Servant Leadership in the Church

Last Sunday, I spoke about how the early church leaders shared responsibility and authority to meet a greater need. (Acts 6:1-7; You can hear the message here.)

I have always struggled with why churches spend so much time on the ceremonies and organizations of leadership rather than simply allowing the people who are the church to address the needs that arise from among them as their share life together on mission with Christ.

Here's what the first servant leaders in the church did to address the racial tension raised because of limited resources:

1. They clarified their roles. They knew what they brought to the table and guarded that with diligence. They were not creating positions of rank or status (clergy and laity), which we seem to think are important these days.
   
2. They turned to qualified servant leaders identified by their peers and closest to the issue to implement change. They did not put off the people or try to solve the problem themselves.
   
3. They shared their authority to make decisions through prayer and the time-honored practice of laying on of hands. This was NOT the first deacon ordination service! Stop making it that.They empowered servant leaders to solve a problem, and the church grew as a result of their actions.
   

There's much more to the story, but I want church leaders to get back to the practice of serving the body by empowering those on mission with them to solve the problems and meet the needs of their friends and families while being the church.

I have offered some of direction for this in my workbook, Paul On Leadership. It's a bit edgy for those in conventional churches, but I would recommend it to those who see themselves as a missional church on a mission field.

Dinner with Friends at Legacy was awesome last night! Over 300 women gathered to share dinner together and hear a message of encouragement from our own, Lisa Lloyd. This was our eleventh annual event, and it was as great as all the others. Lives were touched and changed by the event. Thanks to the guys who served drinks, food, and clean up. Everyone did a fabulous job!

Riding With A Friend

When Paul, the Apostle, wrote his friends in Philippi he sent the letter with Epaphroditus. In that same letter Paul called his messenger, "my brother, fellow worker and fellow soldier." (Phil. 2:25) You can tell by the words Paul used that Epaphroditus was a close friend who shared much of his life and ministry.

We are blessed by God when he sends an Epaphroditus into our lives, and this past weekend I had the privilege of riding with and for a guy whom I consider Epaphroditus in my life.

Paul Olson is a two time cancer survivor. His wife, Karen, is a breast cancer survivor. I have known them and their children since the 1980s when Paul moved down here from NY with J C Penney. I baptized him, walked through cancer with him, and Kim and I have shared the same life group with Karen and Paul over the years.

Paul began cycling about three years ago after his last battle with cancer and has been a regular rider with Legacy Cyclists since he started riding. He had ridden the Austin LiveStrong ride two other times before this one. After hearing of his rides with Jim Craig and others, I wanted to honor him and others by riding and raising funds for the cause. (That's my back with the names of those I rode for--including my sister. Paul wears the LiveStrong jersey with names. That's Marcel, Tom and Shirley and Paul. Jim and Jason are not pictured.)

This past Sunday, I worshiped with a friend on a bike in the Hill Country of Texas. The friendship, hills, wind, pain, and beauty melted together to make it a sacred day of praying for and remembering those I know who have defeated, are battling, and have lost the battle to cancer. I rode the entire time with Paul (catching up to Marcel at rest stops) and finished with him.

I cried with him as we hugged after the finish and friends and family gathered around to congratulate him on not only finishing the 90 miles of hills but for beating cancer another day.

Paul is a man of faith and inspiration, and we who know him are motivated by his gentle spirit and resilient trust in God to never complain and to take up challenges others say you should not try.

Thank you, Paul, for inviting me to ride with you.

Doing LIfe Together

We are in our third week of our fall LifeGroup semester at Legacy, and I continue to not only enjoy but thrive off the relationships we have in our LifeGroup. We love continuing our friendships with those we have known for years while widening our circle of friends with those who are new to the group. Kim and I cherish Sunday evenings when our group gathers at our house to share part of our lives together.

One of our core values at Legacy is "Authentic community fosters spiritual growth and transformed lives," and LifeGroups are our visible expression of that value. Relationships are the glue that holds the church together, and authentic community is how those relationships grow.

This past weekend several of us in our LifeGroup made shared some of our lives together at one of the group's parent's lake house. [You can see we were not roughing it by any means.] We slept late, took a walk (in circles at times), sat on the porch (even before make up!) and talked, watched football, cooked out, and in the middle of all that we shared our joys, hurts, faith and hopes.

Community doesn't happen by simply following a curriculum or because you show up at someone's house every week. Authentic community comes from sharing the real stuff of life together. One trip to the lake together does not create this, but it can be one of many experiences that give us room to see our unguarded selves and experience God's promise of comm-unity only the church can provide.

This Sunday I will guide our thoughts and hearts to the biblical descriptions of community experienced by the early church. Read Acts 2:42-47 and Acts 4:32-37 for the stories. My prayer is that each of us can know this kind of life "in common" with others.

Serve in the Name of Jesus

This past Sunday, my message was "Church is a verb: people who serve in the name of Jesus." (To hear the message, go here.) I described how Peter and John served the deepest need of the beggar who asked them for money by telling him, "Silver or gold I do not have, but what I have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth walk." (Acts 3:6)

I challenged each of us to serve the emotional, physical, and spiritual needs of others in the name of Jesus without prejudice and we would see great and wonderful things happen like Peter and John did.

The Wish 100 inaugural bike rally was a way for some of us to serve the need of children with serious illnesses in the name of Jesus. We did this as riding as Team Legacy.

Here are some of us at the start line. 104 Team Legacy members rode among the 1400+ riders to raise funds for the Make-a-Wish Foundation of North Texas.



We were the largest team! Some team members rode with the mayors of six cities carrying a baton to signify their involvement in the event.




Being the largest team gave us the opportunity to wear the artwork of some of the children who will receive the wishes we collectively provide. (A wish is about $6,000, which was the team's fund raising goal. Team Legacy raised over $7,800!)

At Legacy, we believe that "we are most like Jesus when we serve," and events like Wish 100 give us a chance to be the hands and feet (and pedals) of Jesus in the community.

Thanks to those who rode AND those who served at Breakpoint #4. You all provided a tangible expression of the love of Jesus to those you served.

I am proud to be your Pastor and serve with you in the name of Jesus.

For more pictures from the ride, go to John Huber's flickr album.

A Wish Come True

Few people ever have an idea and then see it happen. How many times have you heard someone say how much they wanted to do something significant only to fall back into their routine of normalcy? Kendall Brown is not one of those people.

I met Kendall when he was at youth camp and I was recruiting for Baylor University in the summer of 1973. At the First Baptist, Richardson camp he had such a reputation as a trouble maker (in a good way) Billy Crockett wrote a song about him. That was my introduction to Kendall--he was synonymous with fun-loving trouble and mischievousness. A doctor? Not so much.

He went to Baylor, married Becky (I did the wedding), entered med school, graduated, and set up his practice in North Dallas. They joined Legacy in 1993. He has played the drums and percussion in our worship band since, and he was also one of the first three or four riders in what is now Legacy Cyclists. (Second from left, the MS150 2007 team)

About a year ago, Dr. Brown, when he became the Chair elect of the Board of Directors of the Make-a-Wish Foundation of North Texas, made a wish to host a bicycle ride in Plano to raise money for the foundation.

Kendall combined his love for riding, faith, and service to children to create an event that served all three. I love it when anyone uses their hobby/skills and passions to serve the greater mission of God's call on his or her life. This is a life well-lived.

A year after Kendall's wish, The Wish 100 Bicycle Rally will take place this Saturday, October 3, in Plano. Over 700 riders are signed up to ride and ten of thousands of dollars have been raised to make wishes come true for sick children and their families--all because Kendall made a wish and with faith and hard work and friends made it come true.

I am proud to say that as of this posting, Team Legacy has the most riders registered (70) and is the third highest fundraiser. You can still be part of the event by riding or volunteering. Go here to help make a wish come true.

Thank you, Kendall, for showing us how to make a wish come true.

The Real Miracle of Pentecost AD33

Last Sunday I taught on the miracle at Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the gathered followers of Jesus. You can hear it here. One point I made was:

The miracle of Pentecost was that everyone heard about "the wonders of God," not that the followers of Jesus experienced something. (Acts 2:5-12)

American Christianity has come to place more value on religious experience than on the purpose behind the Holy Spirit in our lives. We judge our church services, which include the music and message, by how we feel when we leave the place. If we are inspired or encouraged, "God was there." If we leave feeling flat, something must have been wrong with the musicians or preacher.

We travel from church to church like fast food junkies looking for the best meal deal that satisfies our experiential appetites. (Of course, the worship leaders, which includes the preacher, are responsible for bringing their best to the Lord.) Given the equality of excellence, we still look for the next spiritual high and tend to forget we are here as "sent servant" of Jesus.

Pentecost is evidence that the overwhelming presence of the Holy Spirit in a church is empowered disciples boldly telling the Story of Jesus. Evidence of the Holy Spirit in our lives is looking something like Jesus in every arena of our lives, love for each other, acts of compassionate service to those in need, and a joyful witness to those far from God.

We share the same Holy Spirit as those who received it at the Festival of Pentecost. Will we allow it to lead us into the streets like the first followers of Jesus?

Have I shown you pictures of my granddaughter? Here are two from her trip to see the Bears play Connecticut last Saturday. Who cares if the Bears lost? The cheerleader was cute! You can get more pictures and the full story from my daughter's blog, Cooks Love Kisses.

we will never forget

Last Friday was our nation remembered the attack on our country by terrorists September 11, 2001. We paused and prayed for the over 3,000 who lost their lives that day and for the nearly 5,000 who have given their lives in the war that followed.

Two things were different about that remembrance for me this year. One was the deep sense to pray for our enemies. As a follower of Jesus I am compelled to pray for those who not only attacked on 9/11 but those who continue to plan and execute ill will on this country.

The second thing was our country's continued disregard for the one million plus abortions that continue to be performed in our country each year. We should remember the almost 9,000 deaths related to the war, but what about the 8 million plus unborn that did not see life in that same time period?

On September 12 several from Legacy Church joined others from the area to to walk in the rain for life. Legacy Church has been in partnership with Real Options for Women since the late 80's when Danielle Hansen became its Executive Director.

We were partners when Real Options became the first crisis pregnancy clinic in the state of Texas. We were partners when they began to provide sonograms, STI testing, abortion recovery, and abstinence training in schools. We remain partners as they serve those with unwanted pregnancies and offer loving alternatives to abortion.

Facing the injustice of abortion is not as clamorous as it was when it was part of the political scene, but just as we as a nation will never forget 9/11, there are many followers of Jesus who will never forget the unborn. We refuse to forget the lives lost and the lives damaged by the myth that you can just abort a fetus and go on with your life.


Join us as we stand for those who can't stand for themselves and as we love and serve those who wrestle with the reality of an unplanned pregnancy.