Archive for June, 2018
4 Actions to Take When Disappointment Comes
It is never easy to deal with disappointment. It is not easy to live through. It is real and will visit you from time to time. Learning to live and work through disappointment will save you from a life of resentment and bitterness.
How Disappointment Comes
Disappointment comes in several ways. Identifying disappointment will help us know what to expect and perhaps give us some insight on how to live through it.
1. People will disappoint you.
All kinds of people will disappoint you in life. At times, even people you love and admire may disappoint you. No one is perfect. Each of us has disappointed others. Hopefully, it has never been intentional, but it does happen.
2. Organizations will disappoint you.
When you are involved in organizations, there is potential for them to really disappoint you. Perhaps they will not live up to what they state or they fail to respond in the way you assumed they would. This could be a school, church, business, government, or civic organization.
3. Circumstances will disappoint you.
There are times we work hard to shape the future or something we love. Then suddenly, something changes, someone leaves, someone fumbles the vision, or resources are not provided. Transition and change can challenge your attitude and lead to disappointment.
4. Unrealistic expectations will lead to disappointment.
Each of us can have unrealistic expectations. We can have unrealistic expectations of the people we love the most, and even of our nation. As a person who has high expectations of myself and others, I have had to moderate some of my expectations.
4 Actions to Take When Disappointment Comes
Living through disappointment will require us to take four actions on a regular basis.
Action #1: Realize no one is perfect.
Our unrealistic expectations lead us to assume that people are perfect and operate their lives and leadership perfectly. This is completely unfair and unwise. Personally, I must always remind myself that I am not perfect and I should not expect other people to be perfect.
Action #2: Forgive and let it go.
Forgiving other people who have disappointed us is the key to living with peace and contentment. We cannot hold something against someone else. We have to forgive and let it go.
Action #3: Forget it and drive on.
When we truly forgive and let something go, we also forget about it and drive on. My friend Clebe McClary, who fought courageously in the Vietnam War, taught me this principle years ago. He called it FIDO: Forget it and drive on. This is outstanding counsel for each of us when we are disappointed.
Action #4: Give it to God.
God knows everything. He knows where you are. He knows what happened. He knows the people, situation, organization, or experience that has disappointed you. Therefore, give it to God. He will take care of you.
Your Response is the Key
When disappointment comes with people, circumstances, organizations, or with life itself, the only thing you can control is your response to the situation. Your response is the key! You cannot control others or their actions.
There is one thing you can control: Your response to the situation.
Choose to accept all people.
Choose to forgive and let it go.
Choose to forget it and drive on.
Choose to give all your disappointments to God.
Now is the Time to Lead,
Ronnie W. Floyd
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.
This 1-Year Ministry Residential Experience is One of the Best Investments Our Church Makes
In 2013, we began the Cross Church School of Ministry, a one-year ministry residential experience that prepares leaders for life, ministry, and gospel advancement globally. Can you imagine what it is like to receive thirty new Ministry Staff members in one day and then launch them out of your ministry one year later? This is what we do in the Cross Church School of Ministry. In fact, we believe our next class will be the largest yet, equipping and empowering an estimated fifty students.
By August 1 of this year, ninety-nine students will have graduated from the Cross Church School of Ministry in our first five years. Most have launched into furthering their educational degrees, mostly at the masters or doctoral levels, others launched into full-time ministry, and fourteen of our own Ministry Staff members have graduated from the School of Ministry.
We Complement
The purpose of the School of Ministry is not to replace what our universities and seminaries do by way of theological education, but to complement them. The School of Ministry will provide a unique opportunity for any young man or woman called to ministry and Kingdom service to gain practical ministry experience in the Cross Church setting.
Students can come to the School of Ministry any time during or following their college or seminary career. They will receive classroom, mentorship, and hands-on experiences to prepare them as leaders for life, ministry, and Gospel advancement globally.
We give each student full-time local church experience, something they cannot get from an academic setting. School of Ministry graduates will understand local church ministry, and it will alter the way they live, lead, and extend the Gospel throughout their lifetime.
We Prepare
We prepare God-called leaders.
We prepare them for life. Our students are prepared for all of life, not just life in the church. We prepare them for marriage and family, even though a few are married already. We prepare them with life principles from relationships to finances, to health and wellness.
We prepare them for ministry. As students choose their one-year ministry track from one of the many we offer, they are under the mentorship of one or more of our pastors in this area of ministry. As well, they are permitted, encouraged, and expected to lead. The mentor and his ministry become their safety net so they will not fail, but learn and grow continually.
We prepare them for gospel advancement globally. We pour into these students the mission of our church and the Great Commission of our Lord. We want them to impact their region, their nation, and their world for Jesus Christ. Local ministry is part of our weekly activities. National ministry is accomplished when our students are sent on two mission trip experiences in the United States. One of our national trips usually includes the Washington, DC, region for our students to be reminded of the history of our nation. The students also participate in at least one international trip during the year. This gives them the opportunity to minister, evangelize, and learn about our international work through the Southern Baptist Convention.
We want our graduates consumed with Acts 1:8 and Matthew 28:19-20.
We Educate
The most unique commitment we have established from day one is to provide students the privilege to earn hours of credit at the bachelors and masters levels. We have too many partnerships with academic institutions to list here, but some of these institutions are now granting as many as 30 hours of credit for the one-year tenure here. Additionally, a few of our students choose to take online classes.
Here is the joy: Students do not have to lose a year of education by coming here, but in fact strengthen their future resume while gaining college or seminary credit. As well, they earn one year of full-time ministry experience from our church by the time they graduate. That is why many of our students go from here to full-time ministry.
We Launch
With one year of full-time ministry experience, we launch these graduates to complete their education, enter full-time local church ministry, or even go to the mission field.
Developing and launching God-called leaders is what we do at Cross Church through our School of Ministry.
Connect with Us Now
If you or someone you know has an interest in learning more about the Cross Church School of Ministry, please email our President, Dr. Ed Upton, at edu@crosschurch.com. It is NOT too late to join us as we begin our next cohort in August.
Now is the Time to Lead,
Ronnie W. Floyd
Dr. Ronnie Floyd is the President & CEO of the Southern Baptist Convention Executive Committee.