Archive for May, 2015
The Most Important Decision a Pastor Can Make Each Day
Every pastor I know is faced with numerous decisions every day. Some of those decisions can impact people greatly. While there are a plethora of decisions a pastor can make daily, what is the most important?
The Most Important Decision
The most important decision a pastor can make daily is to begin his day with God. When we begin our day with God, it changes the way we see things the rest of the day. It changes our attitude and our actions. It helps us navigate through the challenges of life and ministry.
3 Actions to Take Daily
While some who are reading this have yawned already, I continue to stand amazed at how many pastors do not begin their day with God. Their inconsistency in this discipline is their consistency.
No wonder pulpits are vacant of anointed men of God, the people in the pews are yearning for a Word from God, and the church is lacking the fire of God. As pastors, we must rekindle or fan into flame the gift of God that is in us according to 2 Timothy 1:6.
I want to highlight three actions that will fan the flame of God in you in your time with Him daily:
Action #1: Read the Bible daily in a systematic way.
Pastor, you need to have a plan to read God’s Word daily. When you are with a group of pastors, ask them: What is your daily plan of reading the Scripture? You might learn a new approach.
Personally, I believe a pastor should read through God’s Word annually or at least consistently many times during a decade of ministry. Unquestionably, reading through the Bible at least once each year is one of the most powerful disciplines I have experienced in my spiritual life.
Action #2: Establish a plan to pray daily.
If you do not have a plan to pray, you will not pray consistently. You will be all over the place in your praying, even though your intentions are good.
I use my iPad to help me establish an ongoing plan to pray daily. This helps me stay on target in my prayer and permits me the needed flexibility to ensure the ongoing plan is relevant and up to date.
Whatever your plan to pray is, just have one. Stop and take the time to prepare a plan. Then, under God’s leadership, follow it.
Action #3: Periodically, fast and pray.
I cannot dictate nor advise anyone on how often or how many days a year they should fast and pray. This is not my decision, but God’s.
What I do know is the absolute great value it brings in life to fast and pray. I think the power of God awaits the man of God who is willing to spend time fasting and praying. There is power in the secret place.
Additionally, a pastor should lead his fellowship to periodically have a day or days of fasting and praying. Cross Church just observed one of these days this past Sunday night through Monday. I am telling you, there is power in a church that prays and fasts together.
Everything Begins With the Most Important Decision
Everything begins with the most important decision. Reading the Bible in a systematic way, establishing a plan to pray daily, and periodically fasting and praying, all begin with the most important decision a pastor can make daily: Beginning his day with God.
Pastor, do not minimize this decision in your life. It is the most important decision you make daily. Do it with conviction.
Yours for the Great Commission,
Ronnie W. Floyd
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.
Leading Beyond Failure
I have experienced failure. All leaders experience failure at some point in their leadership journey. Business, military, church, or community leaders all experience disappointment or frustration when things go awry. The best planners can overlook an important detail. The best drill instructor can send an ill-trained recruit into battle. A pastor’s best efforts to raise money for a new building may go down in flames for a variety of reasons.
Failure Is a Great Teacher
Throughout history, political and business leaders have known failure as a great teacher. Coco Chanel said, “Success is most often achieved by those who don’t know failure is inevitable.” Winston Churchill noted, “Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.” And Ralph Waldo Emerson said, “The greatest glory in living lies not in never failing, but in rising every time we fall.”*
Failure Is Not the End
Though failure can be difficult and painful, it need not be the end. C.S. Lewis said, “Failure are finger posts on the road to achievement.”1 Paul Jimenez gives leaders this wisdom, “Leaders confront failure, deal with it, and move forward.”2
Speaking of moving forward through failure, on June 1, my newest book, FORWARD: 7 Distinguishing Marks For Future Leaders will be released. Forward is a call. Forward is a process. Forward is a direction. Forward is a change. Forward leaders are missing in action.
Failure Is Real and Painful
In Joshua’s leading of the Israelites into Canaan, not every battle was a Jericho-sized victory. Not every strategy was as odd as marching around the walls with rams’ horns. After the walls were leveled by the power of God, and the city conquered, the next city to be overcome was the little city of Ai.
Compared to mighty Jericho, the Israelites expected a pushover. Rather than sending out his full army, Joshua sent a limited number of fighters. Those were sent running before the fighters of the little city. Unknown to Joshua, an Israelite fighter, Achan, violated God’s command during the Battle of Jericho. As a result of this disobedience, Israel lost the battle at Ai. The defeat brought Joshua to a point of crisis. Israel’s leader demanded of God: “Why did You ever bring these people across the Jordan?”3
Many church leaders who have attempted great things for God know the overwhelming depression and discouragement that can befall them after a defeat. Some leaders never recover from a defeat, but Joshua did. How? He confronted the failure, dealt with it, and moved forward.
Failure Can Be the Beginning of a New Moment In Your Life
When God revealed the issue to Joshua, he responded immediately. When Joshua confronted Achan and received his confession, the children of Israel immediately carried out the terrible judgment on Achan and his family. Finally, when Israel had repented, Joshua carried out the renewed direction to conquer Ai, and they did. The same confidence Joshua had when he accepted the call to follow Moses was restored in conquering Ai.
Failure Forces Personal Evaluation
Sometimes sin is not involved with failure. Market conditions that cause a missed sales forecast aren’t necessarily a result of sin. So how should we respond to failure when sin is involved? “We should pray and ask God to do the same for us. Ask Him to bring to light our sins, awaken us to what has lulled us to sleep, and turn our hearts from anything that steers us away from allegiance to Him.”4 And, if sin is not involved, we cannot allow the hurt of failure to make us bitter, thereby dragging us into sin.
God is faithful on both sides of failure. The same God that leads us through success shepherds us through failures. His faithful empowering allows us to lead beyond failure. It is time to move forward.
Forward Through Failure,
Ronnie W. Floyd
Senior Pastor, Cross Church
General Editor, Bible Studies for Life
President, Southern Baptist Convention
References
*- All three quotes, http://www.virgin.com/richard-branson/my-top-10-quotes-on-failure
1– http://www.forbes.com/sites/ekaterinawalter/2013/12/30/30-powerful-quotes-on-failure/
2– Bible Studies for Life, Be Strong and Courageous, Paul Jimenez
3– Joshua 7:7
4– Bible Studies for Life, Be Strong and Courageous, Paul Jimenez
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.