Category Archives: Connection

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Palal – Proseuchomai

Old Testament

The Hebrew verb palal means “to pray,” or “to intercede.” It comes from the root, pll, which carries the idea of “intervening” or “interposing.” One who prays “interposes” himself or herself between God and some other thing, condition, or person. The Bible assumes that people will pray to their God, since they are dependent upon Him for everything (our sin makes prayer even more of a necessity). The power of prayer is simply amazing because it changes not only the world, but also the person praying. It touches not only the supplicant, but also the very heart of God. During Solomon’s dedication of the Temple, Solomon spoke of the power of prayer (2 Chr. 7:13–16). Through prayer (palal), people who are called by the Lord’s Name can move God to hear them, forgive them, and heal them and also their land. Prayer must be accompanied by humility—a serious search for God and a genuine rejection of evil. Only if these attitudes and actions are present will prayer be heard—and only when this kind of attitude accompanies prayer will it be effective. Abraham prayed for Abimelech with this attitude, and God heard him (Gen. 20:7). Moses prayed for the people of Israel (Num. 21:7), and God heard him. Hannah prayed to have a child, and God heard her (1 Sam. 1:19, 27). Elisha prayed for his servant, and God heard him (2 Kgs. 6:17–18).[1]

New Testament

All believers want to know how to pray effectively. The place to begin is with Christ’s teaching and example. Christ’s dependence on His Father expresses itself in repeated prayer, culminating in His prayer after the last supper and the agony of Gethsemane, followed by His prayer from the cross (John 17). The parables on “prayer” (proseuchē in Greek) are another important source of Christ’s teaching. These parables emphasize persistence (Luke 18:1–8), tenacity (Luke 11:5–8), simplicity and humility (Luke 18:10–14). A significant source of teaching about prayer is the Lord’s Prayer (Matt. 6:9–13). The requests given in the Lord’s Prayer are concerned first with God, His kingdom and His glory[2]

Shepherds Advantage provides Servant Leadership that helps people close the gap between where they are and where they want to be. Shepherds Advantage closes that gap by providing Leadership Development, Key Note Speaking, and Executive Coaching. 

Shepherdsadvantage@gmail.com

[1] Carpenter, E. E., & Comfort, P. W. (2000). In Holman treasury of key Bible words: 200 Greek and 200 Hebrew words defined and explained (p. 138). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

[2] Carpenter, E. E., & Comfort, P. W. (2000). In Holman treasury of key Bible words: 200 Greek and 200 Hebrew words defined and explained (p. 364). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

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Liquid Church Walls

What happened to the walls of church? The general understanding of church boundaries has been defined by the walls of a physical location – “There is my church….” The Covid Pandemic has single-handedly redefined faith boundaries. Before you judge my intent and motives, pause with me and consider some salient truth.

  • The metric system of how church is measured has radically changed
  • “What gets measured gets rewarded” was the old mantra – what was measured was skewed
  • Church attendance metrics have been redefined
  • “Look we are ‘LIVE’!”

This is only a sampling of thoughts that could be wrote. Here is what I know as a 40+ year veteran minister, I have vested much of my ministry in challenging the church to get outside the walls of the church, get outside of the box, and other mantras. This global pandemic has pushed us all outside of the walls and box of the church. We have moved from the shocking reality of not using our building, to pivoting our activity to go online, to what will a digital Easter look like, to how much longer will this last! The walls of the church that defined who we are and what we believe has turned to a liquid reality. 

I am not declaring this fluid state to be all bad, but I am declaring this to be an opportunity to think differently about the boundaries that have defined our faith. As I write this article, the biggest discussion of churches in North America, Canada, and the UK centers on how to measure church attendance in a digital world[1]. We have measured content production and participants in the Worship Center. We are now attempting to determine what is an acceptable count total – 1 minute of engagement time or staying for the full online service? STOP! We still are measuring content to participant engagement. That misses the point of one the most crucial commands of the New Testament church – GO MAKE DISCIPLES! How do we make disciples and bear one another’s burdens if we are not truly building community? Perhaps it is time to rethink what is rewarded and what is measured. Perhaps it is time to stop measuring a day and event to start engaging people daily.

Shepherds Advantage provides Servant Leadership that helps people close the gap between where they are and where they want to be. Shepherds Advantage closes that gap by providing Leadership Development, Key Note Speaking, and Executive Coaching. 

Shepherdsadvantage@gmail.com

[1] www.barna.com

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5 Stages or 6 Stages?

Elisabeth Kübler-Ross in the 1969 wrote about her observations of terminally ill people in her book, Death and Dying.  Her book came into existence because of a lack of training in the medical schools on the subject of various phases of acceptance in terminally ill patients. Her work was never intended to be prescriptive, rather, these were observations of a general progression from the shock of bad news all the way to a level of acceptance of a new reality. The five stages, denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance are a part of the framework that makes up our learning to live with the one we are losing or have in fact lost. They are tools to help us frame and identify what we may be feeling. They are not stops on some linear timeline in grief. Not everyone goes through all of them or in a prescribed order. The hope is that with these stages comes the knowledge of grief ‘s terrain, making us better equipped to cope with life and loss. At times, people in grief will often report more stages. Just remember your grief is unique as you are. These 5-stages are merely a mosaic of the journey of people whose lives were moving in one direction and now a sudden shift in life’s direction has radically altered previous held dreams.

Author David Kessler had the privilege to co-author 2 books with Ross; Life Lessons and On Grief and Grieving. Kessler has authored a new book, Finding Meaning; The Sixth Stage of Grief. In this book he has added Meaning as the sixth stage of grief. Kessler writes from a perspective of suddenly losing his 21-year old son. His writing is from a perspective of living life in a way that brings honor to those we have lost. He makes a distinction between attempting to find closure versus living with meaning that honors. This adds to the mosaic of radical change that has occurred which brings people to how do I find meaning and live out that meaning in the face of new realities. 

In a recent “Church Pulse Podcast”, there was a discussion that many pastors are experiencing aspects of the now 6-stages of grieving: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance, and meaning. A California Pastor commented, “I do not know what grief stage I am in at the moment. Everything has changed.” Covid-19 will be remembered for the radical change in how the end of life has been celebrated due to “Social Distancing.” There is a sense that Covid-19 end-of-life services has denied us a right to close this chapter in life. Truthfully, this pandemic is not about, “How do I get through this event so we can get back to normal?” Rather, I believe it is about; “How do I change in order to thrive in a new world after this event?” Living honorably in a new world that is already giving us a new meaning to life is our goal!

Shepherds Advantage provides Servant Leadership that helps people close the gap between where they are and where they want to be. Shepherds Advantage closes that gap by providing Leadership Development, Keynote Speaking, and Executive Coaching. 

Shepherdsadvantage@gmail.com

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Reverence or Fear?

Have you ever watched a sunrise or sunset? Have you ever camped out under the stars and have been amazed at the number of stars? As you hold a newborn baby are you in awe in that moment at the miracle of birth?

The Hebrew word that is translated “awe” is “yirah”. The actual meaning of this word is respect, reverence, worship and fear. This word is used in Proverbs 9:10, “The fear (yirah) of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”The implication is that we are not to be afraid of the Lord as though we are scared. We are not to imply the Lord is waiting to crush us and we cannot escape (There is certain amount of truth of this fact in judgment due to our rejection of His offer of salvation). 

The next time that you stand on the oceans shore realize your emotion is not one of fear in that moment. Rather you are awe-struck at the size and power of the ocean. You feel yirah! In that moment you feel reverence for a creating God. That is what scripture declares as the beginning of wisdom and knowledge. Do you “yirah” God in that manner?

Shepherds Advantage provides Servant Leadership that helps people close the gap between where they are and where they want to be. Shepherds Advantage closes that gap by providing Leadership Development, Key Note Speaking, and Executive Coaching. 

Shepherdsadvantage@gmail.com

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Mental Health Post Covid-19

It seems that we are in a count-down mind-set anticipating the return to our jobs and places of worship. As we anxiously anticipate this return are we in touch with the Mental Health of our congregation, our Teams, and ourselves? Let’s face the facts, we have been practicing “social distancing” while our faith is structured on community. Isolation is difficult to maintain during pandemics. Old habits and thinking can easily creep back into our minds and habits. 

Consider the following; two in five young adults around the world report anxiety about important decisions (40%), uncertainty about the future (40%), a fear of failure (40%) and a pressure to be successful (36%).[1] Additional insights reveal that the majority of Pastors are “Somewhat” confident regarding their congregations needs. Yet the majority of faith leaders say they are offering one-on-one discipleship for their people. Regarding the churches leader’s perception of their own well-being during this pandemic 21% stated they are doing well which is down from 37% in a 2016 State of The Pastor Report by the Barna Group.

Let’s take a deep breath for just one minute while we are in this pandemic together! There is solid evidence of anxiety and fear in our young adult population, a majority of spiritual leaders say they offer one-on-one discipleship, yet those same leaders are “Somewhat” confident of the congregations needs, add to this the leaders own sense of well-being is decreasing. Is there a congruency of data? At a surface look the answer would be NO. However, if we consider the mental health issues for prolonged exposure to a traumatic and sudden change of American behavior and way of life, then perhaps the data is congruent.

As we prepare for a restart of our congregations we should be careful to not over-look the mental health of everyone (Leaders to attendees). It is easy to get caught up the social distancing measurements of every 3rdseat and every other row; how do we ingress and egress from the building, how do we receive offerings – do we allow everyone to touch the plate? Yet, I get it, this is a different world and we are using different descriptors of our new normal. I am convinced the elephant in the room will be the mental health of everyone. God has wired us to record everything about our daily lives. Presently our brain is sending error messages that what we are experiencing is an error. Clinical Psychologist Dr. Henry Cloud suggests that we need to reset our sense of connectedness, reset our routines, reset our sense of needing to control, and reset our mental space by increasing personal spiritual practices.[2] The Spirit of The Disciplines – Understanding How God Changes Lives by Dallas Willard is still worthy reading material for such a time as this.

Shepherds Advantage provides Servant Leadership that helps people close the gap between where they are and where they want to be. Shepherds Advantage closes that gap by providing Leadership Development, Keynote Speaking, and Executive Coaching. 

Shepherdsadvantage@gmail.com  

[1] https://www.barna.com/research/mental-emotional-health-among-pastors/ – ACCESSED 23 April, 2020.

[2] Dr. Henry Cloud as sighted in an article, The Mental & Emotional Health of Pastors and Their Congregants Amid Covid-19, by David Kinnaman President of the Barna Group. April 15, 2020.

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Measure What Matters

We are very deep into the Global Pandemic – Covid-19. When you pause to simply look around the religious landscape, you will see a very different expression of faith in America. That may be stating the obvious since this pandemic was thrust upon everyone suddenly and forcefully due to the spread of the coronavirus. Because I have been a life student of Faith and discipleship for over forty years, I have taken the time to observe the central Indiana faith community weekly. Everyone is digital so that task is not difficult to do. I have observed churches moving from shock at the suddenness of this change, to the online church coupled with its awkwardness, to the restlessness of people wanting to restart their lives, to the reality of restarting a nation and how do we restart our churches?

In all of this transition we are measuring the church metrics through a different lens. According to the Barna Group[1], they state that 32% of churches have served their communities through food distribution programs. Research shows that an additional 35% of churches have partnered with other agencies in community food distribution and assisting the elderly population by means of grocery shopping, doctors’ appointments, etc. Measuring “church attendance” is not as simple as food distribution. Pastors reported that attendance post-Easter increased for 59% of churches; 21% of churches stated their attendance remained the same; and 20% of churches reported a decline. When you examine this metric, you will see a wide variety of how these numbers are arrived at by churches. There are three ways of measuring attendance. First we are counting the number of views to our service, secondly the actual attendance is measured by those who watch the full service plus the “comment engagement” activity, and thirdly attendance is measured by multiplying by a factor of 3x (Average family size) the number of devises that connect to the service regardless of how long they stay engaged.

This all sounds complicated doesn’t it? Perhaps we are making it more difficult than it should be. So, we return to the gospel mandate in a digital world. The mandate has not changed and will not ever change no matter the platforms used to “do church”. Could it be that our efforts to measure unique devises, Facebook engagements, and individual IP addresses is only measuring “Content to Consumer” metrics? If this is what we are doing then we must ask the question, Is the mandate of the church to only measure content to consumers? What if the question was “Are we actually converting views into actual relationships with Christ and community? If that becomes the question then our responsibility in a post Covid-19 world is a 7-day per week responsibility and not just weekend metrics. This measurement would radically change all other measurements.

DISCIPLESHIP matters!

Shepherds Advantage provides Servant Leadership that helps people close the gap between where they are and where they want to be. Shepherds Advantage closes that gap by providing Leadership Development, Key Note Speaking, and Executive Coaching. 

Shepherdsadvantage@gmail.com

[1] https://www.barna.com/research/measure-digital-engagement/ – ACCESSED 23 April, 2020.

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Posttraumatic Growth

The global Covid-19 pandemic of 2020 is just like any other significant crisis that has ever occurred in history. The best analogy is that of a hurricane. There is the preparation leading to the destructive force of a hurricane. This gives way to the “eye-of-the-storm” which is a false sense the storm is over. Following this the backside of the hurricane hits with additional force and greater destruction. Many times, after a hurricane has passed the sun will shine brightly as though nothing has ever happened. However, in the brightness of the sunshine, the visible reality and extent of destruction slowly and shockingly settles upon people. You are now living in hell on earth. The mental-emotional impact upon people can become crushing, leaving scars for the rest of their lives.

“Many survivors of trauma have experiences that haunt them for the rest of their lives, experiences they can never forget. They may struggle for many years with considerable psychological pain. The new psychology of posttraumatic growth does not deny this fact, rather, simply recognizes that there is another side to the coin – that in the midst of great psychological pain there can also be a new recognition of one’s personal qualities and a deeper and more satisfying connection to others.

Three existential themes are at the core of posttraumatic growth. The first is the recognition that life is uncertain and that things change. This amounts to a tolerance of uncertainty that, in turn, reflects the ability to embrace is as a fundamental tenet of human existence. The second is psychological mindfulness, which reflects self-awareness and an understanding of how one’s thoughts, emotions, and behaviors are related to each other as well as a flexible attitude toward personal change. The third is acknowledgement of personal agency, which entails a sense of responsibility for the choices one makes in life and an awareness that choices have consequences.”[1]

Abraham Maslow once stated about self-actualizers, “the most important learning experiences . . . were tragedies, deaths, and trauma . . . which forced change in the life-outlook of the person and consequently in everything they did.“ We are preparing and anticipating being released from the lockdown of our Covid-19 new world behavior. With the flattening curve of the number of new incidents and deaths and the hopes of releasing the social constraints we are only in the eye of the storm, the calm before the new realities settle in on us. That chapter is only now being discussed. Change in our mind-set and behaviors are being forced upon us. 

Think about the thousands of funeral services that did not occur due to social distancing and the fear of spreading the Coronavirus, Think of the thousands of “Celebration of life” services that will occur to bring closure to families and friends. How do you restart a nation? Better yet, How do you restart church? Will there be temperature checks for entry into larger gatherings? Will we wear masks and gloves? What about our children’s education? What about the economy? Author Stephen Joseph’s book, “What Does Not Kill Us” is a powerful title to remind us of our own self-awareness, “I have survived”. Tragedies and trauma can make us better and we can emerge as new versions of our self.

Shepherds Advantage provides Servant Leadership that helps people close the gap between where they are and where they want to be. Shepherds Advantage closes that gap by providing Leadership Development, Key Note Speaking, and Executive Coaching. 

Shepherdsadvantage@gmail.com

[1] Stephen Joseph. What Doesn’t Kill Us. Basic Books: New York,  2011.

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Shabbat – A Period of Rest

From the time of creation, the seventh day was set aside as a day of rest (Gen 2:2); it was a time to celebrate, to rejoice in work accomplished, and to praise the Creator. Today, most Christians and Jews observe every seventh day as special, whether they recognize Saturday or Sunday. The Hebrew word shabbat, “Sabbath,” is formed from the root shabat, meaning “to cease,” “to desist,” or “to rest.” In the Old Testament, while ordinary work ceased on this day, sacred activities were encouraged, and feasts or festivals sometimes coincided with the Sabbath. The religious high point of the year was the Day of Atonement, which was also called a shabbat shabbaton, “a Sabbath of complete rest,” yet there was a great deal of religious activity carried out by the High Priest and other Levites (Lev. 23:32; 16:31).[1]

The need for Israel to focus upon God one day per week was absolutely necessary to keep them from being so preoccupied with their work. Numbers 15:32-36 shows us the seriousness of breaking the Sabbath – death! Additional worship unto God was expected by offering two one-year old male lambs were to be sacrificed on the Sabbath. Even the land was to rest every seventh year.

When you transition into the Biblical New Testament, we see Christ and his disciples observing the Sabbath. However, Christ would teach the Sabbath was created by God for man’s good and not his oppression. Christ would declare that He was Lord over the Sabbath (Mark 2:23-28). The true “Sabbath” of God, true rest in and with Him through Christ, is the goal and purpose of every believer. With joy, we strive to enter that rest (Heb. 3:10, 11; Rev. 14:13).

The Covid-19 Pandemic has radically altered how we do business and church. No one is exempt! The suddenness of this pandemic has forced a surge of nervous energy to simply cope with a new reality. Six weeks into this crisis, we are still nervous, yet we remain busier now than ever. There is a new reality that is going to settle upon every person, home, business, and church. History tells us that every significant crisis brings about social change that will not look like the “old-normal.” However, there is an ancient truth that is just as real today as it was in Genesis 2:2 when the sabbath is first mentioned – Shabbat! Stop the nervous energy and shut down, form a Sabbath day of true uninterrupted rest. It is perhaps the most important spiritual, mental, and physical thing you can do for yourself during this pandemic and post-pandemic.

Shepherds Advantage provides Servant Leadership that helps people close the gap between where they are and where they want to be. Shepherds Advantage closes that gap by providing Leadership Development, Key Note Speaking, and Executive Coaching. 

Shepherdsadvantage@gmail.com

[1] Carpenter, E. E., & Comfort, P. W. (2000). In Holman treasury of key Bible words: 200 Greek and 200 Hebrew words defined and explained (p. 157). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

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Pandemic Shepherds

The Lord is my Shepherd is perhaps the single most recognized phrase from the Bible. “Generation after generation, both Christian and non-Christian alike, have taken comfort and encouragement from David’s portrayal of God as a faithful and compassionate Shepherd. This despite the fact that the majority of people living in urban and suburban areas have never seen a flock of sheep, let alone a shepherd tending his animals. Such is the power of the shepherd image in Scripture”.[1] What do we understand about the role of a Shepherd in the biblical context? The Shepherd was responsible for leading the flock to pasture and water, shelter, protection, care, and healing in the case of sickness or injury.

There is an interesting transition in the life of David that takes place in Psalm 78:70-72; “He chose David His servant and took him from the sheepfold, from following nursing ewes, he brought him to shepherd Jacob His people, Israel His inheritance. With upright heart he shepherded them and guided them with his skillful hand.” The skills learned from a nomadic lifestyle are now brought to the table of leadership discussion to lead National Israel. Today this transition asks, How do you shepherd in a National/Global pandemic?

In response to the question, Max Dupree states the first responsibility of leadership is to define reality. So, what is reality currently? A pandemic can be compared to a hurricane. There is a ramping up of preparation and endurance until the front of the “eye-wall” has passed. Then a momentary reprieve before the back side of the storm passes. Then calm and many times sunshine appears as though nothing has occurred. Yet devastation is everywhere. By all indications, Covid-19 has peaked and now is in decline. We are all anticipating getting out and becoming social once again. HOWEVER, the back side of the storm is about to pass.

Extensive research in disaster mental health has established that emotional distress is ubiquitous in affected populations. Ubiquitous simply refers to that which is omni-present; it is everywhere you look. Covid-19 has consumed our daily life! Prolonged traumatic exposure leads to PTSD-like systems. For example, when you have trouble sleeping, anxiety, substance abuse, relational difficulty, lack of purpose, forgetfulness of key facts, anti-social behaviors, and loss of ambition to name a few. 

In preparation for our return to socialization we would be wise to pause and consider our own mental health. At a minimum we should set aside some time for reflection about how are we honestly feeling today. As a next step we can take a mental health screening assessment. This screening is completely anonymous and no personal information is required. If needed, schedule a medical visit with your physician. Physical issues can be masked as mental/emotional issues. 

I believe the most important issue of mental/emotional health is to set “Bright Line” parameters on your daily routine. Effective daily routines begin the night before. Here are some suggestions to consider.

  • Shut down all computer/entertainment screens one hour before you go to bed.
  • Go to bed at a consistent time nightly.
  • Get out of bed at a regular time daily – Sleep lost is never gained.
  • Eat Healthy – Feed the body properly so the mind can function efficiently.
  • Exercise – walking is one of the most-simple yet effective exercises you can do for yourself.
  • Do not “binge-watch” entertainment – over-stimulation of the mind is unhealthy.
  • Have a set time for bible reading – prayer – writing – reflection
  • Learn the discipline of 90-minutes of deep work cycles without interruptions – Stop trying to conquer your mountain in a day. 
  • Learn the discipline of journaling – This is not “Dear diary………”
  • Learn to eat cake! – Be good to yourself.

Shepherds Advantage provides Servant Leadership that helps people close the gap between where they are and where they want to be. Shepherds Advantage closes that gap by providing Leadership Development, Key Note Speaking, and Executive Coaching. 

Shepherdsadvantage@gmail.com

[1] Carpenter, E. E., & Comfort, P. W. (2000). In Holman treasury of key Bible words: 200 Greek and 200 Hebrew words defined and explained (p. 170). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.

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Leaders Go First

Every team needs a leader. Every country needs a leader, and the family of God needs a leader. Jesus Christ is that leader. The Greek word for “leader” literally means “the first one to lead the way.” It is derived from archē which means “the first,” and ago which means “to lead.” To express this idea of leadership, archēgos is a low frequency Biblical word occurring only four times and is generally translated in Acts 3:15; 5:31 as the “Prince,” and as “the author” (founder/trailblazer) in Hebrews 2:10; 12:2.[1]

If the trajectory of the word, the direction of action or the example in which to follow, means “go first”, then how would we apply this in leading through a global pandemic? At the top of this list is the notion the only reason a leader should be a leader is because their driving passion is to help other people. From the local civic leadership position all the way to the national level of civic leadership we are watching these leaders demonstrate genuine care for the citizens or in some cases enforce heavy-handed regulations. Citizens are being awakened to genuine care and what it looks like – these leaders are going first. 

Here are three practices that are necessary to be a “Go First Leader”.

  • Believe In Yourself – I have met successful leaders in which some people did not believe in them. However, I have never met a successful leader who did not believe in themselves. Understand this belief starts on the inside then expresses itself outward to others. You must become bigger on the inside before you can become bigger on the outside.
  • Set Expectations For Yourself First – If you wait for your congregants to establish expectations, you’re not leading. Spiritual Leaders must establish upfront where the congregants are going, what vision you expect them to accomplish, and what it means to be part of this church. This means establishing expectations for your own work—and living up to the expectations you set first.
  • Keep Your Commitments First – To be a successful faith leader, you must continually make commitments. Commitment is key. But the first and most important commitment that any leader makes is to him or herself. A commitment to integrity. A commitment to responsibility. A commitment to selflessness.

Effective pandemic leaders communicate often, demonstrate resolve to find solutions to difficult problems, and communicate genuine concern for the people. Evaluation of civic and faith leaders are based upon the people answering three questions internally; (1) Do you care for me? (2) Can you help me? (3) Can I trust you?

[1] Carpenter, E. E., & Comfort, P. W. (2000). In Holman treasury of key Bible words: 200 Greek and 200 Hebrew words defined and explained (p. 321). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.