; but in a moment of weakness, he took four fatal steps that began a gradual and devastating spiritual decline. Yet out of the ashes of David’s sin, an amazing demonstration ...
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- Brian G. Hedges
- Tue, Jul 24, 2007
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Great leaders are usually disciplined readers. Reading widely and reading well serve the mind as good nutrition and aerobic exercise serve the body. Too many church leaders have flabby brains. As Os Guinness says, we have fit bodies but fat minds.[1] The primary remedy for our mental obesity is deliberate reading, which involves deliberate choices as to when, what, and how we read. Deliberately Choosing When to Read Reading, for many, is like exercise: something we know we should do but simply have not made a priority. The best solution to this is to schedule time to read. For ...
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- Brian G. Hedges
- Wed, Jul 11, 2007
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As a young preacher, I was thrilled to be invited to join an older pastor on a weekend preaching engagement at one of our denomination’s larger churches. I was even given an opportunity to preach Saturday afternoon, and I enjoyed the pastoral chatter about church, theology, books, and ministry. On the flight back to Texas, I asked my older minister friend for one piece of advice. Thinking he would give me some sermon tips or recommend a reading program, I was surprised when he replied, “Brian, you need to learn how to wash feet.” Second only to the cross ...
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- Brian G. Hedges
- Mon, Jun 25, 2007
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“He was a burning and a shining light.”
– Jesus on John the Baptist (John 5:35)
In a sermon on John 5:35, Jonathan Edwards insisted that two things must be married in the heart and life of a preacher: light and heat. He must not only shine, but burn.
If a minister has light without heat, and entertains his auditory with learned discourses, without a savour of the power of godliness, or an appearance of fervency of spirit, and zeal for God and the good of souls, he may gratify itching ears, and fill the heads of his people ...
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- Brian G. Hedges
- Fri, Jun 1, 2007
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The Puritans were the 16th century English Protestants and their successors in 16th and 17th century New England, and it was their concern for church reform and spiritual renewal that earned them the originally derogatory epithet puritan. Unfortunately, most people associate the term with legalism, self-righteousness, hypocrisy, and witch hunts, thanks to Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter. Of course, the Puritans weren’t perfect; yet despite their imperfections, there is much we can learn from them. J. I. Packer once compared the Puritans to California’s gigantic Redwood trees, saying:
As Redwoods attract the eye, because ...
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- Brian G. Hedges
- Fri, May 4, 2007
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Are you a truth-teller or a calf-maker? Every preacher is one or the other. It all depends on what drives his ministry and determines the content of his preaching and teaching. What motivates you? What is your message? Consider Paul’s example. He was driven by one ambition—to please the God who tests the heart—and devoted to one task—to be faithful to the message God had entrusted to him. For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive, but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with ...
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- Brian G. Hedges
- Mon, Apr 23, 2007
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Feedback has been called “the breakfast of champions.” Unfortunately, most of us have a hard time eating it. So often we misinterpret this feedback or constructive criticism as a personal attack, and in pride and anger we counterattack in self-defense. What we could have received as positive stepping stones, we turn into stumbling blocks. How can we learn to receive personal criticism in a God-honoring way? 1. Maintain an attitude of humility. This is the most important (and most difficult) thing of all. Probably every time we get offended at a critical word, the root of the problem (in our ...
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- Byron Paulus
- Mon, Apr 23, 2007
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In the New Testament, the elders in the early Christian churches (Jerusalem, Ephesus, Crete, etc.) were mature and godly men. They were blameless and free from reproach; they served together in overseeing the church; they knew, taught, and defended the truth; and they served as shepherds (pastors, Eph. 4:11) of God’s flock. The words elder and overseer are used interchangeably, with elder probably denoting character and maturity, while overseer denotes function. For both terms, the main verb describing their task is poimaino, or shepherd (Acts 20:28; 1 Pet. 5:2). 1. Elders are mature and blameless men ...
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- Brian G. Hedges
- Mon, Apr 23, 2007
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On the CNN Larry King Weekend program (aired September 29, 2001), Larry King interviewed five leading religious leaders in the United States, asking, “Where was God?” on 9/11. One of the panelists, Deepak Chopra, non-Christian author of How to Know God and founder of the Chopra Center for Wellbeing, made this statement: “I don’t think Christ was a Christian, I don’t think Buddha was a Buddhist, and I don’t think that Mohammed was a Mohammedan. . . . We have sacrificed a universal being and created a tribal chief with our gods, and that’s the problem.”[1] Chopra ...
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- Brian G. Hedges
- Mon, Apr 23, 2007
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It is tragic that perhaps the most divisive issue in the church today is worship. Most of us as pastors are painfully familiar with the “worship wars,” and we’ve have had to wrestle through our decisions about what worship styles and music types our churches will incorporate. As a relatively young pastor, I have a high appreciation for contemporary music. Our congregation is predominantly young, and our corporate worship is fairly contemporary, although we consistently blend contemporary and traditional music. But I also appreciate traditional forms of worship—especially hymns—and there are several reasons I think it would ...
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- Brian G. Hedges
- Mon, Apr 23, 2007
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In Microsoft’s operating system, Windows XP, there is a built-in feature called System Restore. System Restore “is used to return your computer to an earlier state if you have a system failure or other major problem with your computer. The point of System Restore is to restore your system to a workable state without you having to reinstall the operating system and lose your data files in the process.”[1] Don’t you sometimes wish there were a System Restore feature for life, where everything could be easily fixed? When things turn sour in a relationship and you say ...
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- Brian G. Hedges
- Thu, Apr 19, 2007
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Famous architect Sir Christopher Wren was once contracted to design a large town hall for Windsor, just west of central London. The blueprints called for large pillars to support the high ceiling of the building. Upon completion of the project, the leaders of the city expressed a single concern to the architect: They wanted more pillars in the building. Wren’s solution was genius but deceptive. He answered the demands of his clients and built more pillars—ornate and beautiful pillars which look impressive. But the pillars support no weight—in fact, they do not even reach the ceiling! When ...
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- Dan Jarvis
- Tue, Feb 27, 2007
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Those who accomplish much in their personal lives for God in their own particular calling were those who were up before dawn, preparing their hearts for the happenings of the day. May we help some of you who have perhaps fought a losing battle with this early morning watch. You have tried but been defeated. As we have studied the lives of those who took seriously the call to morning prayer, we have come to recognize the following "law": the people who have given much time in the morning to prayer and Bible study have always been mighty in their ...
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- Brian G. Hedges
- Tue, Feb 27, 2007
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George Müller, even while in bad health, managed to maintain deep, prayerful communion with the Lord. He recounts: "During my stay at Plymouth, I was stirred afresh to early rising, a blessing, the results of which I have not lost since. I was led to it be the example of the brother in whose house I was staying, and a remark which he made speaking of the sacrifices of Leviticus: 'Even as the refuse of animals was not to be offered up, so the best part of our time should be especially given to communion with the Lord.' ". . . By ...
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- Brian G. Hedges
- Tue, Feb 27, 2007
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"It may be put down as a spiritual axiom that in every truly successful ministry, prayer is an evident and controlling force . . . . A ministry may be a very thoughtful ministry without prayer; the preacher may secure fame and popularity without prayer; the whole machinery of the preacher's life and work may run without the oil of prayer or with scarely enough to grease one cog; but no ministry can be a spiritual one, securing holiness in the preacher and his people, without prayer . . . . "The preacher that prays indeed puts God into the work. God does not come into the ...
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- Brian G. Hedges
- Tue, Feb 27, 2007
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"There is a Church, with its wondrous calling and its sure promises, waiting to be roused to a sense of its wondrous responsibility and power. There is a world with its perishing millions with intercession its only hope." - Andrew Murray Every believer must see the multitudes as Jesus saw them. Our hearts then will break. We will pray with the compassion of Christ. And God will raise up an army of laborers that will bring God's kingdom to the hearts of men. It is to this end that we must pray. We must pray that His kingdom come and ...
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- Brian G. Hedges
- Tue, Feb 27, 2007
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Whether it's the never-ending struggle for nursery workers or moving the mass of "Sunday-morning-only-people," every pastor understands the need for motivation. How should we motivate people? 1.) Expect much, guilt less. Expecting something out of people shows you have faith in them and drives them to give their best effort, but laying guilt trips only leads to half-hearted, reluctant service. Jesus knew His disciples still had much to learn, but He empowered them to take on tasks bigger than themselves: "And He called the twelve together, and gave them power and authority over all the demons and to heal ...
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- Brian G. Hedges
- Tue, Feb 27, 2007
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The preacher must be surrendered to God in the holiest devotion. He is not a professional man; his ministry is not a profession; it is a divine institution, a divine devotion. His aim, aspirations, and ambition are for God and to God, and to such a man, prayer is as essential as food is to life. The preacher, above everything else, must be devoted to God. The preacher's relations to God are the insignia and credentials of his ministry. These must be clear, conclusive, and unmistakable. No common, surface type of piety must be his. If he does not ...
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- Brian G. Hedges
- Tue, Feb 27, 2007
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Acts 15 gives us a brief glimpse into the leadership style of James, one of the key leaders of the first century Jerusalem church. Faced with an extremely "tough call," James proved himself to be a man worthy of emulation. The issue: How much of the Jewish law did the Gentiles need to obey? Of course, the problem wasn't just in answering this question -- the problem was in the question itself. And, very possibly, James saved the Jerusalem church from a major split by his wise, considerate responses. 1. Before James faced the tough call, he had already gained ...
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- Brian G. Hedges
- Tue, Feb 27, 2007
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At the beginning of Saul's life, he was budding with potential and on his way into the history books, but at the end, we find him poisoned by shame, jealousy, and disobedience to God. "There was a man of Benjamin whose name was Kish.a mighty man of power. And he had a choice and handsome son whose name was Saul. There was not a more handsome person than he among the children of Israel. From his shoulders upward he was taller than any of the people" (1 Samuel 9:1-2, NIV) In his younger years, Saul was probably ...
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- Brian G. Hedges
- Tue, Feb 27, 2007
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If you've ever watched a sunset on a crowded beach, you know that often, the moment the sun disappears below the water, people clap. So impressed by the magnitude, originality, beauty, and artistic brilliance of glowing skies and fiery clouds, the only appropriate response is show a sign of respect. But who gets the credit for the sunset? God's glory is the most shockingly obvious reality in the universe. Any glimpse of our finite world catches of its infinite Creator can only be described as glorious -- the glory of God! The glory of God is His reptuation, His ...
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- Brian G. Hedges
- Tue, Feb 27, 2007
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"As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a village where a woman named Martha welcomed them into her home. Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord's feet, listening to what he taught. But Martha was worrying over the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, 'Lord, doesn't it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.' "But the Lord said to her, 'My dear Martha, you are so upset over all these ...
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- Brian G. Hedges
- Tue, Feb 27, 2007
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"The secret of true obedience -- let me say at once what I believe it to be -- is a clear and close personal relationship to God. All our attempts after full obedience will be failures until we get access to His abiding fellowship. It is God's holy presence consciously abiding with us that keeps us from disobeying Him. "Defective obedience is always the result of a defective life. To rouse and spur on that defective life by arguments and motives has its use, but their chief blessing must be that they make us feel the need of a different life ...
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- Brian G. Hedges
- Tue, Feb 27, 2007
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"Too often Christian leaders shut themselves in their studies, become students, bookworms, Bible works, sermon makers, noted for literature, thought, and sermons; but the people and God, where are they? Out of heart, out of mind. "Preachers who are great thinkers - great students - must be the greatest of pray-ers, or else they will be the greatest of backsliders, heartless professionals, rationalistic, less than the least of preachers in God's estimate." - Excerpted from E.M. Bounds, Power Through Prayer (Moody Press, p. 33) How easy it is to substitute learning for love, books for prayer, and sermons for service. May ...
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- Brian G. Hedges
- Tue, Feb 27, 2007
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Years ago an American missionary returned from a long stay in Third World countries, where food is scarce. Upon her arrival in the States, she exclaimed,
"I was astonished to see the number of choices one had to make just walking the aisles of the market. "Take the potato chip section. When I left the United States , there was one basic kind of potato chip. Now there are seventeen or more kinds: salted or unsalted, ribbed or unribbed, nacho, onion, barbecue, taco, sour cream and onion, and so on. "Think of all the time and effort that has to be ...
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- Brian G. Hedges
- Tue, Feb 27, 2007
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"A disciple can be forgiven if he does not have great mental ability. He can be forgiven also if he does not display outstanding physical prowess. But no disciple can be excused if he does not have zeal. If his heart is not aflame with a red-hot passion for the Savior, he stands condemned. "After all, Christians are followers of the One who said, 'The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up' (John 2:17). Their Savior was consumed with a passion for God and for His interests. There is no room in His train for half-hearted followers." - William ...
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- Brian G. Hedges
- Tue, Feb 27, 2007
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What is love for God? Is it praise, obedience, passion, or sacrifice? Is it songs or art or words or quietude? Could it be devotions, disciplines, or fellowship? Serving others or evangelism? While we might argue that it's all of the above, here's one thing that love for God is certainly not: mechanical. "This is the purpose of man: to love God on a personal, not a machine level. Other things in the universe are properly on a machine level: the hydrogen atom is a machine, the star system is a machine. Their relationship to God is mechanical ...
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- Brian G. Hedges
- Tue, Feb 27, 2007
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“How wonderful and blessed is the divine appointment of the first day of the week as a holy day of rest. Not (as some think) that we might have at least one day of rest and spiritual refreshment amid the weariness of life, but that this one holy day, at the opening of the week, might sanctify the whole, might help and fit us to carry God's presence into all the week and its work.” – Andrew Murray, The School of Obedience , pg. 51 (Moody Press) Doesn't the nineteenth century sound good on paper? Surely Murray would realize that ...
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- Brian G. Hedges
- Tue, Feb 27, 2007
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If we take morning devotions simply as a duty and a necessary part of our religious life, they will very soon become a burden. Or, if the chief thought be our own happiness and safety, that will not supply the power to make the “morning watch” truly attractive. There is only one thing that will suffice: the desire for fellowship with God. It is for this that we were created in God's likeness. It is this in which we hope to spend eternity. It is this alone which can fit us for a true and blessed life, either here ...
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- Brian G. Hedges
- Mon, Feb 26, 2007
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It is significant that Scripture assures us that the same God who must resist the proud always stands ready to give grace to the humble. The Bible advises men and women to humble themselves under the mighty hand of God. It is my opinion that if our humility had to show itself only under the hand of God, it would be a relatively easy gesture. For example, if the Lord should say to me, "I am coming to stand at the front of the church and I expect you to kneel before Me," it would be an easy thing for ...
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- Brian G. Hedges
- Mon, Feb 26, 2007
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In order to participate rightly in the Lord's work, it is imperative that we deal with this matter of independent labor. In the thinking of some people, a person must lay his own hand to the task or else it is considered to be good for nothing. Whatever is done by him is deemed as having spiritual value; what is not done by him has no value at all. When he preaches and nobody is saved, he feels depressed. When he preaches and people are saved, he shows pleasant surprise. This is because he looks at the work as ...
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- Brian G. Hedges
- Mon, Feb 26, 2007
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The erosion of character usually begins with neglect: we stop reading the Word, or worshiping with God's people, or taking time to meditate and pray. We stop hungering for holiness and exercising spiritual disciplines. We stop making sacrifices that show our special love for Christ and His people. We do our job mechanically, because our heart isn't in it. In time, we even find ourselves "making arrangements to sin," convinced that what nobody knows, we can get away with. The process is deadly: first the drifting, then the secret sinning, then the hidden eroding of character that ultimately ...
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- Brian G. Hedges
- Mon, Feb 26, 2007
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Although originally written to the kings of Israel, Deuteronomy 17 outlines six "safeguards" that can enable us to be strong, effective leaders for God's people today. "The king, moreover, must not acquire great numbers of horses for himself or make the people return to Egypt to get more of them, for the LORD has told you, 'You are not to go back that way again.' He must not take many wives, or his heart will be led astray. He must not accumulate large amounts of silver and gold. "When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to ...
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- Brian G. Hedges
- Mon, Feb 26, 2007
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It was into the home that sin first came. It is in the home that revival first needs to come. Revival is desperately needed in the church . . . in the country . . . in the world; but a revived church with unrevived homes would be sheer hypocrisy. It is the hardest place, the most costly, but the most necessary place to begin. But before we go on, let us remind ourselves again of what revival really is. It simply means a new life in hearts where the spiritual life has ebbed--but not a new life of self-effort or self-initiated activity. It is not ...
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- Brian G. Hedges
- Mon, Feb 26, 2007
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We have all heard the stories -- people who looked and felt fine on the outside, but inwardly their health was in grave danger. Whether clogging in the arteries or a silent-yet-growing tumor, often the worst of problems aren't detected until it is too late. That is why doctors suggest regular checkups. Donald Whitney suggests "Ten Questions to Diagnose Your Spiritual Health" that can help us detect and monitor our level of Christ-likeness. 1. Do you thirst for God? 2. Are you governed increasingly by God's Word? 3. Are you more loving? 4. Are you more sensitive to God ...
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- Brian G. Hedges
- Mon, Feb 26, 2007
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Spiritual disciplines are structures we build into our lives to keep us beholding the glory of Christ. Rather than being ends in themselves, the disciplines (celebration, service, Bible study, silence, prayer, etc.) are actually pathways through which we can see Jesus. There are five guidelines that can help us grow to effectively use the disciplines: 1) Remember that the disciplines are more internal than external. Spirituality is not measured by check-boxes or lists of accomplishments, but by a renovated heart, and a renewed mind. 2) Both regular, small doses, and occasional, large doses are necessary. You might choose to have ...
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- Brian G. Hedges
- Mon, Feb 26, 2007
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G.H. Lang recalls his work as a traveling evangelist, and how quickly he, an Englishman, was caught up in the pace set by the American missionaries with whom he co-labored: "The life was typically American, one steady rush all day, with visitors, letters, prayer seasons and at nights the meetings in Cairo five days a week, from which we did not return until 11pm. City life in England , with its late hour, had caused me to forgo my boyhood habit of early rising. I now saw that unless it could be resumed there would be no leisure for indispensible ...
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- Brian G. Hedges
- Thu, Feb 22, 2007
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In the atmosphere of hurry in which we live day by day, we are in danger of losing our souls and the secret known by Paul -- "to live is Christ" (Phil. 1:21). The routine of the years may bring us sometime to the verge of perfunctory automatism, and that first call of the Spirit may seem faint and far away. A preacher of the gospel is a transmitter of truth and thereby open to the peril of familiarity in holy things. . . . We traffic in holy things, eternal realities; it is ours to make them communicable to people. We are ...
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