Being a preacher is an incredibly challenging and extremely rewarding. I get to see people at their best during weddings, baptisms, graduations, anniversaries and on Sunday. Numerous people are praying for me daily, and I have people who regularly bless my life just because I am the preacher. I am truly blessed beyond measure.

Then there is the other side of ministry. The ugly side that makes me questions my calling to preach and lead a Church. Here are some of the things I find that make ministry difficult.

1. Gossip & Slander. The Bible lists these as sins, but we seem to accept them today as a part of life. The truth is that they are very destructive. I have seen people’s lives torn apart because someone was spreading stories about another person or group. The issue is not always whether the story is true or false. The damage is done because it is judgmental, mean, divisive and does not bring healing. Every time you spread a “secret” you are slowly destroying the kingdom of God, and it upsets me as your preacher.

2. Criticize Leadership Decisions to Everyone. First, I am not saying the leadership of the Church is above reproach, that is far from the truth. I have seen the leadership make enormous mistakes in their judgment at times. Even when they make a bad decision, frequently the criticism that follows is the most destructive thing. Public criticism is not the way of Jesus. He confronts people to their face and gathers all the facts. His way seeks forgiveness and unity.

The flip side to this issue is also important. Most of the time in decisions the leadership has far more information than the average Church member. For example, I once had a lady criticize the fact that we didn’t help a family who had a particular need. What the lady didn’t know is that the leadership had met with the family. We had helped them once in a big way and then offered financial counseling and they denied it. We did not want to run this family down, so we decided to keep quiet and let people criticize what they knew very little about. Many decisions are the result of numerous discussions, prayer and situations you might not know completely. Dividing the Church through constant public criticism is very upsetting to me as a preacher.

3. Create Unnecessary Conflict. I understand that some conflict is necessary. We need to confront sin. We need to push people toward growth. Sometimes we need to make difficult decisions. Those conflicts are expected, and I am prepared to handle those issue. The ones that upset me are the conflicts over unnecessary topics. The decorations, the paint color, the clothes I wear, the carpet, the coffee, my office hours and insurance company we use are not reasons to start a fight. Those are minor parts to the big purpose of Church. And yet, these are the things I have experienced in most Churches fights. Creating conflict over non-Biblical issues always make me frustrated.

I know there are other issues that build walls in my ministry relationships but these are the biggest to me. Interestingly enough these issues always involve the mouth. The people who spend more time talking than doing are often the biggest source of headache. Maybe the question for today is simply, “Are my words helping the Church or hurting it?” If you are not sure, ask your preacher, he will tell you.

Last week the VBS leadership had to make a decision that proved unpopular to at least three people. I am sure others felt disappointed but never told us as these families did.

The leadership decided to close registration for our Jr. Mission program at 30 kids on the second night. As a result, we turned away three families and told those attending not to bring any of their friends.

At first glance, this might sound crazy. The Church should never turn people away. We should put together every program for anyone who shows up. Today I want to take you a little deeper into the events preceding this decision to close the group.

First, six months before VBS we publicly stated the date we had chosen and the time that everything would happen in 2017. Then we began asking for volunteers to help with each area.

Second, we had four volunteers to lead our Jr. Mission program. There were at least six other people asked personally, and all of them declined for various reasons.

Third, we looked at the attendance from previous years and knew that we had never had over 28 youth registered in any previous year. Praying that God would give a few new faces this year the plan was put together for 30 Jr. High students to participate.

Fourth, a decision was made not to place the Jr. High group on any of our advertising. This group would primarily focus on developing the students of our Church and not be a community outreach program.

Fifth, all details were put in place by our four volunteers. This meant that each person involved would need a background check on themselves. Since our Jr. Mission group is focused on leaving our Church facility and serving in the community we also needed to secure locations to serve. This also reaffirmed our decision to plan for 30 kids because most places cannot accommodate that many young servants at one time. Finally, rides for all 30 had to be prepared for each night of travel.

Sixth, we opened up online registration. Again you need to know that this group was not advertised but was only known through word of mouth based on previous years. All total we had ten children signed up going into the first night.

Seventh, then the Jr. High students arrived. 26 total on the first night. A deep sigh of relief and forward they went. The second night more students came, and we hit 30 total immediately. Remember that we only had rides for 30 students to leave campus along with only four volunteers. A quick meeting and the decision was made to close the group. We had to turn three students away and felt unsure of doing it but knew the situation was beyond our control.

Eighth, people started texting, calling and emailing their suggestions on how to open the group up for more kids. This is where it gets more complicated. We did not just need more rides and drivers. We needed background checks for safety. We needed insured and inspected vehicles. We also did not have the room for them to serve at any of our planned locations. The plans were made for 30 total kids months before. The leadership simply did not plan on filling all of those spots so quickly since we had no advertising.

Ninth, after several conversations we decided to keep registration closed and leave it at 30. It was not an easy decision, but it was the best for our volunteers and the group that had already signed up. We all agree that we should have made the limitations public before the first night. Numerous events have limits on numbers, and that is just how some events work. Honestly, we had no idea this would be an issue based on previous years and previous registrations.

Finally, I want to be honest and straightforward here. If you had an issue with the way it was handled, I am sorry. Know that the best solution is to sign up and help next year. Numerous people were asked to serve in this area, and they declined. When an event is being planned, help at the last second is no real help at all.

I hate that some kids were not allowed to be a part of such a great week. It was not a total momentary decision. It was the result of six months of planning and preparing. Next year we will be better prepared and handle it better.

I do want to say thank you to all those who did volunteer and lead this group. Thanks for your kindness, patience, and service. Those 30 Jr. High students were blessed and thanks to people like you, these young people saw the light of Christ.

I am a numbers guy. I like to see the facts in black and white. I measure and remeasure from every possible angle to get things in the right perspective. As a Pastor, that means tracking all kinds of numbers to show how a program is doing. Here are the numbers that I wrote down from last weeks’ Vacation Bible School at Adrian Christian Church.

126 – The highest number of children on one night of VBS, 5th grade and under.

30 – The number of Jr. High students registered for Jr. Missions without ever mentioning it our advertising.

55 – The number of volunteers to help make VBS happen.

$543.41 – The amount of money raised for Show Me Christian Home through our nightly offering. A private donor is doubling all gifts to Show Me Home this summer to make it $1086.82.

37 – The number of the jars of peanut butter donated to Show Me Home along with the money. There was also a box of notebooks and over 100 rolls of toilet paper.

$335 – The amount of money raised by our Jr Missions kids to purchase toys for the Show Me Home.

200 – The number of snow cone cups given out at the closing program

250 – The number of hot dogs eaten at our VBS closing ceremony. Oddly enough there were 32 buns left over.

2 – The number of inflatables at our closing program that results in 2 hours of fun.

214 – The number of people who attended the closing worship program on Sunday. Estimated that around 50% of those people were guests.

1 – The number of people who have already mentioned coming back to Church another Sunday.

100 – The amount of Thank You notes I should write this week. Thanks to everyone who helped and participated in every way. Your gifts made an impact for the kingdom of God. I appreciate you, but more importantly, you are pleasing in the sight of God.

UNKNOWN – The complete impact of the week will never be known this side of heaven. Sometimes it takes several years of VBS programs to combine into one huge impact in a person’s life. One thing is for sure, lives were touched for the glory of God.

Thanks everyone.

Here are two slides for today. A couple of thoughts on using your gifts to serve the Lord. May God bless you this weekend.

Here are some of the best articles and posts I have read this week. Enjoy and may God bless you.

4 THINGS OUR DESIRE TO GOSSIP REVEALS ABOUT US

HOW DO WE HELP KIDS WHO HAVE LEFT THE FAITH?

That Time I Said “Yes” When I Really Meant “No”: One Last Thought on Eugene Peterson’s Interview – I don’t know if anyone else has followed this story, but I thought this was an insightful article.

59 Percent of Millennials Raised in a Church Have Dropped Out—And They’re Trying to Tell Us Why

5 Trends Christian Millennials MUST STOP Doing

9 ways to help teens manage their social media footprint

Gaztelugatxe

There are two ways to motivate people. They are very close. In fact, they are only two feet apart.

One way is a kick in the seat of the pants. My father was the master of this technique. I can remember at least two times he kicked me with authority on my backside. Both times I deserved it. I had made poor choices and when he became aware he “motivated” me not to act that way. Obviously, this can be metaphorical. It can mean any method used to give negative reinforcement against bad behavior.

The other way is a pat on the back. This happens when we see someone doing a good job, and you offer encouragement to keep on this path. There are people who have the gift of encouragement. They write cards, give gifts, email, text and find any number of ways to show their appreciation of your work. They are full of kind words about everything other people are doing.

This two-foot difference is an enormous distance when it comes to motivation.

Through the years I have seen people who only know one way to motivate people. Most of my boy’s coaches in sports have been people who yelled and tried to use negative consequences to motivate them. Unfortunately, instead of motivating them, they withdraw and perform worse. I have also known people in Church who are purely into positive reinforcement. They fear any confrontation because they do not want to be mistaken as a negative person. The side effect is that people are never pushed to grow.

All of us want to see other people perform at their best. We want our young people to achieve great accomplishments and live up to their full potential. We want to see those close to us grow, mature and thrive. We want to lead others to the best possible future.

If you are experiencing trouble in motivating people, you may need to move your point of contact up or down a couple of feet to see a different result.

I know of two ways to further the kingdom of God here on earth.

The first way the kingdom comes is through organized ministry. One of the functions of a Church is to help organize people for maximum impact. We have a building which allows ministry to happen. We have put together programs to teach kids, influence teens, train adults, and serve in a several ways. The Church is here to help make ministry easier on everyone. Together as a group of people, we can do more than we could as individuals.

This means the Church needs people with particular gifts to use those gifts in ministry. Those who love children can find a place to serve lots of kids at one time in the Church. Someone with gifts of music can use that gift to lead hundreds of people in worship. Your gifts and abilities are needed to make a big impact through the ministries we organize.

The second way the kingdom comes is through unorganized ministry. This occurs when individual Christians take their gifts with them into the world. It happens one on one in hundreds of places at the same time. You can take the time to listen to the troubled kid in the lobby during the ball game. Your family can invite him into your home and share the love of Christ through your help and concern. These are unplanned moments when God puts things together as only he is able.

This means that Christians need to keep their eyes open for those God ordained appointments for ministry. You need to be available to use your gifts at unknown moments whenever they occur. Today could bring opportunities for you make an impact for his kingdom.

The interesting things are that neither of these two things should stand on their own. Serving in the Church will have limited impact if you are not willing to minister outside of Sunday morning. You will undermine your goodwill on Sunday if you have a negative attitude through the week. The other side is also true. If you try to make a difference one day at a time all by yourself, you will have an impact on a few people but miss thousands. The organized ministry of the Church will increase your influence by multiplying your gifts.

Believers are called to a life of service for the kingdom of God. If you are not involved in an organized ministry within the Church, you are missing the power of a working together. If you are only serving within the Church, you are missing the day-to-day chances to shine your unique light wherever you go.

If you are missing one of these areas, then you have two options. One is to “sign up” to be a part of something bigger. The other is to “open up” your eyes and your heart to the opportunities that lie around you.

All of us serving individually and together will help to bring God’s goodness into the world.

Recently I read an article that made an accurate analogy for the Church.

The simple call is for the Christians to stop viewing the Church like a consumer. Through the years the Church has slowly slipped into a religious marketplace. People attend and evaluate if they like the music, the preaching, and the childcare to see if it meets their needs. If they like the program on Sunday morning, they will decide if they will return. A program that is done with enough quality might even get a little money thrown into the plate.

The sad result of this shift is that most Christians want their Church to offer them exciting and challenging programs but are unwilling to help make it happen. They are spectators of religious activities instead of active participants.

Personally, I have seen this shift in a major way in the last 20 years I have been in ministry. The Church now provides more and better program with less and less support. Recently my wife has been leading a ministry to get more people involved in our Church. The majority of the time she is met with resistance. “We are already busy.” “We have no extra time to give.” Usually, before she can say a word people have offered up excuses on why they cannot possibly be expected to serve. Christians have been reduced to spectators and consumers.

The analogy goes something like this. When you go to Wal-Mart, you have no desire or plans to help stock the shelves. You would be appalled if they asked you to donate your time to make their store better. You are there as a consumer. You are not a participant. Therefore, they should not ask you for anything. Instead, they should be there to help you. They should strive to make you happy and be flattered that you come into their store at all. They are there for you.

This is the thinking that happens in the Church. The more we view it as a place to meet our needs instead of a place to bring the kingdom of God to earth the less we want to serve. The more we view the Church like a consumer who will take our money elsewhere if we are unhappy the less we give to the work of the Lord. Whenever we have an attitude that everything is here to serve me, the less we will be interested in giving our lives to the work of the Lord in the Church.

The Church is not like Wal-Mart. We are here to give glory to God in everything we do. We are here to make him happy with our acts of service and sacrifice. We are here to praise the Lord and give him glory. Doing any less makes us more like Wal-Mart than a Church.

Personally, I like Wal-Mart, but it is nothing compared to the Kingdom of God.

This week our Church is leading a Vacation Bible School program each night. As a result, my mind is on children’s ministry. I want to suggest to you at least five ways that you, as a believer, can support the children’s ministry at your Church.

1. Prayer. Never underestimate the power of prayer. Pray for the teachers, the volunteers, and everyone who works with the kids. Pray for the kids as they listen and learn. Pray for God to open the hearts and minds of the young people who give us their time. Pray.

2.People. Every ministry needs people to support it. Children’s ministry needs volunteers to register kids, teach them, support the leader and help in any way. There is a need for people to teach what the Bible says while modeling it with their lives. You will know the enormous impact your life will have just by being there.

3.Playful Spirit. The best volunteer is someone who can laugh and smile. It takes someone willing to get down on the floor and play with the kids. Take time to talk to them about their lives and listen to their many stories. But even if you do not serve in this area, then please have a playful spirit about those who do work there. Encourage bright colors, loud noise, and fun. More than once I have encountered a person in Church who gets angry about the noise and the mess the kids are making. Relax and enjoy it, in fact, encourage it.

4.Patience. Working with kids is like tending an orchard; it may take a long time to see some fruit. One week kids are excited and the next they are bored. One week you think you are making progress and the next you feel like you are failing. Even though you may not see big decisions made every week the seed of faith is still being planted and taking root under the surface. Who knows what it will one day produce?

5.Pick up. Children’s ministry is a mess. Toys are lying on the floor. Snacks smashed under the table. Full trash cans abound. I know it can be a headache to clean up after a group of kids, but I am thankful that a group of young people were present and learned about the Lord. The book of Proverbs says that where there are no oxen, the stable is clean. The problem is a barn is not made to stay clean but to house oxen. The same is true for children’s ministry. Embrace the mess as a sign that God is using your Church to reach the next generation.

I often hear people look at children in the Church and speak of them as the Church of the future. I honestly believe they are actually the Church of today. They are the ones who need our teaching and our example right now. We dare not wait until they are old to teach them the way of Christ, we had better start now. Children’s ministry is serious business.

I believe in children’s ministry, and I try to support it in every way I am able. I pray you will too.

Being transformed into Christlikeness is manifest in ways you might not expect. One of them is seen in who eats the last piece of pizza.

Let me explain the situation so that you understand.

Yesterday a group of people at our Church stayed after worship to set up for Vacation Bible School. We had a little over five hours to transform our entire Church building into a kid-friendly environment for maximum impact. While I did not get an exact count on the number of people I am going to guess it was around thirty total adults who stayed to help. Some were moving chairs, others were preparing food, some were getting ready for registration, activities were being set up, and there was a lot of decorating happening.

Our Church building was full of people scurrying around while preparing for well over a hundred kids who would attend our VBS. These people were selflessly giving up their Sunday afternoon on behalf of children. Many of the children these adults would not know in any way. Still, they served without payment or recognition.

As a small treat each year for this group of wonderful people, the Church buys pizza for lunch. Everyone eats, drinks and fellowships while enjoying a few down moments to refuel before going back to work. Each year it is always the same with these people. A few kids run up and grab some pizza first and slowly everyone else lines up and gets a slice or two. Then a few people go back for another slice, and the boxes empty rapidly.

Finally, we reach the last box, and the pizza disappears down to a final piece or two. Those pieces just lie there looking undesired by anyone. Every year the same thing. The last piece or two of pizza is the hardest to give away. (I usually end up eating them, but that is another story)

Typical logic would tell you this happens because everyone is full. Through the years I have found a much deeper cause for the neglected pizza. The reason is a matter spiritual significance. No one wants to take the last piece because someone else might want it.

The Bible teaches believers to consider others better than themselves (Philippians 2:3). These people are walking the way of Christ and living selflessly. That is what motivates them to give up their afternoon to set up for a VBS where kids they do not know will come to learn and enjoy. These people care about others.

That last piece of pizza will sit there because someone else may want it more. They may need it, and they can have it.

A piece of pizza lying in the box at the end of Church event is not a sign that everyone is full. It is a sign that people are being transformed by Christ to care about others.