Hey

Hey guys how have you been?

टेस्ट

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When I first became a pastor

I don’t know when exactly I became a pastor. The first official service at Victory happened just over 7 years ago. But I remember very well waking up at 5 o’ clock one morning well over a year earlier, gripped by a sense that everything in my life had dramatically and irreversibly changed.

I had been dreaming about starting a church, and planning to be a pastor one day, from the time I was 20 years old. But suddenly, this wasn’t a pipe dream or abstract theoretical rhetoric anymore. I now had people who were taking a risk so that they could call me their pastor, and follow me where God led. They were counting on me to be their man of God. You talk about frightening.

I remember crawling out of bed well before the sun came up that morning, pulling out my Bible, and reading Joshua 1, the part about not being afraid, over and over again. Then I read the Pastoral Epistles-particularly the requirements of an elder/overseer. (Even reading the word elder and applying it to myself was comedic and intimidating.
I read those qualifications many times over the next few weeks. I listed them out and I carried around with me.
And I begged God in my heart that by His grace He would shape me to be that kind of man to lead His Church for His glory.
What a standard! What an undeserved honor…and an incomparable life pursuit.

Full potential

Lately I’ve been analyzing some of the major Biblical characters who didn’t reach their full potential in God. My goal was to identify the things that limited them from maxing out in their giftedness and calling.
So far I’ve noted 3 major categories. I’m sure there are more, or at least narrower classifications…but this is a fine framework for me.

1. Blatant sin/disobedience (the kind that disqualifies)
2. Unbelief (wavering at the promise of God)
3. Distraction (a divided heart)

I want more than anything to pour out every last drop of potential God has poured into me. By the grace of God, I am determined to come as close to reaching my full potential as a country boy from Youngsville, Louisiana possibly can.

Guard your heart

I love Proverbs 4:23:
Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.

I always use this verse to teach about purity. Specifically sexual purity. Ok, sure, the verse works for that. But it applies in so many other ways.Don’t just guard your heart against lust. Guard it against discouragement. Guard it against pride. Guard it against doubt. Insecurity. Jealousy. Distraction.

Be selective about who gets backstage access in your life.

You can’t let just anyone into your world to speak into your soul.
Be careful who you share your dreams with. Their negativity can contaminate the possibility before it ever has a chance to become a reality. Be careful who you take advice from. Their immaturity or ignorance might confuse the issue and create needless chaos.

Everything flows from the heart.
Put it on lock down…like Fort Knox.
You’ve got valuable stuff in there

Make new mistakes

One tension I face daily as a leader is:
How do I enforce a standard of excellence for those I lead…
While still allocating the freedom for them to make mistakes?

Here’s one insight that has given me some clarity lately:
I don’t mind those I lead making mistakes. In fact, I prefer it. If they’re not making mistakes, they’re probably not playing to win.

I just want you to make new mistakes. Different mistakes than you made last time. Mistakes that reveal a new level of effort, or a new frontier of endeavor.

Most leaders don’t mind mistakes. They just can’t stand to see the same mistakes over…and over…and over again. Mistakes are fine (even mandatory) as long as we’re cruising down the open highway. But they make me car sick if we’re simply circling the cul-de-sac.

My Chief Spiritual Advisor

I’ve heard that Billy Graham referred to his wife, Ruth, as his Chief Spiritual Advisor. I like that a lot.
I want to take a moment on Valentine’s Day to honor my Chief Spiritual Advisor। Kim, I know a lot of people don’t know it, but Victory would be in pretty sorry shape without you। Scratch that…it wouldn’t even exist।
Thank you for all the ledges you’ve talked me down from. Thanks for all the rants you’ve endured, and all the crazy ideas you’ve politely and tactfully helped me to filter out. (All of the people who would have been complicit with those bad ideas thank you too.)
On the other hand, thank you for all the crazy ideas you’ve poured gasoline on until they burned high enough for others to see. You believe in me a lot more than you probably should.
I want you to always know that your words carry more weight with me than anyone else’s. Because you’re always on the mark.
Thanks for keeping such a fast pace with me. We’ve got a lot to do.And the best is yet to be.