Ministry Tensions by Pastor Wayne Cordeiro

Ministry Tensions

Pastor Wayne Cordeiro,

from a staff meeting in 2008

• There’s a saying “What you do is not the same as who you are.”
• This may apply to all except possibly pastors & shepherds.
• As a pastor & shepherd, who you are IS what you do and what you do IS who you are.
• There are a lot of similarities with CEO’s and pastors, but when it comes to a “calling” they differ.
• A salesperson won’t talk business after 5:00 pm. A shepherd or minister is like a “Country Doctor.”
• A minister is called by God to shepherd. It’s a 24/7 job. You can’t clock out.
• If God calls you to be a shepherd, you can’t escape His calling.
• You are first and foremost a shepherd ~ a staff member that God has given a gift to (gift of administration, working with you, accounting, etc.) to serve in, but you will always first be a shepherd.
• The easiest thing in the world to do is to be yourself.
• The sooner you are comfortable with who you are, the happier you will be.
• Shepherding is who you are.
• If you say “I punch out at 5:00 pm” it may diminish your passion. You may permanently lose the part of your heart that you need to be in order to be fruitful and compassionate in ministry.
• There will be times of still waters & greener pastures.

How to resolve to make sure you’re finding still waters & greener pastures and not burning out:

• Find respite in the tension of ministry.
• Learn to reproduce yourself in others ~ build teams. Change your mentality.
• Solitude ~ not isolation.
• Solitude is a choice. Isolation is the consequences of violating solitude.
• Godly planning. Take time to plan.
• Physical health.
• Family health.
• Learn to graciously say “No” when needing to.
• If you a young leader and say “no” too quickly in the beginning, you may think your plate is small because you don’t want to be stretched. In reality, God thinks your plate is bigger.
• Learn to say “Yes” more than “No.” You won’t learn where the edge of your plate is without pain.
• Pain causes you to find the edge of your plate
• If you have to say no, a good way to say it is “I’d love to but can’t, but let me help you find someone who can.”
• Commit to learning. The Bible says people perish due to lack of knowledge.
• Have the presence of God in your life.
• Hang around inspiring people.
• Have a Heart-Check
• Listen to “pain” inside of you.
• Broken relationships have broken communication, which then leads to wrong assumptions.
• You are responsible to make sure your relationships are clean so you don’t send broken signals.
• Keep relationships strong ~ over-communicate.
• If you sense a relationship breaking down, find a reason to email or talk to the person.
• In ministry there will be tension.
• You are the people the enemy will focus on to destroy.
• You’re going to get nailed.
• The way the enemy will get at you will be to use others.
• He knows how to take people out.

Your calling is something that the Lord has asked you to do. You can’t escape it. Think correctly ~ it will help you immensely!

LEAD Midweek - Schedule August-October

We begin the Irresistible Church Series: Every Wednesday!

Aug. 17: Rod Shimabukuro and Frieda Takaki; Hunger for God’s Presence; A Prayer and Healing Service

Aug. 24: Alex Michel; Remembers Who She Is

Aug. 31: Sam Kapu; Lives Heart First

Sept. 7: Marcus Sanders; Practices Gratefulness

Sept. 14: Rod Shimabukuro [Men's Panel]; Promotes Healthy Relationships

Sept. 21: John Tilton; Is Always Learning

Sept. 28: Rod Shimabukuro & Shon Kihewa; Promotes Spiritual Self Feeding

Oct. 5: Elwin Ahu; Connects Everything to a Soul

Oct. 12: Richard Waialeale; Chooses to Love

Oct. 19: Rod Shimabukuro; Takes risks

Oct 26: Susie Lam; Humbles Itself

Nov. 2: Kyle Lum; Has a Plan

Leaders and Volunteers Midweek Service

Calling all leaders and volunteers. Pastor Rod Shimabukuro and Dr. Randy Fukushima along with the LEADMidweek Team have invited Dr. Paul Louis Metzer to speak on August 10, 2011. Dr. Metzger is the Founder and Director of The Institute for Theology of Culture: New Wine, New Wineskin. He will be speaking on, "Ways to be like Jesus in our Culture".

Our culture in Hawaii is very diversed and, if God's been tugging on your heart to reach a friend, co-worker and family member(s) for Christ, then this is a night you don't want to miss. Invite your leaders and volunteers to come.

We'll also have a time of fellowship and pupus before the service.

Counseling Couples

I've had the intense privilege of helping to coach a few couples this past week. Among many thoughts and Scriptural principles talked about, spiritual warfare is a prominent factor.

While couples, people are subject to the spirits and schemes of the enemy, we must ALL be accountable for our sins and sinful behavior. Leading people to repent of their sins first and then renouncing the work of evil they've allowed is critical. There is a spiritual attack on our marriages because it is called a covenant - a covenant of promise that reflects the covenant we have as children of God, through Jesus!

2 Corinthians 10:3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 6 And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.

Passing the Trust Test

I couldn't pass this Maxwell lesson up! Relationships will deepen in a Christ-like manner as we live out these values!

Among leaders who lack insight, abuse abounds, but for one who hates corruption, the future is bright. Proverbs 28:16 (The Message)

People today are desperate for leaders, but they want to be influenced by someone they can trust, a person of good character. If you want to become someone who can positively influence other people:

1. Model consistency of character. Solid trust can only develop when people can trust you all the time

2. Employ honest communication. To be trustworthy, you have to be like a good musical composition: your words and music must match.

3. Value transparency. If you're honest with people and admit your weaknesses, they appreciate your honesty. And they are able to relate to you better.

4. Exemplify humility. People won't trust you if they see that you are driven by ego, jealousy, or the belief that you are better than they are.

5. Demonstrate your support of others. Nothing develops or displays your character better than your desire to put others first.

6. Fulfill your promises. One of the fastest ways to break trust with others is in failing to fulfill your commitments.

Becoming a Person of Influence

John Maxwell

Lessons of Leadership

An excerpt from Professor Ben Shin, Talbot School of Theology: Lessons of Leadership

So how do you actually “pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching”?
I would recommend four basic practices that have been helpful for my own busy life with ministry.

First, I would carve out some personal time to reflect, think, and just examine my heart. This is just a discipline of silence and solitude that will allow opportunities to reflect and examine one’s heart.

Second, I would dialogue with honest and close people in my life and ask them to evaluate me. I would then compare my perception of myself with what they say. My spouse knows me the best and can certainly give an honest assessment of how I am doing. It would be important to listen to her input!

Next, I would be in the process of journaling and recording my thoughts over a period of a year. Then, I would read over my journal logs to see if I have progressed or regressed. This would potentially tell me if I was doing well or if I’m cynical. Checking to see if the journal logs are any indication of my heart and seeing if they offer any clues to the condition of my soul.

Finally, I would spend extended times in prayer asking the Holy Spirit to expose any shortcomings or undeveloped parts of my character that needs growth. This is not an easy process to do but definitely a necessary one if a pastor or leader is to have success not only in the eyes of the church but more importantly in view of God’s high calling and standards.

Displaying His Heart