My goal must simply be to please God

When the Lord called us out and sent us into the ministry, we had the typical grand vision of a large congregation, a powerful worship team and a huge staff of leaders and volunteers reaching out to the community to make disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ.

However, what we experienced was so far from what we envisioned that we often felt we had made a mistake in even starting a church. I often felt I should just pack it all in, tuck my tail in, return to the St. Louis church community, and just admit that we blew it because we never should have been so arrogant as to think we should be doing this.

After eight years of ministry and almost nine years of living in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, we still minister to only about ten to twelve people each week in a small space that is basically a room for various church and outreach organizations to hold their board meetings.

We move a couple of tables in an effort to arrange the space to make it conducive for teaching and fellowship. Directly across the hall we utilize a small conference room to provide an hour of fun for the children that occasionally attend. We have a large library of Bible DVDs and we have scheduled a full year of 30-minute videos that have accompanying activities like coloring pages, puzzles and games for children.

We do this every week, every Sunday morning.

Just when I’m feeling like we’re just spinning our wheels and not really making much progress, I recently got feedback from those who attend and have made an amazing discovery.

I find that the strategy of opening our weekly gathering with prayer and meditation while singing along with worship videos is perfectly suited for this family of believers. With no ‘personality’ standing before us, urging us to lift our hands or shout certain phrases, each person is able to settle in and focus their attention upon the Lord. We find that our hearts are able to connect with the Spirit of God in a more intimate way that goes beyond the coercion and persuasion of a “worship leader.”

I’m not opposed to having a worship leader. I’ve been one. I’ve desired to have one. But after eight years of trying to fulfill that image and vision, I finally gave in to what God wanted and what this community of Believers needed.

As we transition from this very personal time of prayer and worship, we take a break for fellowship before shifting into our teaching session. This gives everyone some time to reconnect with one another after a long week.

Our teaching style has been very simplistic. I use power point presentations and video clips to help attendees to engage in the Word of God in a very personal way. I have discovered that our teaching style allows the Holy Spirit to teach people well beyond the words I’m actually saying.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that God is really in control of what is happening in Urban Life. From our youngest members to the grandparents, God is doing something unique in our midst.

I guess it becomes tough for me to adjust to this because I’m so accustomed to measuring success in terms that are quantifiable. But in this strategy, I cannot measure the effectiveness or success of what we’re doing by attendance patterns or financial income.

More and more, I realize that we will never know what is really happening here, until we stand before the Lord at the judgment seat of Christ; when we are rewarded for our service to Him.

More and more I realize that the sense of fulfillment must come out of my relationship WITH God and not just what I think I am accomplishing FOR God. More and more I realize that we have been called to something that is so different and so unique that I must simply do what I see God doing and say what I hear God saying. More and more I realize that I must be more like Jesus. More and more I realize that my goal must simply be to please Him.

Positioned as the Priest in Your Home

Today, I want conclude my 3-blog appeal to the men. I’ve been writing to you guys out of the context of Nehemiah 4: 13 which says: Therefore I positioned men behind the lower parts of the wall, at the openings; and I set the people according to their families, with their swords, their spears, and their bows.

This week I want to share what this means regarding taking on the role to be the first to pray and intercede for your family. Don’t wait for someone else to do it, not even the pastor or some other spiritual leader. You are not only a protector and provider, but you are also a priest in your home.

From the time our children were in kindergarten and all the way through high school graduation, I felt that I was responsible to pray with them every school day. As head of the household, I felt it was my job; not because I was
'the man' but simply because I was the head of the household.

Even though my wife and I shared in that responsibility, I felt I was supposed to take the lead. Even though church traditions promote fond thoughts about a mother’s prayer, I wanted my sons to know that their dad was praying for them.

Every morning I led them in a prayer before they went out the door for school. When the years came in which I needed to drive them to school, I recited this prayer before releasing them from the car. I prayed the same prayer every day. I wanted them to memorize it, without telling them to memorize. However, they can recite it to this day and I have a suspicion they will recite it over their children someday.

I prayed, “Thank You Lord for Christopher, Jonathan and David. Help them to have a good day at school, today. Give them your grace, favor, protection and wisdom; in Jesus’ name,  Amen.”

Sometimes I would add something else if I felt led to do so. Every morning, Monday through Friday, they got this prayer from their dad before they walked out the door or stepped out of the car. Many nights and weekends, I’d go into their rooms and lay my hands on them while they slept and just whispered a prayer of protection or something about their future. This is what I mean when I talk about Nehemiah’s strategy to position men behind the walls.

Today, Carol and I are still positioned on that wall as we’re investing into their college educations and helping them transition into adulthood and life beyond their parents. We’re not sacrificing our son’s futures by holding on to our selfish desires, to do all the things we always wanted to do. We're doing whatever we can to push them forward.

Now it’s all about being in position to prepare them to cover their families.

The same priestly calling applies to praying for my wife. Even though I don’t pray with her as often as I need, I still pray for her all the time. In the late night, I lay my hands on her shoulder and pray over her. This not only closes the gaps in spiritual warfare, but it closes the gaps in our relationship.

It’s hard to be critical and judgmental of your wife, if you’re praying for her. All the things that would irritate you or anger you, melts away as you pray for your spouse. The Spirit of God opens you up to see her struggles, fears and insecurities. Then He gives you wisdom and shows you many ways to help her, heal her, and secure her in your love for her.

You can do it brothers! 

For I am confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:6b)