Church Leader devotions: Running on Empty

My new e-book has just been published on Amazon. I wrote it for pastors and church leaders who often struggle with low energy and weariness because they are constantly giving of their time, talents, and skills, leaving themselves spiritually, mentally, and physically low.

The sixty devotions can be used as daily devotions for two months, or as weekly staff devotions for church teams and other church leaders.

Enjoy the book!

Church Staff Devotions: 84 Million - Exodus 1:12-13

Exodus 1:12-13          But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites and worked them ruthlessly. 

Sometimes when people are oppressed because of their faith, they grow in numbers. Christianity in China is a good example of this. In 1949 when the Communists took control of China, there were only about 500,000 Christians in the nation. After persecuting the church for more than sixty years, how many Christians are there in China? 84 million.

It appears that when Christianity is backed into a corner and almost annihilated, it finds a new way out and grows. Perhaps at some future point in our decadent and deviant Western society, we will see a real re-emergence of the church because Christians will once again stand up for their beliefs, instead of embracing the culture which is causing a passive church to wither and decay.

Long ago, the Egyptians used a form of genocide in an attempt to wipe out the Jewish community in their midst. It didn’t work because God’s will could not be thwarted by mere politics, no matter how powerful the leader of the Egyptians appeared to be. Moses was predestined to be born and become a great leader of his people. God desired this, so human wickedness would not prevail.

In years to come, missionaries will be sent from Africa and Asia, India and China to Europe and the Americas in order to reclaim churches and Christians for Christ. God’s work will not be undone and Christ’s words will always endure. Our role in our churches today is to be faithful to God’s Word and serve Christ truly, even when it is unpopular. If we do that then a people yet unborn may be reclaimed for Christ and His Kingdom.

Questions for personal reflection

Has my faith grown in times of adversity? Have I personally shared my Christian beliefs with the upcoming generation?

Prayer:            Lord Jesus, all over the world people are praising Your Name and believing in Your Words. New churches are springing up in hostile areas and Your mission is being accomplished across this planet. Help us to strengthen our faith, in the good times as well as the bad. In Your Holy Name, we pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to make a comment or ask a question of today’s message, please send him an email to traqair@aol.com.

Today’s image is another of John’s 2012 Advent drawings simply called “Advent.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8063/8192865892_9d85b325b4_b.jpg

Leadership devotions: Fresh Expressions - Isaiah 56:11

Isaiah 56:11    They are dogs with mighty appetites; they never have enough. They are shepherds who lack understanding; they all turn to their own way, each seeks his own gain. 

Yesterday I was reading a quote from Bishop Graham Cray who is an Anglican and a leader of the newly formed “Fresh Expressions” organization in the United Kingdom. His quote was something that I heartily agree with, because it addresses the current leadership crisis in the Western church.

Bishop Cray stated, "When I was ordained 37 years ago it took a particularly inept Minister to shrink a church. All of that has changed. It now takes an exceptional minister to prevent decline."

Sadly, I have found this to be true on both sides of the Atlantic. Seminaries and divinity colleges are producing inept pastors who go from church to church creating havoc, or who cannot stay in the ministry beyond five years. I’ve even seen one pastor be given three different churches by the same Presbytery and in each case the congregation diminished. The same pastor is a big voice at Presbytery when it comes to making decisions for new church developments!

In my opinion, the leadership crisis that we face can only be averted by raising up strong leaders who know, believe, and teach the Word of God. There are too many unsound preachers and self-serving seekers in our pulpits, or as Isaiah put it so succinctly, “They are shepherds who lack understanding; they all turn to their own way, each seeks his own gain.” 

So what can we do about it? We can start to pray for leaders to be raised up in the next generation of Christians who will stop the decline and re-grow the Faith. There are some great young people in our congregations who may be called by God to do this. If that is the case, then our work is to encourage, support, and guide them so that they will become strong and faithful Christian leaders to their peers.

Prayer:                        Lord Jesus, You called for leaders from all walks of life to grow the Faith by establishing Your Church. We pray for those of our young people who are feeling called to ministry and we ask that You empower them with Your Word and strengthen them with Your Holy Spirit. In Your Sacred Name, we earnestly pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is one of John’s latest Easter drawings called “Star Fall.” If you would like to view a larger version, please click on the following link: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7202/6811333724_b8573e54b6_b.jpg

Church Staff devotions: In Christ Alone - Matthew 5:20

Today’s Bible readings: Isaiah 13:14-22  & Matthew 5:17-20

Matthew 5:20                         For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

It’s an essential tenet of the Reformation: justification by faith, not by our works. We cannot earn our way into heaven. We cannot complete a certain number of good deeds or accomplish a predetermined amount of perfect choices to get us through the pearly gates. Our good works are the fruits of our faith, but not one of them gets us into heaven.

That authority is given to Christ alone. Only He can decide whether or not we will be allowed into God’s everlasting presence. There is nothing that we can do on earth to ensure that we will be welcomed in God’s Kingdom. Only Christ can open the gates; only He can restore us to God.

This is why Christianity is a missionary faith. It’s not a private, personal spiritual lifestyle. We are all supposed to engage and confront the world, especially against those who lead people astray with their false ideas, incorrect opinions, and wayward theologies. We are all sinners, separated from God by our daily choices, imperfect ways, and wrong decisions. The gap between us and God is unbridgeable by anything that we could try to build. In Christ alone, we have a Savior. Only in Jesus, we have salvation, only he can bridge that gap. He died for our sins so that we might be offered the opportunity to be fully forgiven and completely restored to God.

His Crucifixion was no accident; it was predetermined. His sacrifice was no aberration; it was intended. His death was not unfortunate; it was providential. And His resurrection was no myth; it is the most profound reality in the history of the universe.

The gospel message is simple: Jesus died for our sins and if we believe in Him, we will be granted life beyond our own deaths. There is no other way; there is no other truth; there is no other life, save that of Christ, to bring us back to God.

Prayer:                       Lord Jesus, Your own words say it all: we cannot enter heaven unless our righteousness is perfect. We know that we are imperfect and unrighteous, therefore we have no hope of entering God’s Kingdom unless we pin that hope upon Your Cross. Forgive our pride, our indifference, our faithlessness, and our stubborn refusal to accept Who You are, What You have done, and All that You have promised. In Your Holy Name, we humbly pray. Amen.

John Stuart is the pastor of Erin Presbyterian Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. If you would like to comment on today’s message or ask a question, please send him an email to pastor@erinpresbyterian.org.

Today’s image is John’s latest Fall drawing. It’s called ‘A Glimpse of Heaven,’ which depicts the famous Glade Creek Grist Mill in Babcock State Park, West Virginia. If you would like to see a larger version of the drawing, please click on the following link: http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6119/6278216565_0e22a63fea_b.jpg