Advice on having a Shapable Heart - Scott Mullens
When you are trying to find out what your spiritual gifts are, the first thing you need to address is the condition of your heart. Is your heart ready to handle God using you and calling you to obedience and action? Here is some ways to have a shapable heart:
- When you are looking at how you are to be used by God, you must understand the gifts God gives us. Once you understand those gifts, then you can fully be used by God and His way of doing things. This comes from reading His Word and praying for guidance and understanding.
- Being open is another way to have a shapable heart. When God gives you these gifts, if you are not open to what He is doing for you then he can work through you. God does not want the worst for you, He wants the best. Then if we are open to his will our heart will be ready to be shaped.
- Acceptance of God. When you are being used by God, you must be willing to do what God wants. This is very hard to do. We want to be in control. This is human nature to have control over all of our lives. But if we are willing to let God lead us we will be able to be used by Him.
These three ways are what I work with every day in my acceptance of what God wants for my life. My heart is ready to be used but it took a long time to have a shapable heart, and the journey never really ends.
This is a guest post by Scott Mullens. He has been a youth pastor for over 15 years and is a frequent host on the Who Are These Guys Podcast. To see what else Scott is up to check out www.iworkwithyouth.com.
One Last Episode - Josh and Tony are walking through new doors!
Well my friends it is time for this podcast to come to a close. Josh and I both are being called into new roles in our lives and the availability and energy to keep doing the podcast just isn’t there. If you haven’t heard Josh has been asked to be the Interim High School Pastor for Saddleback Church. This is a great opportunity for Josh. But if you were stepping into Doug Fields old shoes you would want to make sure nothing was distracting you as well! Pray for Josh and go over and congratulate him at his blog!
For me I have been feeling a call to do something different with social media and the church for a while but hadn’t been able to put my finger on it. Just recently I have had some great conversations with mentors and leaders in my area and have started to get a clearer vision to what it is God has be stepping towards. So I am in the process of planting a church, but one that is built from the ground up through the internet. I am still writing, talking and figuring out what that means, but I am going to start this spring with a website, weekly teaching that is a combination of sermon and small group, and community building. There is a landslide of thoughts I have on the subject and if you are interested in the church, the idea, think it is terrible, or whatever please let me know. I am focusing all my writing and thoughts about this church, ministry and other fun stuff at my blog www.tonystewardblog.com .
BUT! We still have one show that we have committed to back when we ran the contest for registrations to Group’s National Youth Ministry conference coming up this year. Scott Mullens show idea on “The 21 questions to ask while interviewing” is the show we are going to use to close the Who Are These Guys Podcast chapter. If you have any thoughts or ideas on this topic, and even if you want to be on the final show, then email me at steward.tony |at| gmail |dot| com .
As a parting note, I want to let everyone know how much Josh and I have appreciated your kind words and encouragements as we did this podcast. We honestly never thought so many of you would be blessed like you have and are thrilled that we were able to provide encouragement, insight and training for you and your ministries. Many of our podcast shows have been downloaded over 4,000 times and we know there is a community of around 300 people who were faithful listeners.
The website and podcast feed will stay live for a long time - and who knows maybe this will just end up being a pause on the show.
Thanks all and Blessings for you and your ministries! And remember that you have something to contribute to students, to your church and especially to other youth pastors!
Paul’s Advice to a Young Leader for 2008
I am currently studying through 1st Timothy and came across a classic piece of scripture that many young leaders in ministry like to point to, myself included. It is 1st Timothy 4:12 that says;
Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe.
I think most of us get pretty frustrated when we are looked down upon as being too inexperienced, to “youthful”, or are just not taken seriously when we speak or contribute. But most of us stop there, we don’t look at the “rather” statement by Paul.
Paul’s advice to Timothy, who probably dealt with the same issues, was to focus on how to “show yourself an example of those who believe.” Paul was basically saying, what all of us have either heard or have been told, to not focus first on other people’s expectations. That we need to focus on who God is calling us to be and we need to follow that calling, especially in regards to the behavior we exhibit and the decisions we make.
The advice most of us have ever received usually stops there, with the generalization of putting God’s expectations first, and to not worry about people. Thankfully, Paul doesn’t stop there. Paul takes it the step further most of us have missed and gives Timothy some specific areas to focus on as a young leader in ministry.
The Five Essentials for a Young Leader:
Speech: A lot of times it isn’t so much what you say - but how you say it that shows wisdom or reveals foolishness. Or, it is if you say anything at all. Do you have the patience to say the right things at the right time?
[James 3:5-12, 1 Peter 2:1-3]
Conduct: This is a pretty obvious one, but how do you conduct yourself around others. Are you the one always stepping over the line in humor? When there is a large group serving, are you talking to people or putting yourself to action? First to come and last to leave, or just putting your time in?
[James 3: 13-18, Titus 2:1-5]
Love: What are your motivations? Are you reaching out to people in love or using them in ambition? Are people an interruption or an opportunity? Do you avoid the unsightly, poor and the “weird”, or are you drawn to them like Jesus was? What was the last truly selfless thing you did for someone (outside of ministry)?
[Luke 6:27-36, 1 John 4:7-21]
Faith: Who is your faith stirring you to be? 1 Timothy 3:9 describes faithful men as “holding to the mystery of faith with a clear conscience.” You don’t have to know everything, but do you believe in a way that is transparent and authentic? Are you clear about what you believe and is that a consistent element in the decisions you make?
[Hebrews 11, Matthew 21:17-22]
Purity: What does the morality in your dating relationships look like? If we could get your web browser alone and we interviewed it, what kind of things would we find out? How truthful are you at work? with your spouse? What kind of reactions do you have when your children mess up? Have you been faking the progress of sanctification for so long you don’t even know where to start living pure?
[1 Peter 1:13-21, 1 John 3]
I’ve been harsh on these questions and their assumptions because my experience has shown that not many people are willing to ask these sort of questions before something happens. But they usually have no problem putting them to someone the already know is guilty (no risk). If your desire is to honor your call, and is to “show yourself an example of those who believe”, then focus on these five areas of spiritual leadership. I have included some simple verses for each area for you to process. Take some time and journal through your thoughts, talk to God about how you are doing in each of them. It would be great to start the new year focused on taking Paul’s advice and seeing where it can take you.
(Classic Post) Avoiding the Mentality of a Victim
(This is a post from over a year ago when my family first came to California right on the heals of have everything we owned stolen in our Uhaul. The spiritual warfare has only gotten more intense and today I needed to hear this more than anyone.)
What my family and I have been through in the last couple of weeks has been certainly crushing and overwhelming. The affect it has had on us, both positive and negative, will probably stay with us in some sense for the rest of our lives. And I think it would be very easy to let this event define us as victims. That there is a temptation to hold on this great hurt just because of the attention, grace and fellowship we are receiving because of it. And don’t get me wrong, we need as much of that as we can get - but we can not, must not stay there.
We must pursue growing in our faith through this great wound into the character and people that God is calling us to be. To stay a victim is to not only give in to being a leech on the body of Christ, it is to deny and show a lack of trust in God’s power in your situation.
Plus, a victim mentality is one that accepts a helplessness, a powerlessness. Whereas, in our situation we have definitely needed help, but God has provided. And while we don’t know the person who stole our Uhaul, we know who was behind it. The attacks from satan have been obvious as we have made this jump to trust in God and follow his lead out to Southern California. Never in my life have the attacks from satan ever been so vivid and obvious, but I am not powerless against him. God is on my side, his is my heavenly father and my protector and my savior.
There are no victims in a war, but there are certainly deep wounds. Our family has been deeply wounded, and continues to feel the heat of war on the doorstep. And that directly correlates to the sense Mandy and I have had that God is up to something big in our lives.
So, as we continue to push on into this big hairy adventure God has us on, please pray for our protection. Pray for our faith and time in the Word. Pray for our little babies. Pray for our marriage. And pray that most of all, we will be able to bring glory to God through this. We have said from the beginning that if “this” is going to work it is going to have to be because God showed up and made it happen. If that isn’t obvious at this point, then as he continues to move it will be.
Learning from Nehemiah to fight HIV/AIDs
As I have been attending the Global Summit on AIDS and the Church this week I have been hearing details about the pandemic I had never heard before, I have been challenged in my faith and perception of compassion, and I have been processing the structure and strategies that have been presented in addressing the AIDs pandemic.Hearing that there are 33 million people in the world with HIV/Aids, that there are 12 Million orphans in Africa because of AIDS, that all it takes is medication that costs $4 to keep a mother with HIV/AIDs from passing the disease onto to her child at birth, and many other facts has prompted my heart to find a way that I can personally make a difference.
Even though I have always believed that the Church was God’s instrument to bring Hope to the world, I have never really thought it through and applied it to the major issues the world needs hope in. I felt this most during the session on “Traits of Real Leadership” by Rick and Kay Warren on the first day of the summit. Kay’s challenge to those at the summit was that you must be aware of what is going on, and then let your heart be stirred to be a advocate for the rejected, suffering, sick and poor who have no voice.It has been encouraging to hear the strategic approach of the “three legged stool”, where the Public sector, the Private sector and the Faith sector all have strengths that are essential to conquer the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
Senator Hillary Clinton spoke to this in her address during the session on the need for global leadership and how both a faith and works approach must be taken. She stated that faith without works is dead, referencing James 2:17, but that works with out faith isn’t sustainable - especially for the AIDS pandemic that will require a sustained effort across generations.This morning as I processed all I have heard and seen I realized how all of the teaching and strategies line up with the story of Nehemiah in the Bible. When you start in the first chapter you see Nehemiah being made aware of a catastrophe, the wall around Jerusalem was still in rubble 90 years after it had been destroyed - and all efforts to build it were pretty futile. The implication of this meant there was no protection for the people of Jerusalem, no security, no ability to rebuild the economy, no safety. Hearing this news breaks Nehemiah’s heart - and was cause for him to take action.
Through the rest of Nehemiah’s story he addresses building the wall through his government connections, getting all the resources he needs to build the wall in materials and support. He implores the action of people in Jerusalem to take action and build their piece of the wall at the same he points them back to their faith and Law of God. He even addresses the businessmen, to get them to stop charging people interest and to join in the process. If any one of these “sectors” would have been left out, the wall could not have been finished. All three had to be a part of the plan, but just as importantly it was Nehemiah’s faith and the faith of the people in Jerusalem that stirred them to action. Without their faith leading them, the wall wouldn’t have been finished.
For me this builds even more credibility into the message I hear coming from the Global Summit on AIDs and the Church. Even though it is new for the Church to be getting involved in addressing the AIDs pandemic - the approach being implemented is not new, but it is proven. Nehemiah became aware of a major issue, and let his heart open to how God could use him to lead an effort to address the issue. And through a “three legged stool” approach was able to do in 52 days what hadn’t been able to be accomplished in 90 years.Now it is our turn.
Three Primary Questions from the first day of the Global Summit on Aids and the Church
On the first day of the Global Summit on Aids and the Church there were three primary questions they sought to answer:
- What are the traits of a real leader?
- Who should be involved in the HIV/AIDS effort?
- Why should the Church be leading the AIDS effort?
It was an incredible day and I am looking forward to more!
John Ortberg at the Global Summiton AIDS and The Church
John Ortberg started off the evening session on Day 1 of the Global Summit on AIDS and the Church, hosted by Rick and Kay Warren.John taught on the topic of why the church needs to be the leader in the HIV AIDs efforts across the world. His teaching came from the parable in Mark 5 of the demon possessed man. Here are some bullet points from his teaching:
- Just as Jesus took the disciples across the lake to the Canaanite people, as we follow him he will always take us to people who are “on the other side”. Those we are not comfortable with, and that we even find offensive.
- The possessed man was alone, rejected and suffering. Jesus always goes to the rejected, alone and suffering.
- The possessed man doesn’t expect help from Jesus. What does that say about what people will expect from the people of the church when they come to help?
- One the people came and saw the man healed and his dignity - they were not excited for him, but rather scared by the contribution and power of Jesus. He was not one of them, and even though he had helped the man in a powerful way - they weren’t sure of his credibility. They asked him to leave.
- Jesus always wanted people to follow him, but he told the man to stay. He was best equipped to share with those people, and to hear about Jesus from him.
- If we are going to follow Jesus we are going to have to follow him to “the other side” where people are different, suffering, uncomfortable and even offensive to our traditions or senses.
- What the world need is the power of the Holy Spirit - which is why the church must lead.
- There is no power like the healing power of Jesus and his Holy Spirit on earth.
- If you follow Jesus, apathy on AIDs is not an option.
Man, just writing that out reminds me of the challenge and cost of being a disciple of Jesus - and how I am a couch potato disciple. How about you? I think we all need a reminder of the cost of discipleship - especially in regards to social status. And if our ministries are going to reflect disciples living at the cost of their lives to reach the rejected, alone and suffering around us and around the world - it MUST start with us.
It was always so easy as a youth pastor to teach my students to sacrifice and makes steps of faith, while through the week I was usually comfortable in my church office. It has to be the other way - in fact - I would say you should be teaching something unless you have the conviction of your own life to show as evidence. That is a pretty high bar - but don’t you think there is enough apathy in the American church that it is time for a different approach? This Summit and it’s challenge to be an influence for those suffering with HIV AIDS extends in the challenge to be a true disciple, and for a lot of us a Teaching Disciple of Jesus.
Three Legged Stool - the foundation to combat AIDS
During the opening session at the Global Summit on AIDS and the Church pastor Rick Warren spoke about the “Three Legged Stool” foundation he believes it will take to address the major issue of AIDS.
The three legs of the Stool are:
1. The Public Sector: Government and NGOs
2. The Private Sector: Businesses and Corporations
3. The Faith Sector: Churches and Faith Based Organizations
This is the same structure that the Summit has been facilitated in regards to the speakers, seminars and topics presented here.
This is why there are church leaders, business leaders and top level politicians like Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama coming together here at the Summit.
Five Traits of Real Leaders: Rick & Kay Warren - Global Summit on AIDS & the Church
This is the first day of the Global Summit on AIDS & The Church here at Saddelback Church. Here are my notes from the first session. The first session was centered on what it takes to have the “Traits of a Real Leader.” Both Rick and Kay Warren spoke during the session, but my favorite section was when Kay spoke on what it means to be a Leader and an Advocate.
Here are a couple notes from that point:
Real Leaders are Advocates
- “God does hear the cries of the needy.” - Kay Warren
- There are nearly 40 Million people who have AIDS.
- There are 12 Million children who have been orphaned because of AIDS.
- You are going to be faced with a moment when you are going to decided to be an advocate or not - whether the information and new reality you see will stir you to take action.
- You are either in or you are out. You will either use the influence you have to be a voice and support on behalf of people suffering from the AIDS pandemic, or you won’t.
- You do have influence, You do have freedom, You do have a voice, and you can lift it on behalf of the sick, the poor, and the orphan.
- Your advocacy will lead you to be an Activist!
- Intentional Action to bring about change.
- Your emotions must translate into action.
The Global Summit on AIDS & The Church at Saddleback Church, is hosted by Rick and Kay Warren. I will be live blogging and video blogging my experience here at the Summit over the next couple of days.
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