People are Working Less and Have Much More Discretionary TimeA hundred years ago 92 percent of all males between ages 60-65 were in the labor force. Today that percentage is only
50 percent; the other 50 percent are retired. Even in the 55-59 age group, retired males portion of the population grew
from
3 to 15 percent and is "still increasing rapidly."
What this means, of course, is that people have a lot more time on their hands compared to previous generations. The following chart illustrates this change.
Lifetime ---------------1880---------1995---------2040Discretionary Hours 225,900----298,500-----321,900
Earn Work Hours---182,100-----122,400------75,900
Voluntary Hours-----43,800-----176,100------246,000
Discretionary time commences with entry into the labor force and the first row
captures the increase in life expectancy. The second row reflects the decrease in time spent actually earning a living. The third row shows the time spent doing what we like.
In the span of approximately 150 years (1880-2040) the time spent earning a living and doing what we want will completely reverse:
in 1880 we spent 80 percent of available time working
In 2040 we'll spend 75 percent of available time doing what we like
Why the change? Because of the extraordinary technological advances it takes fewer hours of work to earn enough money for one's food supply, and the prices of most goods have decreased in real dollars. As Fogel states, "We have become so rich that we are approaching saturation in the consumption not only of necessities but also of goods that were in the very recent past thought to be luxuries and that were only dreams during the first third of the twentieth century" (See Robert Fogel, The Fourth Great Awakening and the Future of Egalitarianism. University of Chicago Press).
What will you do as a Christian leader to make sure folks use their discretionary time, money, spiritual gifts, talents and wisdom wisely?
Christian Leaders: get Ready for Seasoned SaintsMore on Demographics from Fast CompanyThe demographic concentration of boomers at the top of the population pyramid, backed by their vast reservoirs of disposable income, represents the next American gold rush. Ten years from now, the cover of this magazine will be graced with the smiling faces of the entrepreneurs and corporate leaders who unlocked the elder boomers' hearts and minds--and drained their bank accounts.
(What are we doing to prepare Seasoned Saints for that?)It's hard to overstate the weight of the numbers:
Boomers now represent a U.S. market of some 36 million, or about 12% of the population, and as they move up the pyramid, the number of seniors is going to rise dramatically.
By 2011, the 65-and-over population will be growing faster than the population as a whole in each of the 50 states. The Boomer Binge will have begun.
Businesses aren't confused about the opportunity that growth represents: Consumer electronics firms such as Vodafone are investing in mobile phones with designs tweaked to the requirements of older customers; and Gap Inc. Recently unveiled Forth & town, a new clothing line for women who fall into the vast retail void between the navel-pierced teen and the librarian in a twin set.
(But the church is not even discussing it. The thought leaders are still focusing on "The Emerging Church", "Post Modernism" and so forth. Seminaries, magazines and denominations still treat Seasoned Saints like they are a detriment rather than the engine that will drive the future. We should be at least as smart as Gap!) And those examples are just a foretaste. The real breakthroughs are going to come from companies helping boomers to
hold on to their youth--and milk it for all it's worth. Boomers have never met a life stage they didn't want to remake in their own image, and their golden years will be no exception.
(But business wants to exploit us not help us find our new lease on life. Only God can fill the deepest needs of Seasoned Saints.)Some boomers, upon turning 65, will disappear in a puff of RV smoke, retiring to a never-ending suck-the-marrow-from-life experiential party that ends only at death. Others will find themselves fully and happily employed by companies desperate to keep them. Still others, due to lamentably low savings rates and the erosion of social services, will enter a purgatorial nether-retirement and serve as an object lesson for their children.
(What's it all about alfie? Retire to die or retire and Refire? Get off your Winnebago and do something exciting for God.)We are retooling our ministry to assist Boomers to really become
Seasoned Saints. This group is already experienced as believers, skilled in the workplace, wiser and insightful about the real world, experienced as parents and grandparents, less in need of finances than a place to use their gifts.
Watch for announcements telling you how we will do it.
Why Do Christians Stumble into Emotional/Sexual Troubles?There was a powerful movie on TCM last night. It showed what happens when men, even great men, fail to take care of their inner lives and look for a woman to meet their spiritual needs. The film is a classic as is related in this movie review.
The story of Cleopatra, the famous queen of Egypt. Having been driven out of the palace by her jealous brother, she regains her title with the help of the visiting Roman emperor, Julius Caesar. Determined to unite Egypt and Rome in a great empire, she seduces him and bears his child. After he is murdered, she returns to Egypt and is followed by his general Marc Antony on whom she also works her wiles. Caesar's successor, Octavian, wages war on the two of them. Antony is winning a great victory but when she runs from the battle he bolts as well like a man possessed. He thus sacrifices a sure victory and eternal fame to pursue the woman who possesses him.Many men are like Marc Antony and sacrifice years of marriage, ministry and money to pursue a woman whom they must possess. I have spoken to several such men and at the time of the pursuit their rationale makes no logical or rational sense. They start to think about polygamy, secret and private "marriages", and how their church, wife and family will understand if they just explain how God has brought them together.
Most of the men to whom I am referring have been deeply involved in the life of God's Spirit but something happened to plug the flow. In the same way that men who turn to pornography are in reality substituting a female as an idolatrous exchange for the Spirit a real woman serves the same purpose.
Pornography is NOT the problem. We can stop every porn site on the web and burn every Playboy magazine but it will have no effect on ridding us of this issue. The problem lies in the heart not in the eye.
Sex is not the problem.
Marc Antony needed God not Cleopatra. A man who falls for another woman is almost always mad at God or disappointed with God or both. He is also mad at his wife and unable to pray, worship or rest in the Spirit.
Take another look at my post on Addictions. Churches that squash the Holy Spirit are asking for trouble. Only God can cure the heart and soul. Only God can cure pornography and adultery.
A Great ArticleI have mentioned the free online ministry of Christianity Today in several of my blogs. I am happy to report that they have another excellent article posted. You can find it at
http://www.christianitytoday.com/biblestudies/areas/biblestudies/articles/060726.htmlIt is an interview by Dr. Lloyd Ogilvie, former Chaplain of the United States Senate. I met Dr. Ogilvie several times and have always been impressed with his humility and ability.
In my last post I mentioned Howard Gardner's research on how to change minds. I want to add my own ideas as well for Gardner does not include the most important source of change for us Christians, the Holy Spirit. In training pastors and counselors
I always focus on the importance of watching for the times when God is Convicting a person about the need for change. Until that happens, we are "spitting into the wind" and all our efforts to influence others is for naught.
Dr. Ogilvie speaks to the importance of inviting the Holy Spirit into all ministry. He does it in such a winsome and simple way that I am sure you can remember his points.
How To Influence Changes in Thinking and BehaviorHoward Gardner, the famous and well-known Harvard Psychologist that first developed the notion of Multiple Intelligences, has written and discussed the ways we think and what ways we are able to influence others to change their minds. Dr. Gardner suggests that there are seven ways to influence people to change their mind about politics, religion, education, etc. They are:
Reason: Arguments, debate, convince
Research: Data, facts
Resonance: Identify with the speaker through likability and trust
Redescription: Same story in different ways
Rewards and Redistribution: Verbal and material rewards
Real World Events: 911 convinced many people that Islam is dangerous
Resistances Overcome: Understand and overcome the road blocks
In almost every one of my professional areas of interest, education, ministry, counseling, coaching, consulting, etc I am trying to motivate others to change the ways they think and act. I am, therefore, interested in improving my ability to teach, preach and interact with others more convincingly.
If you are also interested in improving your ability to influence the lives of those around you, including your family, friends and professional contacts, I suggest that you read and practice the skills Steve and I teach in the book, Hope and Change for Humpty Dumpty.
Although the original writer of that old rhyme was a pessimist, we are sure God has a wonderful plan for Humpty's healing.
What and When is Ministry?I recently spoke with a man who is still ministering around the world after spending well over 50 years as a clergyman. I identify him as a clergyman because of a comment he made about wishing he had made different choices in life and career.
"Gary," he said, "I regret that I went into the paid ministry as a young man. I could have worked in a good job and saved a lot of money, prepared myself for good ministry and then traveled around the world at my own expense rather than draining the pockets of my church members all these years."
Biblically he is right on. But, as the French say,
"We know it works in practice but will it work in theory?" From a biblical point of view church leaders are to have prepared for that position by having been reared to maturity by their children. (I Timothy 3:4-6) The early church grew and prospered greatly by following that model but we changed it after colleges and universities became the secular world's preferred way to educate leaders.
Here is my plan. Urge all young people to choose Christ, get a good education, find an honest career/profession, save their money and rear their children in the fear and admonition of the Lord. Get educated in Bible and practical ministry so you will be Able to discover and use all your talents and gifts as God reveals them.
At the ripe old age of 55 or 60 when they have another 25 or 30 good years of mature ministry left, retire and refire and find their place in Kingdom Ministry. The best is yet to come.
Martin Re, Maurie and Lorraine Loomans
Old friends and longtime members of the Life Way Ministries board, these folks have made significant contributions to the Kingdom of God.
The Loomans served with us at College Hill and heard the Lord many times as we sought new and spiritually important ways to minister.
Marty is a great friend and solid CPA who keeps the wheels of finance turning in tune with the Spirit.
Son Tim With Family in Scotland Tim is following in his daddy's consulting/training footsteps and is now in Great britian helping the military industrial complex save a few pounds. This photo was taken in Edinburg.
The Master and the ApprenticeWhen the house lights dimmed and the concert was about to begin, the mother returned to her seat and discovered that the child was missing. Suddenly, the curtains parted and spotlights focused on the impressive Steinway on stage. In horror, the mother saw her little boy sitting at the keyboard, innocently picking out "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star."
At that moment, the great piano master made his entrance, quickly moved to the piano, and whispered in the boy's ear, "Don't quit. Keep playing."
Then, leaning over, Paderewski reached down with his left hand and began filling in a bass part. Soon his right arm reached around to the other side of the child, and he added a running obbligato.
Together, the old master and the young novice transformed what could have been a frightening situation into a wonderfully creative experience. The audience was so mesmerized that they couldn't recall what else the great master played. Only the classic, " Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star."
That's the way it is with God and us. What we can accomplish on our own is hardly noteworthy. We try our best, but the results aren't always great musical scores. However, with the hand of the Master, our life's work can truly be beautiful.
The next time you set out to accomplish great feats, listen carefully. You may hear the voice of the Master, whispering in your ear, "Don't quit. Keep playing."
May you feel His arms around you and know that His hands are there, helping you turn your feeble attempts into true masterpieces.
God doesn't call the equipped, rather, He equips the 'called.' And He calls people with a variety of interests, backgrounds and education.
Life is measured by the lives we touch than by the things we achieve or acquire.
False gods and Addictive BehaviorJeremiah 22: 19 O LORD, my strength and my fortress, my refuge in time of distress,
to you the nations will come from the ends of the earth and say,
Our fathers possessed nothing but false gods, worthless idols that did them no good.
What are the roots of addictive behavior?
Two weeks ago I was able to share with over a hundred people the dynamics of addictive behavior. Pastors Ron Peaks and Doug Glanton invited me to speak at a gathering of several congregations and we had a good time. I gave them the formula developed by M. Douglas reed, an old friend and a Ph. D. Psychologist who worked with us at Life Way for several years. Doug is an expert in addictions.
AB = C + D is the formula and it means Addictive Behavior is the combination of
Compulsive and
Dependent habits. Compulsions arise out of a desire to reduce inner pain such as guilt, shame, boredom, etc.
Dependencies arise from a desire to get an artificial high.
A person can be
Compulsive without being addicted or
Dependent without being
Addicted. When we are both trying to reduce pain and get high we are Addicted. This is why the worship of the One True God is such a powerful antidote to Addictions.
We too often turn to false gods to seek relief of distress and to be artificially happy but, in the words of the scripture, they do no good. The false gods of alcohol, drugs, food, sex, work or exercise may reduce the inner pain and give us an artificial high for a time but in the long run they lead to death of the soul and body.
Many believers turn to false gods after a crisis or when they forget the true God and worship Him in Spirit and in truth. A few years ago a local clergyman was discovered to have stolen several hundred thousands of dollars from his church. The investigation indicated he had gotten involved in the false gods of gambling, nice cars and spending.
We are relatively sure this man started out as a true believer and a worshipper of God. What happened to him, Jimmy Swaggart and others who have been in similar predicament? We do not know exactly but we have worked with enough others to think that he "lost his first love".
On the outside he looked like a fervent and godly man but he hid behind the mask of respectability and medicated his pain with bets. He forcefully led the last Billy Graham Mission but his compulsive behavior was even on display there but none of us confronted him effectively.
20 Do men make their own gods? Yes, but they are not gods!
21
Therefore I will teach them, this time I will teach them my power and might. Then they will know that my name is the LORD.The answer to our inner pain and to the desire for a natural high is "The power and might of the one true God. Drugs may reduce my guilt for a season but God can replace it with grace and mercy forever.
Gambling or work may give me an artificial high for a moment but God's Spirit can give me transcendence and joy unspeakable and full of glory.
Unfortunately, many churches no longer lead their people into transcendent and joyful experiences leaving their people with the job of "looking for peace and joy" in false gods of money, sex and rock music. Come on church; return to worship that encounters God.
The Power of SharingToday I was able to talk with an old friend for almost two hours. It is a man with whom I have shared my life and ministry for many years. Because I left the team at CHPC and he became very involved in work, family and ministry we haven't shared deeply in a long time. It was a great to listen to him talk.
Jim is one of the most interesting and stimulating men I know. He wore various hats while at
P & G and now runs a private business with his son consulting/training with companies on innovation, creativity, marketing, etc. Because of the way his mind works Jim thinks outside the box and knows how to stimulate others to do the same.
After our conversation it occurred to me that it was Jim and others like him who empowered our congregation to do so many new and effective things. College Hill developed so many previously unheard of programs. Bright, creative, gifted and talented "laity" when allowed and encouraged are able to accomplish
"Far more than we can even think or imagine".
His wife Dawn was my executive assistant way back when and she was one of the main reasons I was able to keep my focus and follow through. Dawn funneled my ADHD into many positive ventures and the people at College Hill Presbyterian were blessed as a result.
When building the Kingdom of God there is not substitute for building teams of inspired, motivated, interested laity. Thanks be to God for his gift of people such as Jim and Dawn Donovan.
Free Markets and Growth of FreedomI believe in the free market system of economics and government. I have supported the free market ideas for many years but my passion increased strongly after several events.
1. I took some classes in economics in college and saw the incredible inefficiency of the government and the efficiency of free people. I grew up in a farming community and saw the mess government made of things when it tried to control prices. One joke tells it all. A Senator visited the Agriculture Department in Washington D.C. and saw a man weeping at his desk. When he inquired about the reason the fellow replied, "The farmer I was assigned to just passed away." The statistics showed even back then that there are more people working for the government than who are farmers.
Read the Milton Friedman interview at
www.hillsdale.edu to see what I mean.
2. I got a job and had to pay taxes. As an adult I discovered just how much goes to the government and how little I got to take home.
3. I learned from relatives who worked for the government how much money is wasted. I pay and they play.
4. I became an entrepreneur and saw how hard it is to get things done with the government's interference. Big government is a nanny that loves to control people.
5 I studied Socialism and saw how terrible a political and social system it really is. Socialists deny the reality of the bell shaped curve and keep the brightest, hardest working and most creative from achieving their best. The best of a society are punished for being good because it might "make the slowest feel badly." Now criminals in England cannot be called "prisoners, guilty or even inmates" lest it harm their self-esteem.
6. I began to minister in Socialist countries like Norway, Sweden and Russia and observed how awful the system of Socialism are. In Norwegian residential treatment programs for drug addicts the "students" are required to stay at least for 12 months when a month would be plenty.
Big government is a big threat to freedom of religion, freedom of speech and freedom of education.
Demographics: The Population Hourglass Is the Church Ready for the Boomer Boom?
Your future is older, browner, and more feminine than you might have realized. That will make for some major lifestyle changes ("Welcome home, Mom!") and lots of huge opportunities for business.
From: Fast Company/Issue 103 March 2006 Page 56 By: Andrew Zolli
It's the futurist's first rule: You can't understand the future without demographics. The composition of a society--whether its citizens are old or young, prosperous or declining, rural or urban--shapes every aspect of civic life, from politics, economics, and culture to the kinds of products, services, and businesses that are likely to succeed or fail. Demographics isn't destiny, but it's close. Our leaders, as a rule, completely miss the boat on demographics and how it informs their own organizations, customers, and constituencies. And it's not hard to see why: Most executives aren't trained to make sense of demographic forecasts (there are no courses on demographics at Harvard Business School or Wharton, for example), and the field itself does little to raise its own profile. Demographers frequently come across like accountants--without all that sex appeal.
But that doesn't mean exciting and important things aren't happening. The United States of 2016 will find itself in the throes of demographic shifts that will upend our political, economic, and technological priorities and redefine our markets. From our age distribution to the color of our skin, we will look dramatically different.
To get a sense of what lies ahead, consider a simple demographic tool: the "population pyramid." Imagine that we took all of the people in a given population and stacked them up by age, putting all the infants at the bottom and all the centenarians up top. For most stable, peacetime societies, the resulting figure would look like a pyramid, with the youngest people at the base and the oldest people up at the tip. And indeed, that is exactly what you see today in a place like India--a perfectly sloped pyramid with lots and lots of babies at the bottom and a handful of the ancient.
By contrast, in what passes for a demographic joke (given our fondness for Fritos and Cinnabon), the current U.S. pyramid looks like an overweight contestant on The Biggest Loser, with the giant baby boom billowing out from its midsection. Starting in the next decade, however, our flabby pyramid is quickly going to slim down.
It will assume the form of an hourglass, with the largest number of older people in our society's history, the quasi-retired baby boomers, up top, and the largest generation of young people since the boomers--the millennials, or echo boomers--at the bottom. The beleaguered generation-Xers will form the "pinched waist" in the middle.
The hourglass society will bring an avalanche of new social challenges, cultural norms, and business opportunities. With a huge increase in the number of older consumers, entirely new entertainment, culture, and news markets will open up--film, television, books, and Internet sites pitched more to the Matlock set than to the Eminem crowd. Also, older people tend to vote more frequently, and they will wield significant political clout: We could see a multidecade "boomerocracy" or, as one gen-Xer put it archly over cocktails, "TRBN: terminal rule by boomer narcissists."
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Will we be ready with new kinds of churches, new forms of spiritual exercises, new approaches to serving and a second to third to fourth career? With people living so much longer and healthier lives we need to be ready to channel the richest, best trained, most spiritually ready group of people in history to do something important and interesting for God and country.
Jesus Freak ReduxMarc O'Hara, one of the truly old guys from the Sixties turned me on to Terry Fisher's blog. Terry was one of the originals in the Jesus House scene that led the rock and roll revolution among the newly born again Boomers.
http://jesuspeoplethenextgeneration.blogspot.com/Marc even sang at my installation service at CHPC in 1973.
Karen and I were fortunate enough to stumble into the Jesus Movement in the house of a defrocked Presbyterian Minister after we had gotten the
"Left Foot of Fellowship" from our Baptist Church. Afterwards we met Marc and the gang and heard Terry sing the new songs of Zion in the Mt. Healthy area of Cincinnati.
Terry and I reconnected at College Hill Presbyterian Church where he was a vital part of our staff and there he met the love of his life. It is fun to reflect on the various and different paths God leads each of us as we follow the Spirit from town to town and church to church.
Terry is still one of the most creative and envelope pushing guys in the church and has great insights about things spiritual and relational. His wife Pam is perhaps even more creative, if that is possible, and the two make innovation look easy.
Thanks for the WarningSometimes I read warnings from medical and health care groups that are so obvious that they are laughable. For example, I read the OpinionJournal [OpinionJournal@wsj.com] almost every day and they have a penchant for finding dumb warnings. For example:
"Mark Steel: Shooting People Is Both Unhealthy and Unsafe"--headline, Independent (London), July 19"Ethicists: Any Deliberate Killing Crosses the Line"--headline, Times-Picayune, July 19I have mentioned several times that many attempts to prevent drugs, suicide, dangerous driving and sexual promiscuity have backfired. The marketing programs designed to convince people to avoid such behavior has actually been found to produce the opposite behavior.
Why then you may ask, do they keep getting millions of dollars to fund them? Well, the people with money love the warnings and they usually agree with them so they fund that which they prefer. However, they are already convinced of the behavior they want to prevent so the ads preach to the choir rather than the unconvinced.
The unconvinced are anti-conformist and the people who pay are conformists that insist on preaching to other conformists. Thus, the conformists love the ads and get more money to pay preachers to convince the rebels that sex, drugs and rock and roll are wrong.
Political Correctness Speech PoliceI must admit that I am often offended by the PC Police who try to control anyone they do not like with hate laws and political pressure.
The New York Times can publish state secrets by claiming the freedom of speech and press but an individual can be fired for claiming the same rights. I can burn my American flag as a free speech right but I cannot say certain sexual behavior is sinful. There is something wrong with our laws when that kind of thing happens in America.
I am against attacking any other religion and I think we Christians are wrong and anti-evangelistic when we do. The cartoons making fun of Islam were in bad taste and silly but the press has a "right" to publish them. Allowing stupid and ignorant people to say what they want actually performs a service because we can all see such people for exactly what they are.
In any case, I am sorry that people attack minority groups, religious factions and so forth but that has always been our right in America. It is to our benefit as Christians to promote the Freedom of Speech.
Feedback and AccountabilityHow long has it been since you received helpful feedback on your performance at work or church? Most people in ministry never, ever get feedback that is specific and positively helpful.
My son Timothy is currently with his wife and son in Newcastle, England serving as a consultant to a very large corporation. He has been in this job for several years and is doing very well at helping those giant corporations achieve better efficiency, effectiveness and make more money. Much more money.
I am in a similar field as Tim and have a minor on my doctorate in Organizational Development so I love to pick up pointers from someone that is saving companies millions of dollars. I asked Tim to give me the top five reasons why companies were not efficient or effective. He said, "I can summarize it in one sentence.
'No manager or leader wants to give or receive feedback and accountability.' Half the time managers do not know exactly what their jobs are nor what their direct reports are supposed to be doing so they can't hold them accountable." The church is even worse. Nobody has any idea what they or their people are supposed to be doing nor do the know how to keep anyone accountable. If we do not know where we are going any road will get us there.
Discipleship and Equipping the SaintsEvery now and then I am shocked into remembering that most Christian leaders are NOT experts in fostering change. That means that the services they design, the discipleship they attempt and the counseling in which they engage is very largely ineffective and inefficient. But, pastors go to graduate school and study ways to communicate the good news so, when I talk with leaders I sort of expect them to know something about influence and change.
On the other hand, I have three degrees in education and counseling and I have done post doctoral work in fostering change in individuals and communities. Change is my business. If I were running the world of leadership training I would stop almost all lectures and book writing except those designed, as this blog is, to motivate people to get involved in the change process.
Lectures and books have almost no lasting influence on people. Engagement in the practice of learning new habits is what brings change.
Practice Makes
PermanentPractice Does Not Make Perfect
The Five Stages of Discipleship- I train you in new skills and habits
- I train others and you observe me in the training
- I train others and you assist me
- You train others and I assist you
- You train others, former students assist and I am off training some other group
At Life Way Ministries we train you how to disciple others
Lectures and sermons do not disciple, change habits or teach people how to serve
Future of the ChurchA good discussion about what the church will be like in 20 years or so needs to happen now.
None of us knows, of course, but we are all making decisions today that will change the future.To help us understand how difficult predictions are, look at these data.Here are some of the U.S. statistics for the Year 1906
The average life expectancy in the U.S. was 47 years.
Only 14 percent of the homes in the U.S. had a bathtub.
Only 8 percent of the homes had a telephone.
A three-minute call from Denver to New York City cost eleven dollars.
There were only 8,000 cars in the U.S., and only 144 miles of paved roads.
The maximum speed limit in most cities was 10 mph.
Alabama, Mississippi, Iowa, and Tennessee were each more heavily populated than California.
With 1.4 million people, California was only the 21st most populous state in the Union.
The tallest structure in the world was the Eiffel Tower!
The average wage in the U.S. was 22 cents per hour.
The average U.S. worker made between $200 and $400 per year .
A competent accountant could expect to earn $2000 per year, a dentist $2,500 per year, a veterinarian between $1,500 and $4,000 per year, and a mechanical engineer about $5,000 per year.
More than 95 percent of all births in the U.S. took place at HOME .
Ninety percent of all U.S. doctors had NO COLLEGE EDUCATION! Instead, they attended so-called medical schools, many of which were condemned in the press AND the government as "substandard."
Sugar cost four cents a pound.
Eggs were fourteen cents a dozen.
Coffee was fifteen cents a pound.
Most women only washed their hair once a month, and used borax or egg yolks for shampoo.
Canada passed a law that prohibited poor people from entering into their country
Five leading causes of death in the U.S. were:
1. Pneumonia and influenza
2. Tuberculosis
3. Diarrhea
4. Heart disease
5. Stroke
The American flag had 45 stars Arizona, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Hawaii, and
Alaska hadn't been admitted to the Union yet.
The population of Las Vegas, Nevada, was only 30!!!!
Crossword puzzles, canned beer, and ice tea hadn't been invented yet.
There was no Mother's Day or Father's Day.
Two out of every 10 U.S. adults couldn't read or write.
Only 6 percent of all Americans had graduated from high school.
Eighteen percent of households had at least one full-time servant or domestic help.
There were about 230 reported murders in the U.S.A. !
The Flowering of the American ChurchAbout 80 million men and women were born between 1946 and 1984. When they hit high school and college many of them were found by Christ and discovered His love, power and truth. This came to be known as
"The Jesus Movement" and is recognized as one of the Four Great Awakenings in American history. I was one of those people fortunate enough to be swept up in the JM and I was able to see God work in an up close and personal manner.
How many Boomers came to know Christ and have grown in His truth and love since the Seventies? I do not know but it may be as many as 30 million people. They populate most of the newly formed denominations and movements such as The Vineyard, Willow Creek and The Charismatic Movement as well as many conservative denominational churches.
As these folks hit 50 and 60 years of age we need to help them think not about ways to
RETIRE but how God would have them
REFIRE! The church is totally not ready to help these mature, talented, gifted and experienced people move into significant places of ministry. Almost every group dedicated to helping us at Half Time approaches mature folks like they did when we were young, but that is not for everybody.
We are grandparents, not first time dads and moms. Our primary value is not excess energy but excess wisdom, experience, depth, talent and gifts. And this says nothing about money and time but we have more of that as well.
I just read where George Barna, the famous researcher, visionary and church planter has taken a new challenge along with several other Boomers who want to
REFIRE. Look here for the announcement.
http://mondaymorninginsight.com/index.php/site/comments/Barna_accepts_head_of_high_profile_group_to_produce_spiritainment/
Why Churches DieIt is sad, very sad to see so many once great churches lose their vitality, strength and desire to grow. Like me, they get get old and tired and want to rest on the past rather than move quickly to the future.
As churches and denominations get older they also become more like a socialist country and think more of pleasure and taking care of their clergy than about competition. As clergy get more comfortable and well paid they stop recruiting people and spend more time in deep thought about themselves and less thought about others.
All we need to do is watch what happens when a senior minister retires or moves on. In the business world the person will be replaced almost immediately because there is nothing more important than a leader. All organizations live or die by the leaders they choose.
Old churches, especially those closely tied to denominational and clergy politics, do not replace their leader for two years or more. Such a long wait is a silent admission that the senior person is not thought to be very important. The energy, vision, challenge and abilities of a leader in business and industry are deemed to be critical but not so in the church because we can delay getting one for years and not worry.
The process for replacing the top person and his/her assistants is deeply flawed. It is long, cumbersome and expensive and carried out by people who know little or nothing about leadership, planning or what it takes to move an organization forward. And, they are in no hurry to finish the job.
And, when they do start the search, leadership and a track record of accomplishing growth are not always very important. We want a "spiritual person" they say. I want someone who will visit the sick and hold my hand when I am hurting. But leadership is hard to assess and harder to find.
There is little urgency to develop an attitude of outreach built upon stability or to find people who can make the system really effective. That is sad, very sad.
What is the Difference Between Leading a Church and a Business?
Is there a difference?
The men and women who end up on church boards are usually drawn from the ranks of those who have been successful in business and industry. That makes sense but these folks need some special training so they do not confuse a profit with a non-profit organization.
One of the greatest challenges is Elders or Board Members who get caught in the middle of a member who complains about one of the church workers. There is enormous pressure on the Elder to go and solve the problem when that is the wrong thing to do.The Elder may accept the member's anxiety and feel obligated and responsible to solve the problem and make the member feel better. The Elder then begins to spread his own anxiety and tells the Pastor or other elders or even brings it up in the Council meeting thus raising the fears of the entire group and getting the board off its agenda onto another useless rabbit trail.
What is best when you hear a members' complaint?
1. A Complaint is not necessarily a demand for action but a request for a listener.
2. Assess whether or not you have anything to do with the Complaint. We usually do NOT have any "Dog" in that fight so stay out of it.
3. Refer the Complainer to the proper person with whom they have the issue. Read Matt 18:15
4. Never, ever bring it up in the Council of Elders meeting. NEVER! NEVER! NEVER!
The best thing to do is have us teach your Board about what the duties and responsibilities of Board Members are and are not. Make sure everyone knows the rules and abides by them.
Find a Safe Place to be GenuineAnyone who is interested in growing as a person needs to find at least one soul friend that is safe and full of grace and mercy. Nothing rewards and reinforces sin like the Law without a remedy.
Almost every addict struggles with living up to the perfect law. After he fails to be perfect there is the guilt that always accompanies failure and when there is no grace a chronic sense of total condemnation. This is one reason why conservative churches are "Full of people who are running away from God."
They show up at worship and study only when they are on top and feel clean, holy and perfect. After a fall they avoid the Preacher like the plague and may even move to escape his accusations and rejection. What they need is a good dose of grace and mercy.
But, hearing so many sermons about God's high expectations has ruined them. The think they are so deeply flawed that God has left them until they can "Get it all back together again."
People tell me how awful they are and then recount sins that would make Mother Teresa laugh at their size. They have gotten themselves on such a high plane of expectation that even the tiniest feeling of lust, anger or frustration will send them into a downward cycle of despair.
One man said that his sins were too big for God to forgive. Oh, sure, he forgave Peter's three denials of Jesus and Paul's persecutions of Christians but his piddling sins were just too much for God to bear.
What hubris and pride! Too big for the cross. Too big for the resurrection! Too big for Pentecost!
I am Preaching This Week in Northern KyDennis and Sheila Cole are good friends and wonderful people. They have asked me to speak at their Lifegate morning services this Sunday and I am very happy to again visit with this growing congregation. If you are not committed, come and join Karen and me as we worship the Lord.
Take a look at
www.lifegatenky.org to get directions.
Gary Sweeten
Going DeeperOne of my problems in getting Christians to take advantage of Life Way Ministries equipping processes of coaching and consulting is due to my success as a Counselor. Thus, many people assume that the only thing I do is crisis management. They get Life Way Ministries mixed up with Life Way Counseling.
I can see why with the names being so similar and both having been founded by me. But the
Counseling Center is a Clinical Counseling and Psychotherapy focus with licensed, medical and psychological professionals as the staff. After having a heart attack I retired my professional license and decided to focus on Growth, Equipping and Healing Leaders both lay and clergy through
Life Way Ministries, Inc, a non-profit, tax deductible charity. My emphasis and job now is Coaching and Consulting in hopes that Counseling/Healing will not be necessary. If people delay seeing me until after the crisis has happened the hurt, anger, bitterness and inner wounds will have to be cleaned up before growth can really take place. This means that several leaders need to see me for some counsel before we can move one to the deeper life of hearing God.
I am also the founder of the
Teleios Center at College Hill Presbyterian Church and EMI, another non-profit ministry. They continue to train, send and establish ministries around the world and I am extremely happy to see them prosper even though I have "retired" from both of them.
We are embarking on a new emphasis this fall
to take mature Christians into the deeper life of the Holy Spirit. We will emphasize growing down in the life of God to hear His still small voice and allow Him to change us rather than going out to change others as we did in our youth. We will focus on hearing and knowing God; understanding how God speaks; discovering our place in the Kingdom as mature Christians who are ready to "Put away childish things."
Pray for our journey and watch for workshops, retreats and celebrations. They will be for health folks who want to be free to hear the Lord.
Read a Good Book Lately?I have been reading and getting insights from Janet Hagberg's books,
The Critical Journey and Real Power. She does a masterful job of teaching about the spiritual stages of growth Christians move through as we mature in life and in Christ.
The first three stages are all focused on outward indications of spiritual life and the last three are on the inner life. I must admit that few churches, seminaries, magazines and seminars have much to say about the last three stages. Almost everyone wants us to be, "Forever Young".
There are almost no models of maturity among Protestants. This is deadly for pastors, churches and all people who want to continue to grow in the life of the Spirit.
When our model for ministry is taken solely from the earliest stages of Christianity, Salvation, Discipleship and Ministry Success the only ways we can be "successful" is to start all over in evangelism and building bigger buildings. That is one of the main reasons so many pastors are burned out.
I saw in the paper yesterday that a 62 year old woman in England had a baby. Most people are shocked at such a ridiculous thing. She had to get pregnant with the help of fertility treatments because God made her to be a grandmother not a mother.
Yet, almost every seminar and book on church leadership urges old men and women to try to have babies. It is not natural and they have to get fertility treatments. They should be grandparenting by now but no one teaches them how. It is a tragedy.
More later on that topic.
A Great Resource for LeadersI think the daily blog put out free by Christianity Today is one of the best resources for leaders in the world. It consistently informs me, inspires me and helps me communicate to others.
A couple of years ago CT reviewed a key book by Ram Cnaan, and interviewed him for the blog.
Tallying CompassionEverybody knows congregations do good work. Ram Cnaan tells us what it's worth.Interview by Agnieszka Tennant posted 02/11/2003
Christianity Today, February 2003If the average North American congregation were to bill its community for the social services it provides, the tab would run about
$184,000 per year. We've known that congregations help the needy. Now—thanks to a groundbreaking social-science study—we know just how much they do.
The source of this and other surprising findings is a study spearheaded by Ram A. Cnaan, published in his book The Invisible Caring Hand: American Congregations and the Provision of Welfare (New York University Press, 2002). Cnaan is an Israeli-born secular Jew who is professor of social work and founding director of the Program for the Study of Organized Religion and Social Work at the University of Pennsylvania. He talked with ct associate editor Agnieszka Tennant.
Did your study of congregations confirm the widely accepted notion that liberal churches provide more social services than do conservative churches?No. When it comes to caring for the needy, groups with different core theologies—mainline or conservative—basically deal the same with people. They spend an equal amount of resources to serve the needy.
Were you surprised by that?
At first I was. And then I found that I'm not the only one. Christian Smith at Duke University also found similar things—that volunteers and volunteerism among mainline liberals and evangelical groups are the same. So I'm not totally off. When you get a finding that doesn't agree with the common convention, you assume that you are wrong. But I was delighted to find out that there are other people who find similar things.
What other discoveries stand out to you?The biggest surprise is that it's really a norm for a congregation in America to provide social services. It took me awhile to find out how pervasive this norm is. The respondents said, "Of course, we're a congregation, so we [care for the needy]." No one even questions it. Sometimes they apologized to me. "You know, we're just a young congregation. We just started. We don't do much. We should have done more." Half the time they would ask me, "Can you tell me how we can do more of what we are doing?" And I would look at them and I would think, "You are asking me?" Nobody told me, "No, we cannot do it" or "It's not our job."
It's a major power for our society. We don't know exactly how many congregations there are nationwide, but even if you take a conservative number of 300,000, then there are 300,000 groups that assume that it's their responsibility to help people.
Not many congregations think of themselves as significant suppliers of social welfare. Why is that?In talking with them, I found that things that they thought are not social programs really are social programs.
In the congregations' minds, social services were some big projects at least in collaboration with the government. For us, a social program or social service is something that they do in a consistent manner to help the needy. Sometimes they're offended if you call something a social program. Say I see a soup kitchen, and ask them, "So you have a food distribution program?" But they say, "No, that's not a program, that's only the men's group activity."
So the language is very important.When we meet with them, we give them a list of activities, asking if they're involved in them. After they see the list of activities that qualify as social services, they say, "Oh, that's what you mean. Yes, then we do have social programs."
Your research affirmed the efforts of clergy. In fact, you dedicate your book to them. Why?Everybody expects clergy to be good people. So when they do the good thing, it's not being reported anywhere. When they do something bad, it's always reported. I followed The Philadelphia Inquirer's reporting on clergy. In the last two years, they made the front page only three times, and always in something negative.
But I see that hundreds of them are doing a wonderful job. Not every one of them is perfect. But on average, clergy give way more to society than they get from society. We don't appreciate them enough.
What kind of help do they need the most?Among other things, there is a need for intermediaries—nonprofits that could give clergy training in the know-how that they don't learn in seminaries but are often expected to know, such as accounting and management.
Life Way offers assistance to pastors and churches in leadership, staffing, mam]nagement, conflict management, communication, etc. Will you help us help them?
Upcoming EventsI am speaking this Sunday evening, July 9 at the gathered churches of Ron Peake's network. The topic is Addictions and we will meet at the church of Doug Glanton, Beyond the Veil.
Pray for wisdom, insight and healing.
Gary Sweeten
Micro Mini Ministry MultipliersOne of the most exciting and helpful developments to combat international poverty has been Micro Loans. Banks, churches, governments and missions give a Micro-Loan to a poor man or woman. It may be as little as $15.00 to 50.00 to buy a cow, a sowing machine or plant crops. That person develops financial independence and also helps others. My friend in Singapore, William Toh, is doing that in Asia.
I think we need to consider such a plan for supporting the people and churches in Russia. Although the loans may need to be a bit larger grants, an awful lot can be accomplished with a very little. Maybe we ought to call them, MICRO MINI MINISTRY MULTIPLIERS
Warren Buffet gave 30 Billion Dollars to the Gates’ Foundation to combat illness and ignorance. That sounds real good but such large amounts can cause nationals to become dependent upon outsiders. It is also a great temptation to foreign leaders to steal the funds.
It is already obvious in Africa that large amounts of money alone do NOT solve social and spiritual problems.
I have a dream that western Christians will begin to intentionally use Micro Grants to support good Christian work in developing nations. Money without Christ is no answer but Christ’s work is crippled without money. Property and rent are high in Moscow but many significant advances require only a little help.
Stipends of 25, 50 to 100 dollars to pay team to work with pastors, establish family support groups and set up groups. Grants for the team’s formal counselor education under Russian law Grants to cover seminary education Grants to help fund new churches and new ministries Grants for travel in Moscow and Russia to minister in poor churches. None of our people has an automobile so they either rent a car and driver or travel for hours to minister. I preached on two Sundays and had to drive almost two hours to get there. Grants for Materials Start a fund Building Fund to buy an apartment/office suite for ministry, teaching, meetings, etc. Space is a difficult challenge in Russia. Grants for outlying leaders to attend seminars, workshops and training. Funds to support teams from the US to Russia
Life Way Ministries currently does some of this but much more needs to be done. I am sure that the result will be an upward cycle of spiritual, emotional, political and financial independence. All of these are essential for nation building.
Pastor Mihail
and Wife Marina
I have had the privalege of preaching two times at this couples' dynamic Baptist Church.
He heads the Men's Work for Baptists and Marina heads the Women's Ministry. He is also a theologian at the Baptist Seminary and she has a Law Degree and a Masters in Christian Education. Marine serves on the Liferoute Board.
www.liferoute.ru
Russian Ministry: A Brief HistoryGod spoke to Tom Fruth and Steve Griebling about a ministry in"The East" while we were ministering to over 40 leaders on top of a Norwegian mountain. (We were in a retreat center at Vats.) The next year I met a Christian Psychologist at a meeting in California and she invited me to come to Moscow to visit her. I did after training leaders in Norway the following year of 1991.
In the meantime, 1989, I had set up a Christ-centered psychiatric hospital and used the same materials I developed in my doctoral dissertation and at College Hill Church to minister to the residents. In 1992 I met Galina Chentsova while on another exploratory trip to Moscow when she was finishing her Ph. D. In Christian Psychology. I invited her to spend a few months with us in the hospital and taking our classes in Apples of Gold, Rational Christian Thinking, Breaking Free from the Past, etc.
After Galina returned home I visited Moscow several times and established an organization there like called,
Teleios Moscow. It was modeled after what we had done in Norway, Sweden and Denmark. After some time I, as President of EMI, gave Galina the exclusive rights to all of our EMI materials to translate and publish them in Russia.
Galina soon joined forces with a strong woman named Nina who, along with the Christian Medical Society, worked to set up
Christian 12 Step Groups. They began to establish groups for Addicts and Co-Dependents all over Russia. Perhaps more importantly, they raised up a team of highly committed lay and pastoral leaders to spread the work. Now those groups and the training in listening, rational thinking, speaking the truth in love, family systems and inner healing are widely available around the Federation.
Galina and her team recently changed the name of their organization to Liferoute to better speak to the Russian mind and soul. They also have a web page.
www.liferoute.ruWe welcome your comments and contributions. God is spreading his good news to all nations through many means and we are very excited that he has chosen our approach to healing as a way to draw people to Christ.
Over 75% of all Russian males are addicts and almost every woman is Co-Dependent so our ministry attracts many wounded non-believers who are hungry for healing and dying for love.One wonderful female doctor wept as we used Quads to practice Apples of Gold. No one had ever listened to her before. Millions of men and women and their children are in bondage to vodka, beer and gin. They are dying without Christ unless we tell them about His love.
Seminary Opportunity
What a great opportunity to impact all of the Russian Federation. God has opened the door to having us set up the curriculum and training for Pastors and Missionaries in Pastoral Care and Counseling.
Pray for guidance and Wisdom.
Steve and Galina Discuss the Next Teaching
Key Russian Orthodox Church
Men It is rare to have leaders from the Russian Orthodox involved in an interfaith ministry. It is even more rare to have mature males involved but that is exactly what God has done in our ministry over the past three years.
With men like these we have an opportunity to build a solid foundation for the future of Christ's work in a very hard field. Fr. Oleg and Fr. Alex both asked how many Christians are in the USA. They were shocked to learn that over 40 million adults attend services each week.
"Here, we are just the margins of society," said Fr. Oleg. "About 50% of all Russians claim to be Orthodox but it is really less than 5%."
Pray for cooperation and revival.
Make Sure You Allow Grace and Mercy to TeensChristianity Today's online blog often reports some great resources.
http://www.christianitytoday.com/They recently reportedresearch that shows depression and drug use follow sexual activities.
This shows how important it is for churches to give kids and adults an opportunity to confess their Guilt and be set free from it forever. Teach about abstinence but expect failures and plan for forgiveness.
Research on TeensA popular belief among doctors and social scientists has been that many teens begin drug use and sexual activity to deal with depression. However, a study published in the October 2005 edition of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine reverses those beliefs.
Health policy researcher Denise Dion-Hallfors comments: "Findings from the study show depression came after substance and sexual activity, not the other way around."The data was gathered from a national survey of 13,491 adolescents.
A large group of these teens, about 25 percent, were called "abstainers." They had never had sex, smoked, drank alcohol, or taken drugs. Only 4 percent of these teens experienced depression.
The study also reported that girls among the 75 percent who had taken drugs and experimented with sexual activity to deal with depression. However, a study published in the October 2005 edition of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine reverses those beliefs.Health policy researcher Denise Dion-Hallfors comments:
"Findings from the study show depression came after substance and sexual activity, not the other way around."The data was gathered from a national survey of 13,491 adolescents. A large group of these teens, about 25 percent, were called "abstainers."
They had never had sex, smoked, drank alcohol, or taken drugs.
Only 4 percent of these teens experienced depression.The study also reported that girls among the 75 percent who had taken drugs and experimented with sex were
2-3 times more likely to experience depression than abstaining girls.
Boys who engaged in binge drinking were 4.5 times more likely to experience depression than boys in the abstaining group. Boys smoking marijuana were more than 3 times more likely to be depressed than those who abstained.Dr. Hallfors warns: "Parents, educators, and health practitioners now have even more reason to be concerned about teen risk behaviors, and to take action about alcohol, drugs, and sex."
Citation: Taunya English, "Teen Sex and Drug Use May Be Cause of Depression, Not the Effect," Health Behavior News Service (September 2005); submitted by Jerry De Luca, Montreal West, Quebec
Listening not Talking is Key to HappinessEvery interpersonal conversation is a cross cultural conversation.
I grew up with a brother three years my senior and one seven years younger. We had the same parents and the same small town environment yet we still struggle to communicate accurately with each other.
Perhaps "accurately" is not the best descriptor. I really mean "as intended" or something similar. Several years ago I was attending a great seminar on family communications led by a famous teacher, Rabbi Dr. Edwin Friedman. I usually planned to stay over in the D.C. area to spend some family time with my elder brother, Maurice.
One night he came by to get me after the end of the class and Asked what I had learned. I excitedly told him that I now saw that I was often caught in between Mom and Dad's fights. Maury turned to face me in the car and said in an angry tone,
"My parents didn't have conflict. YOUR parents had conflict; and you were the cause of most of it."That was a show stopper for sure. Later we discussed that statement but for now let it stand as a reminder that even discussing a topic with our siblings is no guarantee that we will be understood or that we we will understand them.
Every conversations is a cross cultural experience that requires our patient listening to try to get inside the mind and heart of the other person. Family ties may actually COMPLICATE matters rather than make them easier.
