Monday, December 1, 2008

A Postive & a Negative


Things Start Happening When You Pray BIG

Life is too short for small dreams, small plans, and small goals. Our God is too big to think small. Contentment with the status quo is unacceptable. My prayer is going something like this, “God help us do more than we have ever done. God, would you double the size of our church in the next year? God, help me begin to see our church as twice the size it is today.”

God never gives us small dreams, small plans, and small assignments. If your dream doesn’t scare you a bit, then it’s probably not from God. Our vision should be so big and impressive that it requires the glory of God to see it come to pass. God wants you to get over yourself and realize that it’s not about you, your abilities, or your inabilities; it’s about HIM and what He can do through a submitted vessel.

We are about to experience a breakthrough.


Handling Troublemakers

Sooner or later even the best churches encounter troublemakers; people who deliberately cause trouble for troubles sake, or they are constantly unhappy about something and let their feelings be known to anyone who will listen. These people come in all shapes and sizes, are usually unaccomplished in their personal life, and if not addressed for their behavior will diminish the effectiveness of the church’s ministry. An effective leader knows too much is at stake to let anyone disrupt the ministry.

Never allow a problem person to have any room. Once it is apparent they are a liability to your mission or ministry, deal with them quickly, directly, lovingly, and firmly. The longer you put it off, the more of a problem they will become. Warn them once or twice and if they don’t change, ask them to leave. It’s that simple. Titus 3:10 (NIV) "Warn a divisive person once, and then warn him a second time. After that, have nothing to do with him." If they leave, let them, and by all means don’t feel as if you have to ask them to return. That is the height of foolishness.