The Problem With Structure

by Ryan Stigile, the Unstuck Group

Regardless of your church's size, there's no doubt it is built on an organizational structure. To effectively lead a large number of people, you need a way to protect your circle of influence and the decision-making process. This is why most church boards and leadership teams were created.

Over time, however, a structure meant to protect your progress can actually begin to get in the way. When a structure overly-directs which people are involved in decisions, it will box out the new perspectives you need. Eventually, leading strictly according to structure will get your church stuck. You may have experienced one of these side effects:

• You leave staff meetings feeling like you barely moved the ball forward.
• The thought of board meetings creates more stress than excitement.
• You know you need new ideas but you're not sure what they are.

To keep a church moving forward, leaders must see structure for what it truly is: Structure provides protection but often blocks out new perspectives.

Are you feeling the pains of an overly-directive structure? Here are 3 ways you can let in the new perspectives you need:

1. Promote the best, not the next in line.

The view of organizational structures as a ladder has ruined our approach to promotions. When a position opens up, we naturally look one rung down for a replacement. But the best person for the job isn't always next in line.

Who deserves to be promoted beyond their seniority?

2. Value leadership capacity over expertise.

Our natural tendency is to put the person who knows the most about a ministry in charge of it. But leadership is more about influencing people than knowing the right decisions to make. High capacity leaders will figure out what they need to know.

Which high-capacity leader deserves greater influence?

3. Build tables for the right perspectives, not the right positions.

We tend to organize meetings based on leadership levels. But same-level leaders often have too much of a similar perspective. If you want to change the way your team makes decisions, you have to change who is seated at the table. It doesn't matter what title they hold or whether or not they get a "vote" at the end. It matters that you involve people who will push you to see beyond where you are.

Who else do you need to invite to your next meeting?

If you're starting to feel like your church's structure is over-directing the people you involve, take steps to break out and let fresh perspectives in. Here are a couple resources from The Unstuck Group that can help:

Take The Lid Off Your Church: This eBook from Tony Morgan is designed to help you build a healthy senior leadership team.

Staffing & Structure Review: This process will help you get the right people in the right roles to move your church forward.

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Original Page: http://tonymorganlive.com/2014/03/28/problem-structure/

What did Jesus really mean that we must become as a child?

Martin Luther had six children, and one day, exasperated by their noise, Luther muttered about Jesus' comment in Matthew 18:3 that unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven:

"Dear God, do we have to become such idiots?"

While the rumination is humorous, it caused me to wonder, What did Jesus really mean that we must become as a child?

That's when it hit me. Dr. Alexander Vazakas was my 83-year-old philosophy professor in college who had received his Ph.D. under John Dewey. A remarkable Pentecostal scholar originally from Thessalonica, Greece, Dr. Vazakas could communicate fluently in 18 languages. One day he was talking in class about two kinds of knowledge: cognitive and affective.

• Cognitive is knowledge of facts: things like what, where, when, who, and why.
• Affective is relational knowledge, as in, "Adam knew his wife Eve."

When my daughter Evangeline was 3, she didn't have much cognitive knowledge about me. She didn't know what it meant to be six feet tall or to be married (she thought she'd always been around), and she didn't know much about doctoral degrees. Shortly after she saw me walk across stage to pick up my doctoral diploma, though, she walked across a platform at the end of daily Vacation Bible School and proudly announced that she, too, had gotten her doctorate!

But while she didn't know much about me, she knew me better than a lot of people who knew more facts. Why? Because of affective knowledge. She knew me through relationship.

So, that's it, I said to myself as I drove. Jesus was talking about affective knowledge. Children don't know a lot of facts. The doorway to the Kingdom is through relationship—"You must be born again" (John 3:7)

Cognitive knowledge is worthless in the Christian realm without affective knowledge. There are many brilliant theologians who can dazzle you with their knowledge of the Bible, archeology, hermeneutics, exegesis, higher and lower criticism—but who have no personal relationship with God. They know about God, but do not know God.

I realized that when my daughter grew to adulthood, she would understand the information about me, but it would take time. That insight freed me to accept people into our church who had a relationship with Jesus Christ but areas of belief and behavior that needed maturation.

The call to ministry means we do our best to create an environment conducive to God's working in the lives of His people. People change from within when they have a relationship with Jesus Christ, not from the imposition of doctrines or standards of behavior from outside.

God looks on the heart, which means He knows what each and every heart devoted to Him needs, and He knows how that heart must change to be right with Him.

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Does Your Child Think Money Grows on Trees?

I face a daunting challenge whenever I take one or more of my daughters to the grocery store. I'm sure you've experienced it too.

"Daddy, can I have one of those?" "Daddy, will you get this for me?"

One Sunday, our family was eating a "gourmet" lunch off the dollar menu at a fast-food restaurant. My daughter Jaley asked, "Can I have some chocolate ice cream?" I immediately answered no, and she complained.

Those situations put us fathers in a bad position, where we're forced to choose between potentially spoiling them by giving in to their every request or trying to figure out how to keep them from embarrassing us in public with screaming fits. For a while, my daughters really worked me over.

The bigger concept I see at work in these situations is one that too few people today appreciate: scarcity. Scarcity describes the condition of limited resources and unlimited wants and needs. My daughter Jaley only has a certain amount of money, but there are many toys she wants to buy—limited resources but unlimited options. Her limited amount of resources forces her to stop and think about which items she wants more, and as she gets older, my desire is that she learns to consider bigger priorities that are behind those desires.

A big-picture definition of scarcity is quite different from the definition that we see in everyday life. From a larger—or perhaps a more basic—perspective, we are living in a condition of what you could call unlimited resources. Compared to the material things that many of our parents and grandparents had, we have more than enough for every need that we have and many things we want, although we often think about our "wants" as "needs." We should be viewing our needs as limited. What do we really need to exist in this world? Food, water and shelter (clothing and a roof over heads). If we understand that our needs are limited, we can be content with what we have!

Then there's the prevailing view of scarcity that we see through advertising, which says that we never have enough to keep up with our ever-increasing wants and needs. We are encouraged to keep attaining more and more, but we're forced to make difficult decisions based on limited resources.

Many people in our culture do not let limited funds stop them from spending anyway; they simply use a credit card and go into debt rather than having the self-discipline to wait to get what they want. Our children see evidence of this approach all around them, in their friends and in the media.

We need to teach our children about scarcity. They need to learn to make good choices with the money they have, and they need to understand the dangers of not making good choices. How can we do that? Two ideas are important here.

First, our modeling is a key factor. Our children will compare what we say with what they see us do. If our resources really are limited, are we choosing what kind of clothes and shoes we wear based on that, or are we going into debt for non-necessities? Does our approach also apply to the toys and candy that they want? As they get older, they will be more aware of their peers and what their peers have, but their early awareness will come from you.

Second, use allowances as a teaching tool. Surveys show that only 27 percent of Americans give their kids allowance. Give your children an allowance so they can begin to make choices and learn about limited resources. For those grocery-store situations, my wife and I learned this approach to help them distinguish between their wants and needs. (Actually, it's an idea I learned recently, but my wife has been using it for quite a while.) We realized that kids will grasp scarcity much more easily when they're working with their own money.

So, my wife and I discussed a different approach when our daughters ask us to buy things for them. We simply say, "Sure, you can have that ice cream. You can use your allowance to pay for it." What usually happens is that my daughters will think for just a few seconds before blurting out, "I guess I don't want any." They quickly figure out that the ice cream, candy or new toy is a want and not a need. And the best part is that they make those decisions themselves, so there is usually no complaining.

And even if they say, "OK, I'll buy it with my allowance," I know that's only delaying the learning opportunity. In a few days or weeks, they won't have enough money for something else they want, and I'll just say, "Hmm. I guess you spent your money on other things."

Over time, they learn that their money is limited and that they need to make good choices about how they spend it.

Action Points

• If your children are still young, begin to teach them about these concepts now. It will take time, and the younger your children are, the more opportunities you can give them to learn.
• Explain to your children how money gets into your bank account, and emphasize that you do not have an unlimited amount of money.
• With older kids, sit down with them and talk about the house payment, electric bill and all regular expenditures and how they come out of your paycheck. If you don't want to reveal your total income, find a way to show them the costs of real life so they will understand limited resources.
• Talk to your kids about debt and the good and bad choices you have made in this area.

Shane Barkley is the author of Dad Cents, from which this article was adapted. He has a degree in business administration from John Brown University and has 10 years of experience in the financial consulting industry.

For the original article, visit fathers.com.

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The Way of Love and Interdependence

Jesus set a little child in the midst of the disciples who had been arguing about who was the greatest among them, and taught them a lesson about being servants. I think what He told them is, "If you really want to be great, then put your arms around the next generation and serve them. My way is not self-fulfillment, but self-denial. My way is not independence, but interdependence."

It took awhile for the disciples to realize the world would know them—not by how smart they were, not by how cutting-edge they were, not by what their generational and cultural preferences were—but by their love for one another.

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." (John 13:34-35, NKJV)

The New Testament never takes for granted that we know how to love. In Romans 12:9–21, a list of prescriptions is given to help us love one another—from entertaining strangers and showing hospitality to honoring one another and returning good for evil. The New Testament is very clear in outlining how we ought to love. So Christ reaches into us through our prayers, attitudes and actions to shape us and help us become loving people.

There are non-Christians who are very loving people. What makes Christian love different is that it does not flow out of emotion and feeling. It flows out of commitment. Christian love is known by its extent, by the degree to which it will go.

You may not be where you would like to be in your capacity to love and serve with love. But the fruit is developmental. It will take you where you are now and grow from there.

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Entertaining Pulpits and the Legacy of Tethered Preaching by David Mathis -SermonCentral.com

By David Mathis

There's a big difference between a gifted Bible-expositor and an entertainment-oriented preacher.

Initially, it may be tough to tell the difference. A gifted Bible-expositor and an entertainment-oriented preacher with a penchant for garnishing his ideas with some Bible may not demonstrate much disparity at first.

But give it some time. And check the congregation over the long haul. It will make a world of difference.

Tethered to the Bible

John Piper coins a term in his short article "In Honor of Tethered Preaching: John Calvin and the Entertaining Pastor." "Tethered preaching," he says, is cut from a different cloth altogether. It is Bible-oriented rather than entertainment-oriented, even as it often proves captivating to the born-again palate.

The Bible tethers us to reality. We are not free to think and speak whatever might enter our minds or what might be pleasing to any given audience—except God.

A Relentless Reformer

While many fine preachers, no doubt, could be celebrated in the legacy of "tethered preaching," Piper holds up the great Reformer John Calvin (1509–1564) as one example.

For Calvin, preaching was tethered to the Bible. That is why he preached through books of the Bible so relentlessly. In honor of tethered preaching, I would like to suggest the difference I hear between preaching tethered to the word of God and preaching that ranges free and leans toward entertainment.

Piper goes on to characterize the entertainment-oriented preacher as one who:

a. Doesn't seem to be shaped and constrained by an authority outside himself

b. Gives the impression that what he says has significance for reasons other than that it manifestly expresses the meaning and significance of the Bible

c. Is at ease talking about many things that are not drawn out of the Bible

d. Seems to enjoy more talking about other things than what the Bible teaches

e. "His words seem to have a self-standing worth as interesting or fun. They are entertaining. But they don't give the impression that this man stands as the representative of God before God's people to deliver God's message."

However, the Bible-oriented preacher:

a. Sees himself this way: "I am God's representative sent to God's people to deliver a message from God"

b. Knows that the only way a man can dare to assume such a position is with a trembling sense of unworthy servanthood under the authority of the Bible

c. Knows that the only way he can deliver God's message to God's people is by rooting it in and saturating it with God's own revelation in the Bible

d. Wants the congregation to know that his words, if they have any abiding worth, are in accord with God's words, and so constantly tries to show the people that his ideas are coming from the Bible

e. Is hesitant to go too far toward points that are not demonstrable from the Bible

f. "His stories and illustrations are constrained and reined in by his hesitancy to lead the consciousness of his hearers away from the sense that this message is based on and expressive of what the Bible says."

And so, in sum, "People leave the preaching of the Bible-oriented preacher with a sense that the Bible is supremely authoritative and important and wonderfully good news. They feel less entertained than struck at the greatness of God and the weighty power of his word."

David Mathis is Executive Editor of DesiringGod.org.

7 Ways I Stay Forward Thinking as a Leader

One of the responsibilities of a leader is to be consistently looking forward for the organization. A leader has to continually be asking the question: What's next? That's a critical key to continued growth of the organization.

The problem for me comes with the immediate demands on my time. The now cliché statement goes "Sunday's coming" is always true for a pastor. There are always immediate needs of people in the church. It seems there is something that continually occupies my immediate attention.

Still, if our church is to continue to grow and face the challenges of a changing community, I must discipline myself to pick my head up from the daily routines to think long-term.

Here are 7 ways I keep myself looking forward:

Read – I try to read something everyday and I read an equal balance of leadership and Christian books. In addition, I follow dozens of blogs with a variety of focuses, from technology, to culture and leadership. I take notes of ideas sparked along the way using Evernote.

Explore – I attend several conferences each year. I go to discover new techniques, strategies and ideas, but also to network with people doing what I do. The world of social media (Twitter, Facebook, etc.) has made it easier to connect with other leaders and I take advantage of the opportunities and ideas presented.

Hang out with a younger crowd – I love the idealism of youth. The newest ideas always seem to come from the younger generation at the time. One reason I like to be around college students is that they keep me fresh in my thought process.

Hang out with risk takers – I often need to be where creative energy isn't limited by practical reasoning. There's a place for that too, and I'm a realist by nature, but I don't want to quit dreaming the impossible either. I certainly don't want to be around those who have "It will never happen" as their first response. That's another reason I love the idealism of youth. The newest ideas always seem to come from the younger generation.

Invest in others – As I invest in others I am personally energized. I feel I have even more to offer and have a stronger desire to keep a fresh approach when I think others value what I have to add to the discussion.

Let others invest in me – Sometimes I have to release power to others on my team and allow them to lead me. I'm stretched to dream bigger by the people on my team. I also have several people who regularly speak into my life. I surround myself with good, creative, seasoned leaders. When I stop dreaming, I find it necessary to allow others to push me.

Rest - When I'm tired or stretched personally I'm less likely to dream.  I have to discipline myself to stop sometimes, but it's always productive when I do. In the busiest seasons, I am most likely to build into my schedule a day away more frequently.

Exercise – The best mind-stretching time for me is when I am running or exercising. The key for me is to break the monotony of busyness and allow my mind room to think. Something about exercising gets the blood flowing through my body to my brain. On especially busy days, I try to build in an hour in the gym or on the road. I keep exercise clothes at my office.

How do you keep focused on the forward picture, without being bogged down in daily routines?

Related posts:

1. How To Balance Strategy & Creativity To Move Your Ideas Forward
2. An Encouragement to Stay Faithful to God's Call
3. 3 Stumbling Blocks to Moving Forward
4. 5 Ways to Fuel Creative Thoughts

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Jesus’ Instructions Concerning Prayer

Jesus instructed His followers in what to pray for.

He told us to pray for workers in the harvest (Matthew 9:38). The problem always lies not with the shortage of people willing to come to Christ, but the shortage of workers to bring them to Him. We must address this shortage through prayer.

He told us to pray in unity with others (Matthew 18:19,20). He told us to pray in His name (John 14:13,14; 15:7; 16:23–26). Praying in His name conditions our prayer.

"Praying in His name" is not some magical formula we tack onto a prayer to get what we want. Those who pray in His name know the character of the One in whose name they pray; and, therefore, we make our requests known and leave the response to Him for either divine intervention or divine strength.

He told us to pray with faith (Mark 11:22–26), and that some things cannot be done except through prayer (Mark 9:29). God has chosen to do His work through our prayer, not without it.

Since the Lord is Sovereign, He may do anything He wants consistent with His nature. However, some things He will not do unless we pray. Remember how Jesus privately instructed the disciples: "'This kind comes out only by prayer'" (Mark 9:29)? If only prayer could deliver a demoniac, how much more is prayer required when we pray for the world, the nation, the Church, and the tremendous needs faced within our communities and congregations?

Harold Lindsell expressed it well: "God cannot do some things unless we work. He stores the hills with marble, but He has never built a cathedral. He fills the mountains with iron ore, but He never makes a needle or a jet airplane. He leaves that to us. If then, God has left many things dependent on man's thinking and working, why should He not leave some things dependent upon man's praying? He has done so. 'Ask and you shall receive.' And there are some things God will not give us unless we ask. We cannot suppose that God will do for us without prayer what He has promised to do for us only through prayer."

Thus, prayer is essential for spreading the gospel.

Jesus taught, " 'Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field' " (Matthew 9:38). Jesus modeled what He asked of others. He himself spent the entire night in prayer before He called the 12 and named them apostles (Luke 6:12–16). And, would we ever have had the opening to the Gentiles had Peter not gone up on the roof to pray — a prayer that resulted in Peter's willingness to go the house of Cornelius (Acts 10:9)? Would the first missionary journey have ever been launched had the Antioch leadership not been fasting and praying (Acts 13:1–3)? The apostle Paul urged the Colossians, "Pray for us that God may open a door for our message. … Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should" (Colossians 4:3,4).

Clearly the Early Church understood that a prayerless church is a powerless church. They learned well from Jesus: "Apart from me you can do nothing" (John 15:5, emphasis mine).

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4 Tests For a Dream From God

It would be naive and irresponsible to suggest that all spiritual dreams result in a true God connection. Dreamers who mistake their own subconscious thoughts or even demonic influence as divine instruction can make grim and historic mistakes. Recently a woman in a rural village sacrificed her child in the river out of obedience to what she thought was a dream from God. So how can you discern whether a dream is from God?

1. It's biblical. Make sure it doesn't contradict the Bible. Scripture forbids many kinds of spiritism, including sorcery and consulting psychics (see Lev. 19:31, Deut. 18:10-13). It's a good idea to get counsel from a trusted pastor or Bible teacher.
2. It's convicting. "Usually, when you are very in tune with spiritual things, if you have a dream you are convicted by it," says Abraham Sarker, author of Understand My Muslim People. (See Is. 6:1-6.)
3. It lingers. Unlike most dreams that fade from memory, a dream from God lingers and might bother you until it fulfills its purpose. 
4. It comes to pass. Many dream conversions are based on testimonies of people whose dreams literally come true, as in the account of Saul and Ananias (Acts 9:10-19). An aid worker tells about a woman in Indochina who cried when she first met the worker's friend. She recognized the man from a dream she had. In the dream, this man told her he had a message for her. "So she talked with him, and he led her to the Lord," says the worker. This type of experience is commonly reported in the underground church.

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Original Page: http://www.charismamag.com/life/women/16015-4-tests-for-a-dream-from-god

5 Ways That Praying in Tongues Will Change Your Life Forever!

One of the most controversial, and sadly, most misunderstood gifts of the Holy Spirit is praying in tongues. I am convinced that there is so much antagonism aimed at this gift because of the incredible power it releases into our lives. In the same way that many reject the prophetic ministry because of abuses, misuses, and bad experiences, the same approach has been taken—perhaps in greater extremes—towards praying in tongues.

Tongues Is An Controversial Subject That Requires Our Attention

At the end of the day, we need to be honest with ourselves and honest with the Biblical text. This unique gift of the Holy Spirit actually announced the birth of Christianity on the Day of Pentecost, it was highly prized by the man who wrote the majority of the New Testament (Paul), it equips believers to communicate with God on a unique level, and empowers us to effectively live the supernatural life. In short, it would make a lot of sense, that the enemy would tirelessly fight against something that has such strong potential to pillage his expansion of darkness in our lives and on the Earth.

Corey Russell, a senior leader at the International House of Prayer in Kansas City, wrote the book and curriculum, The Glory Within not simply as a teaching on the subject of tongues, but as a summons to experience the power of a Person—the Holy Spirit. In the past, many books and teachings have emphasized tongues in almost a robotic way. What was intended to be a source of supernatural power and a catalyst for deep intimacy with God has been reduced to a mere theological position in many charismatic churches.

Speaking In Tongues is More Than A One-Time Experience

The Glory Within makes the powerful point that tongues is not some spiritual merit badge we receive when we are baptized in the Holy Spirit, use it for a season, and then put it out to pasture. Evangelist Reinhard Bonnke comments on the gifts of the Spirit, emphasizing that "they are not badges of honor, but tools for the job." The gift of tongues is something that the Apostle Paul deeply cherished and provided nearly an entire chapter of instruction on in 1 Corinthians 14. This is not a call to place an inappropriate emphasis on tongues, as many have done in the past; it is, however, an invitation to reevaluate where we stand on its purpose, relevance and present-day power in our everyday Christian lives.

In fact, Corey took the additional bold step and developed a DVD-based Bible Study focusing on how a lifestyle of consistently praying in tongues significantly benefits your Christian life. It is not spooky. It is not exclusive to the super spiritual. It does not even signify elevated spiritual maturity. Tongues is a gift. It is a tool. It is powerful, available, and absolutely life-changing. However, many receive this gift at one point in their lives and taste its power, but they never actually make it a part of their normal Christian lives. This is why Corey invites all readers and participants to "throw their badges in the trash." Yesterday's encounter with God cannot sustain us for today. Yesterday's touch is insufficient for today's trials.

Do You Really Know Who Lives Inside of You?

In these powerful resources, Corey takes you on a journey, revisiting some of the most familiar, and yet misunderstood topics on the Holy Spirit: Do we really understand that God lives inside of us? In the introductory sessions about the Person of Holy Spirit–Who He is, what He does, and His purpose in the life of the believer—you will be absolutely awestruck. I am convinced that if we really get a clear revelation of the fact that the Genesis 1:1 God—the One Who said "light be" and light was—that He lives inside of us in the person of Holy Spirit, it would become impossible for us to change the subject. We would devote our lives to discovering how to see the Living God accurately represented in the Earth through our lives. You will be inspired and encouraged as you discover Who it is that decided to take up residence in your spirit… and what He wants to do through you!

5 Ways Praying In Tongues Will Change Your Life Forever

Based on The Glory Within, here are 5 ways that praying in tongues will change your life forever. Praying in tongues…

1) Gives You Supernatural Understanding of God's Mysteries

For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. (1 Cor. 14:2)

Corey describes Holy Spirit as the Google, or "Search Engine of Heaven." God is mysterious, yes, but the Spirit who knows everything about the mysterious, expansive, Glorious God is the same Spirit Who lives inside of you! And furthermore, He wants to reveal mysteries to you about God, His will, about your life, and about the circumstances you are facing! How do we access this revelation? Communion with the Holy Spirit on His level—in His language. Remember, Paul defines Holy Spirit as the One who "searches out everything and shows us God's deep secrets." (1 Cor. 2:10, NLT) As you pray in the Spirit, you will discover things that were previously mysterious and unknown will start coming into greater focus and clarity.

2) Grants You Access to Other Revelatory Gifts of the Holy Spirit

…for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit… to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. (1 Cor. 12: 8,10)

Praying in tongues actually unlocks other revelatory gifts of the Holy Spirit in your life, namely the word of wisdom, word of knowledge, prophecy, and discerning of spirits. Remember, you are not praying on a natural dimension, but rather, engaging on a purely spiritual one. Don't be surprised if, while praying in tongues, the Holy Spirit gives you supernatural insight about something, leads you to pray for people, and unlocks clarity over people, situations and even regions, enabling you to effectively pray for and break off the spiritual strongholds that are influencing them.

3) Opens Up the Bible in a New Living Way as you Read It

However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak. (Jn. 16:13)

For some modern believers, reading the Bible can feel like a life-draining experience. It's not just history. It is not a mere record of facts. Scripture isn't just stories. The same Holy Spirit Who inspired the writing and assembly of the Holy Scriptures lives inside of you. He wants to guide you through the Bible, make the words jump off the page, give you understanding on confusing matters, empower you to apply God's Word to your everyday life, share prophetic promises with you, and help you discover your role in God's unfolding story. Corey describes praying in tongues as a way the Holy Spirit "shines a flashlight on Scripture."

4) You Are Speaking Directly To God

For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God.(1 Cor. 14:2a)

As you pray in tongues, you have a direct line to the President of the Universe. Sometimes while praying in our native languages, we have the tendency to veer off and get distracted. We may start complaining. We may start going through the routine laundry list of prayer requests—and by the time we are finished reading them off to God, we feel more burdened than refreshed (because we actively thought of every single one of those circumstances as we listed them off in prayer). Tongues keeps us talking directly to God, praying in agreement with His perfect will (see Rom. 8:26-28).

5) Empowers You to Engage Spiritual Warfare From the Position of Victory

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit (Eph. 6:18, KJV)

Praying in tongues is not some magic formula that guarantees us some free and easy lifestyle of health, wealth, prosperity, and all of those fixings. Jesus assured us that in this life, we will experience tribulation (see Jn. 16:33). In the same passage, the same Jesus declared that He has overcome the world. Victory has already been secured at Calvary. In times of trial and assault, it is easy for us to become weary in the place of prayer—often, not knowing what or how to pray. Praise God for the Holy Spirit! Paul reminds us for we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us (Rom. 8:26). When in the heat of spiritual combat, it is easy to start praying prayers that agree with the size of the attack, emphasizing the problem, rather than focusing on the size of the blood-bought victory that Jesus purchased at the cross. Praying in tongues empowers you to agree with God's victorious battle plan for your life and your circumstances, no matter what is going on around you. It does not deny reality; it simply positions you to agree with the higher Truth of Scripture—victory has been purchased and it is yours through Jesus Christ.

Tongues Reveals the Wisdom of God

Again, praying in tongues does not make you a better Christian. It does not instantly elevate you into spiritual superstardom. There are many believers who speak in tongues, but live like the devil. However, tongues is a relevant and available gift to believers today. Why tongues—something that seems so… so foolish, uneducated, and ungraspable to our natural human minds?

Keep in mind that you are dealing with the King of the Universe Who arrived on planet Earth in a manger surrounded by farm animals. He is the Holy God Who died the death of a criminal on a Roman cross to make atonement for the sins of the world. Our God is the One Who deals in wisdom that is so infinitely superior to what our natural minds can comfortably wrap around that, at first glance, such methods appear downright foolish. Birthing His church with wind, fire, and speaking in tongues would be another such demonstration of God's otherworldly wisdom. But consider the words of the Apostle Paul, 

But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; ²⁸ and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, ²⁹ that no flesh should glory in His presence. (1 Cor. 1:27-29)

Just because our minds cannot understand the whys of God's ways, does not give us permission to ignore them. Tongues is surely a mystery, but at the same time, it is a powerful gift that will not only enrich your personal prayer life, but will bring you into deeper intimacy and communion with the Holy Spirit.

If you are looking for a solid, Biblical approach to the topic of praying in tongues, I encourage you to look into Corey Russell's The Glory Within curriculum. It is ideal for Bible studies, small groups, and church classes. Corey's approach is fresh, non-threatening, and completely motivated by love. Whether you are looking to go to the next level in developing a lifestyle of praying in tongues, or you would like to have more clarity about the topic, The Glory Within will be a blessing to you.

You can visit Corey Russell at http://www.coreyrussell.org

Larry Sparks is the author of Breakthrough Healing (Destiny Image, 2014). He is a conference speaker, blogger, columnist, and host of the weekly radio program Voice of Destiny (www.thevoiceofdestiny.org). Featured in Charisma Magazine and on CBN's Spiritual Gifts webcast, Larry is also founder of Equip Culture—a ministry that equips believers with the tools and resources to live victoriously through the supernatural power of God. Subscribe to his blog at www.lawrencesparks.com Follow him on Twitter @LarryVSparks.

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Original Page: http://www.charismamag.com/spirit/prayer/20030-5-ways-that-praying-in-tongues-will-change-your-life-forever

How Dads Should Build Leaders

Do you consider yourself a leader, dad?

You may or may not be in a leadership position in your career, and you may or may not be naturally wired that way. But I believe you are leader if you're a father. It's a leadership position, for sure.

I want to help equip you for that, with help from my close friend Wayne Gordon, pastor at the Lawndale Community Church in Chicago. What has happened in that neighborhood under Wayne's leadership has been called a miracle: A blighted community has been transformed into a place of progress, purpose and hope. I had the privilege of serving there with Wayne for five years during the 90s.

Wayne's book, Real Hope in Chicago, talks about the principles that helped to transform this community. His insights on leadership are especially valuable, and I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't pass them on to you—with my own added emphasis on fatherhood. After all, fatherhood is about leading today and raising up leaders for tomorrow.

1. See 15 years into the future. The little children you see today—or even the teenager—will grow and mature. Even if things seem difficult right now, don't give up! Your investments in your children's lives will make a difference, even if you can't see it for weeks, months or even years.

2. Make them feel important. That's how gang leaders build closeness and loyalty, and it works even better in families. When your child knows that he is precious to you and has a contribution to make in your household, he develops the confidence to develop into a leader.

3. Don't go anywhere alone. Future leaders need to get out in the world, experience life and become familiar with its problems and mysteries. And they need to see how dad handles those issues. So include a child when you go to the hardware store, to the weekend softball game or to the church service project—and sometimes, if you can, even the out-of-town business trip. That's how you share your life with your children, strengthen your relationships and give them a vision for the world.

4. Be accessible. Our children need to know that they are among our top priorities, and one way we communicate that is by being available—even when it's not convenient for us. When a child knows they can get your full attention in a time of need, suddenly they gain a confidence to reach beyond themselves.

5. Expose them to other role models. Give your kids opportunities to learn from gifted youth leaders, caring coaches and teachers, and other positive influencers. As we're sharing the best of ourselves, we also need to share others with our children.

6. Let them fail. It's hard to stand by and watch your child fall short of a goal. But that's often when the most growth occurs. At times, we may need to take a few steps back to allow our kids to move forward through the process of making mistakes and learning from them.

7. Love, love, love. Love is empowering for a child; it gives confidence and security so she can try new things or recover when something has gone wrong. And I know you already know this, but dads, our love needs to be expressed in actions and in words.

Dads, it's inevitable that our children will grow up and eventually be out on their own. Let's make sure we're equipping them to be responsible leaders who really make a difference.

Dad—please share your thoughts: What leadership principles have you seen at work in your fathering? You can join the conversation either below or on our Facebook page.

Action Points for Dads on the Journey

• Tell your children your heartfelt dreams for each of them.
• Include at least one of your children when you run errands around town and, if you can, take one on an occasional out-of-town business trip.
• Talk to your children about a coach, boss or other leader who has been influential in your life. Share about what made him such a great leader.
• Give your child opportunities to make some decisions as he becomes more responsible and refines his leadership skills.

Carey Casey is the CEO of the National Center for Fathering, a nonprofit organization dedicated to changing the culture of fathering in America by enlisting 6.5 million fathers to make the Championship Fathering Commitment.

For the original article, visit fathers.com.

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Original Page: http://www.charismamag.com/life/men/20013-how-dads-should-build-leaders

5 Things Every Married Man Should Do Around Single Women

A wise man once told me that when I find myself around single women, especially when I find them attractive or interesting, I should mention my wife and family early in the conversation. I have found this advice to be very useful on many occasions.

Fellow husbands, I have found the above advice and the other tips at the bottom to be essential in keeping my marriage healthy and strong. I want my marriage strong and healthy and so should you! In fact, it's one of your biggest responsibilities in your marriage.

So let's dig deeper into this subject. Where are some common places where you might run into this scenario? For many of you, it could easily happen at work. You could be starting a new job and find yourself around a lot of nice, new women. When this happens, you have to make the choice to embrace their attention or extinguish it in a friendly way by mentioning your beautiful wife and family.

For some of you, you have been working around the same women for some time. You might have had the choice many times to engage in flirty conversation or go out with co-workers after work. If this is you and your wife is at home waiting for you, then it's time to step back and assess your position as the husband and leader. Take the necessary steps to make your relationship with your wife the most important one again and don't forget it. Lead gentlemen, lead!

Even though those were just a couple quick examples, I know there are a few of you out there that need to step up your role as a husband. Those examples don't apply to you? Then consider who you know and talk to at your gym; the grocery store; the local hang out or wherever. These "simple" places could produce difficult relationships that will harm your relationship and love with your wife. Man up and do what needs to be done for your marriage!

Now that I have your attention, here are 5 things every married man should do around single women:

1. Keep your ring on. There are very few exceptions for when that ring needs to be off. Operating heavy machinery, swimming in shark infested waters, etc. If you are about to enter a situation that makes you look at your ring and consider if you need it on or not, LEAVE! RUN! GET AWAY FROM THERE! Seriously, get out of that situation, your vows, marriage, children and more depend on those important decisions (Read Luke 16:10 ESV).

2. Hang up pictures of your wife at work. A married man in this position would be wise to pick out a couple great and fun photos of him and his wife and keep them displayed at his office or place of work. Pick a time that was fun for two reasons: it will remind you why you love her so much and it will make for a great conversation tool when others, especially women, ask about it. Update the image as needed to keep the people around you knowing your relationship is continuing to grow. Get that picture up this week and extinguish those flames (Read Psalm 119:37 ESV).

3. Keep eye contact simple and short. Don't read this the wrong way; I'm not saying to be rude. I'm saying to be careful where your eyes travel and how long they travel for when you are in the presence of an attractive single woman. You know that once you engage in the first serious look you have signed the dotted line for more eye trouble. Read more about that "first look" here. Keep it short, keep it decisive and move on. Get back to that image posted at your desk. Go! (Read Matthew 5:28, KJV)

4. Keep conversation general and professional. If you work around single women, there is no question that conversation will come up. It's up to you on how you decide to speak with her. You can choose to keep it short and general, you can choose to keep it professional or you can choose to keep it off of those and allow it go places it shouldn't. Be polite, but very intentional in your conversations. If needed, again, always be ready to bring up something about your wife or family. Pull the pin, aim and distinguish. Safety first (Read Romans 6:13, ESV)

5. Talk about your wife and family often. Did I mention anything about talking about your wife in conversation yet? I believe I did, but this last point brings the idea to a firm home. The single women you engage with each day, if you have to, should be no match to your wife and family. Your family should be your first priority wherever you are and with whomever you encounter each day. Yes, each and everyday. Keep it short, keep it simple and mention your beautiful wife. Now pat yourself on the back and keep it up (Read Ephesians 5:25-33, ESV). 

Important Note: Oh, and no matter what you have done with your current relationships with single women, these steps can and should be started at anytime. Your wife's feelings are and will always be more important then the woman you need to take these steps with. Get on it!

I challenge you to take these bold steps for you, your marriage and your family. Again, it's your responsibility to LEAD!

List one of your own tips and let's help out our fellow husbands!

Manturity is a blog built on establishing spiritual maturity in today's man. The goal is to assist men in building better marriages and help them in grow in maturity and explore different aspects of manhood. Manturity.com features new weekly blog posts, daily social media updates and a powerful resources page. Stay up to date with the Manturity blog communities on Facebook and Twitter.

For the original article, visit manturity.com.

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Original Page: http://www.charismamag.com/life/men/20028-5-things-every-married-man-should-do-around-single-women

Apostle Paul’s 3 G’s of Powerful Prayer

No matter what our age, years of Christian service or maturity in ministry, we will always need to keep growing in the exercise and discipline of prayer. As you fulfill God's call on your life, I want to encourage you to be a person committed to powerful prayer.

The apostle Paul's prayer in Ephesians 3:14-21 comes to mind when I think of excellence in prayer. This gives several insights into the preface, posture and petitions of powerful prayer.

Preface

Paul starts by saying, "For this reason I kneel" (Ephesians 3:14, emphasis mine). What reason? What is the reason that drives him to prayer? It is a phrase he also uses in 3:1, "For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus. …" In some way Paul connects the reason—the preface—to  the entire prayer that follows. Paul joins that "reason" to the word mystery that occurs four times in Ephesians 3 (verses 3,4,6,9). The "mystery" is that the church—composed of Gentiles and Jews—would make known the many-sided multifaceted wisdom of God to rulers and authorities in heavenly realms. In plain speech, Paul is saying: "Before I launch into my prayer, let me tell you what stands behind it. The church has God's name on it. We are the assembly of God. The church is His pride and joy."

Posture

In Jewish prayer, standing is the normal posture (Matthew 6:5; Luke 18:11,13). Kneeling, however, is the more intense form of prayer. Paul says, "For this reason I kneel" (Ephesians 3:14, emphasis mine). This is a tip-off to the fervency of effective prayer.

One of the early church fathers put it this way: "By kneeling we demonstrate the full form of prayer. We ought not merely to incline our minds to prayer but also our bodies. We do well to lower our bodies lest we create an impression of elevation or an appearance of pride."

What would happen in our lives, homes, and churches if we fell on our knees and prayed more earnestly—going beyond the rote and routine of prayer—to the fervency of prayer?

Petitions

The posture and preface to Paul's prayer leads us into the intensity of three petitions he brings that we can summarize in three words: grip, grasp and grow.

1. Grip. Over the years my daily prayer list has grown to more than 250 people. I laid Paul's prayer over my list and realized how spot-on his prayer is because so many people on my list, including myself, need our grip strengthened with power through the Spirit.

2. Grasp. Paul not only prays for us to get a strong grip. He prays that we will also get a great grasp. Years before Paul wrote this Ephesian letter from a prison in Rome, he had planted and pastored the church in Ephesus for two and a half years. During that time he sent letters west to the Corinthian church that was beset with all types of problems and pride. He told them in 1 Corinthians 13 what was missing in their community life. They were not rooted and grounded in love.

This is always a sobering word to the Pentecostal and charismatic church because in our desire for the restoration and presence of the charismata we may be tempted to build on the gifts rather than the Giver; on the sensational above the ethical or moral—on success and numbers rather than love. When we are rooted and grounded in love—then we can grasp the breadth, duration and extremity of His love.

3. Grow. Paul knew that being filled with the Spirit was not just a one-time "I've got it" experience. When you read the last two and a half chapters of Ephesians, you can see that these Spirit-baptized believers were still being pushed to grow. No matter what our age, years of Christian service or maturity in ministry, we will always need to keep growing because even if we are filled now, we are not yet filled with all the fullness of God. But that is not all. He ends with, "(He) is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us" (Ephesians 3:20). Great praying leads to great power—"He is able," Paul says. And great power leads to great praise. "To him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen" (Ephesians 3:21).

The grip. The grasp. The grow. They all lead to immeasurably more. God is infinite and capable of giving more; and we are expansible and capable of receiving more.

Do you want to display the glory of the Father? Become a person who prays powerful prayers.

George O. Woodis general superintendent of the Assemblies of God.

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Original Page: http://www.charismamag.com/spirit/prayer/19881-apostle-paul-s-3-g-s-of-powerful-prayer

10 EASY WAYS TO KEEP ME ENGAGED DURING YOUR MESSAGE

I've taken some time recently to think about what makes some folks more effective speakers than others and I am convinced that there are specific strategies that any communicator can use to improve the chances of their message being heard.

This list may not apply to every listener, but here's what really keeps me engaged during an entire message:

1. Be real. Let people see the actual human inside you. Most of the time, this involves sharing your personal stories.
2. Talk like normal people talk.  Use my language. Don't assume I know what you know. Provide the backstory, so I can be on the same page as you.
3. Use humor. If you don't make me laugh, I'm probably going to tune you out. By the way, the best humor comes from your everyday life.
4. Be honest. If I think you're credible, there's a better chance I'll think your message is credible.
5. Avoid being too polished. I love it when you leave your prepared statements and share anything off the cuff.
6. Don't tell me what to think. Lead me on the journey, but let me reach my own conclusions. In fact, you can challenge me, but don't talk down to me.
7. Reveal your weaknesses. Silly as it seems, it makes me smile when I hear you tell about your mistakes. It helps me respect the areas where you are growing.
8. Be brief. Shorter is better. I'm probably going to remember only one or two things that you say.
9. Make me feel smart. I don't care how smart you are, but I like it when you make me feel smart. Simplify your statements and make it easy for me to apply what you're teaching.
10. Tell me why I should care. Help me understand why I should listen. If I'm not sure why what you're saying is relevant to my life, I'll be thinking about everything but your message.

I've never had a seminary course on preaching, so I don't really know what it takes to prepare a good sermon. I do know that what you're saying can't have an impact on lives unless people are alert and engaged in your message. Hopefully this list will help make that happen.

Photo Credit: ganatronic via Compfight cc

The post 10 EASY WAYS TO KEEP ME ENGAGED DURING YOUR MESSAGE appeared first on TonyMorganLive.com.

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Original Page: http://tonymorganlive.com/2014/02/25/10-easy-ways-keep-awake-message/

Cultural Languages of the Church

When Mao Zedong was leader of China, he imprisoned Deng Xiaoping as a capitalist roader. After Zedong died, Xiaoping became China's leader and instituted capitalist reforms that have fueled China's resurgence today. Hotly criticized by the old Maoists, Xiaoping's famous response was, "I don't care if a cat is black or white, so long as it catches mice."

The apostle Paul took the same approach concerning how we communicate the gospel to various cultures: "I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some" (1 Corinthians 9:22).

In the Church, we must be more concerned about results than means. Are people being saved, being baptized in the Spirit, living in the Spirit, and becoming fruitful disciples of Jesus? If so, then we do not need to concern ourselves with pastors and churches that may do things differently from a past generation.

The modality of bringing Jesus to the culture shifts with the culture while the eternal message of the gospel does not change.

The Jerusalem church spoke Hebrew; the Antioch church spoke Greek. Jerusalem kept kosher; Antioch ate cheeseburgers with bacon.

What is a language in our culture? Consider the following languages:

• Music.
• Dress.
• Service times.
• Church architecture.
• Form of worship.
• Forms of church governance.
• Tradition.

Acts 2:42 applied to the Antioch church just as it did to the Jerusalem church, and it needs to apply to us. The key is retaining apostolic doctrine and experience, and being flexible on the rest.

The post Cultural Languages of the Church appeared first on Dr. George O. Wood.

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